Admitting in public to going bikepacking.....

[Pickers]

To friends and especially, colleagues? I work in an fairly ordinary office, fair mix of "normal" people. Most talk in the office is football or golf. Not very interesting to me, when I was asked what I got up to at the weekend (WRT) I just muttered something about having been out for a ride on my bike. A decent bike ride they can cope with. Up to about 20 miles or so. But camping as well? Going on tour and stopping in B&Bs seems a bit far fetched for them. The rides that some folk here do are astounding to me, and would be simply unbelievable to these folks.
So, do we talk in any detail about what we do with other people?

[Asposium]

So, do we talk in any detail about what we do with other people?

until they glaze over.

however, most of my friends know i'm nuts

[Bearbonesnorm]

I generally implement a 3 second rule in these cases, as I believe 3 seconds is usually long enough to judge whether continuing with the conversation is a waste of everyone's time

Perhaps surprisingly, the bewilderment isn't confined to none-cyclists either. It's a sad reflection of the soft world many people live in, even those who proclaim not to.

[whitestone]

Small firm and most of my colleagues know I do silly stuff anyway. I'll mention some things beforehand and/or do the "what I did at the weekend/on my hols" photos thing.

[Dr Nick]

I work in a small firm and one colleague is a Scout leader so my predilections seem ordinary.


And they're used to me arriving on a silly folding bike most days..

Have circulated pics of a BAM to colleagues in the past, prior to getting into the office of a morning...

[Pickers]

It's a sad reflection of the soft world many people live in, even those who proclaim not to

Guilty as charged, sorry. Still enjoy it when I can though.

[RIP]

Interesting question that there our Rich. Usually get a totally different reaction when I'm "doing it" in public to when "just talking about it" in public. When talking about it, it's as if I've suddenly donned an invisibility cloak. When doing it, usually get really interested looks and questions - where/why/what/when, er, well "why" several times actually

R

PS> Still jealous about your otters....

[Blair512]

I'm quite open about my bikepacking adventures at work, I quite like the weird looks they give me when I try to explain one of Rays winter bivvy trips to them!

The boy that sits next to me is a keen roadie but doing miles off-road with gear strapped to the bike is an alien concept even to him, at least he understands spending more than £200 on a bike!

[Jurassic pusher]

I just say I had a long bike ride with a bit of camping thrown in.

[Pirahna]

I'm unemployed and have no friends.

[Charliecres]

The chaps I ride with are mainly dismissive of bikepacking and think I'm warped (perceptive bunch). Generally non-riders can't quite grasp what I'm on about, so I don't bother explaining beyond 'a big bike ride and sleeping in a hedge'.

[fatbikephil]

I work with a large number of normal people but apart from thinking I'm mad, seem to get the concept and understand more or less why I do it. I don't think its any more weird than golf and is a lot easier
The only time they get peed off is when I'm eating continuously pre or post big trip without putting on any weight

[Alpinum]

My non-bikepacking friends now and then come along and really enjoy it, but won't go on a regular basis. They completely understand the allure.
Colleagues who bike like the idea but feel more like staying in for the night.
They only think I'm mad when it comes to 100+ km days, riding across countries off road on holidays or pushing through 250 km on the last leg of a 880 km event etc.

What hardly anybody gets is fatbikepacking in the depth of the alpine winter. When this season is on, they often make jokes about my behaviour. I do understand though. I go crazy the colder it gets, the stronger the winds and the more snow we have.

I do it for the love of being outdoors. Most have a good understanding for that, so there's common grounds.

[fatbikephil]

What hardly anybody gets is fatbikepacking in the depth of the alpine winter. When this season is on, they often make jokes about my behaviour. I do understand though. I go crazy the colder it gets, the stronger the winds and the more snow we have..

Ha ha yes I get some very odd looks when its dark, snowing and I'm about to fatbike home from work over the hills with a huge grin on my face. I look at them about to drive home in the traffic chaos that a dusting of snow causes and snigger

[Sarah]

A bike ride, is about all I say.

But I work with about 60+ women and most staff room conversations center on Love Island and nail polish. Although none of my male colleagues would ride either.

Climbing friends are much more into the idea.

[HopeValleyPaul]

I'm off tonight for a group ride with a load of enduro type folks, its always a good laugh, last time mountain rescue and a helicopter was involved and I had a go on a long travel e-bike
I'm always being asked about my bike as its not like all the other colourful bouncy bikes (Krampus + rohloff), beers and pizza after then everyone gets the train back to manchester or sheffield, offers to join me for a bivi and a spin in the morning have been met with very puzzled looks and a wall of silence of social media.

Maybe one day they will see the light.

[Scattamah]

My family know I'm a bit odd, and don't question that I'd want to ride a thousand miles or more.
The landlady wants to hear all the details (she's a seasoned traveller).
The folks @ the office take the piss as a way of disguising they don't ever want to try it themselves.
My customers who are in the know exclaim varying levels of surprise.
The folks @ the LBS always ask where I'm off to next. Vicarious living 'n all that jazz.

Greetz

S.

[jamiep]

Every Friday afternoon when I leave for home I am asked if I will be cycling a crazy amount of miles this weekend and/or will I be sleeping in a ditch. I'm considered some sort of extreme athlete, and they are amazed that someone can cycle over 100 miles nonstop, and glad it's not them