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A nod, a wave, a cheery smile....makes people wonder what you are up to.

There's definitely a solemn, po-faced Rapha wearing type (male or female) and I've noticed on my travels that they're very common in the South of England/London/Home Counties and N American. Very cliquey. They take themselves far too seriously and they can be found on Instagram without much trouble. They go to great lengths to live up to the stereotype that's caused so much grief to us Rapha wearers who've had to put up with all the online abuse from cycling forum 'legends' and club kit tossers over the years. Back in the old days (said with tongue in cheek) when Rapha pretty much only offered us a merino jersey, bibs and a cap, we would have slapped these moody wankers round the legs.

Anyway, dressed in my finest Brevet or Pro Team attire, I will continue to nod, raise a finger from the bars, verbaly acknowledge or wave to my fellow cyclists, no matter what they're wearing or where I'm riding in the world. We're on our bikes FFS. We're not at work. We're taking a break from life's shite. Enjoy the moment you miserable sods! 

A car driver said "Merry Christmas" to me on Christmas Eve at traffic lights. Might have been something to do with the tinsel, holly, fairy lights, baubles and figure of Santa on my bike. Or perhaps they're just nice.

I've never understood the fascination with waving either. I generally do it, but not always - and never get marked when people don't wave back. I notice waving is much more prevalent Oop North, since moving here five years ago - and I've started to do it more as a result. Makes zero difference to my life though...

If I'm passing people who are, based on their apparel and bikes not your regular road going cyclists I'll always slow down to their pace, say hello and have a quick chat, weather/words of encouragement for the kids, warnings if I know there might be some roadworks/goings on ahead etc. I might be in full on kit with the best bike but that doesn't stop me from simply being a human being that likes to chinwag with other people.

Most roadies you'll get a nod oncoming, I'll give a nod or a raised finger, a hello if we're going at a slower pace otherwise at speed an audible greeting is wasted/pointless. If overtaking then a quick grunt/morning/ey up is fine (I hate the 'on your right' carp, overtake with the same mentality as if driving a car so if I have to move out then you as the overtaker have to account for that, so on your right should never be used as a way to say hold your line.

If you don't say owt in return or say owt when breezing past I'm not going to get narked, I would say it's the hi-vis helmet wearing idiots who ride on the footway/footpath (and never on the road) that get you the least responses, in fact their hazard awareness seems to be pretty poor all round from observing their behaviour patterns in built up areas particularly.

Chris Hoy tweeted something a few years ago about how he'd been out in the lanes of Cheshire and noted that most of the "non-wavers" were wearing Rapha (he didn't actually state the name of the brand but it was very obvious what he was going for).

I couldn't care less - I might wave at another rider if I don't happen to need both hands on the bars at that moment. I equally couldn't care less if people wave back at me or not.

That Dowsett thread spurred another Twitter thread from a girl who'd said hi to some random guy while out for a ride and he got overly chatty and then followed her home so she now completely ignores everyone. Can see her point entirely.

I'm just jealous of people who have the visual acuity to read the branding on other riders kit.

The waving thing is weird. I don't wave at other car driver s when I'm driving or at other pedestrians when I'm walking.

I used to nod or say hello to cyclists in the UK. There weren't many about and we had some common experience. When I first went to mainland Europe people would just look confused because of course they didn't consider themselves cyclists and had no idea what was going on. Touring in more remote places still often gets a response but I don't bother in cities anymore.

Got plenty of waves from Lusso branded riders today.

Christ.  People need to get over not being waved at.  I say hello to others but honestly could not give a shit if it's not acknowledged.

I tend to cycling but the nodding thing on motorbikes gets tiresome and I'm usually too busy to be shaking my head about. Never nod at Harley riders though.

I have noticed the waving on cycles is linked to the type of bike. Roadies wave to roadies etc. Never get a wave off a roadie on the mtb.

Somebody waved at me today. I was so surprised I didn't have the wherewithal to wave back, as it's rare where I am, plus on narrow lanes there wasn't much time. I hope he didn't think I was aloof.

I was wearing altura gilet over FWE rain jacket. Adidas gym trousers if you're interested. The only Rapha I have is the festive500 badges.

But not waving gives credence to the idea that we're not a homogenous group of "cyclists". Riding a bike has a very low barrier to entry so even knobs can do it!

tbh I thought the replies to Dowsetts tweet were more OTT than what he was saying, Im amazed some people even dare ride their bikes in public for fear of encountering someone who might wave at them, and clearly they dont go hiking or walking their dogs where complete strangers dont just wave they even stop to speak to you.

the majority of riders I see wave or wave back,I dont really care if they do or dont its their choice, though fwiw the one time I know I was deliberately snubbed by other riders they were in Rapha gear.

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Getting passed on a climb happens to us all, but surely a little wave or even a nod wouldn't hurt?

I've never been waved at, smiled at, or "Good morning"-ed by another cyclist.  Ever.  

I saw that Dowsett tweet and thought it was a bit of a weird thing to say tbh.

Probably 60-70% of people I say hello to (even when I'm hammering it) dont say hello back - pretty much all.of them are not wearing rapha. Mostly castelli /endura/altura and so on. If they say hello back then great, if not I dont really care tbh, and I wouldn't hold it against the brand they wear.

A lot of the tweet replies were basically people who consider themselves 'proper' and 'old school' cyclists and they don't like the new lot and the clothes they wear. Bit sad really.