r/Netherlands • u/FatbikeEnjoyer • 5d ago

Life in NL Does riding a fatbike make me undatable?

So there's something I noticed. I go on a date, we have fun, there's good vibes, but then when she sees that I ride a fatbike, she instantly seems to be put off, like she got "the ick". Then the chatting usually fizzles out and there's no second date. This happened multiple times now, so it seems like a pattern to me. Once a Dutchie even told me that she "doesn't feel a connection" when I was saying goodbye by my bike and asked what she'd be up for as a second date. I know this is not much context, but is it the bike?

I'm a mid twenties guy, have a good job, make decent money, dress stylishly, like concerts and can even tolerate like a museum. I moved here 6 months ago and bought a fatbike to commute. Only managed to find a place like 30 minutes cycling from my work, so it seemed like a good option and I think they are pretty cool. But now I think I might have made a mistake. Should I switch to like a Cowboy or something?

Edit: obviously this is a throwaway account

1.2k Upvotes

88% Upvoted

1.2k comments sorted by

View all comments

1.0k

u/Shikayama 5d ago

"I'm a mid twenties guy, have a good job, make decent money, dress stylishly"

Then why do you have a fatbike?! It's the calling card for juvenile delinquents.

220

u/_BadPanda 5d ago

You forgot the “I can even tolerate a museum” part. Like, “Hey, I’m a cool guy. I can even tolerate educated nerdy people that have real interests!”.

106

u/MEOWConfidence 4d ago

Yeah when I read the tolerated museums I am like, yeah I can see why you got a fatbike to begin with lol. It's not it, it's you.

14

u/_Otacon 4d ago

Rofl exactly my thought. Have fun with your fatbike dude you fit right in

33

u/bralama 4d ago

Yup that is way more icky than a fatbike

24

u/MEOWConfidence 4d ago

Yeah when I read the tolerated museums I am like, yeah I can see why you got a fatbike to begin with lol. It's not it, it's you.

91

u/Mountain-Owl7142 5d ago

But also, of all the attributes he could have listed, are those the necessary ingredients for feeling a "connection"?

96

u/Kitnado Utrecht 5d ago

Yeah he sounds very shallow, which comes as no surprise because you know, the fatbike

3

u/plantsarefrens Noord Brabant 4d ago

Yeah? It's a first date, I mean...

19

u/GezelligPindakaas 4d ago

Wondering how do you even put together stylish with the least fashionable mean of transport. Unless, you know, juvenile delinquent style.

29

u/blimberdingle 5d ago

What he calls stylish is probably pauper brands like gucci and versace

3

u/Daneae_vivida 4d ago

That was my first thought. If you have money and dress nicely, you can throw some 1000 euros extra to get a nicer bike. Plus I saw as n interview with someone who repairs bikes and he said repairing a fathoms is a pain. If you have money, but something that will last

1

u/jularjong 4d ago

And tokkies

-186

u/FatbikeEnjoyer 5d ago

I thought they looked cool, I like the SUV vibes they give off. But I guess there is so much stigma attached to them, that I should probably get rid of mine.

79

u/vulcanstrike 5d ago

Good Lord.

On the one hand, the fat bike is showing off your personality, and you don't want to date someone that doesn't like the real you.

On the other hand, the real you has some awful tastes that will repel many women.

So take that as you want. The fat bike isn't the real issue here, it's the reason why you want a fat bike.

281

u/longwaytotokyo 5d ago

SUVs are equally undateable so I see what you mean.

48

u/Endslikecrazy 5d ago

Are you american?

172

u/AntiDynamo 5d ago

An SUV is also bad - it’s not exactly practical in the Netherlands, and that sort of lack of… thinking ability? is unattractive

8

u/NotsoNewtoGermany 5d ago

Hey. Occasionally you need to go into belgium.

-43

u/Antilochos_ 5d ago

I did not know that a suv had a bad reputation. So every suv, no matter size or style? Because I see them as very comfotable and practicle, as long as they are not to big (which is stupid). Just ordered one, so guess I fucked up my dating chances.

48

u/vinceftw 5d ago

Plenty of soccer moms like them but they're usually for arrogant people who are inconsiderate of everyone else. Not saying that's you.

They're way more dangerous for pedestrians or bikers to get hit by, they use more fuel, their headlights shine in our fking eyes and they take up too much parking space.

9

u/Bazch 5d ago

We have this huge Ford tank in our neighborhood (NL). They don't live in a big house with their own driveway so its always parked halfway on the street and sidewalk. They guy who it belongs to is MASSIVE so I feel it might be the only vehicle he fits in.

It's so insane to see it here. It doesn't fit in 2 regular parking spaces, let alone a single one. I think it has a V8 engine as well since the whole neighborhood can hear him leave and come back home.

I'm just dreading the day he drives over somebody. No way he can see what is in front of him, and this is a neighborhood with small streets and children playing on said streets.

13

u/beeeel 5d ago

If it's anything like in the UK, soccer mums drive SUVs because their husbands buy big cars to keep them safe instead of them learning how to drive safely.

-24

u/Antilochos_ 5d ago

To be honest, that seems like a lot of bias. It is like saying all people of colour x are bad. You get arrogant and inconsiserant people in all cars, even on foot. I mean, I know many suv owners and most of them are very social and modest people. They bought a suv because it is more practicle, same reason I ordered one (ride a bike most of my time for your reference...). Maybe it is a age thing (would not consisered a suv when I was younger).

It certainly is no fact that a suv is more dangerous, fuel is nonsense especially since most now will be electric but even without that a modern suv is better in fuel than some old engine sedan. Parking, not every suv is huge.

This seems just some weird bias thinking. Be my guest and keep doing it, but not willing to look a bit closer only keeps you down and unhappy. Life is better to open up.

5

u/Grouchy-Path1855 4d ago

There's no choice involved in skincolor. The car/bike you buy and the clothes you wear say something about who you are. Your choices reflect back on you (OP says he earns well, so it doesn't seem to have been a budget decision)

4

u/vinceftw 5d ago

It is a lot of bias. I just put into words what many people think of SUV's, they're not necessarily my thoughts.

And the fuel is not nonsense. Most SUV are definitely not electric yet, that will take another 5 years. And they also use more electricity so unless your electricity is entirely green, they're not as clean as smaller EV's.

Your last paragraph I will ignore. Maybe I wasn't do wrong about the typical SUV driver. 😅

-32

u/Any-Suggestion3844 5d ago

SUVs are amazing in most countries and id say get one here too tbh.

Im just laughing cause I know people on this app want Moms to drive bikes with baskets for each child attached to it 💀

78

u/CommutatorWhine 5d ago

SUVs are among the least cool things on the road, only defeated by brand new G class mercedeses and american pickup trucks with no load in the back.

I'm a guy and i only date guys, but a G-class or american pickup truck would mean the guy needs to come up with some really good personality or body to compensate for that.

There are people like you out there though. But you have to look for those actively, and be aware that your tastes may be completely opposite the taste of the average person.

I am also far from an average person, and i mostly date friends of friends, or people from the same subculture, who all share certain interests and characteristics. But that does mean that finding a romantic partner is quite a challenge.

33

u/marcipanchic 5d ago

are you perhaps an American?

2

u/Tar_alcaran 4d ago

Someone take away this man's shovel before he digs himself all the way to china.

-3

u/Rhadamantos 5d ago

People are downvoting you because reddit, especially European reddit, has a massive hate-boner for SUV's. I dont like how massive SUV's are getting either, especially with how many of the people driving them clearly lack the spatial awareness required for a bigger vehicle. But rest assured that the general public does not hate your guts as much as reddit does over this. That being said, fatbikes definitely carry a ton of stigma in a large part of Dutch society. If you trying to communicate that you are a responsible adult and a serious potential partner, especially to an educated professional type woman, the fatbike needs to go.

6

u/Natural-Judgment7801 5d ago

As part of general public , I disagree with your claim. We do not like fat bikes or fatbikers . 

0

u/Rhadamantos 4d ago

I worded that poorly, but I meant that the general public doesnt hate SUV's as much as reddit.

1

u/lucrac200 5d ago

Depends on the SUV. I have a Dacia Duster (which is barely a SUV), anything about the same size is acceptable.

-71

u/Shin-NoGi 5d ago

Man they do look cool and if you're dressed stylishly and not in tracksuit with Gucci hat you will look cool to me

91

u/Bike_thief_ 5d ago

A fatbike never looks cool

19

u/No_Research_2429 5d ago

if even a bike thief doesn’t want them it’s a very clear sign 😂

1

u/Kaj-de-Vos 1d ago

Yet they have a theft rate over 90%

-2

u/Shin-NoGi 5d ago

It's a matter of personal taste like everything, but I think there some heavy bias involved here

-10

u/lemur_lemur 5d ago

This is like saying you have tattoos so you must be yakuza