The pre-beginner
The pre-beginner is totally out of touch with bicycling. The last time they rode a bike was in their teens, years or decades ago, and ever since they've been commuting by public transport or by driving. But in exceptional circumstances, once or twice in a few years maybe, they may be forced to commute by bicycle. For instance, the bus drivers may be on strike, their car broke down, or perhaps they've been viciously egged to participate in the workplace fitness campaign by coworkers.
Pre-beginners are generally clueless when it comes to bicycling. They don't know the routes, they are unfamiliar with the traffic regulations concerning bicyclists, their control of the bicycle is poor, and they may be unaccustomed to physical exercise of any kind. When stopping at traffic lights, some of them tend to jump off a moving bike instead of using the brakes to stop completely. They find bicycling hard.
However, sometimes it's possible (I hope) that the bicycling experience doesn't put off the pre-beginner completely. If they get some kind of a positive spark out of it, they may continue to commute by bicycle even when not forced by circumstances, and slowly advance up the
Attitude towards bicycle technology
The pre-beginner uses whatever bicycle they've had stored in the shed for decades, or possibly borrow one from their kids or neighbours. Their awareness of the finer nuances of bicycle technology is vague at best ("- What size bicycle do you have? - Adult!"). If they're lucky, they know someone who knows the tiniest bit about bicycle maintenance -- like the fact that the chain needs to be lubed every now and then.
Dress code
Pre-beginners are totally unprepared for bicycling, so they'll wear what they always wear, like jeans, for example. Or, if it's possible, they might borrow sweatpants from their kids or neighbours. They may wear kids' size rollerblading helmets on top of their heads, if they're particularly security-oriented.
Behaviour in traffic
Pre-beginners act shaky in traffic. They aren't aware that there's a difference between sidewalks (meant for pedestrians only) and routes meant for bicycles and pedestrians. They definitely don't want to ride on the road, where cars go. They see cars as a kind of an unstoppable force of nature, moving on along pre-destined routes, immediately running down any bicyclists that cross their paths (not totally unlike in the movie Maximum Overdrive), so they tend to yield their rights whenever possible. (In fact, most cars these days have drivers inside, who operate the cars using the steering wheel, accelerator and brakes. So, actually, it is possible for the driver to make the car avoid collisions with bicyclists, by steering and/or slowing down the car so it is directed away from the bicycle (although empiric evidence often might suggest otherwise). Some might even argue that it is the drivers' responsibility, rather than a choice, to do just that.)
The occasional commuter
The occasional commuter has caught a dose of motivation for bicycling. Somehow, they've ended up doing it every now and then, and the experience hasn't been totally repulsive. The occasional commuter hovers on the verge of getting it about bicycling.
Attitude towards bicycle technology
The occasional commuter is just about to realise that the bicycle is a diverse thing, that there are several types of bicycles, meant for various kinds of usage. However, they would like to have it all-in-one. Therefore they tend to go for a hybrid (might as well be named "compromise") or a cyclo-cross bike (= non-optimal for the road and the off-road). Anyway, the experience of having a bad bicycle for whichever usage you are trying to use it for is an essential one. If you don't know what "bad" is, how can you strive towards "good"? They will need this information when, uh, evoluting.
Dress code
Any kind of sports clothes. Some even wear unpadded bicycling shorts (yuck).
Behaviour in traffic
The occasional commuters tend to stick to the bicycle paths. Might even use the road, occasionally, if feeling exceptionally fierce.
The biltema pro
The biltema pro has commuted by bicycle enough to realize that the commuting experience can be enhanced by equipping the bike, and also the bicyclist, with accessories. He doesn't understand why anybody would invest in the real expensive stuff real bicycle shops sell though. Therefore he does his bicycle-related shopping in bargain retailer stores, such as Biltema and Motonet. His gear consists of various rear view mirrors, lamps, racks, panniers, bells and whistles. He thinks that more is more.
Attitude towards bicycle technology
The bike of choice for the biltema pro is an inexpensive, heavy hybrid. Those smaller gears do come in handy, because as a result of customization the bike has become several kilograms heavier than it was out of the box. A plusher saddle, puncture protected tires and all those racks add up surprisingly much weight. The biltema pro thinks aero bars are a great invention, but he tends to install them so that his position on the bike is as upright and comfortable as possible, so they don't really add any "aero". And what do those bulky panniers contain? Does he really carry a laptop, several books and binders and three outfits to and from work each day?
Dress code
The biltema pro favours shell suits, sneakers, fanny packs and fluorescent vests. If it's raining, he'll don a rainproof cloak that makes him look like a tent on two wheels.
Behaviour in traffic
The biltema pro grinds on, slowly, like a very lightweight train, and obeys traffic regulations.
The pragmatic commuter is a seasoned pro of the commuting world. He's been doing it for a certain period of time now, he's worked out most of the kinks, he knows what to do. Commuting by bike is his second nature. He usually participates in the cycling scene somehow, like following competitive cycling, participating in it, or at least, reading the forums.
Attitude towards bicycle technology
The pragmatic commuter has worked out the suitable bike for him. It may be a hybrid, a cyclo-crosser, a mountain bike, a fixie or a carbon fiber racer. It may even be an everyman bike. Probably there's more than one bike, and the pragmatic commuter decides which one to ride based on the season/weather/mood.
Dress code
The pragmatic commuter has put some thought in what to wear. Often, it's skin tight lycra, because that's what serious cyclists wear. Or, it may be girls' jeans, if they're a fixie aficionado. Anyway, it's a conscious decision.
Behaviour in traffic
The pragmatic commuter is fast. He knows (most of) the traffic rules, but has his own opinions on whether or not to obey them. He's not afraid to ride on the road.
The pragmatic commuter with satori is just like the pragmatic commuter in every other aspect, but the satorified one doesn't need to prove anything to anyone else. They don't need to take unnecessary risks. They wont participate in the commuter category time trial competition. They won't compete with you (the bastards). Sadly, I'm not there yet.
If a bicycle commuter keeps on commuting long enough, they may mature to become a pitchy stump. A pitchy stump is totally resilient to weather, trends, advancements in technology and contradicting opinions of fellow humans. A pitchy stump keeps on doing his thing, year in year out, decade in decade out, for centuries.
Attitude towards bicycle technology
Pitchy stumps ride the bikes they've ridden for the last 40 years. Back then, bikes were built to last. Besides, they know that no significant improvements have been made in the design of the bicycle in the last century. Therefore upgrading to a new bike wouldn't benefit anything. Pitchy stumps do their own maintenance themselves, in their own garages.
Dress code
Pitchy stumps wear the sports gear they've worn for the last 40 years. Back then, sports gear was sewn to last. Besides, they know that no significant improvements have been made in the design of sports gear in the last century. Therefore upgrading to a new set of sports gear wouldn't benefit anything. Wives of pitchy stumps stitch up any damaged sports clothes with their own sewing machines.
Behaviour in traffic
The pitchy stump moves relatively slowly, but may be unpredictable in traffic. Because they're very resilient to change, they may not follow traffic regulations that are up to date, but instead follow the rules that they've learned in the century before this one. And if the choice of a route of a pitchy stump looks odd to you, bear in mind that they've bicycled along that path already when all of what you see was just a cornfield.
