I can get..... satisfaction.

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gavroche

Getting old but not past it
Location
North Wales
Yesterday, did a 34 miles ride with my stepson who has not been on his bike for at least 4 weeks. I have ridden twice a week between 20 and 30 miles each time. Because he is 20 years younger than me, he usually leaves me behind when he feels like it but yesterday was different . ^_^ I was ahead and a few times I turned round , he was way behind including going up some gradients. When about 25 miles in, he gave up and went home, leaving me to carry on by myself. I felt really good and pleased about it and this rarely happens, in fact, this is the first time it happened . Before he left me, he said he wants to ride out a couple of times a week now to catch up on his fitness.
I felt so good about it! :angel: :bicycle::sun:
 
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I like Skol

A Minging Manc...
Youthful energy is ok, but old fashioned stamina is a force to be reckoned with! :okay:
 

netman

Veteran
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Good morning,

You are at a dangerous point. :-)

A couple of weeks ago I tried Strava for the very first time and I was surprised to find that I was far from being the slowest. Generally I was around the bottom of the top two thirds on the flats and downhill segments and noticeably into the top half on uphill segments.

I ride simply for the pleasure of it and after a few days I deleted my Strava account.

The idea of competing or timing certain parts of a ride, even just keeping a record seemed horrible and completely against the reason that I ride.

Yesterday I was passed by a younger bloke and when the road went uphill I had to use the brakes to avoid hitting him as he slowed down, changed down gears, got out of the saddle and struggled.

At that point in our rides I was faster then him, I had no idea of how far he had ridden, how far he had to go, whether he thought he was fit or not and I didn't care. I was enjoying my ride and introducing competition changes it for the worse, so instead of me overtaking him, he then overtaking me on the flats I just slowed down and let him go.

I suspect that because he had a light alloy bike and STI whilst I only had downtube shifters on a "heavy 531 frame" he changes gear too often and never builds any power! :-)

Bye

Ian
 

taximan

senex crepitu iuvenis cordi esse
I am a bloke of a certain age, and occasionally, just occasionally, I find myself closing the gap on someone in front of me and I must admit that it gives immense satisfaction, until that is, they hear my old bike, (or perhaps its me) creaking along behind them and look over their shoulder to see what all the noise is about. At that point I am normally left standing with my satisfaction melting away like a snowball in a heatwave. :cry:
 

SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
Yesterday I was passed by a younger bloke and when the road went uphill I had to use the brakes to avoid hitting him as he slowed down, changed down gears, got out of the saddle and struggled.

At that point in our rides I was faster then him, I had no idea of how far he had ridden, how far he had to go, whether he thought he was fit or not and I didn't care. I was enjoying my ride and introducing competition changes it for the worse, so instead of me overtaking him, he then overtaking me on the flats I just slowed down and let him go.

I don't actively try to beat other riders I encounter, but on the rare occasions I overtake one of the "all the gear, no idea" crowd on a fancy modern machine clearly making a mess of their gear selection and losing momentum, it does give me great satisfaction to pass them on an old-fashioned steel bike. If I'm on one of my old shabby hack bikes, especially an MTB, the satisfaction is even greater!
 
would you still feel as much satisfaction if you learned that the ...ahem....all the gear no idea....rider had already covered a hundred miles when you smugly overtake them, you have absolutely no idea how far or how hard they have already ridden , but if you need to justify all of your cliché statements, all the gear, no idea ,....mug who fell for the sales pitch,.....more money than sense....etc then crack on , if you really want to feel satisfaction then pin a number on and enter a race where the other riders actually know they are in one.
 
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