Lonely Sunday riding

[bladderhead]

I always ride in normal clothes. I do not want to ride in a group. I do 20 miles or 30 miles. Occasionally more. I always wave at other cyclists. Most wave back, including the lycra louts. I think that the ones that look as if they are just going to the shop to get some fags do not wave. I look like that, but I wave.

Some peoole have to follow

That's me. Not fast enough to lead.

 

[Crackle]

Even the local CTC groups I see (at least I assume they are) all wear cycling clothes now with occasional adornments of antlers and tinsel at xmas. I went to the dark side many years ago when I was tempted by someone flogging some 2nd hand cycle clothing, before that it was trackies and a t-shirt but i had already experimented with some cycling specific underwear out the Freewheel catalogue which had a nylon front to keep your gear warm in winter. The Freewheel catalogue was full of oddities like that. I cycle alone because I've got bad BO and Hallitosis and fart a lot.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I tend to wear more subdued colour kit recently, as the Lycra type stuff does a job, regarding comfort, but there does seem to be an increasing number of Faux Pro types out on Sundays, who like to talk loudly in coffee shops about what they are doing this “season”. There are a fair few people who do actually race round the routes that I regularly ride, and they do legitimately have a “season”, however the shouty ones who say “yeah” after everything, like a sixth rate Gordon Ramsay, are generally not, and I do like having a sly game of bullshit bingo whilst having a coffee break. The phrases that pay the best are “the Alp yeah” ( particularly “I’m doing ‘the Alp again this season yeah”) or the like, or “I’m going to smash ( insert Sportive )” or indeed, “I’m going to smash ( insert anything )”. It’s a great fun way to pass a few minutes, but I do not wish to be associated in any way with those types, so I tend to try to ‘fly below the radar’ if possible. The hard thing is not to eject hot coffee through the nostrils when they invariably pipe up, which gives the game away somewhat.

 

[screenman]

I do not pour scorn on what style of cycling people decide to do, I am just glad they are on bikes.

 

[C R]

I love lone cycling, gives me some time to not think about anything other than the road and the landscape around me. I wear baggy shorts and t-shirts, nothing cycle specific. I say morning or hello to other cyclists, some say back, others don't, I don't mind.

 

[screenman]

I used to wear baggy shorts on the bike up until I got my first pair of woolen cycling shorts, from that day on no more baggies when cycling.

 

[bladderhead]

baggy shorts

We recumbent riders call that air-conditioning. If there is a 'bent coming straight towards you, do not look.

 

[ianrauk]

I tend to wear more subdued colour kit recently, as the Lycra type stuff does a job, regarding comfort, but there does seem to be an increasing number of Faux Pro types out on Sundays, who like to talk loudly in coffee shops about what they are doing this “season”. There are a fair few people who do actually race round the routes that I regularly ride, and they do legitimately have a “season”, however the shouty ones who say “yeah” after everything, like a sixth rate Gordon Ramsay, are generally not, and I do like having a sly game of bullshit bingo whilst having a coffee break. The phrases that pay the best are “the Alp yeah” ( particularly “I’m doing ‘the Alp again this season yeah”) or the like, or “I’m going to smash ( insert Sportive )” or indeed, “I’m going to smash ( insert anything )”. It’s a great fun way to pass a few minutes, but I do not wish to be associated in any way with those types, so I tend to try to ‘fly below the radar’ if possible. The hard thing is not to eject hot coffee through the nostrils when they invariably pipe up, which gives the game away somewhat.

You've given up on the FKW and Lurid pink socks then

 

[rugby bloke]

I tend to wear more subdued colour kit recently, as the Lycra type stuff does a job, regarding comfort, but there does seem to be an increasing number of Faux Pro types out on Sundays, who like to talk loudly in coffee shops about what they are doing this “season”. There are a fair few people who do actually race round the routes that I regularly ride, and they do legitimately have a “season”, however the shouty ones who say “yeah” after everything, like a sixth rate Gordon Ramsay, are generally not, and I do like having a sly game of bullshit bingo whilst having a coffee break. The phrases that pay the best are “the Alp yeah” ( particularly “I’m doing ‘the Alp again this season yeah”) or the like, or “I’m going to smash ( insert Sportive )” or indeed, “I’m going to smash ( insert anything )”. It’s a great fun way to pass a few minutes, but I do not wish to be associated in any way with those types, so I tend to try to ‘fly below the radar’ if possible. The hard thing is not to eject hot coffee through the nostrils when they invariably pipe up, which gives the game away somewhat.

In the winter you can hear the same people loudly proclaiming their latest conquest in the trendy apres ski bars of Europe. They don't put me of skiing any more than they put me off cycling. Leave them to their games and enjoy your own activity.

 

[Racing roadkill]

You've given up on the FKW and Lurid pink socks then

The FKW was cheap, the pink socks are good for being spotted on unlit lanes at night, but other than that, yep.