Odd technique....

[Arch]

Riding home last night I found myself behind a lad (late teens, early 20s?) on a ladies town bike. He had a most odd pedaling technique. Stand up, honk for a few strokes, sit down, freewheel, stand up, honk, sit down, freewheel. He kept this up for the half mile or so I was behind him, and it got very irritating, because his speed was varying all the time (and because we were filtering down a cycle land so I didn't have room to pass him). I longed to shout "You are allowed to sit down and pedal you know!", but he had headphones on.

The funny thing was that the bike more or less fitted him, he wasn't a knees-out chav.

Why would he do this? I wondered if the bike was stuck in a high gear, but if he'd just kept pedalling when he sat down, surely he'd have coped and had the advantage - it's a dead flat road. As it was he lost momentum and speed each time, and then had to get it back.

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

I had one like that the other week, on a track near some lakes. He'd done his huge honking thing to get past me and then kept coasting and weaving about getting in the way. Despite it being a wide track, it took me ages to find a spot where I felt it was safe to get back past him.

You don't think he was deliberately being annoying, do you?

 

[Arch]

I had one like that the other week, on a track near some lakes. He'd done his huge honking thing to get past me and then kept coasting and weaving about getting in the way. Despite it being a wide track, it took me ages to find a spot where I felt it was safe to get back past him.

You don't think he was deliberately being annoying, do you?

He glanced behind a couple of times, but I don't think it was deliberate, just incompentent.

 

[Theseus]

I tend to see this with riders on BMX bikes with the seat set low down, the kind that Danny McAskil rides. It may be how he learned to ride for stunt jumping and has just carried on with the same technique on a larger bike.

 

[4F]

It's BMX style riding. They all do it on those little bikes with the saddles pointed towards the sun. It just so happens that he was on his mums bike as his was probably in the shed with a puncture.

 

[gbb]

Riding home last night I found myself behind a lad (late teens, early 20s?) on a ladies town bike. He had a most odd pedaling technique. Stand up, honk for a few strokes, sit down, freewheel, stand up, honk, sit down, freewheel. He kept this up for the half mile or so I was behind him, and it got very irritating, because his speed was varying all the time (and because we were filtering down a cycle land so I didn't have room to pass him). I longed to shout "You are allowed to sit down and pedal you know!", but he had headphones on.

The funny thing was that the bike more or less fitted him, he wasn't a knees-out chav.

Why would he do this? I wondered if the bike was stuck in a high gear, but if he'd just kept pedalling when he sat down, surely he'd have coped and had the advantage - it's a dead flat road. As it was he lost momentum and speed each time, and then had to get it back.

Ex BMXer, they all do it (round here anyway).
The turn of speed they can achieve is quite impressive, but obviously it cant be sustained with the gearing. Old habits die hard perhaps.

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

He glanced behind a couple of times, but I don't think it was deliberate, just incompentent.

Sorry, Arch .. I meant my one. I'm pretty sure he was being annoying.

 

[phil_hg_uk]

A few weeks ago I was going down the york - selby bike path, I was doing a 100 mile ride that day and was about half way through so getting a bit tired, when I came across this yoof on a mountain bike who would stand up on the pedals and pedal like mad then sit down for a while etc so I overtook him when I got chance with the intention of setting a nice pace for the length of the path.

As soon as I did this he stuck to my back wheel then when there was room he overtook me and shot off for a few feet and then stayed in front of me pedaling like mad, so I thought ok fine at least he is out of the way as long as he stays there, so I sped up just a little bit to a good pace and stayed at that speed wondering how long he could keep it up and the answer was not very long eventually he left the path down a side path

I dont mind anyone been in front of me or overtaking or whatever Im not in a race just out for a nice ride, but it does annoy me when these people try to race you or just get in the way.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

The folk I see doing this are normally just in the lowest gear possible, obviously with no idea how to use bike gearing. I often wonder if they'll drive everywhere in first gear when they pass their driving tests.

 

[Twanger]

I longed to shout "You are allowed to sit down and pedal you know!", but he had headphones on.

Standing up for the chorus, maybe?

 

[NormanD]

new craze in Mexican Bike waving maybe?

 

[jonny jeez]

Why would he do this? I.

hemroids.

 

[rh100]

just a thought - maybe practicing to honk, as it were

I know when I tried it the other day, within seconds my legs were on fire because those muscles just wern't up to it. I did consider maybe doing a gradual practice of it when on a flat surface to try to build them up.