Racing another cyclist while commuting

[young Ed]

Speaking personally this thread is depressing, it only serves to highlight the diminishing art of communication and respect,.the thought of catching and passing another cyclist without at the very least saying hello is rude and ignorant.
Some people need to prove something, others do not, we prefer the company of the latter.

always say hi
just like the landrover wave and the motorcyclist wave or nod all random drivers of landrover or rider of motorbikes do it to each other regardless of age, gender, height, skin colour, looks, clothing or vehicle and i find it is the same with most bikes and cyclists and i always try and say hi!
Cheers Ed

 

[glenn forger]

It's nothing to do with ignoring other riders.

If someone busts a gut to overtake then eases off it's annoying and racist. I burn them up. They are being racist towards my chinos. If another rider is pootling along in a blameless and irreproachable manner I will doff my top hat and greet them effusively, we would become great mates and punch each others' biceps down the pub and he'll introduce me to his attractive sister who likes orienteering. If a no-mark rude competitive rider ignores protocol and manners and overtakes then blocks me I will crush their self-confidence so badly they will paint their bedroom black and start listening to The Cure. 'Tis a trifle.

 

[Mugshot]

Funny that we have never had the pleasure of attending a forum ride with any of those that "scalp" other people [and we have done quite a lot of CC forum rides] nor have we actually met any at races with a number on their backs.

I'm a little confused. I was reading about last years York to Hull Fnrttc (sounded great BTW) when I came across the following

I had two big laughs on the ride; in York when someone yelled "Nice Trek" to Simon and then again as we approached Hull and we were getting scalped by the newspaper boy on his BMX.

They were great. There were two of them cycling insolently along, all of 12 years old, both sporting hi-viz Daily Mail newspaper bags, and I think one of them was smoking a cig.

To my shame I actually scalped the newspaper boy (I was catching up with the group after marking a junction!)

No shame there; I was cycling next to Phanta when I noticed him catching us. I said that there was no way he was passing me............

 

[Christopher]

I once did a long stretch riding bit-and-bit with a commuter that I had caught up with after some effort. Total stranger but a nice guy, so we did a bit of road together until we turned different ways at a junction.

 

[GrasB]

This thread sums up why I get so disillusioned with cycling the cycling community when I get back to the UK.

EDIT: I don't get disillusioned by cycling just the attitudes in the cycling community.

 

[thefollen]

This morning I noticed when analysing a ride on Strava you can filter a segment's time tables to include only groups of yours. There's a Cyclechat and an SCR group; fun to check out!

 

[middleagecyclist]

Now I've been dragged into the thread I feel the need to comment.

Please don't drag me in any further.

Thanks

 

[fossyant]

Don't worry about it, Soup890 does keep making up crazy threads !


iougotrjgoritjgoitjijoerjuihgueguihgotrjptykpotyjhuiotjptykhyiphoiyj jhiyhjhjytoihiypkopgirtoihgjoihigj

Is that fast typing for you @totallyfixed ? Nobody makes scense at that speed

 

[jds_1981]

I like how these threads always manage to pull the cyclists in who feel superior to us adhoc racers, because they go to organised races. You pays your money, you takes your choice.

 

[jds_1981]

Yup agree ! See loads of them flashing past me day in day out ! NOT

Don't see many people claiming that, do see the occasional 'passed them at 30mph comments'.
However, in London where you have to stop for lights often, it's quite possible to find yourself maintaining 25mph between them. For instance, see this ~3km section on my commute home tonight where I average 25mph+

Edit: - and I wouldn't consider myself a particularly fast cyclist. A club cyclist could presumably do a lot better.

 

[Little My]

It's that testosterone thing again. I bet women don't do this.

Some do. Anyone who's slow,inept and in incorrect attire (jeans on road bike in men's case or short skirt in women's) is a fair game as far as I'm concerned - and I commute on a folding bike. Zooming past a bunch of sweaty,inept blokes on hybrids (they only ones I can't cane are roadies) or lycraed women of road bikes (not that there is that many of them) is the best feeling ever - especially if I know they won't catch me as I make the next set lights of lights and they won't
Sometimes I'm also being sarky as I get past them and throw a remark such as ' you need to learn to pedal faster' or 'this is how you ride a bike'

May I also add for the record that I'm a 'proper cyclist' - don't jump reds to get ahead, don't shoal either (I don't need to, I try to ride fast), don't take stupid risks. If I'm quicker then someone else it has to be fair and square - I can ride faster than them, even better if it's up a hill!

 

[Maylian]

Yesterday is a perfect example of this for me. I'm leaving work and deciding which route to take 1) Right, backed up traffic for a few miles with a gentle downhill at the beginning and then uphills towards the end of the ride. 2) Left, a bit of traffic, a tiring climb because of my early mornings and workout regime.

Ordinarily it wouldn't be a choice, filtering past miles of traffic is a buzz. However just as I'm approaching the turning a cyclist on a reasonably nice Mekk bikes goes past to my left. My head immediately decides to follow him and up the hill we go, me taking a bit of a tow although he opened a bit of a gap. As we're going up the hill I see a cyclist walking her bike along the verge so I stop to see if she's ok (she was) and set off again, only now he's about 300 metres infront up hill.

I managed to catch up to him after about 1k and pass him, then decide that since I took a tow I'd let him shelter in my wake if he wanted and started pointing out potholes. I don't know when he turned off but a few miles later at a set of lights he was no where to be seen. Do I feel like I've let the cycling community down? No. Did I enjoy a rather pointless effort? Very much so. Do I think I'm a bad cyclist? Hell no, plus I feel good because I was faster on the day (even if he didn't know it was a race)

 

[DavidD]

I like this thread because I have done this myself. Got scalped by a roadie on the commute to my work in the morning after not cycled for a while, couple of weeks later after getting some miles in I got him back knowing full well he wasn't knowingly involved. Still felt quite smug silly isn't it.
Also Noticed some folks on here have no sense of humour and take these threads way too seriously

 

[Brightski]

I consider my commutes "off duty" I'm in civvies on a MTB
So if you are going faster than me... Fill your boots..

 

[thefollen]

Not racing any particular person but scalped many and joint 1st on Strava for the day (out of 254) yesterday on the Vauxhall Bridge to Chelsea Bridge section along Grosvenor Road (London)!

Nowhere near the current all-time top 10 but I'm pretty pleased with it.

It's one of the better runs on the London commute with a traffic-free dedicated cycle lane and (estimated) 70% chance of all greens along the 0.9mile stretch. One can safely open the legs a little.

Had a very full backpack including the Monday boxing gloves/kit (where I was heading) and the bike needs a good service- it sometimes slips on a couple of the gears when engaging extra power past 'cruise level'.

Appreciate many cyclists on a Monday are possibly going 'easy legs' after a long Sunday ride, but every dog's gotta have his day!