Riding with other people

[scouserinlondon]

I randomly met two colleagues today on the commute in, and what struck me is how different our riding styles are and how hard it was to stick together.

They both weave through the traffic more than me, I'm a coward and tend to sit in the traffic if I'm only three of four vehicles from the front of the queue, whereas they would try to get forward.

Once across junctions I'd always end up overtaking them because they ride slower than i do.

Got me thinking that I'm actually glad I commute on my own, commuting with the missus would be a nightmare I think.

 

[g00se]

My other half rides ridiculously slowly - it takes all my concentration not to ride into the back of her bike...!

 

[Twenty Inch]

Teaching my other half to ride safely in traffic nearly led to divorcing her. She wouldn't do what I told her when I told her, and in traffic you don't have the time to explain why it's she shouldn't be riding down the left-hand side of a truck at a roundabout.

I eventually hit on the idea of going on group rides, so other people could coach her. She's much better now and we actually enjoy our rides together.

 

[jonny jeez]

I, I'm a coward and tend to sit in the traffic if I'm only three of four vehicles from the front

That not cowardice, thats you cycling within your comfort zone....nothing wrong with that.

Although, I've tried this and find it trickier to get rolling whilst "amongst" the cars as apposed to being in front and letting them wait till I have my "stirrups on" !

 

[magnatom]

That not cowardice, thats you cycling within your comfort zone....nothing wrong with that.

+1

I hold back a few cars, but it certainly isn't cowardice. Pushing all the way to the front can result in conflicts that you just don't face when hanging back a few cars, so long as you find a good place to slot in.

 

[John the Monkey]

A lot of people filter far more aggressively than I do.

It's just one of those things, I think.

 

[Keith Oates]

I agree with scouserinlondon, in heavy traffic it's better to be on your own!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Once across junctions I'd always end up overtaking them because they ride slower than i do.

I find the same and I'm not a fast cyclist... I suppose the ones who do get away feature less in the mind than the one you keep passing only to have them come past after a RLJ or by creeping forward at junctions....?

 

[Origamist]

I often ride with people on my commute, normally two abreast. However, I don't change the way I filter.

Riding with someone else is double-edged: good for the company and camaraderie, but I tend to think about my riding and their riding, and I'm not that good at multi-tasking.

 

[redjedi]

Nothing wrong with sitting in the queue of traffic if it's only a few cars to the front. I always do that.
If it's a long line of cars then I'll filter, but as long as I make it through on the next change of lights, I'll happily wait.
I like to think it makes a good impression on other road users, showing we're not all pavement cycling RLJers.

 

[HLaB]

As others have said there's nothing wrong with sitting a few cars back, as you've witnessed there isn't always anything to be gained by squeezing through. By holding back sometimes you benefit from being in the draft of a car, bus or lorry and go cruising past somebody who squeezed by.

 

[GrasB]

I tend to filter a few cars short of the front & sometimes all the way to the front, I usually filter on the off-side rather than near side. I do this simply because most other cyclists are so much slower than me & will squeeze through gap that isn't really there just to get a few meters further down the road. It also avoids were the highway designer couldn't work out how to solve the issue for the cycle lane so it just ends in the middle of no where.

 

[thomas]

I can find it annoying when there is another cyclist near me when commuting, especially if they take a bad line, or filter differently to how I like to as it makes it harder for me to do my own thing. For instance, if they like going on the left, I don't. If I go on the right though I'm worried that a driver might be helpful, move in for me and hit them...so that generally slows me down as I've got to give them some space/get past.

Also, annoys me when they take a different line to what I would....and when they're behind me I can get annoyed because I like to look around a lot, but a lot of people don't seem to, and I'm paranoid they just think I'm worried that they are gaining on me.

However, I don't mind meeting other cyclists on my commute when they ask if I want to share the head wind ...that was quite a good ride!

On club rides and things I have no problem...just in rush hour/heavy traffic I like to do things my way.

 

[BentMikey]

This makes me think of Lee's and my ride. That was fun!

 

[gbb]

I occasionally ride with the wife to her work...i cant stand it if we take her route

She's no slouch and can maintain some good speed on her hybrid, even over 15 to 20 miles, but she's just not aware as she should be.
Every time we take a particular cycle route, she'll cut across a blind corner.

She'll cut tight around one bend and bump straight across some tree roots that have lifted the tarmac. Its so simple to go slightly wider and miss the bumps. She does it every time!!!

She'll take one route that has no drops in the kerbs so you have to bump down them. There are so many better alternative routes, but no....

She's fit, cycles almost every day, enjoys it...but i'd hardly dare take her in heavy traffic

To be fair, i'd rather ride alone in traffic. Filter, not filter, romp around cars, do what i like and not worry about what anyone else is doing.