Slowing down...

[Racing roadkill]

Contrary to knobber belief, Cycling isn’t about “smashing stuff, yeah” and saying “yeah” after everything, like a third rate Gordon Ramsay. It’s different strokes for different folks. You may find that the riders who suddenly seem to be able to pass you, on a mountain bike, wearing clogs, or whatever, effortlessly, actually ‘blow up’ fairly soon after the ‘hero pass’ and if you maintain the pace you were, or increase it slightly, you’ll soon be back past, and gapping them significantly, with little or no real extra effort. Don’t just think they’re quicker than you, so that’s that, they’ve normally made an unsustainable effort to get past you, and as long as you don’t let it get to you, it’s no problem really. I led a challenge ride last year, and my group and I came across a ‘sportive’ not far from the end. We passed a group ( doing the Sportive ) and a couple of them got the hump, and broke their backsides to repass our group. I just signalled to the others in my group to form a chain behind me, then upped the pace by a couple of miles an hour, and we repassed the chopper brigade, as they blew up, 10 seconds after having passed us, much to the enjoyment of some of the rest of my group. It was probably a bit childish, but it was fun, we ‘smashed them, yeah’ they had no reply, yeah. That’s all part of the fun, knowing who’s actually a genuinely quick rider, and who’s a ‘have a go hero’.

 

[vickster]

No one ever actually talks about ‘smashing it’ other than you

Well done OP for keeping the pedals turning

 

[Hedgemonkey]

Contrary to knobber belief, Cycling isn’t about “smashing stuff, yeah” and saying “yeah” after everything, like a third rate Gordon Ramsay. It’s different strokes for different folks. You may find that the riders who suddenly seem to be able to pass you, on a mountain bike, wearing clogs, or whatever, effortlessly, actually ‘blow up’ fairly soon after the ‘hero pass’ and if you maintain the pace you were, or increase it slightly, you’ll soon be back past, and gapping them significantly, with little or no real extra effort. Don’t just think they’re quicker than you, so that’s that, they’ve normally made an unsustainable effort to get past you, and as long as you don’t let it get to you, it’s no problem really. I led a challenge ride last year, and my group and I came across a ‘sportive’ not far from the end. We passed a group ( doing the Sportive ) and a couple of them got the hump, and broke their backsides to repass our group. I just signalled to the others in my group to form a chain behind me, then upped the pace by a couple of miles an hour, and we repassed the chopper brigade, as they blew up, 10 seconds after having passed us, much to the enjoyment of some of the rest of my group. It was probably a bit childish, but it was fun, we ‘smashed them, yeah’ they had no reply, yeah. That’s all part of the fun, knowing who’s actually a genuinely quick rider, and who’s a ‘have a go hero’.

The other night some bu##er came past me on an mtb, going like the clappers, wearing work boots, work trousers and a big hi-viz jacket, so I gave chase, it wasn't until I was coughing up my lunch, that I noticed his cadence wasn't really matching his road speed, a bl##dy E bike that had, definitely been fiddled with !!!!! Lesson learnt ;-)

 

[Davos87]

Go too quickly and your enjoyable bike rides over far too soon.
#inpraiseofslow.

 

[pawl]

At “about 60” I’m definitely not as fast as I used. I don’t pass many these days and passed by two cyclists on the way home today, one in jeans & on what looked like a cheap mountain bike. Crushed again.

Still I was out for 8 hours on Sunday, only stopping for essential cafe breaks. Not totally shattered when I got in, helped by a tail wind in the afternoon. So a few more rides to look forward to before the grave.

Happy Cycling to one and all.

8 hours ,that’s about the time we used to be out on the club runs with the local CTC,that was back in the late 50s early60s.Lunch at CTC approved cafe.Provide your own sarnies pay for a giant pot of tea.Tea at another CTC establishment beans on toast fruit salad cake Pub stop near to home.

I was just clearing out the loft when I came. across a book byAlbert Wistanly describing the Golden Years. Took me back to those years again when cars were rarelyseen as a problem.

I’m still dodging the grim reaper despite a couple of heart ops.

Started cycling at 15 still turning the pedals at 77 ,I would say you have a lot more rides in you.

Happy days.

 

[Randomnerd]

a bl##dy E bike that had, definitely been fiddled with !!!!! Lesson learnt ;-)

did the self same thing a few weeks ago. Lad cruised past me on a fat bike, so i foolishly hooked on thinking I would get a tow uphill. Finally spat my lung out and realised he was packing some serioulsy altered motor. His scrawny pins were barely moving. OP, it's not the speed, it's the style.

 

[Alan O]

did the self same thing a few weeks ago. Lad cruised past me on a fat bike, so i foolishly hooked on thinking I would get a tow uphill. Finally spat my lung out and realised he was packing some serioulsy altered motor. His scrawny pins were barely moving. OP, it's not the speed, it's the style.

I had something similar a while ago, on my MTB on a cycle route and overtaken by a bloke also on an MTB who looked about my age and a couple of stone heavier.

I tried to keep up with him, but I couldn't do it. And I don't have e-bike as an excuse, as he didn't have one - he was just a fat lad who was genuinely fitter and faster than me

 

[Racing roadkill]

The other night some bu##er came past me on an mtb, going like the clappers, wearing work boots, work trousers and a big hi-viz jacket, so I gave chase, it wasn't until I was coughing up my lunch, that I noticed his cadence wasn't really matching his road speed, a bl##dy E bike that had, definitely been fiddled with !!!!! Lesson learnt ;-)

There’s loads of them about

 

[Racing roadkill]

Go too quickly and your enjoyable bike rides over far too soon.
#inpraiseofslow.

Very true.

 

[Cuchilo]

If you want an older riders than you story try being in the same club as https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/indian-pacific-wheel-race.211934/
disclaimer . I dont actually know how old Frank is , I just think i am still 18 so assume everyone is older .

 

[buzzy-beans]

Before I set out on any of my regular rides I know exactly the distance and each and every time when I set out, I have to try my damndest to beat my best ever time, even though at 68 I ought to be thinking more about sitting back and enjoying the flora and fauna.
And there is me on my old but gorgeous and mechanically superb feather light 'Shorter' quite regularly passing groups of far younger cyclists on state of the art modern machines, and it is that experience which always results in me pushing just a little bit harder!!

 

[steveindenmark]

There was a post on here recently about riding slowly. It got more positive comments and support than any post on here for ages.

I rode 40km yesterday and tried to keep under 20kph. I failed miserably because it was -6 degrees and had to keep pedalling to keep warm. But you dont have to dash around everywhere and I find taking a camera with me helps slow me down.

 

[ozboz]

There have been a few posts on recently referring to age and ageing , I am now 65 , I am to be seen bobbing around the Borough of Richmond on my Tangerine Surley at the mo' , no great hurry. ,
Apparently , Federer said when asked about ageing 'Age is a number ' ,
I'll go along with that ,

 

[Shortandcrisp]

It becomes harder to maintain a high averarage speed as one gets older, but not impossible. Real question is whether or not most of us think it’s worth all that extra effort!

 

[Alan O]

It becomes harder to maintain a high averarage speed as one gets older, but not impossible. Real question is whether or not most of us think it’s worth all that extra effort!

Very true.

I'm quite sure I'm slower than I used to be, though I've no idea how fast I was back then - we didn't have all that mobile computing trickery to measure it.

But then, speed has never interested me - if I can finish an eight hour ride in eight hours, I'm happy