Stupid cycle commuter racing

[Linford]

Followed a hybrid in this morning on the 'road of death' (as opposed to the nice long way around as I was running a bit late), He wasn't aware I was behind him, but all of a sudden he picked up the pace on a slight uphill gradient.
Me wondering what is going on, and then realised that there was a guy on a MTB chugging along in front which he was looking to do a fast pass (ego W@nk style overtake)
Now I know this MTBer as he has cycle commuted all year around forthe last 7+ years and works in the unit opposite mine, so the hybrid rider must do this on a regular basis.
Anyway, I catch up behind the hybrid about 50 yards in front of the MTB rider as he has backed his pace off, and then lo and behold, 100 yards in front of that, the hybrid filters off into the slip road of a big company, and at that point I came past him and carry on up the hill to my works a couple of miles further up (did let him appreciate that when you try and show others up, that you may be getting shadowed yourself )
Cycle commuting is such a compettitive game. If it were done in cars or on motorcycles, there would be hell to pay for sure.

 

[Kies]

Commuter racing is for the weak. I don't bother.
Like cars - someone will always come along with a faster, more expensive etc etc

 

[BSRU]

There is no thrill in overtaking a slower rider on a bike heavier/higher rolling resistance then mine.
If I am turning off soon I do not even bother to overtake I just wait, unless they are so slow that free wheeling is taking me past them.
SCR is only fun if the other rider is up for it, capable and done somewhere suitable.

 

[Cuchilo]

I had two overtake me this morning as I was sat behind a lady in the cycle lane . I thought it would be wrong to buzz past her so I waited but these two where all over the road and path . No point really as we all ended up sat at the traffic lights .

 

[SquareDaff]

Depends on fitness levels too. I had someone that used to shadow me up hills and them "impress pass" last year. I've done a lot of training miles this year (circa 5k) and my hill climbing has improved a lot. He's had the odd attempt but now we're on a level playing field I rarely see him.

 

[Linford]

Well, my fitness isn't honestly great, High blood sugars seem to totally zap me of energy....as do low blood sugars. I could have come past him myself, but then that makes you feel obligated to maintain the pace or feel a bit stupid when they come past you again

 

[ianrauk]

I love SCR.
Some times I kick the proverbial SCR arse, sometimes I get kicked back. No great shakes.
It's the way it is and it can be jolly good fun.... sometimes.

 

[HLaB]

I usually ignore it but this morning I got the rider desperately overtaking and staying about 20m in front, so I took great delight in showing him that a heavy fixie in trowsers and overtrowers is more efficient than a light geared bike and shorts and cruised past

 

[Twelve Spokes]

Cycle commuting is such a competitive game. If it were done in cars or on motorcycles, there would be hell to pay for sure.

It is.

 

[donnydave]

Its fairly rare that I see a "new" person on my commute, I recognise just about everybody who I pass, and those who pass me. By comparing the numbers of each I can discern my commuter ranking for my route, which I'm happy to say has risen from about halfway to top third in the last 2 years. Occasionally when the weather is nice you get recreation cyclists (fancy that - just going for a cycle for the hell of it!) out for a blast, they don't get any points as they are on full carbon sprint machines with no panniers so I ignore them.

An older guy kept up with me for quite a while yesterday on the busway, and remained with me as my route switches to the road, then we came across some traffic and he skipped onto the pavement (bumpy shared use) and carried on at full road speed. I reckon he thought he had "won" but I'd argue it doesn't count when traffic is involved as it becomes less a contest of who is fastest/fittest and more of who is prepared to take the most risk.

Are there published rules for this sort of thing?

 

[Twelve Spokes]

Had some young guy pull ahead of me at the lights down the Victoria Embankment so I thought he was on for a race,then he proceeds to cycle in front of me at three mph. Got past when it was safe.

 

[donnydave]

I don't cycle in the centre of Cambridge often but the odd occasions when I do I see groups of two or more cyclists clearly competing with each other, pushing their way to the front at each set of lights (at busy fast-flowing junctions where not even the most daft people try and go through on red). When I say pushing I mean actually shoving other people out the way to force their way to the front.

Not on.

 

[Linford]

It is.

The thing is though that cycle racing is really done on or near the limits of the riders ability....which makes most other things around them secondary (like lorries trying to overtake them when they are overtaking other cyclists)

Chase me in your car to 100mph when on my motorbike, and I've still got (potentially) another 65-70mph left on tap. Pointless racing on the road as
1) it is very dangerous
2) you''ll get caught sooner or later
3) you will never be quicker than a trafic jam in a car
4) you would struggle to keep up in a car unless you have got very deep pockets and long arms

 

[BSRU]

Are there published rules for this sort of thing?

http://www.itsnotarace.org/

 

[gaz]

The thing is though that cycle racing is really done on or near the limits of the riders ability....which makes most other things around them secondary (like lorries trying to overtake them when they are overtaking other cyclists)

So just because you are pushing it hard and going fast, you are then not able to concentrate on anything else, especially the road and what's ahead of you?

SCR is just pushing your self as much as you can and seeing if you can drop the 'better' rider.