Why be competitive on a ride to work?

[SquareDaff]

Was on the usual post train 2nd leg of my commute in this morning. Had managed to escape unscathed from the town centre and was heading towards work on the outskits. Was cruising at about 17mph on my hybrid when I see this bloke with the worst pedalling technique ever on a road bike in front of me.

I gradually close the gap when just before a roundabout he looks back and notices me about 50ft back. Cue competitive red mist and he's off (in his mind anyway). Crouched down over the bars, looking back every 3-4 seconds to check out my position, pushing the big gears for all he's worth. I've watched all this slightly amused and think I'll "play along" and cruise behind him at about 20mph for a good half a mile laughing silently to myself everytime he looks back, realises I'm still there and kicks some more!!

After that I get bored....drop to a lower gear, turn up the revs and whip past hitting a cruise speed of about 25mph for the 1 mile dual carriageway stretch to work. I look back before entering the roundabout and the guy is "miles" (relatively) back.

I just don't understand why. This guy was obviously no cyclist. A proper roadie should/would have left me for dead at those speeds. If he'd just have carried on doing what he had been I'd have said "Hi" as I passed him (a lot more leisurely) and he'd have got to work a lot less worked up and sweaty?!?!?

That said - it was great fun

 

[david1701]

see last line, n00bs need to have fun too

 

[VamP]

I think you might have answered your own question right there!

 

[adscrim]

What they said, he was being competitive for the same reason you were - it can be good fun. I find it takes more effort not to be competitive than it does to join in the commuter racing.

 

[SquareDaff]

What they said, he was being competitive for the same reason you were - it can be good fun. I find it takes more effort not to be competitive than it does to join in the commuter racing.

I suppose you had to see him to understand. I'm not being big headed but he never stood a chance. I'm stunned he managed 20mph with his pedalling technique. I'm talking "heels on pedals" and "knees out" making a lovely aerodynamic "V" shape. PLus he was spending that much time looking at me, instead of forward, he was going to cause an accident!

 

[XmisterIS]

Interesting that you use the sentence structure "I'm not ... but ...".

Jedi mind tricks, eh?

 

[Moodyman]

It is fun, but blokes on road bikes find it insulting when a panniered hybrid threatens to overtake.

Proper roadies don't do commuter racing, they just blow us commuters away riding ther normal tempo.

I was doing 21-22 mph on a nice flattish road with panniers when a 45-50 year old lady - yes a middle-aged lady of the racing type - just flew past at what must be high twenties. She disappeared into the horizon.

She was clearly on an evening training run as she no bagage other than a tool bag.

 

[SquareDaff]

Interesting that you use the sentence structure "I'm not ... but ...".

Jedi mind tricks, eh?

As I say in the OP - a decent roadie should have left me like I was stood still on my "fat" hybrid. And as I don't want to turn up to work a sweaty mess I wouldn't have chased.

Going home might have been a different story though

 

[SquareDaff]

Going home might have been a different story though

Let me clarify - I might have chased. I still wouldn't have expected to catch!

 

[XmisterIS]

"I'm not ... but ...", with justification!

Gotta love it ....

(Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get you ....

)

 

[corshamjim]

He was probably simply interested to find out how quick he was against other cyclists. So he learned he has some training to do. That's fine.

Personally I competed against another cyclist the other day simply because he was rude enough not to say hello when he overtook me the day before. I stayed ahead of him (me on the 3-speed Pashley him on a hybrid) until nearly at work when I was glad to slow down, cool off and let him past anyway. I said a cheerful 'good morning' to him again and got blank stare back. I haven't seen him since. Good. I really don't like sharing the road with ignoramuses who can't even say hello when they overtake.

 

[Zoiders]

I drafted a guy in his work clothes once, BSO, seat down too low. He did the macho thing and tried to outrun me when he noticed the lights on him, so I just kept upping the pace until he collapsed in a sweaty heap by the roadside a mile later.

Happy days.

 

[SquareDaff]

Personally I competed against another cyclist the other day simply because he was rude enough not to say hello when he overtook me the day before.

I hate that too! There are so few cyclists on the road (although that's changing even in the backwaters of Doncaster). I'd love to be able to exhange pleasantaries with a few "regulars" on a morning commute. It'd be a much nicer way to start a day.

 

[palinurus]

You've got to learn somehow. I used to blast past other commuters on my stupid green MTB, wearing my work clothes after having a cig. and a cup of tea for breakfast, feeling sure that as long as I tried harder than they did I'd stay ahead.

 

[WychwoodTrev]

I say it sounds like a fun way to get to work. I only ride my bike for fun and am very poor at it but the fun is still trying to chase someone down or stay in front of them.