Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Do you get passed by roadies on your commute?

EDITED: this thread was doomed from the start. boy was I a sad and confused soul when i made it.

it's only a race if both people are racing. they're letting you win.

I don't generally see roadies commuting at all. Usually, I see them riding after work, or as weekend warriors. A few serious ones go fast, but most of them can't keep up.
Occasionally, one will see me on a fixie and want to test his mettle, showing off the chip on his shoulder.

I don't f*ck with commuters, because after all, they are doing it right (no matter what they ride, at least they're on a bike). I do, however, enjoy sticking it to cocky freds.

I hate separationists and elitists, whether it a "roadie" or "bike punk". Just ride your bike and nod at others doing the same. It's bike commute day for f&*k's sake.

Chances are he was only trying to pass you because you were in his way. If he tries to pass you, maybe it's because you were already going slower than him. All that sprinting away does is show your insecurities. Then again, posting about how you hate to let anyone richer than you pass you does the same thing. As long as you got out of his way, he probably doesn't care.

It's amazing that you can glean so much knowledge about another cyclist's abilities, finances and rides based on these brief interactions.

i don't see roadies on my commute.

sometimes i see them in the park, or on the GWB.

sometimes they're spinning in a low gear.

i assume if they were to sprint or get a really pushin spin going, they'd smoke me in a second. sprinting 30mph on a fix is about my top range; i'm guessing it's not too damn hard to hit that and top it with ease on a road bike.

what's with all the roadie hate lately? i know a few people with road bikes. they're nice people. they drink with us, and gasp! several of them have fixed gears and beat me in alleycats. can't we just drop the stereotypes and for once, maybe, speak from experience?

this is funny.
i don't like to ride close to people like that so i would let them sprint ahead and then be happy i don't have to maneuver around them when they do slow down.
i want them to ride faster than me or ride slower than me, but i don't want them close to me unless i have ridden with them and know how they ride.

like the other day, i was cruising along at a nice comfy pace and some guy on a fixed gear sneaks up on my left, didn't say a word. i didn't know he was there. if i swerved left to avoid a pothole or something my rear wheel woulda clipped his front wheel and he woulda gone down. so i saw him said what's up and he didn't say ****, just started pedaling faster like we were racing. i laughed and let him go...
those "fred's" probably view you the same way.

dumb

I enjoy having another bike rider behind or in front. I can pretty much guarantee that anyone who looks like they ride semi-seriously will be faster and fitter than me, so it's good to just try keep pace, or set a steady pace and stick with it.

I don't overtake people who pass me, i just catch up and match their pace.

Just yesterday, I passed a fixed gear rider. But I was on my fixed gear bike. And then a guy on a fixed gear bike passed me. But then I caught up to him. Then I rode to get some free coffee for Bike to Work Week. Then I went to work. Thrilling story, right?

who cares?

I've had my Langster for 5 weeks, 700 kms and I have not been passed by anyone..... yet.

Just keep it at man. One day you'll make it. One day you'll win at commuting.

Just yesterday, I passed a fixed gear rider. But I was on my fixed gear bike. And then a guy on a fixed gear bike passed me. But then I caught up to him. Then I rode to get some free coffee for Bike to Work Week. Then I went to work. Thrilling story, right?

Rad

Nah I pass most other cyclists on my way to work for two reasons. 1) They all seem to be middle aged women on old 50s 3-speed city bikes who are riding to work at a light jogging pace and 2) I'm always running late and riding at panic-speed so I still have a job when I get there. haha

That said, my much heavier geared Surly is a much faster bike. My starting gear on it is about the same as the gearing on my fixed but, after that, I just click through a couple and am soon passing cars, bikes, whatever, at a speed that would leave my legs a blur on my fixed bike. On top of that, it has ferocious brakes so I don't have to ride more slowly in traffic in anticipation of a potential accident, don't have to trail further behind cars, don't have to slow way before I see where I need to stop. It's not as "smooth" as how I ride fixed but, lord, it's faster.

.....I don't know why, but whenever a roadie on a $9,000 carbon bike tries to pass me on the left on a side street (read: no cars, no traffic), I just start sprinting and blow them out. I don't know why either. Your going slower than thier pace, your in thier way, once they pass you , you sprint ahead of them to get in their way again? Lame....


.... I just start sprinting and blow them out. Not that we're in a competition or anything, I just like sticking it to the guy that suits up in spandex for a ride across town to work and whose financial abilities far surpass his athletic ones. It sounds like you are but you're the only one competing.


Am I just some stupid punk on a fixed gear or does anyone else do this?Yes & No.

Just keep it at man. One day you'll make it. One day you'll win at commuting.
Originally, I replied based on the title of the post only, then I deleted this post once I read the OP's entire post and realaized that it was stupid.

It's ok, I chuckled at it.

Sometimes...but then I catch up to them and say something like "i'm sooo much more of a disaffected hipster than you are mr. roadie..."

False. I'm guessing most people on fixed gears started their cycling career on road bikes...i did.

I like to beat up on every roadie that passes me on my way to work, it makes me feel good! I'm far tougher than even the roadiest roadie!

some times i pass them, sometimes they pass me, and sometimes we all stop acting like idiots and paceline each other.

False. I'm guessing most people on fixed gears started their cycling career on road bikes...i did.

Not me. I started on a single speed. With a coaster brake, and a banana seat... and TRAINING WHEELS!

Some roadie drafted off me for an entire spin class, yesterday.
You'd think he'd be strong enough to drop me with those expensive shorts on.
What a poser.

Not me. I started on a single speed. With a coaster brake, and a banana seat... and TRAINING WHEELS!

Snap, you win.

There are a ton of poseurs out there...both fixed and roadies... My fav: the guy with a sick Cervelo in a full CSC kit on the lakeshore. I enjoy trashing him on my roadie, my fixed gear, and my single speed.

Chances are he was only trying to pass you because you were in his way. If he tries to pass you, maybe it's because you were already going slower than him. All that sprinting away does is show your insecurities. Then again, posting about how you hate to let anyone richer than you pass you does the same thing. As long as you got out of his way, he probably doesn't care.

Whether its insecurities or other angst, I would tend to agree. The bikes probably have minimal affect on how this exchange would take place. People are funny. Too many of us, myself included, work off of these visions of class structure. I wonder if somewhere some financially less advanced fixie writes in his journal about out sprinting the b@stards wearing manpris and hoodies. Talking smack about their $80 t-shirts.

I too have tried to spray paint my grass a bit when it looks greener across the fence.

We're all in it for our own reasons, united in our chosen mode of transport, divided by our style. I'm a clydesdale on a hybrid, and I generally stay at 13-15 mph, but I can keep it up all day long. If a roadie wants to provide me with a momentary breeze as he/she goes by, I move aside, nod appreciatively and keep on rolling my own pace. And while I've never seen myself from behind, I'm sure that view of my $80 shorts is a real treat for others.

I love roadies....but you know who suck...faux' triathletes who refuse to come out of their aero-bars and cause wrecks because they have to go 20+ at all times...god that pisses me off. Usually i'll reply with snide comments like "ohhhh your sooooooo fast...."

i was struggling in a gale force wind the other day n a roadie passed me n said "bad day for a fixed gear huh?" i trackstanded through the next light, finished my 3 mile commute n drank some beer. not really into the whole training thing.

some times i pass them, sometimes they pass me, and sometimes we all stop acting like idiots and paceline each other.

indeed. Also if I'm feeling feisty I might try to keep up with whoever passed me keeping abour 30-40 feet back and well out of their draft with plenty of room to maneuver.


Snap, you win.

There are a ton of poseurs out there...both fixed and roadies... My fav: the guy with a sick Cervelo in a full CSC kit on the lakeshore. I enjoy trashing him on my roadie, my fixed gear, and my single speed.

We have some of those cervelo/csc decked out guys here too, but in my experience they are RIDICULOUSLY FAST.

Really, be a jerk around roadies as much as you want, because they crave that kind of stuff. You're just giving them an excuse to dust you and then laugh about it. Some might be freds, but most can actually ride.

How old are you, original poster? Last time I felt the way you describe I was 11.

Whether its insecurities or other angst, I would tend to agree. The bikes probably have minimal affect on how this exchange would take place. People are funny. Too many of us, myself included, work off of these visions of class structure. I wonder if somewhere some financially less advanced fixie writes in his journal about out sprinting the b@stards wearing manpris and hoodies. Talking smack about their $80 t-shirts.

I too have tried to spray paint my grass a bit when it looks greener across the fence.

QFT.

Last summer commuting on my pannier'd tourer in my dirty construction clothes it gave me great pleasure to blow off an art student looking kid on a nice track bike. Seriously though, it's good for your soul not to get sucked into commute racing and i give the roadies on my commute full props. I see some of those guys training pretty regularly and they are scary fast.

Just wondering who rides fast around here. One of the main reasons I like bikes is the fitness / constant pushing of myself, so I try to keep a good pace wherever I go. I don't know why, but whenever a roadie on a $9,000 carbon bike tries to pass me on the left on a side street (read: no cars, no traffic), I just start sprinting and blow them out. Not that we're in a competition or anything, I just like sticking it to the guy that suits up in spandex for a ride across town to work and whose financial abilities far surpass his athletic ones.

How about you guys? Am I just some stupid punk on a fixed gear or does anyone else do this?


What the heck do you know about the guy on the carbon bike, what makes his athletic abilities so small. You got your ass passed then accelerated to beat a guy who was never trying to upstage you.

Jesus, fixed riders spend 2/3rds of their day talking about the ego of road cyclists, when in reality, fixed gear riders are the most stuck up ****s of them all.

No road cyclist has ever said anything mean, snyd, sarcastic, or assholish in the slightest to me. The closest that has ever happened was when a mountain biker asked me if I liked Fixed gears or geard bikes better for road, to which I responded, it doesn't matter so long as people are cycling.

seems to me that people who do nothing but piss & moan all day about how they're being marginalized talk the most **** and act like the biggest snobs. coincidence?

Theres this one guy I see downtown in full jet fuel team kit on a sweet carbon bike. When I see him he usually happens to be going slow and taking the full lane and doing weird stuff I don't quite understand. So I merge into the left lane and pass him, usually looking over to nod or whatever. This guy has the worst attitude. One time I smiled and nodded at him while passing at about 30-35 km/h (not straining or anything, just a regular pass), and he yelled "YEAH WAY TO GO LOSER!"

That guy must have another all carbon bike shoved up his ass. His legs are huge though.

The only roadie I've ever had a problem with is my friend/colleague at school/coworker, but that's not because he's a roadie, that's just because he's a snobby prick in general. Being a roadie is secondary.

Everybody has their place on the road, be they wearers of shants or be they eaters of PowerBars; be they riders of 3Renshos or be they warriors on weekends; be they bike punx or be they Republicans on health kicks.

So nod and ****ing smile and deal with your life.

when i pass people i hope that they dont think i'm a dick and a pompous elite fixed gear rider, because i understand people sometimes get this impression

and in actuality i'm passing them because i'm riding faster than they are and there's no reason for me to slow down my pace.

Just wave to everybody and no one will think you're a jerk. No matter how fast you ride by them.

I think it's cool when you race against people that are faster than you. Those snobby roadies think they're so great ....well how great does it feel to eat a whole plate full of humble pie when you get passed by a commuter Mr. Roadie? Not too good huh? I hope you crawl off in a corner some where and curl up in a fetal position and suck your thumb because you got passed. My self esteem gets a big boost every time I squash the ego of one of these Roadie losers.

I love having someone to try and catch.

I don't care who you are, if you are ahead of me, you are getting passed :) I have to admit that it feels good to pass a spandex-clad-carbon&titanium-bike-riding-person on my $3 Schwinn World fixed-wheel conversion with big cross tires/fenders/bag full of books.

I don't know why, but whenever a roadie on a $9,000 carbon bike tries to pass me on the left on a side street (read: no cars, no traffic), I just start sprinting and blow them out. Not that we're in a competition or anything, I just like sticking it to the guy that suits up in spandex for a ride across town to work and whose financial abilities far surpass his athletic ones.

i think it's funny that you're trying to "blow them out" by sprinting past them while i'm sure they passed you and would continue going faster than you while comfortabley in their saddle.

I use my fixed as a training aid, because I eventually want a road bike. The way I see it, is that if I am fast on a fixed I will be so much quicker on a road bike. So until I am at a level where I feel I want to be, I will continue to ride a fixed and only until I reach my goal will I pick up a road bike. I want to slaughter people on hills, hah.

I love roadies....but you know who suck...faux' triathletes

man, i never make fun of the triathletes, for fear that they might invite me to swim.

Sprinting past someone who just passed me= stupid and tasteless.

However, when you see someone riding off in the distance, it's always tempting to see if you can reel them in.

I use my fixed as a training aid, because I eventually want a road bike. The way I see it, is that if I am fast on a fixed I will be so much quicker on a road bike. So until I am at a level where I feel I want to be, I will continue to ride a fixed and only until I reach my goal will I pick up a road bike. I want to slaughter people on hills, hah.

I thought that, too. Turns out I'm about 2 mph/hr slower on my geared bike. :(

I think it's cool when you race against people that are faster than you. Those snobby roadies think they're so great ....well how great does it feel to eat a whole plate full of humble pie when you get passed by a commuter Mr. Roadie? Not too good huh? I hope you crawl off in a corner some where and curl up in a fetal position and suck your thumb because you got passed. My self esteem gets a big boost every time I squash the ego of one of these Roadie losers.
WTF? Are you 14? Did your mom not hug you enough?

Hey, I ride my fly Bianchi 928 pulling a Burley D'Lite with my 3 year old in it, and when some fixie bike punk tries to pass me, I almost collapse trying to keep up. Yep, I am definitely cattle feed for all you non-roadies out there.

You will all rue the day when I'm so good that my Burley and I can take you all on.

I'm confused. I started commuting because I was training for a triathlon and I liked having my bike with me at work. Then I started riding my road bike after the tri was over and kept with it. Then I got a fixed gear for commuting because I liked the simplicity and reliability. But I still wear spandex.

Okay, help me out here: who am I supposed to race? And who am I supposed to look down on?

I think it's cool when you race against people that are faster than you. Those snobby roadies think they're so great ....well how great does it feel to eat a whole plate full of humble pie when you get passed by a commuter Mr. Roadie? Not too good huh? I hope you crawl off in a corner some where and curl up in a fetal position and suck your thumb because you got passed. My self esteem gets a big boost every time I squash the ego of one of these Roadie losers.

You are amazingly pathetic

Okay, help me out here: who am I supposed to race? And who am I supposed to look down on?

I'll make it simple for you. Everyone

How about roaides like me who wear spandex and ride fixed gear?