Fifty Plus (50+) - Deflated

So this morning I was out riding and feeling pretty good about the ride. it's warm but I'm moving right along. On one particularly long, gradual climb I was actually in a higher gear than I normally use. :D I'm feeling pretty good about myself when all of a sudden I hear, “Hello.” And this guy blows by me like I’m standing still. :( Oh well. That pretty much let the air out of my balloon.

BUT I weighed 198 lbs. in December. I was 177 lbs. this morning when I got in from the ride! :rolleyes:

BUT I weighed 198 lbs. in December. I was 177 lbs. this morning when I got in from the ride!

Sometimes deflation is A Good Thing :p

As a 50+'er if you're not used to guys (and gals) blowing by you as if you were standing still, well you better get used to it!

All we can do is be happy with our own fitness and progress. Compare yourself to your colleagues at work, not the riders you meet on the road! You're probably in the top 10% of fitness among all age groups at work no?

As a 50+'er if you're not used to guys (and gals) blowing by you as if you were standing still, well you better get used to it!

All we can do is be happy with our own fitness and progress. Compare yourself to your colleagues at work, not the riders you meet on the road! You're probably in the top 10% of fitness among all age groups at work no?

+1

All you have to do is an organised metric and wait till about the 40 mile mark- Then it is you saying Hello as you draw alongside them to find out why they have slowed down.

Someone blows past me every time I take a ride. Once in a while, I blow by someone else. And so it goes. :)

So this morning I was out riding and feeling pretty good about the ride. it's warm but I'm moving right along. On one particularly long, gradual climb I was actually in a higher gear than I normally use. :D I'm feeling pretty good about myself when all of a sudden I hear, “Hello.” And this guy blows by me like I’m standing still. :( Oh well. That pretty much let the air out of my balloon.

BUT I weighed 198 lbs. in December. I was 177 lbs. this morning when I got in from the ride! :rolleyes:

Beware the "poseur pass". You may have been a victim.

The poser sees you ahead and cranks it out. Just as he pulls even with you he eases back on the pedal pressure and maybe even upshifts so it looks like he was just cruising at his usual speed. Then when he thinks you can't see him anymore, he slows down and pukes on the side of the road.

I've had it done to me, the stinking posers.

It could be worse. You could have been blowing by everybody on the hills. You could have been in the Yellow Jersey at this time last week, only to be kicked out of the tour, kicked off your team, kicked out of the Olympics and forced to give back a year's salary. All on international television.

Seriously, if you were riding while I was in the office today, you're already a winner. And if you've dropped 20 pounds, I think I know where some of them went.

There's always someone faster
There's always someone slower

enjoy the ride

Not everyday is Time Trial. Run your own race.

Next time stick your frame pump in his front spokes just behind the fork. That'll slow him down for a bit.

Beware the "poseur pass". You may have been a victim.

The poser sees you ahead and cranks it out. Just as he pulls even with you he eases back on the pedal pressure and maybe even upshifts so it looks like he was just cruising at his usual speed. Then when he thinks you can't see him anymore, he slows down and pukes on the side of the road.


Yeah, this always amuses me. I'll be cruising along comfortably at 32 kmh, and some dude blows by me. So I quickly wind it up and sit on his wheel, and see that he's doing maybe 38 kmh. But soon this drops to 35 kmh. Then 33. Then 30. So now he's going slower than I was when he blew by me! He's been counting on me to just let him ride off, and not considering that I might have been doing real bike races for the past 35 years (and you can be sure that these kinds of guys have never done a real bike race in their lives). And what really kills me is when they see they can't drop you, they'll do a quick turn down a side street to avoid the ignominy of you passing them! Talk about insecure males. I really enjoy hearing stories of how real female bike racers deal with these clowns!

- L.

Yeah, this always amuses me. I'll be cruising along comfortably at 32 kmh, and some dude blows by me. So I quickly wind it up and sit on his wheel, and see that he's doing maybe 38 kmh. But soon this drops to 35 kmh. Then 33. Then 30. So now he's going slower than I was when he blew by me! He's been counting on me to just let him ride off, and not considering that I might have been doing real bike races for the past 35 years (and you can be sure that these kinds of guys have never done a real bike race in their lives). And what really kills me is when they see they can't drop you, they'll do a quick turn down a side street to avoid the ignominy of you passing them! Talk about insecure males. I really enjoy hearing stories of how real female bike racers deal with these clowns!

- L.

I'm surprised anyone even thinks about or would do stuff like this - either one.

Pity the poor SOB who is doing an interval or pickup and happens to pass you while he's on the fast portion of his ride, then slows down as part of his plan for the day.

Not everyday is Time Trial. Run your own race.

+1

Beware the "poseur pass". You may have been a victim.



Ah, so there's a name for this. I was unaware. I do this to my BIL (A stripling youth of 48) every chance I get. The trick is to to not appear to be breathing hard when you pass. Breath control is is very important to a properly executed poseur pass.

Beware the "poseur pass". You may have been a victim.

The poser sees you ahead and cranks it out. Just as he pulls even with you he eases back on the pedal pressure and maybe even upshifts so it looks like he was just cruising at his usual speed. Then when he thinks you can't see him anymore, he slows down and pukes on the side of the road.

I've had it done to me, the stinking posers.

The difference between instantaneous effort and sustained effort. I have had this happen to me before as well. I just let people pass and keep my effort up and see where it goes. Sometimes after a fast pass I can see other rider get 200m ahead and start the peddle/coast routine, or the guys that come zooming pass on the downwind leg whom you catch later chugging along against the wind. I think it is kind of fun, mind games can help the time go by sometimes, I'm in a lone or two man breakaway almost every day and it always succeeds:D

Beware the "poseur pass". You may have been a victim.

The poser sees you ahead and cranks it out. Just as he pulls even with you he eases back on the pedal pressure and maybe even upshifts so it looks like he was just cruising at his usual speed. Then when he thinks you can't see him anymore, he slows down and pukes on the side of the road.

I've had it done to me, the stinking posers.

They usually turn off right after they pass.

That's the way our cross country coach told us to always pass other runners.

Paul

I just hope they pass and leave me alone, don't stick around and gloat. :)
I stop when I cimb hills and rest, I have been passed by people on touring bikes, fully loaded going uphill. :(
Steven

I'm surprised anyone even thinks about or would do stuff like this - either one.



There are more things in heaven and earth, Camilo, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

I probably ride about 50% of the time by myself as I seem to be riding more than my current riding group and just started riding again about 2 months ago and am 59 so I get passed. Fun to push myself to keep up for a while at a faster pace and try to move my conditioning along or push them for a while to see if they were posing or perhaps they were sprinting the last mile on the way in like I do. Have seen the turn-off move where someone just doesn't want to be chased or can't keep it up. I like the game and it helps me and I turn it off when I feel like it. As we used to say on the water "someone always has a bigger boat". I'm on my plan and program not theirs so I don't deflate.

If they are in better shape I don't care if they are male, female, green and yellow martian...give 'em their due and do your own program. Sounds like you are doing great. I've just dropped 17 lbs and am going for 25. I'll be faster and stronger after I lose the additional 8 lbs. Feel good about it.

It's worse for recumbent riders. I blow by everyone going downhill just because I'm naturally that much faster than they are downhill, then when they pass me back on the uphill, they give me one of those "You worthless poseur passer, I've shown you now" looks.

And even riders who thought they were doing a recovery ride aren't going to let a recumbent stay in front of them if they can help it.

There are more things in heaven and earth, Camilo, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

word

But have you noticed that the older you get, the more opinionated you become and the more you don't give a rat's patoot. My kids say I'm increasing in the geezer factor.

My name is Fred and I am a 61 yo poseur. I cannot pass anyone or even catch up with anyone! While hammering it on a flat, women pass me riding side by side and carrying on a conversation about there kids and grandkids.
I know, I need a new CF road bike and I'll go really fast!
Mud