Fifty Plus (50+) - dropped a young whipper-snapper

Out on a 16mi. tandem ride with wife/stoker yesterday, trying to work up to the Hilly Hundred in October, spied a young fellow on a lightwt. road bike ahead of us. Of course, couldn't help it, picked up the pace a little and, sure enough, passed him ("howdy") and then dropped him. You can do that on a tandem on rolling terrain; two 50+'s can pass someone on a single who is younger and likely fitter. On downhills, get outta the way! Worshipping the god of gravity. Don't ask about climbing hills.

Did you all have numbers on your backs?

Even better is to ride alongside them and just work the pace up till the Youngster is beginning to breath hard. Get him to answer questions about his bike or if there are any hilly routes around and just as he starts flagging- Just power on for a couple of strokes as you say "Bye"

Even better is to ride alongside them and just work the pace up till the Youngster is beginning to breath hard. Get him to answer questions about his bike or if there are any hilly routes around and just as he starts flagging- Just power on for a couple of strokes as you say "Bye"
Next time.

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it is just possible that he was out on a recovery ride, ending his ride with a cool down or just doing a base mileage day and could have cared less that you "dropped" him,

I dropped my glasses. Then I stepped on 'em and crushed 'em like a bug. They won't be messing with me any more, I'm here to tell ya.

I dropped my glasses. Then I stepped on 'em and crushed 'em like a bug. They won't be messing with me any more, I'm here to tell ya.
I dropped a water bottle several times, last time it went in my spokes and I cut it in half

JanMM, I'll be there at Hilly. Look for something low and yellow, and that'll be me. Maybe together we can drop a couple of kids on BMX bikes.

Out on a 16mi. tandem ride with wife/stoker yesterday, trying to work up to the Hilly Hundred in October, spied a young fellow on a lightwt. road bike ahead of us. Of course, couldn't help it, picked up the pace a little and, sure enough, passed him ("howdy") and then dropped him. You can do that on a tandem on rolling terrain; two 50+'s can pass someone on a single who is younger and likely fitter. On downhills, get outta the way! Worshipping the god of gravity. Don't ask about climbing hills.
Sad really, coming onto 50+ and taking credit for your wife/stoker's power riding.;):p

Is your wife under 50. If so + style points but you really can't count the ride here.

Enjoy the Hilly 100 . . . did it TWOgether when we were younger (in our 60s).
Now we're 75/72 and still getting in a 100 miles a week as a duo.

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it is just possible that he was out on a recovery ride, ending his ride with a cool down or just doing a base mileage day and could have cared less that you "dropped" him,

Maybe one of his tires was about flat?

Is your wife under 50. If so + style points but you really can't count the ride here.
Sure, she's under 50. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

Enjoy the Hilly 100 . . . did it TWOgether when we were younger (in our 60s).
Now we're 75/72 and still getting in a 100 miles a week as a duo.
We did our first hilly together in '78 but didn't start doing the tandem thing on Sunday until 2000. I go solo Saturdays. No plans to stop.

JanMM, I'll be there at Hilly. Look for something low and yellow, and that'll be me. Maybe together we can drop a couple of kids on BMX bikes.

Low and yellow. OK. On the lookout. I'll be 'bent on Saturday and tandem Sunday. Last year we got dropped like a rock on the last downhill by the guy on the kickbike. Passed him (walking the kickbike) up Watertower Hill then he flew by us as we were picking up speed downhill a bit later. He was flying.

I dropped a young kid on one of those Schwinn Chopper things recently. I'm really fast.

Of course, couldn't help it, picked up the pace a little and, sure enough, passed him ("howdy") and then dropped him.

Always fun to do the catch and drop. What I hate though is when you ride with a younger group, your out there on the front pulling at your normal pace and when you rotate off you get a 'Nice pull' comment from the younger riders, you can just feel the 'for an old guy' not being said. Really ticks me off because they never say that to someone their own age.

Out on a 16mi. tandem ride with wife/stoker yesterday, trying to work up to the Hilly Hundred in October, spied a young fellow on a lightwt. road bike ahead of us. Of course, couldn't help it, picked up the pace a little and, sure enough, passed him ("howdy") and then dropped him. You can do that on a tandem on rolling terrain; two 50+'s can pass someone on a single who is younger and likely fitter. On downhills, get outta the way! Worshipping the god of gravity. Don't ask about climbing hills.

Mrs G and I got dropped on a hilly bit of a Tandem Triathlon a few years back - she swam, we rode the tandem, I ran, and a bit more tandeming. We were overtaken by another tandem team. Fair enough - very nice couple, each with calves like rugby balls, and a cheery greeting as they pulled past. Slightly irksome, though, that they were pulling their twins in a trailer:D

That's really disrespectful, passing you while hauling children.

Maybe Dr. Phil could devote one show to compulsive passers.

Maybe Dr. Phil could devote one show to compulsive passers.

LOL that would be my normal riding buddy and me. Last year at Hilly he recorded Sunday's ride. Reviewing the video, we counted over 900 passes before we quit counting, all prior to the first rest stop. He got a minute or two ahead of me, (I needed a longer warm-up) so I figure I was about 50 passes behind him.

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it is just possible that he was out on a recovery ride, ending his ride with a cool down or just doing a base mileage day and could have cared less that you "dropped" him,+1

Also, might not have been a whipper-snapper, just young. Abilities vary even for the chronologically young, not just the young at heart.

Did you all have numbers on your backs?
+1

I don't understand why so many have to "beat" someone all the time. And then exclaim to the world.

Can't you just share those victories amongst friends?
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How about posting thanks to a faster rider that went by and allowed you to hook on, dragging you for X miles, turning a miserable ride into a reasonable one. OR

posting about the rider you passed that was struggling, but they hooked on and both of you had a more enjoyable ride?

Sad really, coming onto 50+ and taking credit for your wife/stoker's power riding.;):pLOL

. . . spied a young fellow on a lightwt. road bike ahead of us. Of course, couldn't help it, picked up the pace a little and, sure enough, passed him ("howdy") and then dropped him.

Oh, that was you???

Howdy!!