Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Couldn't close the deal...

Tonight, feeling fresh aftermy average 12 hour work day, I hop on my Miyata getting ready to cruise my way home. I tend to ride home at a good speed, gives me time to work off the excess energy from the built up stress working in a kitchen will give you. Right before I get on the commuter trail, I see a spandex clad carbon fiber monkey cruising by quite rapidly.

"That looks like fun" I say to myself, and take off after him. About a half of a mile down the trail, I still haven't caught up with him, as he signals his turn to another trail. My stupid pride tells me not to let this guy get away with not passing him makes me follow him down the trail, even though it adds another 8 miles onto my ride home. No big deal, I mean with how much sun we have this time of year, it is not like I am going to be riding in the dark. Still in front of me, I push the hammer down, cruising at near full clip getting quite a work out. Both of us are passing other spandex monkeys like they are stationary, another mile passes and I am still 30 feet back. The trail gently curves to the east, meaning the 15 mile an hour wind will aid me in the chase, of course it will aid him as well. Another mile passes, and I am STILL not any closer, which to me is wierd. Then to my surprise, he starts getting away from me, "what in the *****!!". At this point I was pushing everything I had, my cadence had to be somewhere around 160, I was cruising. It just wasn't fast enough, he got away.

It was the first time in a couple of years I actually wished I had a geared bike, had I been able to kick it into a higher gear, I might have been able to pass him. I was keeping up for about 3 miles with my 43/16 ratio (72 gear inches) had I been riding a 48/16 or so, and I would have been able to pass him at least once (I would like to think so at least).

Just thought I would share the story my me sucking @ss, hope it hasn't happened to you..

Phil

Bummer. Should I buy you a beer when I get off work tonight?

Perhaps, what time do you finish??

It was the first time in a couple of years I actually wished I had a geared bike

Liar...

Probably right at 10pm - we could maybe meet at the Triple Rock if that's not too late?

Liar... I like how you said that small, just so I wouldn't notice. Ok sometime I feel the need to ride a geared bike, in such times I ride my 70's Falcon Merckx, the first bike Eddy put his signature on. Awesome bike even if it has gears, I still ride it time to time although I haven't yet this year. I just have to fess up, geared bikes aren't all bad, as long as you are riding a bike that is all that should matter.

Phil

Just thought I would share the story my me sucking @ss, hope it hasn't happened to you..

Phil

Naw! Never.

Well... maybe once. :p

Naw! Never.

Well... maybe once. :p

Yeah it was my first time as well, I feel so violated...

PHil ;)

Yeah it was my first time as well, I feel so violated...

PHil ;)

THat's what my brother said after he got for his first trip to the clink.

Are we talking the same subject here?

the bums will always lose. do you hear me lebowski?

I'm sorry you couldn't spank the monkey....What?

the bums will always lose. do you hear me lebowski?

condolences, the bums lost! Get a job, sir!

The other day i was watching blazing saddles and the big lebowski was in it, this must be before the accident that left him in a wheelchair. :P Him and higgins.

Also someone here has the blazing saddle quote, no thank you, 15 is my limit on snitzingrubin. OK, i have rambled enough.

The other day i was riding on the street and some 12 year old kid was pacing me on his bmx bike, never one to fail to destroy a helpless foe i hammered for all i was worth and left him like he was standing still. Yes, i can destroy a 12 year old on a bmx! Muhahahahaha

THat's what my brother said after he got for his first trip to the clink.

Are we talking the same subject here?

Speaking of my Navy days . . . Where is William?

Also someone here has the blazing saddle quote, no thank you, 15 is my limit on snitzingrubin

Yes, that was me... and it's schnitzengrueben...

That's the kinda roadie you can't laugh out loud at and point. sure, chuckle at his spandex, but at least the man deserves his superman pants.

Sometimes I ride my gearie too, but hard singlespeed + spinny fixie training makes for fuun when you can pick just the right gear. Don't like it on the street tho, its more distracting than anything else. streetfix all the way.

I like how you said that small, just so I wouldn't notice. Ok sometime I feel the need to ride a geared bike, in such times I ride my 70's Falcon Merckx, the first bike Eddy put his signature on. Awesome bike even if it has gears, I still ride it time to time although I haven't yet this year. I just have to fess up, geared bikes aren't all bad, as long as you are riding a bike that is all that should matter.

Phil

agreed. you should just ride the bike you feel like riding. there is nothing wrong with gears, just as there is nothing wrong with fixed. to anyone that's worried about losing street credibility for being seen on a geared bike...well then i'll just say: good day sir.

I like how you said that small, just so I wouldn't notice. Ok sometime I feel the need to ride a geared bike, in such times I ride my 70's Falcon Merckx, the first bike Eddy put his signature on. Awesome bike even if it has gears, I still ride it time to time although I haven't yet this year. I just have to fess up, geared bikes aren't all bad, as long as you are riding a bike that is all that should matter.

Flying through traffic on the fixed or pulling through a paceline at 28/29 MPH - the gears don't matter the speed does. I ride 'em both and I like 'em both. But riding the fixie has made me a better rider on the roadie.

I heard it actually made you a better person too...scars and all

same thing happened to me on the commute to work this morning, except i was trying to pass an old woman on a MTB. never happened.

Speaking of my Navy days . . . Where is William?

On a ship, riding an exercise bike, wishing he hadn't closed the deal.

Second day of the MS 150 this year and I'm thinking that I'm kicking ass. It's hilly and I'm just zipping past guys that have wheels that cost more than my bike and they're panting and I feel great. When over my shoulder a shadow looms and I know I'm going to get passed, not a huge deal, every now and agian I get a loaded pace line or solo tri guys riding at 30mph barely breathing. As the guy rolls past I get to study him. Older guy, in his 60's I'd say, very upright riding positon on a flat bar comfort bike with probably 40mm semi knobbies. Rolled right past me with a nice polite 'on your left' kept on going, never saw him agian. Took a little wind out of my sails.

same thing happened to me on the commute to work this morning, except i was trying to pass an old woman on a MTB. never happened.

only way you'd pass her is if you had a rocket in your saddle bag...along with the kitchen sink. jeff

Hey Phil -

It could have been worse. One time riding home from work on my Litespeed, I couldn't catch a fat guy on a recumbent. Sure the trail was going slightly down hill, but I was cranking a steady 28 and the guy pulled away from me. If I, like you, had gone past my turn to a spot where the trail flattened out or went uphill, I could have smoked him. But his fat @ss getting smaller as he pulled away totally demoralized me. I just limped on home.

Yeah I feel like I did my best, but still got passed. It doesn't happen every day, so I don't feel too bad about it. I actually wouldn't mind having someone that much faster in front of me everyday, really pushes me to my fullest extent.

So if any of you speed demons out there wanna help me out, ride the greenway in Minneapolis, past the wallgreens exit where there is a picnic table is where I start my night ride. Usually I finish work around 6-8 pm depending on the reservation sitiuation. Just make sure I can't pass you.... (really I am not that fast anyway).

Phil

P.S. superchivo, guys on recumbents can be FAST, I have noticed that on more than one occasion.

recumbents are faster on flatland.. or so it's been sold to me

heyya Phil
im down for a ride.. sadly the walgreens exit is pretty far from anyware i usually am..
but thats no matter it will be a good warm up :)
i could use some pratice with those long nonstop rides.. its a nice change from the damn city riding i do most of the time.. cant really get your heart going when you gotta stop every few blocks and wait for traffic

anywho i will try and ttyl about it

Hahaa. Yay, fat man on recumbent smokin you!


Hey Phil -

It could have been worse. One time riding home from work on my Litespeed, I couldn't catch a fat guy on a recumbent. Sure the trail was going slightly down hill, but I was cranking a steady 28 and the guy pulled away from me. If I, like you, had gone past my turn to a spot where the trail flattened out or went uphill, I could have smoked him. But his fat @ss getting smaller as he pulled away totally demoralized me. I just limped on home.

Funny enough, it happened to me again today on my morning commute. Riding along, cruising fast I notice a figure approaching me on the lefthand side. As he passes me, as first I was checking out his bike (try and tell me you wouldn't do the same). Then I notice the man powering the bicycle, probably 35 years my senior but still riding way faster then me. So here I am 26 year old getting passed like I am standing still by somebody in their 60's.

I think to myself, "No big deal, it is because he is riding a geared bike right??"

Then I draft him for 2 miles, and notice he doesn't shift the entire time. And still I could not pass him..


Really am I that lame, or is he that good??

Phil

Then I notice the man powering the bicycle, probably 35 years my senior but still riding way faster then me.

Phil -

I told you of the guy I met last night, but not the others here...

Went out on a ride at 3am last night with 8 different kinds of Irish wiskey in me... Stopped on the way to drink a beer, and a dude rolls by an rollerblades. Said he was 60, and commuted like 30-35 miles each way from Minnetonka to the airport 5 days a week. Either on blades or bike. He was going down to take the LRT that just opened - cut his commute by a long ways, but he seemed really happy. Told me how he was going to actually read the paper ON THE WAY to work, as opposed to later. I think at 60, he really deserved it... He has to wait for this winter for it to actually go all the way to the airport though, so he just gets a lift in the middle of the commute...

Still made me feel like a wimp - I do 7.5 5 days a week, with occasional longer rides and my 'grocery getting/errand running' on the weekends mostly. There's no way that in the shape I'm in now I could keep up with his daily routine. He did say he drives a lot more in the winter though... I've still got my winter skills - 3 days on bus last winter, 1 this winter, and that was when my bike was stolen.

Hmm... need to go out for another run here sometime soon - probably a bit after the bars close so there aren't too many drunk drivers - drunk driver + drunk cyclist = trouble. But 3am rides on trails without another human in sight are GREAT!!!!

Jeremy

I ride the trails almost everynight after bar close if you ever want a partner.Half-ass drunk of course and no lights allowed.

I ride the trails almost everynight after bar close if you ever want a partner.Half-ass drunk of course and no lights allowed.

Too bad I'm back to third shift after this week - now my half assed drunken rides will be at 8 or 9 am :(

getting drawn and quartered by a recumbent jagoff is weak. And we don't need to ehar about it - this isn't some Iron John forum. Keep your weaknesses to yourself, along with your tears.