Commuting - Help, I've become the biker my mother warned me about...

I'm snooty, agressive, and punishing out on my commute. I rarely nod to my fellow bikers, and have very little to say, letting my pedals do my talking for me. Of course all this would be just fine if I had a carbon fiber Colnago set up with Campy or Ultegra between my legs. I don't, I've got a Schwinn World Sport, and it's fixed at that, and I am a real cocky bastard out there. It doesn't matter if the wind is blowing in my face at 23mph and I've got a full messenger bag on my back, I"m out there commuting and dishing out all sorts of hurt. If I can catch the next guy in front of me, I do, and I leave him in my dust. I take on all challengers, and often feel "territorial" towards bikers on my route. I"m a bully who is looking for someone to knock the chip off my shoulder, cause it ain't gonna happen.
How did it come to this? I didn't start out to be this detestible bike riding arsehole, but put a pair of bike shorts, a jersey, my messenger bag, my new helmet, and I'm living large, don't try and pass me, cause I'll take you down. I am camoflaged on my innocent Schwinn, you'll come up on me riding your geared bike and chuckle at the middle age biker, posing, and you'll have a fight on your hands. I don't necessarily like what I've become, but it has been a blast becoming.
Honestly, if "they" knew how much fun we have commuting, how glorious it is to commute, how freeing it is to be dependent on ourselves, and how it changes us, "They" would outlaw commuting by bicycle in a heartbeat.

Damn -

Makes me think I might want to ride with you sometime...

But right now I'm not riding anything resembling an innocent bike... straight up Bianchi track.... Problems arise riding during the day when I might round a corner and see a flotilla of disabled kids or people in wheelchairs or people rolling strollers (all 3 recently, slow recreational bikers can be difficult too...)

Anyone in front of you should be a target, though. A target or something to ride against is a good thing. I like cars and buses as targets - it's so much fun to leave them in the dust, but I think a lot of that has to do with my irresponsible running of lights and cutting them off and making them slow/stop because I don't want to.

I'm snooty, agressive, and punishing out on my commute. I rarely nod to my fellow bikers, and have very little to say, letting my pedals do my talking for me. Of course all this would be just fine if I had a carbon fiber Colnago set up with Campy or Ultegra between my legs. I don't, I've got a Schwinn World Sport, and it's fixed at that, and I am a real cocky bastard out there. It doesn't matter if the wind is blowing in my face at 23mph and I've got a full messenger bag on my back, I"m out there commuting and dishing out all sorts of hurt. If I can catch the next guy in front of me, I do, and I leave him in my dust. I take on all challengers, and often feel "territorial" towards bikers on my route. I"m a bully who is looking for someone to knock the chip off my shoulder, cause it ain't gonna happen.
How did it come to this? I didn't start out to be this detestible bike riding arsehole, but put a pair of bike shorts, a jersey, my messenger bag, my new helmet, and I'm living large, don't try and pass me, cause I'll take you down. I am camoflaged on my innocent Schwinn, you'll come up on me riding your geared bike and chuckle at the middle age biker, posing, and you'll have a fight on your hands. I don't necessarily like what I've become, but it has been a blast becoming.
Honestly, if "they" knew how much fun we have commuting, how glorious it is to commute, how freeing it is to be dependent on ourselves, and how it changes us, "They" would outlaw commuting by bicycle in a heartbeat.

Anytime anywhere, I got a derailler, and a superego. Legs are in>between. I'm usually 15-20 miles back into town, hypoglycemic to beat. Cars better watch out, other bike racers, I just beat em....

I'll pass you. I ride much the same way-can't seem to help it. I like to pass the "professional" looking guys especially (they get so pissed) and bike cops out on a training ride. I even scolded one for cutting a turn and almost side-swiping me when he re-joined me on the trail. I target riders hundreds of yards ahead of me for overtaking (I do call a pass and let someone know when I want to draft). I'm usually trying to improve on my "best" times and drop anyone who's in my draft, not because it bothers me, it's just extra incentive to ride harder. On or off road, commuting or training, I treat them all as training rides. All this on a cheapo-commuter mountain bike conversion. I even terrorize guys half my size off road; bumping wheels and overtaking on hills and turns. I like hearing "dude, you truck!", or "you're too fast for a big guy". Wait til I get my new Cross Check on the road with Ultegra and 700c's. Like I said before, I'll pass you. :-)

How did it come to this? I didn't start out to be this detestible bike riding arsehole, but put a pair of bike shorts, a jersey, my messenger bag, my new helmet, and I'm living large, don't try and pass me, cause I'll take you down.

A few crashes and fifty thousand more miles should provide an adequate level of humility. In the meantime, have fun.

don't try and pass me, cause I'll take you down.

Was that you I passed this morning? :-p

*Cuts testosterone with a knife*

I like weaving in traffic as much as you do but if we all biked like the guys in this messenger video, 95% of us would be dead.
http://www.digave.com/videos/red-web.mpg

Most of the people I run into with attitude like that . . . drive cars.

I like weaving in traffic as much as you do but if we all biked like the guys in this messenger video, 95% of us would be dead.
http://www.digave.com/videos/red-web.mpg

If that's the same video I downloaded a couple of weeks ago, be warned forumites - it's about 51 megabytes.


But worth it.

If that's the same video I downloaded a couple of weeks ago, be warned forumites - it's about 51 megabytes.


probably is, i'm downloading it now.....46% finished 24megs downloaded so far. I hope it lives up to all the hype

That's some crazy sh*t! Gotta love it though.




"die trying"

Holy skinny gaps, Batman. That was a fantastic video. Those guys have some serious oomph.

I'm snooty, agressive, and punishing out on my commute. I rarely nod to my fellow bikers, and have very little to say, letting my pedals do my talking for me. Of course all this would be just fine if I had a carbon fiber Colnago set up with Campy or Ultegra between my legs. I don't, I've got a Schwinn World Sport, and it's fixed at that, and I am a real cocky bastard out there. It doesn't matter if the wind is blowing in my face at 23mph and I've got a full messenger bag on my back, I"m out there commuting and dishing out all sorts of hurt. If I can catch the next guy in front of me, I do, and I leave him in my dust. I take on all challengers, and often feel "territorial" towards bikers on my route. I"m a bully who is looking for someone to knock the chip off my shoulder, cause it ain't gonna happen.
How did it come to this? I didn't start out to be this detestible bike riding arsehole, but put a pair of bike shorts, a jersey, my messenger bag, my new helmet, and I'm living large, don't try and pass me, cause I'll take you down. I am camoflaged on my innocent Schwinn, you'll come up on me riding your geared bike and chuckle at the middle age biker, posing, and you'll have a fight on your hands. I don't necessarily like what I've become, but it has been a blast becoming.
Honestly, if "they" knew how much fun we have commuting, how glorious it is to commute, how freeing it is to be dependent on ourselves, and how it changes us, "They" would outlaw commuting by bicycle in a heartbeat.


I saved this quote and I'm going to print copies out and put them everywhere.
Because one day soon I'm going to be like you...

..and soon after I'm going to sneak up behind you and PASS YOU!

I too ride that way. But i wave to other bikers and i try to be nice. Im all about the bike community love. However if its 5am and its dark out and i see your blinky flashing way off in the distance. Im gonna get you. Maybe its a thing about schwinn world sports ( i ride one, fixed too). Im normally just rude to cars. I ignore them, ride to the head of the line at red lights, trackstand, and take off when its clear.

*Cuts testosterone with a knife*

Never mind the testosterone... check out the hypcrosity. We usually complain about this type of behaviour from the motorists yet some of us seem to think harbouring such an attitude is okay if we're on a bike? Newsflash folks: it's only a race if everyone involved knows it... otherwise it's really just a race against yourself.

Wow. That video blew my mind. STOOPID. But freaking cool....

{Honestly, if "they" knew how much fun we have commuting, how glorious it is to commute, how freeing it is to be dependent on ourselves, and how it changes us, "They" would outlaw commuting by bicycle in a heartbeat.**

They = Department of "you people"!

it's only a race if everyone involved knows it...

or if you're eight years old and riding with your brother. My sons think I'm wacko when I tell them that it's not a race.

Never mind the testosterone... check out the hypcrosity. We usually complain about this type of behaviour from the motorists yet some of us seem to think harbouring such an attitude is okay if we're on a bike? Newsflash folks: it's only a race if everyone involved knows it... otherwise it's really just a race against yourself.

Light n' up.
Racing is yourself\ limits. It's a steam post, not a chase\ destroy. I run againts roadies on a mtb, under 5mph slower.
Aggresive also means alert, quick to react.
A hill, I don't even change gears or cadence. Being aggressive biking is for me good, I'm a vehicle, and act according. When traffics faster 'n me I'm shoulder wise.
Intersection, love being first, IN FRONT of the cars. I'll be halfway before the cage is engaged.

I pass slow people slow. Quickies might get burnt, if I'm not empty.
You can pass repectfullly, or to provoke or inspire. I love keeping up with better bikers, seems I can do it for longer and longer periods now.

I have little interest in 'racing' pro. And am too old. Not on my track.

Man there are people FASTER than me..no kidding, a strange impulse to look over my shoulder as I type..

>jef.

One of the advantages of cycling over driving is that you can do all the street racing you want without undue danger or breaking any laws.

Paul
(humming "Dead Man's Curve")

good way to relieve some stress....great vid

Wow. I'm having this vision of what it might be like if everyone did ride bicycles, and it's really not as pleasant as I used to think.

Incidentally, there are dedicated single speed AND racing boards on this site. For big men. To discuss their big manliness.

One of the advantages of cycling over driving is that you can do all the street racing you want without undue danger or breaking any laws.

Paul
(humming "Dead Man's Curve")

I can think of about 5 laws broken in that messenger race video right there. :p