gioscinelli 

When a cyclist passes you, what do you notice first:

The Bike

The Rider

The Gender

The Physical Attributes

Or you're personal views...

Let's hear from our international Bikeforums member's and their opinion!

Mark Stone

Never been passed.



Actually, I check out the bike first . . .

Bandera

I'm watching to see if the person overtaking knows how to handle their machine to quickly and efficiently pass and open a gap w/o messing about, lurching or blowing up. Positioning, stability, relative pace, confidence and proper etiquette are what I notice not the hardware, although I do pay attention to team jerseys for future reference.

-Bandera

Oldpeddaller

A cyclist PASSES me? The bike of course... Then the red mist descends and I clench my teeth, stomp on the pedals and chase flat out, for miles if necessary until I've put a wheel in front, turn my head and clock their head badge - then I give up and collapse! Seriously, it's almost a Pavlovian reaction, old habits from decades ago die hard - and I'll probably die hard myself one day doing this!

As a club racer in my teens, I was ALWAYS being beaten by guys riding bikes with a magic prancing horse crest on the head tube - and I couldn't afford a Holdsworth. It had to be the magical powers of Holdsworth, it obviously didn't matter if the riders were taller, older, fitter, fresher, leaner or just plain better than me. It took me forty years before I got my first Holdsworth and now I have a few. Guess what? Magnificent bikes but no sorcery involved

bbbean 

What do you mean passes me?

jyl

I notice the legs.

gaucho777 

I check to see if my own bike has a problem. I mean, surely my brake must be rubbing, right?

upthywazzoo 

I notice the gender first, then their build, then their bike. I get passed often enough, especially in a headwind.

lostarchitect 

My friend thinks I'm hilarious, because several times when an attractive girl passed us going the other way, he caught me checking out the bike and not the girl.

FBinNY 

I notice the most outstanding or noteworthy thing first. It could be the person, bike, clothing, riding style, or something about the combination, but it's what makes them different enough to catch my eye.

rootboy 

Their aroma?

likebike23

First is a quick glance at the person, then the bike has my attention for the duration.

iab

1. Their Fredliness
2. Their age
3. Their bike

kingston 

Gender
Age
Bike

In that order

daf1009

the bike...of course...unless she causes me to notice...

repechage

That and what gear they are in. Often it is in the big ring, from that I decide do they look like they can sustain the effort, and I jump on their wheel iff they look competent, then back off when we come up on slower riders, to understand if they are capable, or a triathlete. Tri bars are a big giveaway, stay clear in most instances, safety first.
Plenty zoom past and blow up later, love it when they stay in the big ring too long and I twiddle past them in the small ring.
If I was mean I would whip out the camera to grab the facial expression.

Big negative in my mind when guys were pro team kit. But I am very conservative, team jerseys are for team members.
Give me plain colors and black shorts, white socks.

smallpox champ

This.

bbattle

A female cyclist passes me and a buddy. He says, "did you see that rack?"

My reply: "there was no rack on that bike."

gioscinelli 

Riding along Chicago's beautiful lake front path can be fantastic with views of the opposite gender coming towards you! Of course the face, the bike and the outfit!

holden west

My girlfriend can confirm; it's all about the bike.

We can be driving and I see a beautiful woman on a bike and I'll say, Wow, Wilier-Triestina!!! And she knows that's not the girl's name. She thinks I'm weird.

gioscinelli 

This getting very humorous and we need that!!!

Keith99

None of the above. First is can I catch their wheel.

If it is female with a great butt it may have a significant influence on the answer to the above.

norskagent

This past weekend at the beach I saw 2 bikini girls ride by, one on a vintage raleigh grand prix, the other on a vintage celeste bianchi. I sort of noticed it all at once and I should of taken a pic.

Keith99

When I was fit headwinds were my friend, well at least as being competitive goes. My major stud moments were all riding into a headwind that was an absolute disaster for climbers.

One time I ended up looking like an icebreaker with a lot of normal little boats following.

FBinNY 

It's really slick that you've evolved a code which lets you ogle and comment about the attractive women you pass without repercussions.