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Did not see that coming, WOO HOO!!!

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Did not see that coming, WOO HOO!!!

Old 09-20-12, 12:55 AM
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Did not see that coming, WOO HOO!!!

I have started commuting more regular again. My current bike choice for commute is a 1973(?) Schwinn Racer 3 speed. I love this bike. However lately I have been amazed. On the ride back home (more folks are out) I have been catching, passing, and keeping ahead of folks in full kit. It's crazy to me that I can pass others on full carbon bikes in lycra and all and stay ahead without being in a "race mode". However today I feel I may have offended a guy, I caught him and passed him on a downhill. As I was passing he looked at me and started cranking away. He caught and passed me on the next up, from here he did stay ahead a bit, but I was always right on his wheel at the top of the hill. Near the end of my commute I did pass him again and he tried to catch me but bonked. It was crazy. I have never been the fast guy. I know they are many, and I mean many, others out there a lot faster, but man this has been a great feeling this week! Just wanted to share, being 280lbs and on a old 3 speed this is an awesome feeling!


Now back to your regularly scheduled forum!!!
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Old 09-20-12, 01:33 AM
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Keep it up... I might be one of those guys at this stage of my riding career. I am currently building stamina and trying to increase my average speed. Cheers!
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Old 09-20-12, 04:22 AM
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The guy obviously underestimated how strong us clydesdales can be
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Old 09-20-12, 05:58 AM
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That's a great story! I think that happens to us commuters a lot more than people think. Most of the time I get passed by roadies, which is fine, but occasionally one gets left behind on a climb and he has to put in extra effort to catch me while I'm riding at a normal "commuting" pace. Makes me feel like Greg LeMond.
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Old 09-20-12, 06:28 AM
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Originally Posted by funrover
It's crazy to me that I can pass others on full carbon bikes in lycra and all and stay ahead without being in a "race mode".
I am curious as to why you think that's crazy. There are no qualifications to wear lycra or acquire a carbon bike.

I just did Cycle Oregon last week. 2,200 people on a week-long ride. Plenty of people on carbon bikes who were not strong riders. Plenty of people on less expensive bikes who were strong riders. One couple of interest had matching black and white Tarmacs with matching water bottles and matching helmets. Their bikes were immaculately clean down the tires. We found this interesting since many of the rest stops were in forested areas with dirt all around. My guess is that they were using SAG fairly often.
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Old 09-20-12, 07:57 AM
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That is awesome. I rarely pass anyone - it occasionally happens. A few weeks ago I actually had someone draft off of me for a few minutes (before they passed) and I almost posted about it at the time. People get weird over silly things. I so wanted to ride today but there is a good chance of thunderstorms and I have a horrific cold. Uggh.
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Old 09-20-12, 09:53 AM
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Similar experience while preparing for Bike MS. My son and I (both qualify as Clydes) were passed by a guy on a road bike. My son was on a mountain bike and I was on my Trek Navigator. During our 47 mile training ride we passed this gentleman several times when he had stopped and then he would pass us again later. The last time he passed us, he drafted off of us for a couple of miles before passing. It was windy and he thanked us for the draft as he took a turn onto a different road and we stopped at a shopping center parking lot to rehydrate and enjoy an energy bar. Later near the end of our ride we passed him one more time, stopped and tinkering with his bike. I told my son, who was mainly committed to riding with me for Bike MS(not regularly cycling until now), that this was an example of the mechanical advantage of a lighter, road style bike and showed why I had been telling him not to be discouraged by our lack of "speed" compared to other riders. Our main goal had been to train for fitness and to be able to complete the Bike MS ride. A couple of weeks later we did the Bike MS (50 mile route each day) and the sense of accomplishment was awesome. That day he didn't get discouraged when we got passed by the faster cyclists and was able to enjoy the ride. And we did pass a few folks along the way who took notice of the fact that we were on "slower" bikes. Cycling can be fun no matter what you are riding and no matter how "fast" you get there. Enjoy the ride!
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Old 09-20-12, 10:03 AM
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I love this story. I tell myself, its about the exercise the pure thrill of the ride. But there is nothing like beating a greyhound. Awesome report.
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Old 09-20-12, 10:07 AM
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Originally Posted by funrover
I have started commuting more regular again. My current bike choice for commute is a 1973(?) Schwinn Racer 3 speed. I love this bike. However lately I have been amazed. On the ride back home (more folks are out) I have been catching, passing, and keeping ahead of folks in full kit. It's crazy to me that I can pass others on full carbon bikes in lycra and all and stay ahead without being in a "race mode". However today I feel I may have offended a guy, I caught him and passed him on a downhill. As I was passing he looked at me and started cranking away. He caught and passed me on the next up, from here he did stay ahead a bit, but I was always right on his wheel at the top of the hill. Near the end of my commute I did pass him again and he tried to catch me but bonked. It was crazy. I have never been the fast guy. I know they are many, and I mean many, others out there a lot faster, but man this has been a great feeling this week! Just wanted to share, being 280lbs and on a old 3 speed this is an awesome feeling!


Now back to your regularly scheduled forum!!!

I know the feeling, I commute on an 82 Continental that I also ride long distances on, and I find myself passing a lot of Freds. One thing I have learned, and heard from a great cyclist on a $10,000 setup Cervelo, is that it is better to look good on an old, inexpensive bike than look terrible on an expensive, new one. He was impressed that I was as strong a rider on an old bike and that some of the guys in the club he races with couldn't match me.

Enjoy the feeling, and don't mind the snippy comments that might arise from here, but also remember that for every geared up Fred you pass, there is a peloton of them ready to pass you! (this happened to me....literally, true story!)
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Old 09-20-12, 10:08 AM
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food for thought........does it make you wonder what you can do if you have a proper roadie oppose to a 3spd?
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Old 09-20-12, 10:25 AM
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Congratulations on riding, and having an increased stamina. It's great that you're commuting and doing so well. What people don't understand is as Clydes, our legs carry a lot of weight. I think we're stronger than people think, especially as we work out and lose weight. The muscle to weight ratio increases, making us stronger riders than people expect.

HOWEVER, while I'm not too steamed about your post, it does kind of rub me the wrong way. Not diminishing your accomplishments, but you never know what that other person is going through. On January 1, 2012, while in the middle of my 14 cycle chemo treatment, I decided I was not going to keep laying around the house feeling sick. Instead, I was going to go out and enjoy the beautiful "Rose Parade Weather" and get a ride in....while feeling sick. I put on the lycra, jersey, helmet and shoes, clicked in and managed to get a 10 mile ride in. Almost passed out twice. Chemo sucks! So, here I am, in full "kit" (not a team kit, but you know what I mean), trying to keep 10 mph, pale as can be and two guys rode by me, in their club kits. After they passed me, they started talking to each other, but loud enough that I was sure to hear. One made a comment about my old mountain bike, the other said "Yah, and I think Lance shaves his legs". The other looked back at me and laughed. Yah. I "shaved" them! I just smiled, being very grateful that 1) I was out riding and 2) I did not have to go through life being either of them. I'm not saying you have that attitude-theirs was far more extreme. Again, be proud of your accomplishments, but be aware that you don't know what the other rider is going through.

While spending 70+ days over the year my treatments took, I decided I wanted to buy a Lynskey when I was done. So, while it's not carbon, it's not an entry-level rode bike by any stretch. I'll admit it. It's way more bike than I need at this point. However, I sold off some old gear I wasn't using anymore and treated myself as a reward for surviving the past year. So, now I'm 6'2", 230, wearing the gear because it's the most comfortable way to ride, no hamstring in my right leg, still gaining strength back after chemo and making muscles do things that they weren't ever designed to do to compensate for the loss. I'm not the slowest on the path. I'm not the fastest. I have been passed by "you" many times, and will again, I guarantee it. My feeling on it.....good for you. You're doing great. I'm just happy to be alive and on a bike.

Keep up the good work.

Last edited by PhotoJoe; 09-20-12 at 10:29 AM.
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Old 09-20-12, 10:40 AM
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PJ, I agree with your point about not knowing what the other cyclist might be going through.

BTW, good job on the jersey design. See you on the 16th--barring any scheduling conflicts, fires or other eventualities.

Last edited by PhotoJoe; 09-20-12 at 11:22 AM.
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Old 09-20-12, 11:22 AM
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Originally Posted by eja_ bottecchia
BTW, good job on the jersey design. See you on the 16th--barring any scheduling conflicts, fires or other eventualities.
Looking forward to the ride......on the 14th!
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Old 09-20-12, 11:26 AM
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Originally Posted by jsigone
food for thought........does it make you wonder what you can do if you have a proper roadie oppose to a 3spd?
Plugging along on my trek hybrid I'm wondering about this a fair amount... If I pass somebody on a fancier rig because they're dawdling, they do seem to take offense at that and can easily leave me in the dust. My secret weapon: stop lights - I go my nice steady (improving) 15 mph, they go 18+, but I keep catching them at the lights. Some of them it doesn't bother, and we end up chatting waiting for the lights to turn, others, not so much.
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Old 09-20-12, 03:51 PM
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You ride more than he does or that's my take on it. Cycling is the new golf, lots of new guys go into a shop with lots of money and can afford to buy the very best but if you have no engine it just looks good, think corvette with chevette motor. Always remember to if the other person doesn't know it's a race you will always wins. Here's my story but almost the excact opposite. A few years back I was doing a recovery ride on the mup and yes I was on my expensive carbon and yes full shop kit, this guy goes flying by me on a MTB with slicks pushing as hard as he could and laughing like a loon, couple minutes later he's headed back the other way. Next thing I know he goes flying by again with a smirk on his face, this happens a couple times till he comes up on me and says shesh if I couldn't go any faster than that I'd walk....I replied with shift to the big ring and a well see ya later.
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Old 09-20-12, 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by youcoming
....and says shesh if I couldn't go any faster than that I'd walk....I replied with shift to the big ring and a well see ya later.
He earned that one!
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Old 09-20-12, 04:20 PM
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Originally Posted by PhotoJoe
Looking forward to the ride......on the 14th!
I just wanted to see if you were paying attention...after spending hours designing the shirt (and sticking "that" school's logo on one of the designs) I thought you would be going cross eyed.
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Old 09-21-12, 12:14 AM
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Wow, I didn't realize feeling would be hurt. I know fancy/nice doesn't equal great rider. I also know there may be reasons. I was just excited. I rarely pass others, and that to me is a step in the positive direction. For those of you I seemed to upset, sorry, but his made me happy. Hope you all get healthier and feel better!!
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Old 09-21-12, 06:00 AM
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Originally Posted by funrover
Wow, I didn't realize feeling would be hurt. I know fancy/nice doesn't equal great rider. I also know there may be reasons. I was just excited. I rarely pass others, and that to me is a step in the positive direction. For those of you I seemed to upset, sorry, but his made me happy. Hope you all get healthier and feel better!!
Don't worry about it. The situation that PhotoJoe described, where the person you passed may have been going through something; and the possibility that the rider was "recovering" may be the case, and we don't want to minimize this. However, the point of the op was (as I read it) that many of us, even though Clydes and Athenas, through training and time are getting to the point that sometimes we can match speeds and sometimes even pass road cyclists. I think this is less competitive than just an accomplishment. Picture it this way: When we started riding, we were completely unfit, couldn't walk up stairs, hated to look at ourselves in mirrors. And now, after dedication and discipline and a little weight loss and strength gain, we are able to ride strongly enough that we can ride with some roadies.

I think the real root of our joy is not in the competition; it's in the realization that bicycling is working for us and we are improving. When I pass a roadie on a climb (rare, but it happens) I think "Yay! A year ago I never would have been able to do that!" So, funrover, go ahead and be happy and proud. Ride Free!
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Old 09-21-12, 06:06 AM
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The joy of the internet(not spelling out the inflection and intended)....and me spending too much time on the 41!

I did not start out my reply with "Hey, Jerk!". My goal was only to make sure we don't lump jersy-clad expensive road biking "freds" into one basket with an assumption. That's it. The 41 is FAMOUS for that, though, gratefully, we are not the 41!

And your accomplishments are definitely worthy of celebration. Use everything you can to encourage you, and draw strength from that to reach your next goal, rinse and repeat. Again, congratulations. You're doing great!
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Old 09-21-12, 06:12 AM
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Originally Posted by PhotoJoe
The joy of the internet(not spelling out the inflection and intended)....and me spending too much time on the 41!

I did not start out my reply with "Hey, Jerk!". My goal was only to make sure we don't lump jersy-clad expensive road biking "freds" into one basket with an assumption. That's it. The 41 is FAMOUS for that, though, gratefully, we are not the 41!

And your accomplishments are definitely worthy of celebration. Use everything you can to encourage you, and draw strength from that to reach your next goal, rinse and repeat. Again, congratulations. You're doing great!
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Old 09-21-12, 06:38 AM
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I guess this is the back side of "the embarrassed rider" syndrome so many clydes/athena's encounter. Yes, we should be empathetic to our fellow cyclists and not ridicule them. Yet there nothing wrong with realizing (celebrating) a certain level of fitness improvement.

Congradulations on attaining your current level of fitness.
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Old 09-21-12, 07:36 AM
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Originally Posted by PhotoJoe
I did not start out my reply with "Hey, Jerk!". My goal was only to make sure we don't lump jersy-clad expensive road biking "freds" into one basket with an assumption. That's it. The 41 is FAMOUS for that, though, gratefully, we are not the 41!

And your accomplishments are definitely worthy of celebration. Use everything you can to encourage you, and draw strength from that to reach your next goal, rinse and repeat. Again, congratulations. You're doing great!
I have close to 3000 miles in for the year and I still am the last one up a hill. My husband is a Clyde and bikes some, but not like I bike. We were biking together a few weeks ago and he mashed his way up a short, steep hill and beat me to the top. That was disconcerting as I know I am in far better shape than he is.
I work on it but my engine just isn't great. I think it is primarily years of sedentary behavior but also minimal innate ability. When I was a skinny little kid I was last to be picked for gym class teams because I had no talent. But I ride and I enjoy the ride. I have three bikes, soon to be four. One is pretty pricey. I have my fancy gear. I suppose there are those who think it is wasted on me. But I might be slow but I put in the time and my best effort.

But, no one has ever made any kind of fun of me to my face. Being older has some protection against high expectations as no roadie is going to feel very superior by passing someone who might be their mother.


I too congratulate Funrover on his increasing abilities. And I think his three speed is cool.
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Old 09-21-12, 10:10 AM
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0NA4dxkdnQ

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Old 09-21-12, 10:34 AM
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lol I remember that video
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