Hipcycler

First of all let me begin by saying please don't take this the wrong way...like I'm bragging or something. I know in a race against most of the serious riders here in our little BF family I'd be dropped like a leaf on a windy November day.

But we all have our battles....and levels of performance.

On my 26-mile training route today something took me by surprise. I was passed. See, this usually does not happen because I ride mid-morning when most people are at work, and if there are riders on my route they are rec riders just enjoying the day.

There I was about nine miles in on a parkway road when I head a funny noise. It had been so long since someone passed me like that I was surprised to see a guy on a blue Cannondale go by me on the left. WTH? "Hmmm, should I try to jump on his wheel and have some fun," I thought....well.....he was out a couple hundred yards in front of me and then turned around and went back the other way.

Then it dawned on me....
Hey, I saw a guy on a blue bike pass me going the opposite way just moments earlier. That dude peeled off just to put a pass on me then turn around I bet!

That's OK I guess, but I would say the real test would have been for him to keep going and drop me if he wanted to prove something to himself. Anyone can sneek up on a rider from behind to make a pass. Making it stick, now THAT's a little different.

jslopez

He could have made a U thinking that he forgot something at his house then thought better of it... the possiblities are endless but I like your theory better

Hipcycler

Yeah, it could have been a lot of different things, but I'm a pretty good judge of situations, and that was my take on it.
I ended up having a pretty good, fast average speed ride for me too....it would have been interesting because I was in the mood to chase today....nice sunny, calm conditions with pretty good legs today.

Geoff326

maybe he was lost hehe

Nashville Man

Time to change your signature to "on your right". Hah.

Hipcycler

cydewaze

Maybe he thought you were cute and he wanted to talk.

Grasschopper

You should have turned around...passed him and then turned around again.

Hipcycler

DAMN....why didn't I think of that at the time?
Brilliant Chop. Simply brilliant! And too funny.

hi565

Your too pretty to catch some sweaty guy like that! You know better!

jitteringjr

that would have been classic.

I am getting beyond the stage where I feel bad about getting passed or good about passing people. I just try to stick to my workout now. However, now that I have stopped worrying about it, I have been paying more attention to people's behaviors when they get passed and when the pass. It seems in all cases, they pick up the pace around the time of the pass.

For instance I had a commuter pass me one time while I was warming up. He was hammering it. A few days later, I passed him from behind like he was standing still and I was going the same speed as the other day. The only difference was he didn't see me this time till after I passed him so he did not know to pick the pace up till it was too late.

SpongeDad

This is why I always carry a Tazer.

ckleps

your thread title sounds like the name of a seinfeld episode.

woodboy

Come to think of it, I don't recall being passed on the road -- except on group rides of course. I've passed a lot of riders though which goes to show that a lot of people (the ones I pass) are just out for a relaxing ride, not necessarily for training or fitness. If there's a rider off in the distance I try to catch them -- of course they don't know they're in a race.

cydewaze

I passed someone in a team kit the other day like he was standing still, and I was able to stay in front of him for a good while! Then I needed to stop for gas, so he went by. Seeing how bad he was sweating when he rode by made me glad I got the AC in the Honda fixed.

plin

jlin453

Classic.

Hipcycler

Well, I must admit I was looking pretty good today in my Girodona bibs/USA Cyling jersey and USA Cycling socks!

But still....

TexasGuy

I was passed once, but I was on a Mongoose. After i was passed I chased after him and yes I did pick up the pace a bit, as much as I could on a mountain bike considering i usually ride at my top speed anyways.

jbhowat

You usually ride at your top speed? Hahahahahaaaaaaaa

*wipes tears*


oh ahahahahahaaaaaaaaaAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA


ok....Sorry, it could be a couple things now that i think of it.... You aren't trying very hard, you need some bigger gears, or you don't "ride" very far. What is your top speed? I've hit 61 on a downhill, should I be riding that all the time? I can sprint to upper 30s, should I just ride that fast? I can hammer along at 30mph for quite a while, should I consider that my top speed?

cydewaze

I think he means he rides at his maximum sustainable pace.

va_cyclist

I thought this thread was going to be about Armstrong and Ullrich in this year's opening TdF TT.

simplyred

Hip,
How many guys have you passed?

There's no need to think/worry about getting passed - regardless if some guy just made it his duty to run by you and turn around...
He's just being an real tard if he really did that... wait - being passed by an idiot sounds worse... hehe
Umm............ just keep training

slvoid

Use the pump, Luke.

mstrae

i had a (much younger) girl pass me the other day at the tail end of my ride. When i came around the next corner to the home stretch where i kind of relax, she was riding with no hands while messing with her hair. So i took off. She didn't catch me either. Nearly broke my arm patting myself on the back.