SF Biker

So from time to time I ride with my wife. We have ridden centuries together, club rides, and just the 2 of us on the weekend. Here is what I have noticed: When I ride by myself or one of my riding buddies, and I call out "on your left", 70% of the guys say "good morning " as I pass. However, anytime I am with my wife the guy down shifts, up shifts, stands, drops to into the drops, or any crazy combination of the fore mentioned to make sure that they stay ahead of her? Frankly, she is a strong rider, in great shape that can drop 95% of the women and 50% of the men. She doesn't act aggresively toward other riders, she can hammer for a long time and she does.

Middle aged/balding men on Colnagos and Litespeeds are by far are the worst offenders.

Are men's egos really that fragile?

timmhaan

pretty much. sad to say.

AtlAllez

haha yes! Just read the "I got dropped by a woman " thread

barleyrocket

maybe they like to look of her from behind more than you from behind. and are willing to work alittle harder to keep the view?

hi565

I know a good amount of guys who own pretty darn nice bikes, now the only thing about them is that they ride the heck out of each of them.

roadfix

Nothing about egos.... they just want to take a closer look at your wife.

puddin' legs

Men are sometimes small silly creatures...

2Rodies

Oh God please not another old guy+nice bike=rich posuer thead....please no I can't take another one.

BTW at 43 (really pushin' 44 which really makes me "middle' aged) an old guy is like....75. Unlike when I was 20 and an old guy was 30. Funny how that changes ain't it!

pigmode

You describe my ideal woman.

Keith99

Problem is they are doing this to stay in front. I can see working to keep a wheel, even a guy's wheel. I got cured of this kind of problem when I realized the actual pro riders I knew simply rode their ride when out training and did not worry about anyone else.

2Rodies

Yep this is why I never judge a rider by how they are ridding when I come up on them. I have a coach and a dedicated training program, sometimes I'll be out ridding hard and others will be zone 1, whichever I just keep doing what I'm doing until I'm done.

puddin' legs

Amazing, isn't it? Makes the rides more focused and productive as well.

SF Biker

Yeah that is my point. When I am with my wife they will do anything to stay in front. One guy would look over his shoulder every 15 seconds to gauge her distance and stay ahead. When one guy blew up and went waaay anerobic on a climb he pulled off and prenteded to check his brakes.

I said good morning and he barely uttered out a distingusable word he was so winded. It is really silly.

acrafton

You should see the looks on their faces when I pass them on my tandem with my six year old daughter stoking. . . priceless.

biker7

You are just running into the wrong middle aged guys on the road. If your wife is hot, I would rather draft behind her
George

SF Biker

LOL, yeah they must be the wrong middle aged guys as I have been told by many people (male and female) how attractive my wife is.

pigmode

They are obviously making fools of themselves, is this not enough? What is your attitude towards this? You seem perturbed.

ovoleg

You cannot judge people on their riding skill just because you are coming up on them.

I don't like it when people pass me but I sure don't try to shizown them when I hear, "On your left". Most people that pass me are pretty strong and I know I wont have much luck staying ahead of them so why suffer?

Old men on Colnago's? I sense some jealousy....

Rodist

Can't afford a Lightspeed or Colnago huh?
Generalizations like that are ridiculous.

SF Biker

Defintely not perturbed. My attitude towrds this is I really can't understand why they would act this way. I feel a bit sorry that my wife has to put up with it when she is out enjoying a ride with her female riders. My wife laughs. I laugh and shake my head in utter disbelief. It seems so juvenile. But hey, people's behavior has been mind boggling since the beginng of mankind.

JBar

I'm a old guy on a Litespeed and I usually just ride my ride, though my buddy has an unwritten rule that the guy that blows by without a hello, a nod or a wave usually gets a little disrespect. It happened to me the other day. I was sitting up eating a gel and a guy in Cofidis kit huffs by me and sits on my wife's wheel 50 yards ahead of me. Then he gathered up steam and blew by her. I was doing a small ring bride-ride after riding 100 miles the day before, but couldn't let it go. I jumped up to his wheel and sat a couple of bike lengths off for 1/2 mile or so as we made a couple of turns. The cat just about lost it on a little bridge, kind of freaking that he'd been caught. I rode up beside him, said hello and then rode him off. As I slowed to turn back and join my wife he rode up and said "In two years, nobody's EVER caught me." My thought was "He must really ride with some old, slow folks, because damn near anybody can catch me!"
It's just the Hare and Hound thing. When I think I'm the Hare for somebody, I'll make them work for it, especially if my wife is with me. She's getting a little competitive and will jump on my wheel and give it hell. It just adds to the sport.

SF Biker

When I think of high end I think of Colnago, Litespeed, Scott etc. I guess you couold lump all of those together. My wife and I both ride 5.9 Madones as they fit the best. At $4,600 a pop they are not chump change. On no, I feel a Trek bashing coming in retaliation.

Dchiefransom

From the title of the thread, and your original post, it seems as if you have as much of a problem worrying about them being silly. Who cares? I'd say to take advantage of the situation and hang on their wheel for a draft, but unless they are steady at pulling, it could be dangerous for you and your wife to hang that close.
I never wonder why some people go on organized rides wearing big floppy hats or pulling stereos on trailers, I just figure people are being individuals and having fun.
I'm a middle-aged Clydesdale, bald too, and sometimes I suddenly realize I've drawn a large "following" on big organized rides with a slight headwind. I must be good to draft behind, since I know it's not the "cut of my bibs" that keeps them back there.

Sooner Rider

Where's the "Middle-Aged Men & Hot Women" thread? And when are you posting a picture of Mrs. Biker?

SF Biker

Now that is funny! I also just ride my ride. Often times when I ride hard I will go out solo or with a friend. With my wife it is usually a fast paced recovery ride.

People are just amazing.