Originally Posted by vtjim
One funny thing happened. I'm still sort of coming down off of a mild head cold so I'm taking it easy. Well, I looked in my mirror and I saw someone on a bike coming up behind me. Testosterone poisoning overruled the head cold virus, and I went up two gears while maintaining cadence so it wouldn't look like I was doing anything differently. Speed increased by about 8MPH.
Dropped the other rider like a hot rock.
I kept the pace for a couple of miles and only once saw the person when I turned around to look down a long straight section.
I try to avoid these situations and not turn a commute into a meaningless competition.
On several occasions, I've come up on slower riders that were obviously taking their time. Generally speaking, I'm a fast rider that wants to get home quicky and maximize my time in the saddle. But I always slow down and ride behind until I'm sure it's a good time to pass, and I don't just pass. I'll ride along side for a few seconds, assuming it's safe, say "hello," "nice bike," or "good to see another commuter today."
Maybe if you just maintained pace, you meet someone interesting....