out for my evening ride today on the fixie, and i hit the local bike path. About a mile in, i see two older gentlemen on their knobby tired, geared MTB's and smile. They're older, maybe in better shape, but i'm riding fixed, road geometry and tires. In my mind i'm gonna smoke these guys. What are they doing on a paved path anyway, there are all sorts of trails running through the woods on either side of the bike path. I stand up, start mashing the pedals, and fly past with (an only mildly sarcastic) "on your left."

then i hear the click click as they downshift.

ten seconds later i'm pulling these guys. One of them is right on my back tire, staring at the back brake, and the other is right on him. I'm still flying, but now I don't want to slow down cause i feel like i should be pacing these guys. No way they can keep up with me with those fat tires.

Wrong. I'm out of shape, and wretchedly so. They're right there with me, every inch of 4 miles. I'm panting, trying to do it quietly enough so they can't hear me. Finally i can't take it, i slow down and they pass. Again, i'm out of shape. So i ride on at my normal pace. Get to the end. There they sit at the end of the bike path, enjoying the sunset. I turn around, hoping they don't see me

Too late. They're on me again. This time the whole way. Another 6 miles. Awesome. And i'm pulling again. in a headwind. Fantastic. Finally we come to a stoplight where the path crosses the road.

"Fixed gear huh? Tricky riding that on the bike path." one says. I'm seething. We talk for a minute waiting for the light. They're impressed with the weaving i managed through the pedestrians. They are not even breathing hard. I begin to hate mountain bikes. Or people who are in better shape than me.

The light changes. I was too busy talking to remember where my feet were on the pedals. Failed track stand. I'm lying in the street beside them. Awesome. They were nice enough to say "it happens to all of us, usually when everyone's watching." Urge to kill rising. I tell them "nice riding with you," and take another route home.

Any other humiliating story's out there?