My sweet revenge story
 

I am a clyde. I am down to 225 lbs from 280 last year when I started cycling. I only rode in a couple group rides and did very well and last weekend I did my very first charity ride. I suppose you could call this a success story for me because it really made me feel good about myself. This is also the first year of riding an actual road bike since I dropped weight and found a road bike I can ride comfortably after going through several different bikes.

When I got to the start point I unloaded my bike and was walking it to the registration table. There were six guys half my age getting ready to start and they were all wearing matching cycling gear and all had carbon fiber racing bikes. I seen the guys all checking out my bike and overheard one of them say "Haha! A Huffy."

After he said that they took off on the ride. It took me a good six or seven minutes to get registered and get on my way. I was bound and determined to catch up with these guys. I started out hard and kept a really good pace. I passed 5-6 smaller groups of riders and countless individual riders. I kept up with my pace and after an hour and a half I figured these guys are long gone until we got into town I could see them all up ahead. I pushed harder and faster and finally caught up to them! There they were just slowing to a stop at the main intersection in town at the red light. I live locally and knew this light and timed it. Just as the light turned green I whipped past them and all the other riders stopped at the light.

I glimpsed in my rear view mirror and seen this group were first off the light and pushing hard to catch me. All six of them were standing on the pedals and pedaling fast. This is where I decided to push even harder and I refused to let them catch up, so I gave it all I got, stood on my pedals and tried to erase the pain and fatigue I was feeling since we were already about 20 miles into a 40 mile ride. I knew the next rest/drink stop was at the next covered bridge 5 miles away so I pushed it hard and steady all the way there! They were just starting to close the gap as we arrived at the stop.

When we got there, I was expecting some more smart remarks, but the dude who laughed at my bike approached me first and said "Dude! You are a really strong rider! How much does that bike weigh?" I said "It's a tank at 27 lbs, but when you are my size, weight does not matter." One of the other guys said "I am surprised you even caught up to us because we left as you were heading in."

Honestly, I really could not talk a whole lot since I was totally winded and wiped out from trying to catch these guys and maintain a lead so for the rest of the conversion with these guys I simply nodded and said a few "yeps" and "uh huhs" and told them to have fun. I then pretended my phone was buzzing and said "Excuse me" while I pretended to take a call. After a few minutes they headed off to finish the ride and a couple of them waved.

I am not gonna lie. I took a 30 minute rest after that because I was so tired. I know I am not bicycle racing material, but I was just happy I was able to catch those guys and pass them by surprise. I took the last 15 miles of the ride at a slow pace and rode with a bunch of nice people and enjoyed the ride. My bike got a lot of comments and a lot of those riders who seen me pass those guys were telling me that it was funny how when I went around them they all took off after me like a pack of dogs chasing a rabbit.

Just thought I would share my story. Here are a few pics I got from the event............

http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/...psx2wff6qz.jpg

http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/...psxnkwzkcv.jpg

http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/...pszesgs6zm.jpg

And here is a pic of my Huffy I like like so much..............

http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6meagkzc.jpg

Thanks for reading.

Way to go!

the bike doesn't look half bad. some good rubber and clipless pedals and some kit for yourself and you'd definitely look the part. and if you got rid of the mirror and removed the stickers they would never know what kind of bike it was, which would only encourage more conversation. the fun part is that after a while you won't have to catch these guys and sucker punch them at a red light, you will actually be able to hang on with them, which is WAY more fun than chasing all day. and if you hang with them for a while, they might actually start to talk to you lol.

I know it feels good to blow by them, but just remember they still passed you and then proceeded to lead the line while you dropped back. for me, not being able to hang was a huge motivation to my own weight loss and progress. I don't mean to rain on your parade, I just mean to say that imagine how good it would have felt to catch them and hang on for 30 miles at 20+mph! and what about when they sprint for a red light, could you hold on at 35mph pounding the pavement in the wind at 100-120rpm? in a high gear?! could you do that all while 6-12 inches from someone else, and trust that they wouldn't hit you and not hit them? could you do it for 30secs to 60secxs all out, at the end of a 30 mile ride? they were "riding," you were racing.

if they raced you, it would suck, believe me. you would all alone inside 3 miles. I mean "all alone" on the road, as in "they were so far gone" that you wouldn't even be able to see them, or anyone in either direction, at all. been there done that.

I can run in the front of my weekly 30 mile group ride that averages 20mph, I can even pull for several minutes at that pace, but when the stoplight sprints or the strava segments get rolling, they all pull away. It took me a whole summer to hang on the sprints, and even then I can only do it with the draft.

be humble, don't pass guys way fitter than you at stoplights. they will humiliate you EVERY time and acting like you "dropped back" really means that you got smoked. anyone can pass someone who is stopped. my dad would call this "shooting at hospital ships."

Sometimes you just take what comes your way — like a well-timed green light. Way to go! Great story.

Well done. To add insult to injury for those guys, your Huffy also has the dreaded stem shifters!

My 85 Raleigh has them as well, they work great and I prefer them to drop tube shifters.

I suppose if we all left together we could have rode the entire ride together since I am used to 30+ mile rides every weekend. Since dude insulted my baby and they left 6-7 minutes earlier than I did I had to play catchup. The well timed traffic light was my only chance to make a pass, but if there was no light, I would have caught up to them anyway since I was already gaining on them. I doubt I could have passed them since they were riding in drafting positions and holding a good line, but I did catch up on my own.

Next event I will find a group and ride with them.

YOU DEFINE A WINNER.

Long Homerun.:thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb:

Good on ya' !!

Well done.

A huffy was my first road bike back in the 80s. I put a lot of miles on that bike, became a cyclist and eventually upgraded. I never knock someone because a brand name (or no brand name).

Love me some Huffy. My first 10 speed way back in 1973 was a Huffy. Been loving riding ever since. My daughter and her husband just picked up a pair of his and hers Huffy Savannahs so they can ride with me.

well, sounds like you had fun.

Well done. The bike doesn't matter, it's the person powering it. :-)

You'd think people in an Ashtabula County bike ride would be more respectful of bikes with Ashtabula cranksets!

That's for sure. Andy Hamsten did pretty good using a Huffy branded bike.

http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com/201...l_view_600.jpg

Definitely not using the Ashtabula Oblongata. Nice job OP

That Huffy was made by Serotta if I remember correctly

I'd rock that at the club ride w/ brifters :thumb:

And here is a pic of my Huffy I like like so much..............

http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6meagkzc.jpg

Thanks for reading.[/QUOTE]

I remember this bike. I owned one for a short time in the late 80's! But I remember different brakes and brake levers. I remember it actually being a decent bike! It also didn't have tape for grips, it had some kind of a thicker white molded grip that I vaguely remember.

Nice job on the ride though!

Nice job Johnny,

Keep up the hard work. Take your wins were ever you can get them..... I have bike envy... She's a sweet looking ride...

Great story & ride!!!

I upgraded the brakes and bars. The original brakes were named "Polygon" and the brake levers were the old school turkey lever brakes. It now has a Sakae alloy stem, Sakae bars, and Diacompe aero brake levers and calipers. The only other upgrade was a new alloy rear rim and a Shimano Mega range cassette for them hills.

Heh, reminds me of my racing team experience. I have a '94 KHS descent, unsuspended, with rack, light, etc... in short, an ancient (according to high schoolers) bike with lots of uncool stuff on it. No kickstand, though... I'm not that bad. :p So, I was one of 3 ride leaders with our group. I finished the workouts and was waiting at the end with the first part of the group. The rest of the group and leaders then came in and rested. Finally a couple of team members started looking at my bike and getting a little snotty about it. "Seriously? No suspension? And you have a rack?" So, I waited and let them finish the list of criticisms. Then I asked about their bikes. One was CF, one aluminum, SLX-level stuff on both, nice suspension, 29" tubeless wheels, lots to brag about. Then I asked, "Did you notice I started behind you and was waiting at the finish line for you?" They never really answered, but they haven't had much to snark about, either.

It's always satisfying to find out how deep one can dig (deeper than you think you can) when inspired. Congrats on your ride.