Silly Commuter Racing
 

So, I was *shocked* to discover that there wasn't an SCR thread on here yet!

Anybody else players of The Game?

I have only seen one other person on a bike along my route this week... hopefully I'll find some more prey soon!

I'm a FCN 7, btw...

Not me. I'm just going to work, listening to my audiobook, or the birds, or whatever. I'll sometimes hammer it if I have a tailwind and it's a nice day, but it's just for the pleasure of going fast. I don't care if people are passing me.

We ALL play the Game.

I generally don't care if people pass me (after all... it's not a race!), but if I see someone who looks fast in the distance in front of me, I *love* to spool up and see if I can pass them...

Also, it helps out a lot with the scoring that way... ;)

I score a 6. So why am I always passing those 3's on fixies?

Omg!
 

I hadn't realized that the unspoken had been so thoroughly (and accurately) documented!

I hate the game when it owns me, because I love the game so much.

Had my first race of the season today! Guy came out of nowhere onto the road about 100 yards ahead of me. He must have stopped to pee or something, because he came up from the riverbank. Riding a light green Bianchi roadbike. I cruised past him going about 23 or 24 on a slight downgrade. Picked it up and started hammering to open up some distance. Didn't look back for 4 miles...and he was still only 25 yards behind me!! haha...looked back again 2 miles later and he was gone -- must have turned off.

I'll count that as a win...barely! Next time I see him, if there's more shoulder and less traffic, I'll slow down and say hi.

woooo 2

does this mean I have to work harder? :(

I tried to catch a guy this morning. Never seen anyone on my morning commute before. As soon as I got with 30 yards he was gone. I mean he left me in the dew! Maybe I'll catch him tomorrow.

I try not too. I'm on a heavy bike with loaded panniers. What's the point? One thing that ticks me off is when someone passes me then slows down right in front of me and doesn't attempt to get further away. Then I press harder and do the same, they either give up or get it that I don't want to have their ass 6 feet in front of me. Unless it's a cute female ass, then it's a different story :D But women usually don't do this.

So, as a 1 (shaved leg roadie in team kit with backpack), I can only gain by passing a scooter?

Played today, saw him a quarter mile up and chased him down. Could have passed but didn't feel it was safe based on traffic. Then he turned. I wasn't on my usual commuter, but on my Pacer.

According to the calculator, I'm an 8 on my Motobecane with panniers, but a 5 on the Surly.

People who do that aren't playing the game ... or at least not very well.

I haven't played yet today, or in the past few days. Not too long ago, I was coming down a hill, on my drop handle bar CX bike, not really paying attention to anything but the road and the feel of the wind on my face, when somebody on a heavy-looking mountain bike shot past me. You all know the reaction that came over me, instantly, before I had a chance to think twice: "I don't think so..." I passed the guy right after the bottom of the hill - there's some rough pavement on the side of the road, and the PSL is 35 which means 50 mph is tolerated, so I take a relaxed pace here - and left the cyclist far behind me on the flat. There was no question of whether it was a race or not; somebody passed me aggressively, and, like the people you encounter, wasn't able to stay ahead, because it took everything he had to get ahead.

I got a five on their food chain score, so I have some work to do. Sadly I haven't seen a tandem bike or recumbent in a while. Lots of tandem kayaks, but, that's really not a fair pass, unless they're surfing.

I'm a 12, and hardly ever pass/get passed on my commutes. I'll take the solitude over points anyday.

Other cyclists on my route are very rare; I probably only see another cyclist once a week or so, and 99% of the time they're going the other way. Every once in a while I see someone close to my ability going the same direction, but I don't really care then either. Most of the time they either are much faster or much slower than me. The people out for a casual ride at 10 MPH I just go on past. When the U of M cycling team appears in my rear-view mirror (couple of times a year, usually) I just hold the line and hope that I can get a few seconds of tailwind as they blow past me.

No, Caloso... You're in a top group, so you get points for passing people in your same group. What sucks is, shave legged roadies or scooters are your *only* prey.

Suggest you grow a beard, stop shaving your legs, and get some platform pedals and panniers. ;)

I'm a 1 on the road bike, or an 11 on the commuter. So I guess I'm to an extreme one way or another.

14... what does that mean? pretty nerdy?

On my everyday commuter I rated a 10. (MTB w/ skinny tires, racks front and rear with with milk crate, krypto lock and cable, carrying a ton of stuff in my bag)

So what does it mean if in the last two days I have discovered a guy in full kit, on an all carbon bike, sitting on my wheel? (a different guy each day) Granted I eventually pulled off and made one take a turn at the lead and he did drop me until the next intersection.

Lycra'd roadies drafting you?! I'm gonna go ahead and mark that down as "win". :) Good job!

FCN of 8 (fendered CX bike, panniers, beard) or 10 on days when I don't bother with the lycra. Mostly hybrids and MTBs in this area, so I don't have many opportunities to gain points.

E-bikes here are allowed 500 W and 20 MPH top speed. No way would I be able to stay ahead of one of those on a shopper or full-suspension MTB. Even those ridiculously heavy scooter-style bikes have me beat in terms of W/kg, because I've been dropped by one of those up a hill.

I get dropped by 10 year-olds and 70 year-olds. I feel happy if I pass ANYBODY.

Now that I think about it, I'm pretty happy anytime someone passes me too.

Enjoy the ride!

I hate to admit it but I indulge in that Game all the time.

It helps as my commute is on a major cycling route, so it's easy to hook up with like-minded folks. My riding a fat-tired steel bike with panniers, lights, and fenders really helps in lassoing "recruits" because no self-respecting roadie on a high-zoot carbon bike will tolerate getting passed by a fully-equiped commuter.

It'll occasionally get really interesting as I'll find myself rotating in a 28mph paceline, bridging gaps (what ya lookin' at me for? See the panniers? Do I look like I can bridge that gap?!), or sucking wheels at 27+mph against a headwind for miles.

But don't blame me. I'm just trying to find a little bit of group ride magic on my way home from work. :lol:

let's see here...

fcn5 - roadbound hirsuit nerdbag with a fear of razors, occasional baggage, and spd sl's. it's fun being able to get to work as fast on bike as in my car... less fun when i remember i have heated seats, surround-ish sound, and rather plush surroundings in the car, though

I really don't worry about people that do that crap. I compete against myself and the clock, that's all.

A friend of mine plays that game. Anytime someone passes us, he drops a few gears up and pours it on after them, as if he's making a point. I keep pulling along and pass him in a few moments as he's gasping after his sprint.