Some days I could be going "full out" and you might not even notice. But it's fun doing so.

Had fun this morning - saw a guy riding a Cervelo - even had the really aerodynamic helmet that Time Trialers wear. Was able to mostly keep up with him on my (road-oriented) hybrid with a commute load on the back. So either I was really quick (which is possible - I was over 33km/h for the entire time I was going with him) or he was either just relaxing or he was a poseur - not sure which. All I know for sure is, if he was a strong rider and he was really trying, he would have left me in his dust. Still. it made me feel good that I was able to keep up with him for a while. :)

Define "full out."

I passed a couple kids on bikes one day. The sidewalk had just ended so they were riding on the right side of the street. As I passed them one called out to the other, "Hey, look! A professional biker!" It didn't sound sarcastic, I think he was being genuine. Maybe amazed that I passed maintaining 20 MPH. I got a smile out of that.

I wasn't wearing any lycra, had a helmet on. Riding my MTB with racks.

Same here. But with the cooler weather I managed to get to work today in less time than usual, and that was with adding another mile and halfish to my route.

I cross the Burnside Bridge on my way to work, at about 5:20 am when there is no one around. Usually I take the S bend on to the bridge briskly, then get out of the saddle, put my head down, and accelerate as hard as I can up the approach to the center span (highest point) of the bridge. It is fun to go "flat out" . . . alas, when I look down at the bike computer, my top speed is truly pedestrian. If you were driving by, you wouldn't notice that this old fart on an old bike is doing anything other than just cruising along. That's what I mean, it's possible to be "racing" as fast as you can on a bike and not pose any threat to the local speed limit or anything else, as long as there is a bit of elevation gain involved.

Thanks, Astrozombie, this made me laugh out loud! I'll just assume my rear view is ... motivating.

And then I'll drop 'em.

I know a lot of times if I am going slow its sometimes just a metal block and someone passing me reminds me to htfu and go

+1. I am out to enjoy the ride and competition is not part of that for me. Especially competing with someone who doesn't know they are in a race.

In what some might see as a contradiction though, I was riding early one morning at a moderate pace (on my bent) waiting for a friend to catch me during the first 10 miles of our longer ride we'd do together ( warming up at our own pace). I caught a glimpse of him in my rear view and then acted as if I didn't see him, reaching down for a drink, stretching my arms out (one at a time, as you bent riders know why). All the while I was cranking as hard as I could, up around 25 or 26 mph. He did finally catch me and had quite a shocked look on his face, breathless, until he realized I was pulling his leg. We both had a good laugh.

I either don't change my speed or I slow down if they're behind me to make sure they pass me. I don't like being among other riders, they make me nervous. Cars I can predict, but I've seen cyclists do some weird stuff.

Cat 6 racing is where it's at.

:)

This most probably doesn't include everybody, but there's a large segment of humans, who just hate being passed up. No matter what the mode of transportation, they will always resent the idea that another human has passed ahead of them.

There must be some type of subconscious and survival-related message, wired within our DNA that causes us to always strive to be in front or ahead of the other.

Perhaps it's just a part of that competitive instinct that drives us to sport.

Interesting....

PS.

I'm sure the most successful hunters and warriors, were also the fastest in the prehistoric days.

I'm not exactly competitive, but it's my instinct to peddle as fast as I can. Mind you, that's not all that fast, but I do tend to go faster than a lot of folks tooling along the bike paths. I find it really annoying if I come up behind someone. There often isn't room to pass, or I'm not going enough faster that passing makes sense. And if I do pass, all too often a block later I hit a light, the other person catches up, and we play the same game all over again.

I think I just needto learn to slow down and mellow out a little. Given lights, traffic, wayward pedestrians, etc. etc., pedaling faster doesn't get me to where I'm going faster, it just gives me more time to wait at the next light. I think I just hate the feeling of being penned in, and having to go someone else's pace, even if going my pace doesn't really gain me anything. On long open stretches, which pretty much means the greenway along the river or the bridges, I pass and get passed all the time with no issues.

You may not need to slow down, but yeah, mellow out a bit. A bike path is not a racetrack, so there is no sense in being annoyed by a slower rider - they're doing nothing wrong. Chill behind them for a minute then pass and pick up your pace. Think of it as an opportunity to practise self-management.

As for them catching you at the light, that shouldn't be an issue unless they run the light or postion themselves in front of you, forcing you to wait for another chance to pass them all over again. In that case I agree - that is annoying! I kill over that!!!

(not really)

Race? Mmmm...no. I don't race. Most of the people I see on my rout are just high school kids on there bikes. Once in a while one of them will kinda laugh at me because I choose to wear a helmet and UnderArmor as riding cloths. I just let them pass me. No big deal. If we're near some hills though...then the "race" starts.:p Ya look real "cool" sitting under that tree half way up the rise. Ya did good kid...real good, but you'll always be the second one up the hill see.:thumb:

Sounds possible. I would also put this on our egos.

I found a competitive commuter yesterday. I glanced over my shoulder to find some guy buried so far up my tail pipe that I did a double take to see if he was overlapping my wheel. He gave no hello (even though I had said hello at a previous light) and no alert to make me aware of his wheel sucking. It's October, I'm fine pushing myself when the legs want to go, but racing season is over and I'll happily fold my cards even if I know that I have the winning hand in a situation such as this.

I am "The Lonely Commuter" on my route. I have not seen any other commuters while I am riding to and from school. I do enjoy chronicling my commutes on Map My Ride and trying to beat my own times. But, I never let trying to achieve a faster time affect my caution at intersections and so forth.