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Almost got crush by a REAL Geek.

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Almost got crush by a REAL Geek.

Old 08-19-13, 01:14 PM
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Almost got crushed by a REAL Geek.

While riding into work the other day:

I'm sitting patiently at a stoplight waiting for it to turn green - when this guy flies by me, through the red light , on a mountain bike, arms crossed (not using the handlebars), pedaling at a slow cadence - just cruising.

This stop light sits right at the base of a hill, where it's about 3/4 - 1 mile climb, with a good enough grade to get your heart rate up.

Light turns green, and I take off, determined to catch him - since he's about 75 + feet on me by now.

Click *shift*, pedaling faster, and faster, *shift*, and faster.. Good grief - I'm killing myself and barely catching him - and he was still riding without hands !!

Finally, catch him 1/2 way up the grade, and turns out he was on an electric bike... Should have figured it out way sooner with the large chrome motor on the rear wheel.

Anyhow, he was super friendly and had a HUGE grin on his face when he saw that I'd killed myself to catch him. I complimented him on his bike - and we exchanged good mornings... Then determined to put some distance between us, I stepped it up again.. By the time I got to the top of the hill, I'd about puked it hurt so bad.

Good news, I broke my old Strava record for that segment. Currently placed 21/441, and rode up the grade at 19.2 average speed.
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Old 08-19-13, 03:11 PM
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I had a similar experience last summer trying to catch some guy in jeans on a mountain bike. He was a couple hundred yards up on a loud, busy road when I spotted him - I'm not really a cat 6 racer but still I thought that here was a guy that even I could take. The area where this happened is a nice flat where I can maintain 21-22 mph for a couple of miles, depending on wind conditions. Each time I looked up he was the same distance up ahead. I kept thinking, "I should be gaining on this guy!" Eventually he turned off. My turnoff was on the next street and sure enough not long after I see the guy buzzing (literally) on a side street, powered along by a little motor from a weed whacker or a chainsaw or something.
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Old 08-19-13, 05:01 PM
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I'm a geek, and think I could probably crush you
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Old 08-19-13, 05:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Surrealdeal
I had a similar experience last summer trying to catch some guy in jeans on a mountain bike. He was a couple hundred yards up on a loud, busy road when I spotted him - I'm not really a cat 6 racer but still I thought that here was a guy that even I could take. The area where this happened is a nice flat where I can maintain 21-22 mph for a couple of miles, depending on wind conditions. Each time I looked up he was the same distance up ahead. I kept thinking, "I should be gaining on this guy!" Eventually he turned off. My turnoff was on the next street and sure enough not long after I see the guy buzzing (literally) on a side street, powered along by a little motor from a weed whacker or a chainsaw or something.
LOL ! That feeling is always a strange one. You're killing yourself, meanwhile, the other guy is barely pedaling. Mind virus for sure.

Originally Posted by Germany_chris
I'm a geek, and think I could probably crush you
Words like "think" and "probably" indicate you have doubts if you could crush me

Be more confident in your choice of words, like: "I'm a geek and I would crush you" !!!
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Old 08-19-13, 05:42 PM
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Originally Posted by joshuatrio
LOL ! That feeling is always a strange one. You're killing yourself, meanwhile, the other guy is barely pedaling. Mind virus for sure.



Words like "think" and "probably" indicate you have doubts if you could crush me

Be more confident in your choice of words, like: "I'm a geek and I would crush you" !!!
Pragmatism...
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Old 08-20-13, 08:53 AM
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I'm going to have to keep an eye out so as not to accidentally engage in a cat 6 race with any non pedal powered bikes and have my fragile semi roadie ego beaten then murdered.. I thank you for this objective lesson!
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Old 08-20-13, 03:34 PM
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I was climbing a long steep climb and a guy zooms up from behind on a electric bike. He said he was cheating "a little bit" with the electric motors, hub motors front and rear. At the very moment he caught me his batteries died and he THOUGHT he could keep up by pedaling a 75lb bike. Ha, the last thing I heard him say was, "You're going to make this hard on me".

I dress up like a geek and go out and geek me some roadeez and triathleetz.
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Old 08-21-13, 12:35 AM
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Originally Posted by GeoKrpan
I was climbing a long steep climb and a guy zooms up from behind on a electric bike. He said he was cheating "a little bit" with the electric motors, hub motors front and rear. At the very moment he caught me his batteries died and he THOUGHT he could keep up by pedaling a 75lb bike. Ha, the last thing I heard him say was, "You're going to make this hard on me".

I dress up like a geek and go out and geek me some roadeez and triathleetz.
THAT was YOU?!?! lol!!
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Old 08-21-13, 02:35 AM
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Where i commute there are a lot of electric bikes but they are easily recognizable. Besides the fact that you can see the electric motor in the front or rearwheel you can also see the rider being very relaxed and not sweating whil still maintaining a pretty descent speed. I guess the electric bike is the result of our instant gratification culture. Someone want to ride their bike, they want to ride it fast but they are in terrible shape and are not willing to spend time training. They want it NOW. So they buy an electric bike. But hey, every motorist who switches to a bike in whatever form is one less car on the road.

I also think electric bikes are an extra challenge, especially uphill they are usually still slower due to lack of training and eventually you still have to pedal to get moving. The electric motor still only supports the rider.
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Old 08-21-13, 05:32 PM
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I'll be the first to admit that I'm NOT fast. I'm an old (59) fat guy that commutes to work on a bike a couple of days a week. Anyway I caught a fellow on a 'powered' bike last year. I was riding south on Hwy 441, a mile or so south of work, during the evening commute, and as I slowed for a red light, I heard something behind me. Just as the light turned green, a fellow on a beach cruiser with a little 49 cc gas engine on it, when around me on the right and buzzed through the intersection. I was on my Bacchetta Strata (a fairly fast highracer style recumbent), so I stomped on the pedal and began hooking up gear to gear. I has pushing about 24 mph, when I came up on his rear wheel a half mile from the light, running in the bike lane. He kept looking over his shoulder at me, so I just yelled, "Go FASTER". He looked back and replied, "I can't". So I checked the mirror for traffic, pulled into the traffic lane, and pulled by him. Just as my head came up even with his, he looked at me and said, "Damn Man!!!!" and I pulled by him, and kept going. He could not catch me, and after a mile, turned off onto a side street. It was really sweet passing a guy on a moped.....

Tractor Tom in Okeechobee, FL
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Old 08-21-13, 07:00 PM
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I had one cretin on an ebike whip past me on the right when I stopped at a cross street waiting for cars to use their right of way. In order to avoid the idiot on the ebike the driver performing a left onto my street careened into my lane nearly taking me out. I just about chased the jerk down and shove him into a curb. It would have really hurt too as he wasn't wearing a shirt.
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Old 08-21-13, 09:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Erwin8r
THAT was YOU?!?! lol!!
Cheers!

I would love to have a good electric bike. One that would go 25mph up most hills and 35mph on the flats into a strong headwind. Have a 50 mile range no matter how hard the throttle is used or how cold it is, have a great ride, handle well, have spectacular brakes, belt drive, bulletproof reliability and, look really good. I haven't seen one I'd want to own.
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Old 08-22-13, 11:24 AM
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Originally Posted by GeoKrpan
I would love to have a good electric bike. One that would go 25mph up most hills and 35mph on the flats into a strong headwind. Have a 50 mile range no matter how hard the throttle is used or how cold it is, have a great ride, handle well, have spectacular brakes, belt drive, bulletproof reliability and, look really good. I haven't seen one I'd want to own.
Specialized Turbo

I hit 40.0 mph on one test ride on flatland. The bike wants to do at least 28 no matter what wind/hill is happening. The acceleration (with me pedaling pretty hard) was terrifying.

https://turbo.specialized.com/
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Old 08-22-13, 11:34 AM
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Originally Posted by Surrealdeal
I had a similar experience....
+1. Riding my folding bike over the Queensborough Bridge last week, I passed a guy on a fixie. I smoked him. Then I could see him standing up and hammering as if he was going to catch me. Then an MTB appears from behind the fixie guy, passes him, and I crank it up another notch to stay ahead of the MTB guy. MTB guy breezes past me, and he's barely pedaling. Then I see the giant battery pack on his rear rack, and the big hub, and I realize what's going on. There's no keeping up with this guy! Meanwhile, fixie guy has apparently decided I, too, must be on an electric bike, and has given up the chase. How fast were we really going? I have no idea. I think the electronics of the electric bike messed with my computer. But for its amusement value:

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Old 08-22-13, 03:51 PM
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Originally Posted by JoeyBike
Specialized Turbo

I hit 40.0 mph on one test ride on flatland. The bike wants to do at least 28 no matter what wind/hill is happening. The acceleration (with me pedaling pretty hard) was terrifying.

https://turbo.specialized.com/
Hi Joey, geek huntin' lately?

Well then, it's faster than Specialized says it is. I thought it wasn't available in the US. They day will come when the ridiculous restrictions will be rescinded or they just won't be enforced, not that I've ever seen or heard of them being enforced. At any rate I don't like what Specialized has come to represent, crass consumerism, and to my eye it is really ugly. Cheers Joey.
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Old 08-23-13, 06:40 AM
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Bayou Bicycles in New Orleans has one of five Turbos in the US. As electric bikes go it is pretty cool - aside from Spec's company business model.

Too hot for geek hunting. Been riding after dark since Aug. 1st. Will stay nocturnal for a few more weeks.
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Old 08-23-13, 05:06 PM
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Originally Posted by JoeyBike
Bayou Bicycles in New Orleans has one of five Turbos in the US. As electric bikes go it is pretty cool - aside from Spec's company business model.

Too hot for geek hunting. Been riding after dark since Aug. 1st. Will stay nocturnal for a few more weeks.
I just wonder how in the heck a bicycle can cost as much or more than some motorcycles. A lot more engineering, casting, machine work, manhours, etc. goes into the production of a motorcycle. What Specialized sells is mostly hype. Honda makes motor scooters that sell for less than the Turbo that will run circles around it with no range anxiety. Still, I think electric bikes are a great idea.
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Old 08-24-13, 11:45 AM
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as I read it I thought you were going to catch up to him and tell him to stop at red lights..
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Old 08-24-13, 02:18 PM
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Originally Posted by GeoKrpan
I just wonder how in the heck a bicycle can cost as much or more than some motorcycles. A lot more engineering, casting, machine work, manhours, etc. goes into the production of a motorcycle. What Specialized sells is mostly hype. Honda makes motor scooters that sell for less than the Turbo that will run circles around it with no range anxiety. Still, I think electric bikes are a great idea.
At least in my community, electric bikes do not need to be licensed and can utilize any of the bicycle specific infrastructure where motorcycles are excluded...so apples/oranges. And even though I have never owned a Specialized bicycle I know they make pedal-only bikes that cost upwards of $10,000 US. So a $3000+ electric bicycle seems like a bargain if that's your thing.
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Old 08-24-13, 06:38 PM
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Originally Posted by JoeyBike
Specialized Turbo

I hit 40.0 mph on one test ride on flatland. The bike wants to do at least 28 no matter what wind/hill is happening. The acceleration (with me pedaling pretty hard) was terrifying.

https://turbo.specialized.com/
I thought that you can hit 40mph on your LHT or Pugsley., looking at your videos you seem to be in great shape.
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Old 08-24-13, 08:11 PM
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Originally Posted by wolfchild
I thought that you can hit 40mph on your LHT or Pugsley., looking at your videos you seem to be in great shape.
You are too kind...and I know your tongue is in your cheek!

To dispel any rumors otherwise - on my road bike I can accelerate with traffic and keep up to 30 mph for about 1/8 of a mile (drafting the car ahead of me). Anything faster would require a huge tailwind or some downhill. That Specialized electric bike in effect "lead me out" to 28mph and I did the rest up to, but not holding 40mph.

I made a video called "Zer0-30" that I have never posted here. It is a stretch of my daily commute where I regularly "max out" for several blocks to keep up with the flow of motor vehicles. So here it is...the best I can do under normal circumstances on a pedal-only bike. Nowhere near 40 btw.

https://vimeo.com/70162109
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Old 08-24-13, 08:18 PM
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When the thread said a "real" geek, I was envisioning a carney riding while biting the head off a chicken.
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Old 08-24-13, 08:29 PM
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I guess the electric bike is the result of our instant gratification culture. Someone want to ride their bike, they want to ride it fast but they are in terrible shape and are not willing to spend time training. They want it NOW. So they buy an electric bike.
@ metro2005: I am a lifelong bicycle commuter and have developed a chronic health issue. The only way I can continue to bike commute is with e-assist. So I do. It might be worth fact checking your preconceptions before publishing.


But hey, every motorist who switches to a bike in whatever form is one less car on the road.
Agree. I've retrofitted a Bionx system to my LHT so one less car.


I also think electric bikes are an extra challenge, especially uphill they are usually still slower due to lack of training and eventually you still have to pedal to get moving. The electric motor still only supports the rider.[/QUOTE]
Not so. I use a Bionx system pedal assist system that allows me to select an assist/boost mode. I bought it because I can choose an appropriate assist mode. There is also an e-boost mode. Whole system is governed for 20 mph.
Jon in Philadelphia, PA
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Old 08-24-13, 09:09 PM
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Anybody who can beat a guy on an electric bike is...
A; In great shape and I applaude him for his effort,
B; The guy riding the electric bike is way out of shape...

I have yet to meet anyone that can beat me on my electric bike, now I am sure there are some people who can/may, but really... A person in good shape with electric assist can usually keep ahead of an un-assisted rider, just my experiance so far in the last 2 years... Oh and my bike is limited to 20 MPH assist so anything faster, I am solely responsible for...
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Old 08-24-13, 10:19 PM
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Originally Posted by 350htrr
Anybody who can beat a guy on an electric bike is...
A; In great shape and I applaude him for his effort,
B; The guy riding the electric bike is way out of shape...

I have yet to meet anyone that can beat me on my electric bike, now I am sure there are some people who can/may, but really... A person in good shape with electric assist can usually keep ahead of an un-assisted rider, just my experiance so far in the last 2 years... Oh and my bike is limited to 20 MPH assist so anything faster, I am solely responsible for...
I have yet to meet anyone that can beat me on an electric bike, now I am sure there are some electric bikes that
can/may, but really... A person in good shape with un-assisted bike can usually keep ahead of an assisted rider.

I built an electric bike that would go 20mph on the flats without pedaling. The novelty wore off and I realized I was actually getting places quicker on a regular bike albeit with more sweat. Now, if mine were as fast as this Specialized I'd probably still be using it. I have encountered electric bikes on very few occasions, and, of course, there was the ensuing speed contest which left them disappointed. But, the people riding them were not experienced riders. I still think there is an electric bike in my future, though.
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