stapfam

I have over the years ridden with quite a few riders. Most of whom have been fitter than me and tanned my backside with their speed. Well today I went out for a short ride and came across a rider on one of our local hills. Only a short sharp one but on this ride there are quite a few of them so this route does get you in the end. Thought I recognised the rider as I caught him and I did. I had seen that butt in those yellow shorts many times as the rider was one of those that I used to ride with and he was fit.

However--He has not kept up his riding for the last 5 years and he is now struggling. He had a nasty habit of always riding a wheel in front of you as you put on pace to get level with him- he would also ride faster to keep his wheel in front of yours. Very frustrating and very tiring but he used to keep me fit even though I never drew level with him. Looks like I will be getting my own back tomorrow though as He is out with us tomorrow. Only the slow group- or so they say- but the two others in the road that ride- My Son-in-Law and a couple of his mates that do not have a race this weekend and want to get home early to watch the TDF and a 17 year old youngster that all of us are trying to catch on the flat- the downhills and the slopes.

Looks like payback time.

qcpmsame 

What ye reap so shall ye sow or pay back is a *****. Take you pick and dole out as necessary

Retro Grouch 

I don't know stap. I've grown to be leery of situations like this.

Does he also play poker? Is he the kind of person who will let you win a few small hands and then outsmart you for the big pot? You might want to test him with a poker game first. That way he'll only get your money insted of your manhood.

NOS88

Are you sure he's not faking it?

cbuddy2005

If this guy likes to be in the lead, good, use it against him. Just keep yo-yoing the pace to keep him from getting comfortable at the expense of his legs. Then at the end push it abit and see what he has left, if he is still willing to play.

BR46

I have a Friend that I do this to on motorcycles no matter where you are going he likes to be in the lead. When you get level with him he would also ride faster to keep in front of you.

Dudelsack 

It's called half-wheeling and it is flat out rude. I don't ride with people who half-wheel me.

gcottay

+1 though they can be fun rabbits for some sprint practice.

Dudelsack 

That's what unleashed dogs are for.

stapfam

It did finish up being a short ride due to weather. Heavy showers and a 25mph wind. The wind was expected but not the showers. Went inland so we would have a downhill run on the way back into the wind and I was the only one that took a waterproof. It looked fine when we started and the others seemed to think the wet stuff had passed. I did not take the chance and put my wind/water proof in the pocket.

First local hill and the teenager was gone. Rest of us had a tailwind and the hill was not noticed. Few ups and downs and the bloke I used to ride with stayed with us. 10 miles out and time to turn round as the wind strength was getting up and it may have been mainly downslope on the way back but it was hard. Down to a cafe for Coffee and we waited for our new rider to arrive.--and waited-and waited-and he arrived just as we finished the coffee. It had only been 5 miles since the turn round but the wind got him. So down the MUP to get some shelter from the wind and he was suffering. Especially when the shower hit us. That was one downpour but not for long. We kept riding but surprising how much rain fell in such a short space of time---and it kept falling through the trees for even longer after.

My old riding partner is no longer a rabbit---he is struggling so we will see him at the end of the summer when he has his fitness back. Two of the riders this morning had also ridden with him before and took great pleasure in making him sprint up some of the slopes- interval training to get his fitness back they said. Payback time is what I called it.

wobblyoldgeezer

[QUOTE=Retro Grouch;14427225]I don't know stap.

Does he also play poker? Is he the kind of person who will let you win a few small hands and then outsmart you for the big pot? QUOTE]

Maybe I'm following Mr RG rather than Mr SF in this thread

But I can remember being warmly congratulated on my poker skills on an oil platform offshore Abu Dhabi in 1980. I was a bit new to it all, maybe 26 y.o., but was glad to be so warmly welcomed into the game.

You can write the rest of the story yourself. However, and I think this is to my credit, I take Texans as individuals ( 35 years on)