Strange Things In Park Slope / Drafting ??
 

Anyone else come across the guy in Park Slope on the Large All Black Mountain, huge chunky tires / Moto Cross machine ? Is it me or does he just sit on your ass lap after lap.......and then if you get sick of that ?(or tired) and slow down he stares you out > ?


Or am I just paranoid !!! :)

(Though I must admit - he's pretty swift)

obviously asking for it, just dial it up to 430 watts, then hold 290 for the next 5 minutes and you should be fine.

You're not paranoid. He's been out there a lot lately on his engineless motorcycle; jumps from wheel to wheel all day and absolutely refuses to pull or move up from the back of a paceline. He's strong, seems to have good bikehandling skills, I just don't get it. I tried engaging him in conversation (figured he was a downhiller or XC or tri guy who just didn't do any pack riding and didn't get it), tried being friendly, tried explaining the concept that taking turns is part of pacelining. He had no interest in any of that, said something about just riding his own pace; didn't have an answer for why he was on my wheel in that case. I just avoid the guy now.

I rode with a group on the Montauk Century for fifteen minutes or so (maybe more) and felt like I should pull my own weight but when I got in front it seemed like they slowed down and were glad to be rid of me.

I'll admit the scenery from behind me is not pretty but I felt like the little brother when I realised they had dropped me.

So, I've been wondering, what is the ettiquete of riding in a group/pace line like that?

don't worry about that...it happened to me a bunch of times on the montauk ride as well. i'd get to the front and keep the pace even only to look back and there was a 50 ft gap.

i've often wondered why people pace me when i don't want them to, but when i want them to they drop back. oh well.

also, soddy - what time of day do you see this guy? i ride in the mornings in PP and haven't noticed anyone like that lately.

I've seen him at the weekend mostly...either when I'm hanging out at the edge of the long meadow with the family or on the odd occassion I've been deperate enough to take on the w/end traffic

By chance, you don't ride in the Tue and Thurs early group do you (5.30 - 7ish)

i get to the park about 6:30am most everyday but mostly ride by myself. i often see a paceline cruising past as i'm doing my warm up lap. you ride with them?

I ride in the park a lot, mostly evenings, maybe I should start some AM loops. Are there a lot more people riding then? I'm tired of riding alone.
Great about the no cars thing though huh!

I ride in a group that meets at 5.30 at 3rd and PPW......pace is around 20 mph for about 27 miles.....Its a great start to the day.....i only recently hooked up with them after loosing inetersetd a little in riding alone....it was too easy to stay in bed ! They are a very welcoming group...couple of them have been doing the Tues / Thursday thing for > 10 years...its social, but a good morning work out....

Maybe he doesn't speak English (which is, as you know, the national language of the U.S.).

Beans and cabbage for breakfast if you're nice.

Flick his front tire if you're naughty.

Either way, he'll get the message.

[QUOTE=Hambone]I felt like the little brother when I realised they had dropped me.[QUOTE]

Are you suuuuure you didn't speed up? Its the most common mistake made in a paceline.

cool. maybe i can make that next tuesday. the pace sounds about right. if you see a newbie standing around with a sliver decal-less bike that's probably me.

If somebody on a freeride/downhill bike can keep up with you, that's a problem, since their largest gear is usually 32x11 or 34x11. :eek:

[QUOTE=telenick][QUOTE=Hambone]I felt like the little brother when I realised they had dropped me.No. But I doubt it. I'm new at road riding and know nothing about this (other than the obvious: stay in line, don't make waves, don't blow your nose if you aren't at the end of the line...)

By summer's end I expect to be good enough to ride with a group for real and not hurt anyone.

(Oh and after the post (eventservices) of this morning I have a few other do's/don'ts...)

I'm on a specialised blue and white. Another guy typically wears a dark all green jersey on a red and yellow litespeed...

see you then

Dstrong....

Note the English spelling of specialised:D

Hey soddy,

Did you decide on which set of new wheels?

Funny, Prospect Park is the same today as it was 20 years ago. Any of you go to R&A? I used to work there. Say hello to Phil for me. I saw Poncho out in the front in January when I drove by. Didn't have time to stop and chat.

next time call 911.

Is he a black guy?

well, except you can ride through it after sundown. (Not "you should" but "you can.")

domestique,

Not yet...Keeping an eye on ebay for a bargain......and it will happen..just looking around....

I CAN"T STAND the guy. He rides HUGE mountain bike, he's also buffed and always wears
super tight jersey with long sleeve. He drafts 2-3 inches away from you.

One day I get to park and hear hysterical shouts, apparently one roadie got sick of this monster following him. He found a new target pretty soon, and I was following them for a half a mile a so. All that time he was tailing another guy on road bike, staying 1-2 inches away from him. Looks scary when you see huge mountain tire so close to road bike. That day I decided to test my luck and passed the guy and roadie he was following on the biggest climb in park, and what do you know? He did not follow me, but I kicked on super high gear right from start of climb and after it kept going at least 25mph (frankly I was scared that he would follow me), but at the same time wanted to see how fast he can push that monster of a bike. That day I lost him pretty fast.

I see him on weekends too.