hadnt been on my bike for about 2 weeks, and rode the carbon steed on the trail.

let us fast forward a bit...

I am approaching a moderately sharp left turn. there are 2 slower riders in front of me, and i hear and see the shadow of a rider behind me that also wants to go a little faster.

the couple are on the outer section and i am basically in the middle of the bike lane for our side.

just the couple and i lightly brake before cornering/turning, the magnificent beast behind me blurts out "on your left" and passes while cornering. this feat was accomplished with several riders in the oncoming bike lane also cornering. the magnificent beast brilliantly rode in the middle of the lanes, and forced everyone to rider further out.

he disappears. i maintain my pace and about 5 minutes later i pass him and never see him again.

it is a hot day, and i am quite parched, and out of water. i refill and head back.

i offer a girl help with a flat and even one of my precious co2s, but she rejects and i carry along.

as i head back, i notice a club (fully kitted, coed) stopped on the side of the trail.

about 10 minutes later, i am going through a section with frequent moderately sharp and weaving corners. a fat man is in diesel mode as he tries to catch up to a rider in front of him. i would like to pass both, but alas the oncoming lanes have frequent traffic, and there a good number of kids, families, and the occasional deer next to the trail.

i have significantly slowed down, as the diesel has burned it reserves and the same has happened for the other rider.

with the grace of zeus and the efficiency of heinrich himmler, the club shouts out "on your left" and their hands shoot out to signal for the paceline that there are other riders in the lane. not a problem, they force them to the outside of the trail.

the majesty of their outstretched wiggling fingers flying by unsuspecting riders truly showcases the triumphant spirit and skill of the peloton.

i am towards the inside of the lane as i corner and the 2 in front of me have slowed down and moved outside, and the noble nomads seem angered that i have not gone to the side.

after the 300 blaze by, i have to wait another 30 seconds to pass, as the diesel exits the trail, and the other maintains the slower pace on the outside.

i am then about 50ft behind their paceline for a few miles, and the back rider keeps shooting glances over his shoulder at me. my cycling shape is mediocre right now, and they gradually disappear into the horizon.

granted, i did a stupid move on a sharp corner while riding back. i should have waited to pass but the sun was in my face and i accidentally went into the other lane as someone approached.

venting done.

sounds like MUP racing madness to me...

You are a stickler for details and your memory... superb!

Category 6 Racing. Awwwww yeah.

Classic..lol

It sounds like biking in hell. What about that girl!!! But great story!

That's not 'competitive cornering', it's unbearable Fredosity. On the MUP no less.

Wait, I thought this was the road cycling forum?

Sounds like a regular weekend ride for me. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, the wilderness park (MUP) I ride at turns into a big yuppy, cycling hangout. The park is full of runners, rollerbladers, people walking and family's with children riding the path. Pace-lines there have no regard for other riders or anyone else. They have pushed me into skaters that I was passing because they didn't want to slow down and break their cadence. The worst is when they pace-line on the service roads where it's two way traffic. I'm not sure why these pace-liners feel that the road belongs to them and that everyone else has no right to the road when they are on it. It gets so bad at times that the runners and rollerbladers are pushing to have pace-lines banned from the park because they constantly push them off the road. Yes, I do pace-line riding once in a while with other riders in the park but when I do, it's later in the morning when the park thins out and there aren't many people on the path. It maybe my age difference, but common courtesy doesn't seem to exist anymore. At least not with these pace-liners.

How wide is your MUP?
Where is it?
And is there anyplace else to ride?

Do you split the lane into thirds when you pass? I hate that.

I see this happen many times as well but I've seen big angry men retaliate by not moving an inch and riding in the middle divider and close to it and the roadie train panics and even have to ride the gravel. One confrontation almost led to a fistfight. For uninterrupted tempo there are so many places to do this but these folks have to do it on the MUP.

pace lines have no biz on a busy mup...

MUP: My Useless Post

Shenanigans and tomfoolery abound!

I try to avoid the MUP as much as possible now because of the lack of common courtesy. People/families see me from half a mile away, and don't open up a slot for me to pass, forcing me to slow down to 5mph. One particular example happened to just 3 weeks ago. These two cyclists (mom and 12-14 yo kid) were heading towards me and taking up the entire cycling lane at the same MUP. I waved nicely from over 200 ft away to let me pass on the right as it is judiciously my lane. But, they wouldn't have it. I had to slow down to a screeching halt all while the mom screamed at me as I passed "f*ck you, he's just a kid!" I was at a loss of words.

Cornerers gonna corner.

from queens... and you were at a loss for words?? cmon... srsly??

It was a mom.. angry mom.. I don't want her claws to come out. Had it been a guy, it would have been a diff story.

God I'm glad I don't live in Mupland.

There is nothing more vicious than an angry mom in Queens! They are best avoided...

I would like to see the Tour de MUP classification jerseys. Anyone?

Have you tried riding on the road? I hear it's awesome.

Translation: "I was slow and intentionally got in the way of faster riders (even when warned of their arrival). I am jealous of faster riders."

Sounds like it's time to go through a few spare frame pumps Breaking Away style until the MUP paceliners learn to slow up.