So I was riding home last night, and on a major thoroughfare in the city I pass another biker who was going about 3mph slower than me. This is a somewhat downhill stretch, so I was going about 23mph spinning at 125rpm smooth. A block later I see the same guy speeding up as he passes me going much faster than he was before. But this time he was bouncing up and down in the saddle, and dangerously zig zagging between cars. I'm pretty sure he was brakeless because he was skidding around.

So I decided to follow him a bit farther than I needed to, and he slows his pace back down and I go home.

Is it some kind of sign of machismo to pass someone, even if you can't maintain the pace you're passing them at for more than 30 seconds?

wtfz?

yes, it is.

You should have sucked his wheel for a while, and then dropped him in the final sprint.

^ That's what I would have done.

Crash his damn ass. He made a girl outta you.

That (getting smoked and then speeding up and passing someone even though you can't maintain their pace) is considered poor roadie form.

I was unaware that there was any form or anything like that for urban cycling? I would have simply put a wrench through his spokes. Then stopped to ask if he needed any help. Only to THEN speed away.

Same concept?

i woulda grabbed his bars as i passed him by and thrown him down.

I can't find the link, but there's a video of a track race where one guy does that very same thing to his opponent.

"keirin carnage at the lehigh valley velodrome."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGnLDr6jRSI

thats why I always pass doing a one handed wheelie, and wave as I go by "on your left"!

Yup, thats it.

If you can, pass a fixie rider during a climb. It puts you at a clear advantage.

I love that video. Something similar happens in this one (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU), but it is on wood and during the middle of the sprint around the fourth turn.

urban cycling is now just one giant game of footdown.

Footdown is more fun when you are the only one that knows it's happening.

i wouldn't say it's a machismo thing as much as it is a having fun thing. my route to work is a little over three miles (kenso to washington square), so any time i feel someone on my wheel or see someone ahead of me, i know i can give almost a full sprint the entire way.
it's fun.
the other day, this kid and i (a stranger on a ss) went block for block through traffic from spring garden to chestnut street. neither of us were trying to be badass, but both of us were having fun.
when i'm on longer rides, and i'm on someone's wheel or vice versa, the idea that one of you is going to gas out first is fun. the whole bikesnobnyc bull about "stupid hipsters turning their commute into a race" is dumb. there's nothing wrong with making otherwise mundane trips into a fun time.

hahahahaha

+1
When I ride with people on burrito runs or what have you and all the shenanigans go down, foot down at lights, stealing keys/locks/wallets etc, chasing, racing, sprinting etc I find those to be the most fun rides. The at lights footdown and stealing stuff probably isnt appropriate with strangers, but if you encounter someone else and they are down for some funsies, it isnt a big deal.

i was riding the other day and this kid passes me, yanks the u-lock out of the kid riding in front of me's pocket, and throws it on the ground. THAT is a challenge

It's the cycling version of the "ricer fly by."

The funniest thing to do is to **** around with courriers on bad weather days.

Steal the package they are delivering and sprint in the opposite direction as they were going

Or you could follow one and as soon as he goes inside deflate his tires

You know, fun stuff like that.

I just tailgate them in my Jeep and yell "Get a car!"

Don't try that **** in Oakland.

...while playing some islands music really loud.

(if its winter and like -20 celsius outside)