Acknowledging other cyclists - from the other perspective

tunney

I was out on a training spin at the weekend and I was coming to the end of my spin and was coming back home past the Airport on the back roads.

I saw two lads ahead of me a good bit off the back of a group of about 8-10 riders. They were doing about 25kph, I was doing 35+kph. Rode past them, lifted my inside hand to say hello but didn't slow down.

Two minutes later one of them was on my outside after having sprinted up to me, "Just thought I'd stop and say hello" he snared at me before dropping back.

Seriously, wtf did he expect? That I'd slow down to his speed and have a nice chat? That just because he was in lycra and on a bike that everyone else shouldn't travel faster than him?

</RANT>

Couple of minutes later I passed the rest of his club - I did make sure to shout hello as well as wave.

Glad I got this off my chest

Chips Lovell

Don't you know that you're meant to stop and slap each other's backs heartily before exchanging pleasantries about the weather. You should then offer to give them a pull back up to the rest of their group.

Tsk, Tunney. It's eltist snobs like you who give road cyclists a bad name and make noobs feel unwelcome at cycling clubs.

ROK ON

Salue everyone you ass, snarl and curse at all who pass you.

(I end up snarling a lot.)

tunney

ROK ON wrote: »

Salue everyone you ass, snarl and curse at all who pass you.

(I end up snarling a lot.)

Fair enough, but riding up to complain about the person passing you not stopping to talk?

Raam

Moany gits or what? Had a similar situation a couple of years ago out the back of Swords where I rode past two guys. They caught me a few minutes later and asked "was I just showing off back there?" They didn't appear too friendly about it either.

Heaven's forbid that people can put in an effort to go fast and then take a rest without having someone mouth off at ya. :rolleyes:

blorg

If you cycle past someone they should never catch you. NEVER.

This is basic stuff, guys.

In all seriousness though I don't think I've ever had such an experience, anyone who has caught me after I passed them has generally been quite affable and struck up a conversation about what club I cycle with or somesuch. Might be something to do with ye cycling on the northside.

ROK ON

blorg wrote: »

If you cycle past someone they should never catch you. NEVER.

This is basic stuff, guys.

In all seriousness though I don't think I've ever had such an experience, anyone who has caught me after I passed them has generally been quite affable and struck up a conversation about what club I cycle with or somesuch. Might be something to do with ye cycling on the northside.

Have to say I agree mostly. While I rarely have full blown converstaions (usually out of breath), but most cyclists say hi, nod or raise the hand. Never been given the verbals by other cyclists (yet).

barrabus

blorg wrote: »

If you cycle past someone they should never catch you. NEVER.

there is always an exception, the fred who thinks his commute is the last day of the tour on the Champs Élysées and who treats the ride to work as all out war . The type who dives into gaps that you'd do racing but not at 8am when there are big trucks blocking your view and school traffic and pedestrians everywhere.

You have to let him catch you every time you stop at lights. Then pass him out again after he has recklessly broken the lights. Then stop stop at lights where he passes you out again then pass him out again and so on and so on. It is drip torture for poor old fred's ego.

I could mention a fine candidate this morning sucking from his biddon at the KCR.

Chips Lovell

barrabus wrote: »

there is always an exception, the fred who thinks his commute is the last day of the tour on the Champs Élysées and who treats the ride to work as all out war.

I call him 'commuter man'. There you on your way into work or on the way home from an evening spin and you pass this guy by. Next thing you here a 'kerthunk' behind you as he upshifts and passes you by again at a noticably higher speed. Then it slowly dawns on you, "this guy is racing me".

Now and again you see people come on here scoffing about these fancy lads with their racers and their lycra and how they're always leaving them for dead and I have to wonder if I'm one of these people whose been unknowingly pwned by these chaps.

Eoin D

tunney wrote: »

I was out on a training spin at the weekend and I was coming to the end of my spin and was coming back home past the Airport on the back roads.

I saw two lads ahead of me a good bit off the back of a group of about 8-10 riders. They were doing about 25kph, I was doing 35+kph. Rode past them, lifted my inside hand to say hello but didn't slow down.

Two minutes later one of them was on my outside after having sprinted up to me, "Just thought I'd stop and say hello" he snared at me before dropping back.

Seriously, wtf did he expect? That I'd slow down to his speed and have a nice chat? That just because he was in lycra and on a bike that everyone else shouldn't travel faster than him?

</RANT>

Couple of minutes later I passed the rest of his club - I did make sure to shout hello as well as wave.

Glad I got this off my chest

You should have brought up Rule 23* and reminded him that he was lucky you even waved in the first place.




*23. One shall NEVER, under any circumstances, acknowledge the presence of a cyclist riding a bike costing less than 2000€ in ANY public place. This may be severely detrimental to one’s image. If such a situation cannot be helped, it is CRITICAL that the Euro Cyclist regard his “acquaintance” with a patrician mixture of disdain and SEVERE condescension.

RobFowl

Eoin D wrote: »

You should have brought up Rule 23* and reminded him that he was lucky you even waved in the first place.




*23. One shall NEVER, under any circumstances, acknowledge the presence of a cyclist riding a bike costing less than 2000€ in ANY public place. This may be severely detrimental to one’s image. If such a situation cannot be helped, it is CRITICAL that the Euro Cyclist regard his “acquaintance” with a patrician mixture of disdain and SEVERE condescension.

To be fair on a winter club run the guys off the back are usually on bikes worth more than 2k :rolleyes:

Civilian_Target

el tonto wrote: »

I call him 'commuter man'. There you on your way into work or on the way home from an evening spin and you pass this guy by. Next thing you here a 'kerthunk' behind you as he upshifts and passes you by again at a noticably higher speed. Then it slowly dawns on you, "this guy is racing me".

Now and again you see people come on here scoffing about these fancy lads with their racers and their lycra and how they're always leaving them for dead and I have to wonder if I'm one of these people whose been unknowingly pwned by these chaps.

Hey - no fair, I am a commuter man. But honestly, when you're pwned by some guy in lycra, why race? Just draft for a bit and chill

(Bizarrely, cycling into the wind last night I had 2 guys in lycra drafting me home.... I was only doing about 18mph!)

72hundred

Civilian_Target wrote: »

(Bizarrely, cycling into the wind last night I had 2 guys in lycra drafting me home.... I was only doing about 18mph!)

You on flat handlebars and them on drops?

blorg

el tonto wrote: »

Now and again you see people come on here scoffing about these fancy lads with their racers and their lycra and how they're always leaving them for dead and I have to wonder if I'm one of these people whose been unknowingly pwned by these chaps.

I didn't put NEVER in caps for no reason you know.

steinone

It might be that the way I go isn't very popular for training, or that im very fast(not likely) but nobody passes me and I pretty much pass everyone other than the odd courier and those dopes who break the lights to pass you and then get passed again to do it all over again.
I yourn for a challenge some day.
Btw.. Both of my bikes are fixed....
Strange?

ba

RobFowl wrote: »

To be fair on a winter club run the guys off the back are usually on bikes worth more than 2k :rolleyes:

good observation

every conversation i've had with a cyclist has always been a pleasant one, never heard of getting abuse before!? i think if you're commuting and overtake, make sure to have the stamina to hold 'em off.

but when it comes to lycra clad spins around the airport or anywhere rural, i think its vital that all cyclists maintain a friendly brotherly thing (nah mean? waving, a smile etc.) if another cyclist approaches you, after making the effort regardless of fredishness, i would make conversation for a few minutes and politely be on my way.

never know when you'll be out there in the back of beyond with a flat, and the same guy comes by you and doesn't offer help cos ya were a prick a few miles back.

coggs

:cool: i actually passed them from the oppisite direction , i passed the main group nodded & waved & helloed ! then about 2 mins later met the 2 dropped lads ..again nodded & waved & shouted across the road that they where only about 2 mins off the bunch !! well jasus , if looks could kill!!!!

Chips Lovell

blorg wrote: »

I didn't put NEVER in caps for no reason you know.

In fairness, it's a bit sad to be knocking it into 53x11 and sprinting up O'Connell Street just to drop some bloke on a hybrid.

steinone wrote: »

I yourn for a challenge some day.
Btw.. Both of my bikes are fixed....

Track racing, on fixies, every Thursday night all summer in Dublin

blorg

el tonto wrote: »

In fairness, it's a bit sad to be knocking it into 53x11 and sprinting up O'Connell Street just to drop some bloke on a hybrid.

Did he have a bag of cans? That's the secret handshake.

MCOS

Cyclists seem to be a friendly bunch around my parts, even salute me on a run! Just a quick question. I've passed one or a pair of cyclists on my lone spins but what is the ettiquette for passing a group?

Raam

MCOS wrote: »

Cyclists seem to be a friendly bunch around my parts, even salute me on a run! Just a quick question. I've passed one or a pair of cyclists on my lone spins but what is the ettiquette for passing a group?

I'm not sure what the story is there. If it's a slow group, I pass 'em, saying hello as I do. Then hope that they don't up the pace when I go past

ROK ON

MCOS wrote: »

Cyclists seem to be a friendly bunch around my parts, even salute me on a run! Just a quick question. I've passed one or a pair of cyclists on my lone spins but what is the ettiquette for passing a group?

If you pass someone, it would be rude for you not to say hi or nod etc.
Pretty much everyone who passes me on w w/e spin says hi, so I just follow and do the same.
Apart from guys on MTB's that is. A few times I have been passed on Old Long Hill by guys on MTB's (heading to Ballinatoe I presume).

I find it very difficult to smile when one of the turns and says hi as he bombs past me on the mud covered MTB, while he is wearing combat shorts.:)

tunney

MCOS wrote: »

Cyclists seem to be a friendly bunch around my parts, even salute me on a run! Just a quick question. I've passed one or a pair of cyclists on my lone spins but what is the ettiquette for passing a group?

There is no nice way to pass on entire club. A solo rider going easy passing an entire club? There is just no way to do it without sending the message - "You're sh!t". If a group can't stay ahead of a solo rider then there is something up.

blorg

tunney wrote: »

There is no nice way to pass on entire club. A solo rider going easy passing an entire club? There is just no way to do it without sending the message - "You're sh!t". If a group can't stay ahead of a solo rider then there is something up.

The club could just be taking it easy, it could be a beginner's introductory spin, etc. etc. Not every ride has to be done at fastest possible pace.

TinyExplosions

blorg wrote: »

Not every ride has to be done at fastest possible pace.

Then what's the point

tunney

blorg wrote: »

The club could just be taking it easy, it could be a beginner's introductory spin, etc. etc. Not every ride has to be done at fastest possible pace.

I know.

However I've gone out with this club before myself and this is the way they ride. Super recovery pace.

Raam

When passing other riders, especially a large club group, one should always strive to make a loud motorbike noise. This simple gesture shows the riders that you believe they can go as fast as a motorbike. It is sure to win friends.

Hungrycol

Good thread but sailing close to the Commuter Racing thread.

I wished I encountered Commuterman. Bring some interest to the morning ride. It's a fairly lonely ride from Swords to town. There was one bloke last week who was racing me on his Giant but ended up just getting in my way once I built up some rhythm.

On passing a group I'd imagine I'd say "Hi", "Hows it goin", "Howya" a few times as I'm passing and given them as wide a berth as possible to show you're not part of the group. Because a peloton moves much faster than a solo cyclist they could easily up the pace, swallow up and split you out so it pays to be nice.

Chips Lovell

I once passed a small club group of about eight riders near Portmarnock. They caught up with me when I stopped in Malahide to wait for a friend who had fallen behind. They couldn't resist passing without a smart remark. "I knew you couldn't keep that pace up for too long".

Hungrycol

tunney wrote: »

I know.

However I've gone out with this club before myself and this is the way they ride. Super recovery pace.

Could be the silver haired tourers who've raced and done it all and now just out for a lazy Sunday bike ride. It would fustrate the banana's off me if I was out with them though. I've only a few years left to loose my weight, build ups endurance, power and speed before I'm over the hill and the effort outweighs the gains.

Hungrycol

el tonto wrote: »

"I knew you couldn't keep that pace up for too long".

"You mean "SLOW" pace."

You gotta work on your retorts.

Chips Lovell

Hungrycol wrote: »

"You mean "SLOW" pace."

You gotta work on your retorts.

Nah, I did manage to quip that I was waiting for my mate.

Raam

el tonto wrote: »

"I knew you couldn't keep that pace up for too long".

Stock excuse: "I'm doing intervals"

Seaswimmer

Hungrycol wrote: »

Good thread but sailing close to the Commuter Racing thread.

I wished I encountered Commuterman. Bring some interest to the morning ride. It's a fairly lonely ride from Swords to town. There was one bloke last week who was racing me on his Giant but ended up just getting in my way once I built up some rhythm.

On passing a group I'd imagine I'd say "Hi", "Hows it goin", "Howya" a few times as I'm passing and given them as wide a berth as possible to show you're not part of the group. Because a peloton moves much faster than a solo cyclist they could easily up the pace, swallow up and split you out so it pays to be nice.

Every morning as I head north through santry village/old swords road i see the same person flying along heading towards town. Usually spinning very fast. cycles some kind of black racing bike. Looks like a fairly small, slight fellow but he is sure moving. Is this you hungrycol?? If it is not you then he could certainly be good commuter racing opposition for you. Aim to be in santry village about 8.20 and you will meet him..

Hungrycol

Humm, could be. I'm not small and certainly not slight but thank you if it is me

My bike is navy blue road bike with white lettering "Pinarello" (It's not a real one though ) Yellow jacket, small hump bag on my back. 8.20 might be a bit late for me but not far off. 8.10 might be closer. What bike are you on and I'll look out for ya, give ya a wave an'all.

Seaswimmer

Hungrycol wrote: »

Humm, could be. I'm not small and certainly not slight but thank you if it is me

My bike is navy blue road bike with white lettering "Pinarello" (It's not a real one though ) Yellow jacket, small hump bag on my back. 8.20 might be a bit late for me but not far off. 8.10 might be closer. What bike are you on and I'll look out for ya, give ya a wave an'all.

An old (1983) brown Carlton Corsair 531 with a fixed wheel and original mudguards!!. Yellow jacket and backpack (we sound similiar). i am normally at swiss cottage pub around 8.30 so we may never meet.........

tunney

Seaswimmer wrote: »

Every morning as I head north through santry village/old swords road i see the same person flying along heading towards town. Usually spinning very fast. cycles some kind of black racing bike. Looks like a fairly small, slight fellow but he is sure moving. Is this you hungrycol?? If it is not you then he could certainly be good commuter racing opposition for you. Aim to be in santry village about 8.20 and you will meet him..

What does this person generally wear?

Seaswimmer

tunney wrote: »

What does this person generally wear?

From memory....no hi-vis and fairly dark cycling gear. White/silver helmet and also has a distinctive pedalling style. always seems to be hammering along, even in the wet. He is on the opposite side of the road so i only get a quick glimpse.

Gavin

Seaswimmer wrote: »

From memory....no hi-vis and fairly dark cycling gear. White/silver helmet and also has a distinctive pedalling style. always seems to be hammering along, even in the wet. He is on the opposite side of the road so i only get a quick glimpse.

When he encouters a puddle, does he get off the bike and attempt to swim through it ? Does he occasionally get off the bike and run with it for a distance and then get back on the bike ?

Civilian_Target

72hundred wrote: »

You on flat handlebars and them on drops?

Well, flats or bullbars, can't remember. Either way, my saddle is quite high compared to my handlebars, although being 6'5" means I'm not aerodynamic at the best of times

Civilian_Target

Happened again today - some guy on a racer drafted me for about 5 km, and then passed me on a narrow strech of soaking wet off-road cycle way, with no mudguards.

Threw up so much water in my face I almost hit the kerb!

Respect to that guy asking for mudguards for his BeOne, they're as vital for the person behind as they are for yourself!

xz

Civilian_Target wrote: »

Happened again today - some guy on a racer drafted me for about 5 km, and then passed me on a narrow strech of soaking wet off-road cycle way, with no mudguards.

Threw up so much water in my face I almost hit the kerb!

Respect to that guy asking for mudguards for his BeOne, they're as vital for the person behind as they are for yourself!

Thats the reason why you see most riders on a club spin wearing glasses in all weathers, being behind someone in a peloton in the wet that has no mudguards is not nice, and with the attitude of (SOME) motorists,and safety in mind it's hard to be behind and to one side,

As regards the passing out of large groups of riders, just to say hi will suffice. While some of you out there might be in training, most riders are just getting the long easy miles in at this time of year.

Personally I find I tend to push myself a bit more on my own than in a group,in that I try to ride faster for longer, although having said that, I have suffered a lot on group rides too

NeilMcEoigheann

i tend just to drop my hand towards the rider while keeping my little finger on the drop bars so i can find them again in a hurry if needs be, (nothing worse than coming off into another cyclist)