Why are cyclists so keen to race me?

[PhoenixOSU]

Every now and then, like today, I'll come across and usually breeze by a cyclist on my electric bike. And most of the time on campus they just fall behind in my rear view mirror. But every now and then one will suddenly decide that it is their god given right to try to prove the size of their manhood and try to beat me in a speed race (actually, every cyclist who has raced me has been a dude). Sure, most cyclists boast "I can do 30 mph!", I know how fast I go, 18 mph, 20 if I the sun moon and stars are aligned just right, and none have been able to beat me. 18 mph seems slow to someone who has driven a car, but on a bike it is actually fast. Usually these testosterone road jockys are no harm, I just go on my way, but when there is traffic and I'm at an intersection and the cyclist I passed a few blocks back tries to slip into traffic to beat me through the intersection and prove himself its just dangerous. Or the time one tried to beat me through an intersection where I would have to swerve right (and into the cyclist) to get into my lane on the other side, luckily he was in my rear-view mirror by the time I got to the other side. So what is the deal? Does anyone else get these a-holes with something to prove?

 

[lcyclist]

There are some cyclist that need to be ahead of you, no matter what. Like car drivers, there are those that just need to be ahead of you, no matter what. Some just need to feel superior.

Some road cyclist are paranoid about other bicycles being too close to them because of their safety; they tend not to trust other cyclist because of their potential unpredictability which could be dangerous to him/her or the other bicyclist. When I come across a road cyclist, I will tell him that I am behind him and that I am not drafting him because it makes them feel nervous. I also will pass (safely, and always announcing that I am passing ) other cyclist that are obviously slower than I am.

However, there are cyclist that will not let me pass no matter what; they will speed up upon announcing my intentions to pass. Last Saturday, during my usual coffee ride, I came across such a road cyclist, fully decked out in Lycra and team logo jersey, no less. Nice carbon tri-bike, even. He was going 21 mph and when he saw me closing in, he accelerated to 32 mph. Impressive! However, that's all he had, after 100 yards, he was done. I could tell that this guy is what is called a "poser." Nice high end equipment/team logo but really just a weekend rider. I passed him on my e-bike, with my baggy shorts, sneakers and loose shirt flapping at 33 mph

Lyclist

 

[Anonymous]

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[icecube57]

Ive had the same thing happen to me. I wasnt going fast. I was going about 22 and I passed a lycra. About 10 minutes later he comes up behind me hauling ass I trailed behind him again he was doing about a solid 27-28 on the level straights on the trail. He kept it up for almost two miles and backed down and let me pass. I got that look of disgust. I could hav passed him but that would have drawn way to much attention to me.

 

[Hyena]

I had 2 lycras come past me pedalling flat out down hill last week. I was doing about 25-30mph happily coasting along with no throttle as it was a fairly long down hill. Then we got to the dip at the bottom though and they started to struggle up the other side of the hill. I was amused as I casually pedalled past at around 15-20 mph.

Nutsandvolts, I know what you mean about people wanting to race. A while back I went to the drags and for a few weeks afterwards I didnt get around to washing my car so still had the race numbers and sticker on the window. I swear every second set of lights some clown in shit box wanted to race me. In the end I said to one bloke - "I'll save you the trouble, it runs high 12s"

I was down at the engineering dept. at work the other day borrowing a soldering iron to repair one of my wires that'd close loose all the guys there were keenly checking out my bike and quite impressed. Except one guy who rides a road bike, he didn't like it and said I was cheating. I asked him how many "cheating" cars he passed every day riding to work and he grumbled. It turns out he only lives up the road from me and we ride the same 15km route to work, and that he is one of the lycras I regularly pass.

 

[Zoot Katz]

I don't mind. It's entertaining.
My fun is letting them pass me because I know they will.
They see an old fart on a cargo bike and figure it's easy pickins'.
I've not the slightest idea how passing me enhances their opinion of themselves.

It's unlikely they noticed the bike was electric so I like hounding them to get my kicks.
They're up ahead busting ass and looking over their shoulder to see that they've dropped me.
Soon enough I'm a several bike lengths behind and matching their speed so they up the pace.
Next time they look I've closed to a few bike lengths so they up the pace again.

It's really fun on hills when after awhile I pull alongside and start chatting.
They're too busy gulping for air to reply before I pass them or just stay alongside to see what they've got on the descent.
The mass of le Béte goes down hill quick especially if I slide back onto the Snapdeck and out of the air stream.

I don't like humiliating them because I know what it takes to pedal a bike at those speeds and I'm cheating.
But by pushing them I figure I'm helping them "train" or whatever it is they think they're doing.

 

[Patriot]

one word.....


instinct.



Seriously. As a roadie myself, it's instinct. Like a dog, you just have to chase.

Or, in this case, chase down and pass.

It becomes a built in competitive response. It has nothing to do with proving anything to you or anyone else. It has nothing to do with liking or disliking you, or the bike you ride. You are simply an object to accomedate ones instinctive obsession to put behind another cyclist in a show of competitive prowess. If anything, its to prove we can push harder and accomplish the goal of winning. You could be riding a barbie tricycle, or a 72v/5303. Whether we win or lose, the response is the same. If we lose, we simply push harder and train more to come back and win.

It's not about being efficient. It's not about saving gas. It's not about getting to the store and back with a bag of goods. It's not about commuting to work. It's not about a leisure day in the sun.

It's about WINNING.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHJErrp4eOw

It's like when Lance dropped Jan Ullrich on the Alpe D'Huez. It was not about insulting Jan, it was about WINNING.

 

[Takemehome]

I don't mind. It's entertaining.
My fun is letting them pass me because I know they will.
They see an old fart on a cargo bike and figure it's easy pickins'.
I've not the slightest idea how passing me enhances their opinion of themselves.

It's unlikely they noticed the bike was electric so I like hounding them to get my kicks.
They're up ahead busting ass and looking over their shoulder to see that they've dropped me.
Soon enough I'm a several bike lengths behind and matching their speed so they up the pace.
Next time they look I've closed to a few bike lengths so they up the pace again.

It's really fun on hills when after awhile I pull alongside and start chatting.
They're too busy gulping for air to reply before I pass them or just stay alongside to see what they've got on the descent.
The mass of le Béte goes down hill quick especially if I slide back onto the Snapdeck and out of the air stream.

I don't like humiliating them because I know what it takes to pedal a bike at those speeds and I'm cheating.
But by pushing them I figure I'm helping them "train" or whatever it is they think they're doing.

It's almost exactly my way, except I compliments them when I pull alongside and discuss with them.
"You're in good shape, riding at XX MPH. for XX Min. I wish I could do that without my motor.....AND be 30 years younger."
That usually brings a smile, especially when there's a girl amongst them. ( I look at her when I say "30 years younger" ).
No really, I don't see them as enemies. ICE on the other end, are not very friendly if you pass them by.

 

[Zoot Katz]

one word.....


instinct.



Seriously. As a roadie myself, it's instinct. Like a dog, you just have to chase.

Or, in this case, chase down and pass.

It becomes a built in competitive response. It has nothing to do with proving anything to you or anyone else. It has nothing to do with liking or disliking you, or the bike you ride. You are simply an object to accomedate ones instinctive obsession to put behind another cyclist in a show of competitive prowess. If anything, . . .

Sometimes you eat the rabbit and sometimes the rabbit eats you.
Roadies live and die by a diet of rabbits.
Some rabbits are meant to be drafted. Others, dropped.

I hated it when just after you'd caught your rabbit, the damn phone rings.

 

[Anonymous]

.

 

[Zoot Katz]

When I'm riding a FMUP, I'm not racing. They're for socialising.
Most of the time it requires riding at a walking speed.

I use major roads with wide curb lanes or traffic calmed bike routes and their low-road alternative streets.
Racing or drafting between commuters is tawdry but happens everyday.
Generally half of those in the race don't know they're racing.
Traffic lights seem timed to tighten up the pack anyway.

 

[Hyena]

I almost got snagged with a fishing lure and line on a bike path in Ottawa The line and lure was hanging right in the middle of a multi-use path at about chest level

I had a similar experience with string purposely strung across a bike path in a narrow section between 2 houses. I saw it at the last second and locked up the brakes, just managing to stop as it pulled tight across my chest. I looked up and saw to kids peering over their fence laughing. Little bastards.

 

[dogman dan]

The other day I caught a roadie, who was amazingly, waiting for a red light to change. As I zoomed away while he tried to get going in his tallest gear I was soon far ahead. At another stop sign 4 miles down the road he finally caught me, but he looked pretty tired. Dunno if he knew I had a motor, but he just had to catch me. There are some roadies here though, that CAN maintain 30 mph for 20 miles.

When I get a chance to chat, I proudly announce I'm a cheater, and talk about being old, having a weak right knee, my goal of giving as little of my money as possible to the oil conglomo etc. Most respond favorably to the spiel. Sooner or later though, I am sure I'll get shit for riding on the motor vehicles prohibited trails in the mountans. At this point with wimpy controller and 48v, my dirt bike is only slightly over the 700 watt limit for a "still a bicycle ebike".

Anyway, I don't see the cheater thing as an insult, just a statement of fact. The difference from a scooter looking ebike and my bike is that since I do look like a regular bike, others see the motor as cheating. Anthing not looking like a bike is veiwed differently since you obviously aren't pedal powered. Part of my spiel to the roadies is that real cheating is riding without effort, which I don't do. My cheating simply extends my range by about 10 miles, while if I pedaled I'd be riding a bus all the way home each day. I explain my 1st goal is eliminating the car drive, 2nd goal getting there twice as fast as the bus, and fitness is only goal 3.

They still have to race you anyway. :lol:

 

[lcyclist]

one word.....

instinct.

Seriously. As a roadie myself, it's instinct. Like a dog, you just have to chase.

Or, in this case, chase down and pass.

It becomes a built in competitive response.
It's about WINNING.

The problem is some lyrcras do this on bike paths and roads--not a designated racing route. It becomes a safety issue.

I am also a road cyclist, a former racer and triathlete and it annoys me when weekend racers pass/race unsafely no matter what or where, posing hazard to other road users. I have seen weekend racers speed/race in bike paths with no regards to children riding on the same path.

You can tell the experienced road racers and commuters when you see them on the road; they signal, pointing hazards on the road for other cyclist following and obey traffic laws. These guys command respect. Also, if you pass these racers on training rides (ie. spinning,) you will not get response to "attack" because they are disciplined; they are sticking to their training.

The weekend racers, well, I need to put as much distance from them and they need to be dropped. Again, for my safety and his safety. However, when the weekend racer is female, then I need to stay back and enjoy my coffee ride

Lcyclist

 

[leamcorp]

one word.....

Seriously. As a roadie myself, it's instinct. Like a dog, you just have to chase.

This is so true. I'm a huge poser as one poster mentioned. I have couple of super light Carbon Fiber road bikes with all the bells and whistle (you think ebike is expensive, try one of these road bike).

I don't race and not particularly fast... but I still consider myself a roadie. I typically ride 20-30 miles a day when its not a gym day. While riding, my speed is fairly slow. But when I see another roadie up ahead, I get all excited and start speeding up. I guess its part of the competitive drive or what not.

We all have it - this competitive drive. Even people who are writing why do they want to race my ebike post are in effect saying, hey I beat that lycra wearing sap. Its natural and it makes life interesting - no?

 

[dozentrio]

...strangely sometimes even if they have the suckiest most gutless vehicle on the road.

Thats me! However, I don't do this out of some competitive drive. Actually, there is very little race to it. I just want to make them go fast, to get to see the nice fast car going fast. Being unable to afford one myself, I can at least -watch- them.

 

[John in CR]

Once you have a very fast e-bike it's still the same, but the competitors are different. I see lots of roadies, but they must be saving themselves for mountains or are spent already, because I've yet to see one riding hard, not that I'd slow down to mess with one anyway. That just doesn't seem right. Scooters and small motorcycles are my competition and they really don't like when I pass them. Some can't keep up, but those that are faster typically will catch up and pace me for a while after I pass them. I figure they just want to see how fast I'm going before they speed up to pass.

John

 

[GTA1]

Because they have a need to prove something.

Meanwhile, I am too busy getting to where I am going.

 

[gasfree]

Yeah I gotten into a few races with other cyclist its kinda fun. On flats I can hold about 60k while pedalling my heart out.
Most the time when I am pedalling like a maniac its cause I am running later for work but thats my own fault.
I do get the dirty looks but it doesnt bother me. I am bike to work to save money and lose some body fat that I don't need.
Most importantly i enjoy doing it even though I have gone thru some injuries I still want to ride.

 

[liveforphysics]

I LOVE to race.

I race anything and everything.

On the street with my cars, I have to race anything and everything that will accept a challenge.

On my superbikes, I race and defeat every other superbike.

On dirt, I race anything and everything, and I will push as hard as it takes to always win.

In shifter karts, I LOVE to race. Obviously everyone else is also there to race, and I can't win all the time. Kart racing is extremely technical. The highest and most pure form of powered racing.

At the swimming pool, I love to race. I wouldn't bother to even swim if I couldn't get races from people who think they are quick.

When shopping, I will race shopping karts if I can find somebody to race

My dad and I even have time records for racing to mow this field that we use for a dirt bike track. lol



I went to the track today, met the EVcomponents guy (really nice guy!) racing his Tesla roadster there, beat his time, and then on the next pass I didn't adquately pre-load while stageing, and exploded my tranny right on the line. It's ok though! Sure it's $1500 for another K-series tranny, and I had to get towed home, but I'm smiling and happy through the whole thing. I came and I raced, and I loved it, and I will have a new tranny in for next weekend to race again.

Beautiful car though! There were two at the track, a red one and this yellow one I snapped a few pics with.

 

[swade]

I LOVE to race.

I went to the track today, met the EVcomponents guy (really nice guy!) racing his Tesla roadster there, beat his time, and then on the next pass I didn't adquately pre-load while stageing, and exploded my tranny right on the line. It's ok though! Sure it's $1500 for another K-series tranny, and I had to get towed home, but I'm smiling and happy through the whole thing. I came and I raced, and I loved it, and I will have a new tranny in for next weekend to race again.

I recommend racing rental cars with the insurance maxed out

 

[liveforphysics]

Not many rental cars will beat the Tesla roadsters though

 

[kentlim26]

I like to track a ebike whenever i see a running very fast ebikes or fast cyclist. I just like to know how fast they are going. ebike is growing popularity, i also like to track young cyclist - i really like to know how fast they can do with their legs with their stunning super racing racer bikes, their racing bikes cost several thousands of dollars. I make a lot of friends after the race. Racing is definiety lots of fun, especially i see their face and mouth blowing so heavy tired. I have met a Uncle came to speak to me , " hey KID don't be so crocky!!, if you got the strength... OFF your electric throttle now and Let us challenge !"" i was so stunned and secretly laugh inside my heart. I saw his face turned very Blood RED and very tired. i retreat slowly and smile. yes although we use electric to run, it is a light form of exercise. it improve our alertness, eyes, ears, flexiable some muscle part of our body of doing the balancing. it is really intersting for me to know a nowdays cyclist performance.

 

[patrickza]

Had a fun little race this evening on my way home. There were roadworks in my lane so all traffic was moved to the next. A group of guys in a little 1300cc toyota hoot and go past (I was doing about 35km/h). I decide to see if I can catch them at the next light. As we get there it's green and we're both turning right. It's a really steep hill for about 200m and the little toyota with 3 big guys in it is struggling up. I opened the throttle and pedaled as much as I could and left them completely behind!

As I was taking the left to go home they gave a quick hoot and thumbs up!