Does anybody else find themselves in a race sometimes when commuting. It's Happened to me a few times whilst cycling along West Coates and past the zoo both coming into town and going home. A few weeks back I went past a couple of guys who eventually caught back up with me, 1 flew past whilst the other sat right on my wheel for a mile or 2. I suppose it makes the commute a bit more fun if its done safely.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting
Commuting/Racing
(46 posts)-
Posted 10 years ago #
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"...if its done safely..."
I don't race, but do get raced at. I don't often get this on the road (except for one memorable occasion when someone originally going at about 75% of my speed sped up and followed me at a distance of a couple of inches all the way up Portobello Road from Telferton to Meadowbank, at which point he transferred to the Back Wheel of Wilmington's Cow) but there are a fair number of numpties engaging in races against an imaginary opponent who pump past and subsequently exhibit consistent discourtesy to other path users on the NEPN.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Yeah. This was the exact thing that happened to me. I do try and push myself on my commute and I did overtake them at a steady pace. One guy sat really close to my wheel so I deliberately slowed up but he still didn't go past me. I ended up missing my turn off
Posted 10 years ago # -
I get the feeling that people taking the same A-B route as me, but going via a different combinations of C, D and E get into a race to try and appear at the next junction point where our paths cross ahead of me.
It's petty and I try and avoid it.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Likewise for me, I find it petty. The worst are those who you overtake when simply cycling at one's usual pace and they take offence, like its a challlenge and they have to come back at you. They are usually non regulars. There's a guy on the NECP who does as you describe, overtaking everyone like a dervish and looping off out to Kirliston only to head back at you when going through Dalmeny, all the time looking back to see which imaginary cyclist is behind, its really silly behaviour.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I'll never admit to racing. However last night, I freewheeled past someone at a good 5mph more. He then proceeded to try to catch me only succeeded at the points where my safety minded head slowed me down (junctions etc). He did quite well until a straight, especially as the noise coming from his drivetrain indicated a degree of inefficiency.
Posted 10 years ago # -
If anyone I pass decides they want to take a tow then I am quite happy for them to do so, taking solace in the fact that it might give me a performance advantage too. Likewise if someone cruises past me while I'm taking it easy then I'll often dial up my power to keep up with them and get a boost.
I wouldn't describe it as racing though.Posted 10 years ago # -
I don't often see many on my own route but like acsimpson I am only too happy to either tow or be towed. Why not save a bit of effort - although its best when both parties are aware of what's happening.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I used to use the Minto Street drag as a test of fitness - you know, reel in rusty clunkers, keep up with the sportier types. There were rules. I didn't have to keep ahead of anyone whose calves looked like greased walnut-stuffed condoms.
Nearly came to cardiac arrest one morning chasing down a lady on a shopper with a wicker basket. Turned out to be electrically assisted.
Posted 10 years ago # -
whose calves looked like greased walnut-stuffed condoms.
Sounds like a way to get the 'look'.
Posted 10 years ago # -
"Why not save a bit of effort?"
Although I'm never steaming around trying to maintain a heart rate within a particular range of my maximum or trying to go so fast up hills that I'm vomiting whilst gasping for breath at the top, cycling-whilst-transporting-things(-including-myself) does coincidentally partially act as my primary form of health-exercise so I wouldn't want to spend too long not making that much effort.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I don't mind towing as I believe I get the benefit from working hard but I'd appreciate a thank you when you accelerate hard away from me after I've dragged you up a hill and I'm too puffed to catch you up.
Posted 10 years ago # -
That's just discourteous, if and when I over take a rider I've been following I'll try and limit my pass speed so they can pick up my wheel if desired. Conversely I rarely cycle at full power particularly when going uphill which means if someone decides they've had enough of my tow I have a chance of catching them.
Of course now that I commute against the flow the chances of towing or being towed are few and far between.
Posted 10 years ago # -
If I take a tow from someone then I give them my rear wheel when I can.
I used to chase people down cycling into work and pass them, but now a days I just plod in with my mate.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Once you get above a certain level of fitness (he says modestly) I don't think there are many opportunities for racing - certainly not on my commute, unless I'm just there at all the wrong times.
It's my theory that you only encounter people with a serious step-difference in speed to you, because if you imagine someone on the Roseburn 400m behind you who is 1mph faster, it will take them 15 minutes to catch up: pretty much the same time as it takes to ride to Leith.
Even if you extend that to a loop out via Kirkliston or whatever, 15 minutes is a long time.
Mostly then, the only people who are going to catch you up are going miles faster than you, like 5mph or more, and unless you're dawdling deliberately, there's no chance of you "taking them on".
There sometimes seems to be some kind of weird counter-counter-culture thing going on where people are proud not to be taking exercise while cycling about. I don't agree myself - if bikes were made such that you could only go slowly, I'd drive and get my health fix from a gym.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Dave makes a good point - if you're caught and passed (and not because of a set of lights not going in your favour), it's quite likely that the other individual is just faster than you. Or have been grabbing a cheeky tow without you realising the whole time.
If I don't know someone, and not out on a road ride, I'm not happy for them to sit on my wheel. I don't know if they're paying enough attention that if I suddenly have to slow they're not going to rear end me. So I generally try and break away if I find someone sitting comfortably behind me, not to prove a point any more than "I don't want you right there".
One thing that irks me in the silly commuting races is when people begin to use the "cheats" of pavement hops, RLJs, and over fast/inconsiderate pedestrian passes to make up for plain lack of speed and to try and get a little advantage, only to find themselves passed again at the next bit of clear road or path.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I upset someone by taking a tow once. I thought we were comrades on the commute but I was wrong. If someone does pass you it is tempting to chase them. Usually easier to chase someone than stay ahead of someone chasing you? No point in jumping reds etc just to cheat a win.
Last night I was tailed by Big Wim frae Balerno from slateford on. I have a faster bike than him so could always get away when safe to do so. But he maintains his pace so when I slow for dogs/Peds he catches up. Anyway at juniper green on the WoL path that was built into the river when the mill/factory went for housing very handy for the bypass, well under it I spied two walkers, so instead of taking the gradual route I went up the old path which has a chicane at the top. wimbers takes the gradual and dings his bell. I know we will meet at top. We then had a very jolly chat two abreast all way to Balerno. At the steps where I come off I encouraged him to take the win which he was happy to oblige.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I will occasionally chase people who I think are riding inconsiderately on NEPN mainly to enjoy passing them just so that the sight of a fat bloke overtaking can hopefully slightly deflate the sort of ego that feeds on passing dawdlers on mountain bikes.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I still have a vivid memory of a chap I passed on the towpath out beyond Wester Hailes early one morning. I caught up with him and passed him without speeding up, so my cruising speed was considerably quicker than his.
Having done the overtake, I looked in my mirror to see him still on my wheel.
I upped the pace. He was still on my wheel. I upped the pace further, until I was going 25% faster than when I overtook him, but still he hung on my tail.
I was gently amused by this, but I can't imagine what was going through his head. If someone comes flying past you (as I did) why would you bother accelerating to keep up with them from then on?
Posted 10 years ago # -
Thrill of the chase Greenroofer?
Posted 10 years ago # -
What annoys me is when you're just riding along and someone charges past then runs out of puff and slows right down.
I always feels awkward going past them in case they think I've got the hump and I'm trying to race them. Nope - I can just pace myself....
Posted 10 years ago # -
The effect of drafting shouldn't be underestimated, often people steam past you then suddenly slow due the fact they've been hiding from the wind thinking their fast then finding you've been pulling them down the road and they can't actually maintain a pace.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Does racing the bus count?
Posted 10 years ago # -
@Calmac, buses are so handicapped in town compared to cyclist it's not really a fair competition against a bike :)
Posted 10 years ago # -
I am no match for anyone except perhaps slow joggers, but occasionally I have tried to get away quickly from lights to create a bit of space for many cyclists who are bunched up at an ASL for example. This has been mistaken for racing before and have people hanging on my wheel - which must be an incredibly boring experience.
Posted 10 years ago # -
kaputnik, yeah, in town it's too easy, but Broomhouse Road v the number 2 is more worthwhile, especially if it's quiet at the bus stops and you're on the path.
I remember as a teenager racing buses from Possil to Eglinton Toll though Glasgow city centre. How I didn't get killed shall remain known only to the drivers around me.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I was amused by how little difference there was between my urban fixie + CBA riding pace and the two seriously black Lycra'd folk going at serious pace on serious bikes with serious calves.
They overtook just as I was honking lazily up the Balgreen path by Jenner's, and we parted ways at the South Gyle Access/Broadway roundabout, all of twenty metres ahead.
The traffic lights and their decision to stay on the Broomhouse conspired against them, so I caught up at each junction.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I should also admit to tailing any roadie that I find heading out Gilmerton Road for after-work training as I head home.
For those five minutes, if it kills me, if they're riding bikes made of gossamer and aerogel, if only traces of blood remain in the EPO coursing through their veins I will not let them go.
Posted 10 years ago # -
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serious bikes with serious calves.
"Sometimes I think this 'invites' people to try and race you when I'm on the 'nice' bike. Little do they know my decrepit lungs aren't particularly serious. I just let them revel in their moment of imagined glory.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I commute on a homemade single speed now but I used to use my carbon road bike. I have strava'd with both bikes and the times are pretty much the same. The whole changing gear malark must slow me down.
Posted 10 years ago #
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