I started commuting to work about three months ago. When I had just started, I was pleased that I seemed relatively quick. I seemed to often be the overtaker or other bikers, not the overtakee. However, there was one moment below where I regretted this... I was on a canal towpath, putting the pedal down and in the distance ahead of me I notice a bike. I gain on this bike really, really slowly. I'm gaining, but only barely. As I get nearer it, I can see it looks like a old man pedalling on it. Hes wearing tweed, a big coat, smart trousers, even the classic pork pie style hat. Hes pedalling really, really slowly, about one rotation of the pedals every two to three seconds. Weirdly, I'm still barely gaining on him. I don't have a cycle computer, just gps tracker so I don't know my current speed, but guess its about 18mph, as I wasn't going for it or anything at this stage. As I get nearer, I see I'm right. This old boy is probably in his late sixties, and hes making it look easy. I decide this can't be, so I go for it. I pedal hard, gear up, and start to put the pedal down and catch up with him. It seems to take ages, but I close the gap and finally get behind him luckily (or not) on a nice wide section of the tow path, where theres plenty of room for me to pass safely. As I pass him, I'm knackered now. I'm breathing hard, I'm not really used to cycling this hard having only recently started cycling, but my brain just can't believe that this 60 year old man, pedalling so slowly should be in front of me. Problem was, as I passed him I realised he was on an electric bike that was doing all of the work for him. Worst part was that as I was then in front, pride said I had to keep going for it to stay in front, as theres nothing worse than passing, then dying and being repassed. I've never been so tired when I got in!
Funny commuting moments
- Thread starter Andy0161
- Start date
haha, those damn electric bikes. Same thing happened to me once, kinda. This guy was passing me going up a hill, him on the road and me on the path. I was going at my normal pace, which isn't slow by any means. And here comes this guy cruising along going up hill, looking effortlessly. He looks over at me and looks straight forward. I was thinking, "what the hell? How's he going so fast? That bike looks sooo heavy....ooooooh, I get it..." Cheater!
One day, on the same road, I saw him coming up behind me and I thought, "Not today, dude" and I blasted it and dropped him. Ha! Leg power for the win!
One day, on the same road, I saw him coming up behind me and I thought, "Not today, dude" and I blasted it and dropped him. Ha! Leg power for the win!
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