Does anyone else do this???

[Gwanoman]

Good Afternoon all...

Just a quick question... When you are out on the road do you chase people down? Im a complete nightmare. Even if i get a glimpse of a back wheel a mile up the road off I go like a man possessed to catch the guy or girl..

I was a the end of a 54 mile (and quite hilly) jolt last wednesday and about a mile from my home I saw a guy half ways up the hill where I live. I didnt care that i was tired... I just got up out of the saddle and started mashing down on the pedals as I knew I only had a short stretch to catch him.

For me the prospect of catching someone just makes my day on the bike.. I have gone out with friends on a planned route and given them a head start just so i coulod catch them... Now, i know im not barmy but is it just me or does anyone else do this?

 

[bikeguy]

Yes, I automatically pick it up a bit if I see somebody within "striking" range. If they are 1 km away though I don't really do much till I get closer.

-Bikeguy

 

[bikeguy]

I would add I've also been asked to race on the street, from car drivers. I declined. Obviously I have no chance, even against a 65 hp car.

-Bikeguy

 

[frenchyge]

Nope. I pretty much stick to my ride plan unless they're close, and then I'll either slow down or speed up to say hi and chat a moment. In the past I've burned myself out a couple times trying to catch someone who was riding faster than me, or trying to stay away from someone catching me from behind, and that really spoils the ride.

An exception to this is the guys that like to whiz past, but then steady out about 100m ahead when they drop back down to their normal pace. Is that kinda what you're describing? If it's obvious that they've been chasing just so they could show off as they blow by, then I will lift my pace just to watch them suffer when they're already tired from chasing.

 

[Carrera]

Sometimes I may see someone ahead and I suppose in such cases, this happens if you've been riding faster. Sometimes I'll simply follow the rider if he's riding fast enough but if he's too slow I'll pass by.
Last week I dropped someone on a mountain bike uphill - not something to boast about, of course. Still even dropping a run-of-the-mill mountain biker isn't easy and I winded up climbing one gear higher than I would normally use and was breathing very hard at the top.
I don't consider myself particularly brilliant on a bike so I reckon a specialised club-rider would push me far harder.

Good Afternoon all...

Just a quick question... When you are out on the road do you chase people down? Im a complete nightmare. Even if i get a glimpse of a back wheel a mile up the road off I go like a man possessed to catch the guy or girl..

I was a the end of a 54 mile (and quite hilly) jolt last wednesday and about a mile from my home I saw a guy half ways up the hill where I live. I didnt care that i was tired... I just got up out of the saddle and started mashing down on the pedals as I knew I only had a short stretch to catch him.

For me the prospect of catching someone just makes my day on the bike.. I have gone out with friends on a planned route and given them a head start just so i coulod catch them... Now, i know im not barmy but is it just me or does anyone else do this?

 

[roadhog]

Good Afternoon all...

Just a quick question... When you are out on the road do you chase people down? Im a complete nightmare. Even if i get a glimpse of a back wheel a mile up the road off I go like a man possessed to catch the guy or girl..

I was a the end of a 54 mile (and quite hilly) jolt last wednesday and about a mile from my home I saw a guy half ways up the hill where I live. I didnt care that i was tired... I just got up out of the saddle and started mashing down on the pedals as I knew I only had a short stretch to catch him.

For me the prospect of catching someone just makes my day on the bike.. I have gone out with friends on a planned route and given them a head start just so i coulod catch them... Now, i know im not barmy but is it just me or does anyone else do this?

I've never gone to the extreme of letting friends get a head start on a ride with them, but I am guilty of frequently giving in to the temptation of chasing someone down. It's sort of like interval training I guess. I don't do it if I have to get out of the saddle though. The last thing I want is to blow by and then run out of steam a few seconds later. Typically when I catch I'll chat long enough to see if they are headed the same way as me, or whatever. Usually I end up moving on, but occasionally I've picked up a new ride buddy for the day that way.

 

[Gwanoman]

When I said chase down I actually meant I only catch up with them . I will usually have a chat too... I would consider it bad etiquette just to fly past.

On the other hand I go all out on my mates and usually eat them up in the hills . Sometimes I get to the top of a big climb and have to go back down and get them rather than just ride the whole way home on my own!!

 

[roadhog]

When I said chase down I actually meant I only catch up with them . I will usually have a chat too... I would consider it bad etiquette just to fly past.

On the other hand I go all out on my mates and usually eat them up in the hills . Sometimes I get to the top of a big climb and have to go back down and get them rather than just ride the whole way home on my own!!

You've either got slower buddies than me, or you are more brilliant on the bike than me. Probably the latter! Sounds like you get good workouts!

 

[Gwanoman]

Nah Roadhog... Im not great on the bike by any means. My buddies are but just cant take the hills at all for some reason. They are all about 67kg and carry little fat. They are about 5-10 in height. Im 6 foot and 84 kg. I do struggle to keep with them on the flats but i seem to have a ridicilious level of power compared to them on a climb.

I carry my weight well.. I can play 90 minutes of a soccer match comfortably and hold my own on a Judo mat. I only started cycling because of an injury I had but I absolutely adore it. My buddies though are pretty serious about their cycling so i was pretty shocked the first time i raced them. I was struggling on the first 14 miles as it was flat but as soon as the hills came I ended up around 3 minutes ahead of them after only 1 climb.

They sure as hell dont trash talk me any more!!!

 

[roadhog]

I enjoy hills too, and always considered climbs my forte ( if you can have a forte at my level). Problem is I now live in Illinois which is one huuuge flaaaaaaat. The only sledding hill in town for kids is man-made. I got into the sport while living in southern Germany, so has been a drastic change for me in terms of cycling. Illinois is "home" to me though (grew up here), so I won't complain otherwise. I do miss hills though.

 

[robkit]

i once overtook a 50cc scooter going up a hill, i was holding my own at bout 30mph circa 200 yards behind, then the power to weight ratio went massively in my favor and i was past him. the look on thay guys face was the single sweetest moment of my cycling career to date!

another time a pal and i overtook a tractor, the guy was really urging us on, he shouted "go on, 34mph!" from the cab.

i also had a habit of jumping on the back of busses, but they tend to stop quickly and without bothering to indicate, not good.

dont get me wrong though, these are exceptions, im not ordinarily anythign like as fast as this! it is good training though, and nothign to avoid unless you have a really strict ride plan.

 

[StillRiding5500]

I do it......Often disappointed to find that it's a girl on a cruiser. Just kidding. I just use that jersey up the road to 1) Give me some incentive to work harder, 2) See if I know the person, 3) Maybe find someone to fight the headwind with.

I am not under any illusion that if I catch someone, that I am a faster or stronger rider. Even if they look like they are a racer, they may just be on a recovery ride. I've ridden with lots of pros who were doing just that. Also, the advantage is more to the chaser than the chasee, usually because they don't know they are a chasee!

Hammer, Dudes!

 

[pod]

Yes, the competitive streak is part of the fun of cycling. I tend to ride my own pace and get passed by plenty of stronger riders and pass plenty of weaker ones in turn. What amazes me is the number of riders that when passed lift their pace and pass me back only to to blow up and allow me to cruise past a bit further down the road. I must admit to lifting my pace a bit to rub it in.

There is a 4 km park circuit nearby where many cyclists train and jousting with the other riders is great sport and certainly gets you riding harder. Tactics are part of the fun and at times I've succeeded in goading persistantly competitive riders by passing them on the flat sections with a short burst of energy so that they fire up and power back past expending all their energy reserves just before the hill. Easy to then cruise by on the hill with them gasping for air and then accelerate away off the top.

 

[bikeguy]

Hey robkit, yeah I really get hyped up when I see a moped or scooter, I have passed a few of those (the low powered ones) but a lot of them have a decent engine and there's no way I can overtake, I get left behind. I've also passed cars doing the speed limit.

Surprised you passed the scooter on the hill, I passed on the flat. and yes, the guy looked impressed when I passed him. The other scooter rider was a 14-16 yr old girl, and the bonehead slammed her brakes on in front of me and I blew by her.


As for other riders, I never get passed, except the other club riders I ride with but those are long rides where I'm at a disadvantage. In Toronto, I was passed once by a fellow wearing a skinsuit, and he clearly was putting out more then me. Otherwise, no.

oh, and yes I have been known to hitch a ride behind vans, buses, 18 wheelers and cars towing mobile homes. It is so sweet when coming up to 70 km/hr is so easy. I used to wait for 18 wheelers to pull out on to the highway near a place where I live and then see how long I could hold speed with them as they accelerated. It is a dangerous practice though, so I do it rarely now although will move into the draft of a large vehicle occasionally when out on a highway doing tempo.

 

[zaskar]

I use to do that till it dawned on me i was letting other riders decide my training routine for that day. now i stick to my training plan. i have a team mate who chases down anyone who passes him, recovery day or not and he wonders why hes not improving.

 

[AdamW]

I used to always do this ... then I started racing. Now I don't give a **** who passes me or who I pass. That is until race day. That's where it counts! Stay focused in your training and then let loose when it matters (and when you know the "competition" is also competing). The "on your left" is a lot more rewarding!

Adam

 

[DownTick]

I can not help myself! When I see a rider ahead of me at any distance I go balistic and hammer myself until I pass them. Then I hold them off, should they try to pass me or should I feel like slowing down.

It is sometimes a problem. When I am 20 miles in to a windy ride with lots of climbs, I will still catch and pass anyone I see. The obvious is that this causes me problems when I am 50 miles in to that ride and climbing in to the wind. My heart rate stays too high and it is difficult to keep my regular pace up.

I have tried to lay off when I see someone but I can never seem to do it! I need help, I know...

 

[soonerbiker]

Heck yes, I'm waaaay to competitive not too. It gives me something to shoot for and gives me quite a bit of incentive when I'm out on my solo rides.

 

[Gwanoman]

soonerbiker you are 100% right... It does spruce up those solo rides.

I was out today chasing guys down again.. THere was this stunner girl on the road with no helmet!!! Gave me a good excuse to talk to her at length about the dangers associated... I maybe should warn her in future about the dangers of chatting to a guy like me!!

 

[Catabolic_Jones]

I used to always do this ... then I started racing. Now I don't give a **** who passes me or who I pass. That is until race day. That's where it counts! Stay focused in your training and then let loose when it matters (and when you know the "competition" is also competing). The "on your left" is a lot more rewarding!

Adam

Ditto.

If it's a recovery day, I'm not going to go chase some train of triathletes just to prove who's boss.