On two occasions in the last two weeks, i have had a couple of cases of middle aged men riding Bromptons experiencing what I can only call small wheel syndrome when riding to work

Case one,7.30 am ride in front of guy, who somehow gets onto pavement then comes in at me from the left, right by my front wheel and speeds off manically. I was ready to push him off if he came closer, did have the temptation to ride up behind him and have a quiet whisper in his ear. Riding my cyclocross bike, all 700’c of it and its bigger and black….

Case two; about 8 am yesterday, somewhat hungover and on my big orange 29 er lumbering along waiting to get up to speed; Guy on somewhat smaller wheels a whole foot smaller… pedals manically past me; with light on top of helmet, altura jacket etc. keeps going then runs out of steam. Not intentionally i get into big ring and whizz past him; no brakes through a gated section on the cyclepath. get money out of bank and he rides by very close as if to say hes still there..

keeps happening; often dodgy riding and always run out of steam…
must be something about big wheels and in the case of the 29 er wider tyres…

Wasn’t this guy was it?

The Tour de Commute is a beautiful thing.

kind of that face i presume, mine is much more serene.
why do they think they have to get past you?

Commuting heroes ride many types of bike.

Won’t make any difference as to what bike they’re riding.

It wasn’t anywhere in the direction of a railway station was it? I often wonder if people think I’m trying to race them while I’m on my Brompton when I’m actually just rushing for a train.

Funny, on my commute i find it the other way round. everyone seems to want to get passed when stopped at lights. They then go passed the asl, stop at the edge of the junction then tootle off. i then have to navigate passed them. Then i hear the change of gear while they try and keep up on their big wheeled carbon road bikes. However see that sort of thing on all types of bikes.

i then have to navigate passed them. Then i hear the change of gear while they try and keep up on their big wheeled carbon road bikes.

but this all happens within 5 ft as you max out at 10mph @ 200rpm.

ha ha. i only have 2 gears and one of them is going soon. Just can’t spin as i’m usually late for work or train! plus i actually use it to get some training in.

but this all happens within 5 ft as you max out at 10mph @ 200rpm.

If you’re reasonably good at spinning a 6 speed Brompton tops out at 40mph. 😛