How competative are you with cycling?

It strikes me more often than not that,competitiveness with friends-colleagues can somewhat become too serious!
Yes it is or can be a sport,but come on now.
How competitive are you or your friends?

Myself i much prefer to pootle on quiet country lanes and bridleways taking in the scenery,wildlife that this country has to offer.
A stop at a tea room for lunch and finish for a pint in a country pub,that is cycling to me.
yes i know its not Rad but it suits me. 8)

STRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAVVVVVVVVAAAAA!!!!!

Very, i need to to feel true discomfort and have a ‘final vinegar stroke’ expression for me to feel like I’mreally riding, and if i don’t finish with a thousand yard stare i feel like i’ve let myself down. I love it.

Cycling is a sport already?

Overtake me on my commute and I will hunt you down!

I’m not at all competitive, unless there’s someone in front of me on my commute, then I have to hunt them down & overtake.

If I’m out on the MTB again I’m not at all competitive, unless I see someone in front of me.. etc…

Not that competitive! Still happy to have a go at ripping my or someone elses legs off sometimes.

Depends, with some it’s just mates on a bike ride. There are 2 other fellas I ride with though and it’s war. Nice friendly, chatty and matey war, but it’s still war. Fastest up the climbs, on the descents, and quietly slipping into the big ring and giving it big legs while trying to maintain a straight face and conversation.

Thing is we only do it if it’s just us three, and as a result a year or so ago we were all stupidly stupidly fit and fast, great feeling

I’m not even slightly competative. I don’t know anyone who is.

(Ahem)

I am, am failing to increase my Road average and had a poor ride (but good time) in with an MTB in Wales this weekend.

I don’t like it.

I’m just happy to keep up.. 😀 and if I’m on my own, happy to survive..

when I want to be competitive I race or go riding with with a specific set of mates who all go like loonies.

Rides with a group are for pushing yourself but ultimately it’s about riding with mates, which means at times riding with the slowest or folks just getting into biking and bringing them up to fitness rather than nailing all the climbs and gnarly bits dude, just to completely make them feel like they are slowing everyone down and a hindrance.

Absolutely hate all the alpha male insecure bollox that happens in so many sports/past times.

Good thread op! I was thinking the same thing the other day, I myself never thought I was competitive until one of my clients told me how fast I was at descending, I’d never thought much about it before that but it had me thinking that I honestly cannot remember the last time or any time for that matter anybody overtaking me! I just will not let anyone overtake me on the descents, not even a pro on a full on downhill bike! I just will not let it happen! I’m quite confident in my biking skills, having taught people for a good number of years makes me think what I could have achieved if I’d have taken up full on downhill racing as a career. So yes I suppose I am a bit! 🙂

until one of my clients told me how fast I was at descending,

swoon

I honestly cannot remember the last time or any time for that matter anybody overtaking me! I just will not let anyone overtake me on the descents, not even a pro on a full on downhill bike!

WOW!!

I just will not let anyone overtake me on the descents, not even a pro on a full on downhill bike! I just will not let it happen!

oooo so you’re one of those slow miserable geezers who’ll ride erratically rather than let a faster rider safely come past just to prove a point 😆

has surfmat got a doppelgänger?

I’m just happy to keep up.. and if I’m on my own, happy to survive..

That!

I myself never thought I was

That should be a red flag for the rest of the post.

Thanks “rich”.

He who has most fun wins.

Sometimes I pootle, when with some mates it’s all about trying to break/kill/destroy each other over any given part of the ride.

Personally I ride most of the time with mates who enjoy dishing out the pain some of the time, but some of the time we’ll have a break or a natter on a bit of trail or road or whatever – generally finished off with an impromptu sprint for some unknown finish point.

When I started riding I was a touch on the tubby side and most excellently unfit, my mates would basically race each other up a climb, wait for me to arrive and do one straight away with me blowing out of my bum hole. Wind the clock forwards and I can do it to them now, which is nice & all down to downright basic competitiveness.

That’s how our riding group sees it and we all enjoy it.

On one specific LBS group ride there tends to be a faster group and a slower group, everyone enjoys the group they choose to ride in, if its faster expect faster, if its slower don’t expect it to be fast. Only one lad has thrown up in the last 12months 🙂

Not in the slightest. I’ve ridden with folk that are, though – a funny old angle when you’re not a pro IMO. It’s one thing to be the best you can but a totally different thing to want to crush your riding buddies with your cycling prowess.

I blame the bike mags. And the French…

I honestly cannot remember the last time or any time for that matter anybody overtaking me!

Well that is what happens if you set off last
Not very anymore I am middle aged and slower than I was 10 years ago. I am only racing against ageing and so far I am not winning

Strava addict. Sunday loops to take in segments.
Alway push hard up any climbs

But with group rides with my friends often
Chill out and chat. Unless its slowest person buys the beers

Not overly competitive but happy to go quick or chase someone down a trail etc. Not to see who won but to enjoy riding well. It’s good to be pushed and to push others on at times.

In the end of the day it’s take it or leave it. Strava is a bit of fun that can spice up a solo ride and stops me from easing off sometimes especially on some longer sections (we have some nice 3km+ segments here)

In the end if the day I went racing this weekend did 1 run didn’t feel right and just walked away helped a mate and drank dome beer. Just as much fun.

Not at all

Lucky that, as my main riding mate is way fitter than me and very competitive so I’d be in a bad way on every ride if I tried it on

Not really at all competitive with others though I have come to realise as I have got older that I am fairly competitive against myself, if that makes sense.

I always try and make sure that my times whether running or cycling are improving and always push hard so I’m properly knackered when I’m finished.

I don’t really give a toss how I match up compared to others though.

Nowadays not in the slightest, I couldn’t care less how i compare or whether my times are faster/slower/mediocre compared to others riding the same trails or suchlike.

Scroll back 8 odd years ago and i’d gnaw my own arm off to beat everyone and i had to have the fastest times round my local stanes, bit of a sad **** really so nowadays i just head out and enjoy it, my ride essential is my hipflask wi a decent malt, i have knocked the joints on the head though so i’m not totally irresponsible.

tazzymtb – Member
I just will not let anyone overtake me on the descents, not even a pro on a full on downhill bike! I just will not let it happen!
oooo so you’re one of those slow miserable geezers who’ll ride erratically rather than let a faster rider safely come past just to prove a point
has surfmat got a doppelgänger?
POSTED 1 HOUR AGO #

I’m not miserable, and I’m certainly not slow! I’m just being honest with myself, Infact it wasn’t even me who noticed how quick I was downhill, I’ve been told by a lot of my clients in the past how fast I am. I don’t think you realise how passionate I am about my riding, I’m willing to risk my life to get to the best times possible, I’m more than capable on my Scott genius so imagine how much quicker I could be on a full on downhill bike! But to be honest I’d rather give something back to the mountain bike community like spreading my knowledge and experiences and hopefully that can help riders through whichever categories of mountain biking they choose to do.

😥 that’s just too beautiful, man

if your fast and good on a bike your competitive. If your slow and prefer to pootle rather than KOM that section, then your not. Its how most of us humans are structured from an early age at school.

I’m a pootler. All for the cafe stops, the photo opportunities, the occasional peaceful moment listening to sounds of nature. But then again I’m always trying to better my Strava times, nudge up the leader boards and occasionally make myself feel sick!

I enjoy it all.

radoggair, not sure you’re right there – most of the best natural sportsmen I’ve known have also been lazy bastards who never achieved what they could have if they’d been competitive or even just a bit committed

(no, I don’t include myself in there)

Pedalling in squares today (riding back from a race) I noticed someone about 1/2 mile behind me on a climb, had to reach into the suitcase of courage to avoid him/her catching me. Thankfully I stayed away 8)

Can be sometimes,but do still enjoy the rides wheres theres lots of laughing and banter,sometimes will go and just play on a few sections until i get them right.

Not very. Oft to be found at the back of any group ride. Too finely-honed an instinct for self-preservation to ever even countenance trying to beat people downhill. At peak fitness, will take get a bit of a spurt on and be one of the first up a climb, but usually at the expense of being able to speak or ride a bike for about 15 minutes after getting to the top.

Having said that, I inadvertently bagged a KOM on a local Strava climb segment the other day. A truly rare event for me. I didn’t even know it was a segment. I then noticed that someone else stole it back the next day. What did I do the day after? Went out on my road bike , thrashed it up this gravelly bridleway and got my KOM back.

So, yeah, I’m not in in the least bit competitive. Not me. Ohhh no… 🙄

With friends strangers anyone really, not in the slightest bit competitive. I like everyone to think they are better than me.

scaredypants – Member
radoggair, not sure you’re right there – most of the best natural sportsmen I’ve known have also been lazy bastards who never achieved what they could have if they’d been competitive or even just a bit committed
(no, I don’t include myself in there)
POSTED 7 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

This is somehow true of my own situation although I wouldn’t say I’ve been lazy, maybe just ignorant of my own abilities, I’v always been committed especially when it comes to helping others hence the reason why I’ve taught and guided in the past, I think being competitive is a good natural streak that helps us achieve the best out of sports, as long as its in a controlled manner. 🙂

mattk – Member
Overtake me on my commute and I will hunt you down!

Yes you can try!

Very. I’ve been racing Elite XC for the last three years. I’ve been MTBing for ages, but only got into the racing a bit later. I love it. I love the community that is built around Mountain Bike racing. A really good bunch of people that would be missing from my life if I didn’t compete.
My dream is to compete in a World Cup. Another season of collecting points, and I hope I can get there!