Got taught a bit of a lesson the other day…

Now, bear in mind that I am not a road rider. I have no idea about distances, pacing, cadences, whatever. I largely make it up as I go along. I have only recently borrowed a road bike from a mate, and this was my second dedicated road ride, around a very pleasant 25-mile loop around Staines, Windsor, Sunningdale and Egham.

I was about 3/4 of the way through, riding along the Blacknest road next to the Great Park, when I glance round, and notice an indistinct blue blur hanging on to my back wheel. 200m further on I glance again, and he is still there. I have no idea how long he has been there, and he hasn't made himself known.

Now, I actually have no problem with this. It's a nice day, and I'm enjoying myself, but I think to myself… "You bastid!". I may even have said it under my breath. Partly because I'm trying to set a benchmark time and I don't want to get into a load-sharing deal, and partly just to see what would happen, I decide I will drop him. Very smoothly as I approach another rise, I just put all the power I have down, whack up through the gears and start to really hurt myself. By the time I get to the traffic lights (on red, the bastids!) I am a good 50m clear, and feeling very good about myself, although my legs are as good as dead by now.

Out onto the A30 for the last leg home, and suddenly a blue blur pulls up alongside me (On some shiny carbon TT bike with aero bars) says a cheerful "eveing!" and pulls away instantly, while my now lead-filled legs are just about able to crank myself up the hill without crying. All the way back he maintains a 50m gap in front of me, just to prove a point, I am certain. Now I feel less good about myself.

I learnt a lesson, but it was quite fun.

You've just got to work on your technique and tactics a bit more.

If you are going to attack a stranger, you have to make it look like you're not trying at all. I like to shoot past, spinning normally, one hand ruffling around in a back pocket (but I'm actually working at full tilt).

Or in your situation, you pretend to start working really hard up a climb, then make a noise of pain and drop back as if you've just suffered a horrible death – he will go past grinning, and that's when you change gear (silently) and launch your proper attack.

He who looks round loses – I bet the other guy never looked back when he went away from you eh?

He who looks round loses

Sure about that?

I've just bought a road bike for commuting. Will I be expected to engage in this sort of dullardry from time to time ?

agree with realman

the key to attacking is to make it look like you are 'just riding along', albeit at warp speed. Ensure that when you pass you are travelling at major speed and can keep it up for at least a couple more minutes.

Lance looked before that attack.

Anyway, we're talking about the public road here. Keep your head still and show no sign of weakness and the other guy won't know how to judge you.

its all part of the race. The race starts the first time you ride a bike and it never finishes. You must overtake EVERYONE! NEVER let anyone get past you! Treat every ride like the final TdF stage! GO GO GO!

But you can also do the Andy Shleck technique, attack, slow down, rest, wait for the guy to catch up, then attack again – he's just had to catch up, and you've just had a rest.

I've just bought a road bike for commuting. Will I be expected to engage in this sort of dullardry from time to time ?

No, there's plenty of bearded yellow-raincoat-wearing roadies with racks and mudguards who think having fun is for fools.

Will I be expected to engage in this sort of dullardry from time to time ?

It this sort of "dullardry" that makes a commute worthwhile. When you get into a race with someone it's great fun. Makes the whole commute just fly by. As realman says always make it look like you're not trying. I used to ride a 29er so when taking on roadies I was always the underdog.

I've just bought a road bike for commuting. Will I be expected to engage in this sort of dullardry from time to time ?

No, there's plenty of bearded yellow-raincoat-wearing roadies with racks and mudguards who think having fun is for fools.

Yes.

I'm thinking about handing out little rule cards to some of the other commuters because a few of them clearly don't understand what constitutes a win 🙂

I don't mind folk "racing" me on the commute, do what you want with your ego, I don't care, I've raced properly so I know what it's actually about.

Just don't tail-gate me.

I'm thinking about handing out little rule cards to some of the other commuters because a few of them clearly don't understand what constitutes a win

Well its either first to the top of a hill, or you have to burn them off completely.

A race is only a race if the other party(ies) know they are in one.

A race is only a race if the other party(ies) know they are in one.

but if you overtake someone or try to pull away from a drafter and they speed up to match your pace the race is most definitley on!

trailmonkey – Member
I've just bought a road bike for commuting. Will I be expected to engage in this sort of dullardry from time to time ?

I'm too busy negotiating the traffic to worry about what other cyclists are doing.
I think in all the years it's happened about twice. The muscular bloke with "Navy Cycling" on his back really didn't like being overtaken while he was pootling up the hill. I think he impressed himself by whizzing past me, but I really didn't give a shit.

I like to think the initial move looked pretty effortless. Didn't get off the saddle, just spun it up a bit. That's what I thought at the time, anyway. The reality was probably that smoke was coming out of my knees and he could hear my lungs exploding.

Perhaps I should have used my head as he came past.

pistonbroke – Member
A race is only a race if the other party(ies) know they are in one.

But if they know, they might win!

best way to deal with drafters is to weave around wildly until they either drop back or overtake – as long as they realise you don't want to play their silly roadie games
then, if they start to overtake say hello and speed up a bit so they have to make even more of an effort to get past
they'll get past you, and you'll have made them work a bit harder
everybody wins

Some chap challenged me to a race on my way home from my local ride when I was in Finland. He seemed really rather keen, even though I didn't want to he insisted. So we raced to a point he specified, about 2-3 miles maybe, and I won by a good 400m. Then he wanted to go again, but I was knackered so let him go on his merry way.

Strange chap!

I race people to work in my car fairly often, always try to drop anyone tailgating by booting it away from them.

😆

This idea of seeing another cyclist in front and not trying to catch them up and overtake.
Can someone explain it to me please ?

MTQG – yes, it's called "feeling secure" 😉

or not being a real man

yes, it's called "feeling secure"

Not sure security and competitiveness are inextricably linked.

And in actual fact, in some circumstances being draughted can actually aid the lead vehicle, moreso in large vehicles though.

It's not about the overtake, it's all about the style.
If you're pottering along and someone overtakes, legs and arms flailing body rolling all over the place on some creaking cheap BSO, then overtaking them a few metres further on is not a win. They're not worth it, it's like racing a child and it would lack class to accelerate past.
Obviously if they collapse in a heap 100m further on because the road starts going slightly uphill, then it's definitely a win as you ride past.:)

It's far more a win to glide silently past a carbon road bike on a slick'd rigid Malt1 as I did on a few occasions on a charideee ride (which was clearly being taken as a race by some!). Even got congratulated by one of them at the finishline, wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic though lol

Oh yeah, some kid on a BMX had a go on my Valleys ride on Sunday. I was doing 30+ on a steady wide downhill and he peeled out of his group of mates as I approached. No chance of course, I was on a road bike in 50/12.

cynic-al – Member
MTQG – yes, it's called "feeling secure"

I am deeply deeply insecure, but by Proving myself on a bike I can at last feel like a real man.

Oh yeah, some kid on a BMX had a go on my Valleys ride on Sunday. I was doing 30+ on a steady wide downhill and he peeled out of his group of mates as I approached. No chance of course, I was on a road bike in 50/12

😀 Felt threatened though eh?

these are the rules

Silly Commuting Race – The Rules

The Game:
Dropping / Pulling anyone higher in the Food Chain Number makes you stronger and more attractive to burds*. Getting dropped / trying to keep up with anyone lower means your soul hires a kudos remover to lower your self worth. If you scalp someone you have to maintain or extend your lead for such a time as to have the dude you passed admit to themself "I was done". Nipping by, then running into a side road / hiding in traffic won't wash, Be honest with yourself. *Not strictly true

Rules:
1/ No Dangerous Manoeuvres (Don’t be a danger to any other road users or yourself) Falling off causes pain to you and others around you, don’t do it! (oh and you loose yer points)
2/ Don’t ride like a c0ck, we’re all just trying to get somewhere!
3/ No passing at Lights/Junction/Crossings, if you do, it doesn’t count
4/ All passing on open road ONLY. Filtering in traffic is null and void (you know whether you’ve dropped someone fairly, and haven’t turned off straight afterwards)
5/ Pavement passes, either you or the target is void
6/ Show no pain, unless, like me your face is just like that

FOOD CHAIN NUMBERS:
1. Scooters
2. Roadies with shaved legs – like girls *
3. Proper rapid Single speed (real men, messengers, tarty shiny fixies) *
4. Roadies with hairy legs – like men *
5. Faux Single Speeds (fakengers, dirty/functional bikes, silly egg beater gear) *
6. Touring Bikes (Mud Guards) *
7. "Fast Hybrids" *
8. MTBs on Skinnies *
9. MTBs on Nobbies
10. Bromptons / collapsing bikes
11. MTB full sus on Nobbies
12. Shoppers
13. Shoppers wicker baskets
14. Electric bikes
* Pedal Adjustment +1
• ONLY FCN 2-5 gain points for overtaking the same FCN and Higher Chainers
• Recumbents, Tandems and Segways are worth +2 points as a rare bonus
• Sinclair C5 +20 points as a hens teeth bonus

FCN Adjusters:

CLOTHING:
None:+3
Non-Cycling: +2
Baggies: +1
Lycra: 0
Team Kit: -1
TDF Jersey: -2

BAGGAGE:
Panniers: +1
Back Pack/Courier: 0
Nothing: -1

HEAD GEAR:
Face Mask +1
Helmets/Nothing/Sunglasses: 0
Bike Caps / Wrap arounds: -1

ACCESSORIES:
Herman's Safety Wing" (orange plastic lolly-pop): +2
Trailer:+2
Beard: +1
Child seat (each): +1
Power meter: -1
Aerobars: -1
Coloured tyres -1

PEDALS (If you can identify) FCN2-8 see note above:
Flats: +1
Toe Clips: 0
Evidently Clipless/spds (cycling shoes): -1

Courtesy of…..

haha Real Man deserves a whiskey for his contribution to this thread, love it!

I just remembered on my way home from work about 6 weeks ago some serious road rider was doing about 20mph past a rough estate and there was every kind of grotty kid on even grottier fluro bikes drafting him, was a wonderful sight, wish id got a picture.

to the guy who said its not a race unless you know… your on a bike… its a race! if not youve already lost!

haha awesome thread on bikeradar this guys post made me laugh

A few years ago, my commute would coincide quite often with a guy setting off for an early morning spin. He had a pretty decent road bike and lycra etc. but was no Mark Cavendish. I used to overtake him on my tourer with panniers quite full and he hated it. He would sometimes overtake me too and I thought that he enjoyed the duelling. Until one day he saw me and turned off early… I felt really bad about ruining his early morning rides.

I had one chap come up behind me when I was riding home once. I thought 'oh yeah, you want to try it on, you idiot.. I am just going to ride my own ride'. Well he burned past me and was riding a really sit-up heavy looking shopper thing, making him look really desperate for trying to pass me.

At the next lights I realised it was the guy from my LBS, who is frigging quick and probably wasn't trying at all as he blasted past.

Tim. On a road bike. What has become of the world?

There was a brilliant article about road bike riders overtaking you a few years ago in Singletrack – can't remember exactly when. My favourite thing I've read in the mag.

The gist of it was that roadies are basically not human – more like robocop, constantly radio-ing back to some shadowy roadie HQ about lasering in on unwitting mountain bikers, smoking past them at just the right moment and putting them in their place.

It's a wonderfull art, made even betterer by STWers over the years. This whole game tickles me pink now.
I love to show off on the road.
On Sundays steady 100 miler I got overtaken twice, both times the overtakee slowed down once past me. That instantly tells me they've tried to come past and given it all, rather than them being just stronger riders.
Now to hand out the punishment.
Firstly back pedal so they know you're there and freewheeling and not trying.
Then pull up along side telling them you don't want to freewheel behind them.
Ask them what club they RACE for.
Ask them if they're going far, let them know your halfway home and only got 50 miles to go.
Then without changing gear, whilst on the tops pull away with ease until they are a dot on the horizon.
Tremendous fun.

The gist of it was that mtbers are basically not human – more like armchair Armstrongs, constantly radio-ing back to some shadowy roadie HQ about lasering in on unwitting roadie, smoking past them at just the right moment and expiring shortly afterwards.

That's more my experience. Roadies don't play that game, they know what true pain and victory is and don't waste their efforts on you lot.

tootallpaul – Member
Tim. On a road bike. What has become of the world?

It's not even mine!