WHY??

Brian B

I was out for a fairly big ride yesterday taking in some nice hills and enjoying the cracking weather. Anyway another cyclist with a brand new bike come's flying past me really putting in an effort to get past(and I was averaging 17mph) and he even shouts see you later.

Two miles on when the road went upwards |I come round the corner and he is really struggling and grinding away in his BIG ring I came up beside him and try to give him some advice as he is clearly not local and try to tell him that this road is fairly hilly to be constantly grinding in his big gears but he is not for listening and I leave him struggling way.

A few miles on and the road has flattened out again and he comes flying past and clearly not happy that he has been overtaken by me earlier and he going at 110% with his tongue hanging out.

I meet him on the next hill a few miles on and he gone and completly blown, side of the road job with snot and saliva all over his purple face. I pass and ask him if he is okay and he cannot even talk. He is now stuck in the middle of nowhere completly spent and virtually unable to even ride a bike.

What prompts people to even act like this if they cannot back up their arrogance with a half decent effort. Anybody else had any similar run ins with obvious newbies that think they know it all?

Anonymous

I've not had run-ins but I have been that newbie

benno68

Inexperience and personality disorder by the sound of things .

Teddzzy

Some people just have to "be the best" at everything... I am sure he will learn with time!!

I doubt he is walking today!!

Philip Whiteman

If people scalp me in such a manner, I usually let the pass by, increase my speed and sit behind them by about 100m. It is amusing to see them continually glance around and then increase their own tempo. When they blow-up, I will pass them by and give a knowing glance.

tim000

yeh sorry, must stop doing that

GavH

Brian B wrote:

I meet him on the next hill a few miles on and he gone and completly blown, side of the road job with snot and saliva all over his purple face. I pass and ask him if he is okay and he cannot even talk. He is now stuck in the middle of nowhere completly spent and virtually unable to even ride a bike.

Seeing that and knowing he wasn't going to catch me again, I think I'd have been tempted to point as I rode past and, in my best Nelson from The Simpsons voice, shout "Ha, Ha".

The guy just sounds like an out and out knob. On the other hand, maybe when he passed you the first time and said 'see you later' he was telling the truth and not being a bit of a throbber?

agnello

Either he's a knob as you all say or he is just enthusiastic and trying to improve.

THE NERVE!

Takes all sorts...

andy_wrx

About a month ago, I was about half a mile from home at then end of a 105miler, when I caught-up a guy on a MTB, knobbly tyres, jeans, going quite a lot slower than me.

I passed and said 'how-do', then was amused when he came tearing back past me about 100yds further up the road.

As I'd said, I'd done 105 miles and was nearly home so I really wasn't minded to race anyone, not that I'd bother racing someone on a MTB with knobbly tyres and wearing jeans at the best of times, so I just grinned to myself and carried-on at my own pace.

But after a couple of hunderd yards he slows down again and I catch him again, pass him and grin wryly across at him.

Sure enough, I've barely pulled back in in front of him before he comes tearing past me again, panting this time, only to get 50yds in front and slow down again.

Fortunately I got to the end of my road and turned-off before I caught him a second time.

I hope he enjoyed 'beating' me !

kingstongraham

Brian B wrote:

I pass and ask him if he is okay and he cannot even talk. He is now stuck in the middle of nowhere completly spent and virtually unable to even ride a bike.

What did you do then, knowing that he was in trouble?

LittleB0b

This wasn't a hill near Balerno was it?

Brian B

LittleB0b wrote:

This wasn't a hill near Balerno was it?

No - near KIllin

Brian B

KingstonGraham wrote:

Brian B wrote:

I pass and ask him if he is okay and he cannot even talk. He is now stuck in the middle of nowhere completly spent and virtually unable to even ride a bike.

What did you do then, knowing that he was in trouble?

Nowt he is grown man after all and I dont know him . Seriously though I asked if he was okay and he said he had done enough and was heading home but i gave him some advice on a easier road to get home.

NWLondoner

I usually back off if i know that i cannot maintain my speed after overtaking.

Last weekend i though i would make it all around RP without getting overtaken. Sods law when i hit dark hill i could see out the corner of my eye another cyclist coming behind me. Thankfully he waited for me to get up and over the hill before blasting past. Nothing worse than getting mugged on a hill :oops:

volvine

people tear past me all the time but i never seem to catch them up lol