Cyclists that 'think' they are faster than other cyclists

Theomerchant

Something you see thrown around a lot on here is 'its great to shoot past someone who has a better bike, shaved legs, 'proper' kit or 50+ old man'.

Now I am none of the above, I ride a second hand trek 1200 with hairy legs, altura kit and I'm 25 but when I pass a rider on a £4000 bike with shaved legs and racing kit (if I do!!!) I don't think to myself HA! I say hello or good afternoon and carry on my way.

It frustrates me that people on here are on a mission to be faster than people who have better bikes than the then make a massive point out of it and so on!.

Who's to say that 50+ rider toddling along at 15mph hasn't just ridden 100+ miles whilst your on your 10th mile also who's to say that rider on the £4000 bike didn't win a national race the day before and is just out to spin the legs!.

All I'm trying to get across is that competitiveness in cycling is good but only when you know the other riders circumstances otherwise just say hello and get on with your own ride because surely that's the whole point of getting out on your bikes!!

Dog Breath

You can't 'beat' someone who isn't racing you.

desweller

Dead wrong.

Nail the bastards every chance you get, take no prisoners, etc., etc.

MaxwellBygraves

I wouldn't believe everything you read on the forum. If I did, every time I go out on the bike I should be being scalped by all the 20mph+ average speeders out there.

Truth is, everyone I see is usually about as fat and slow as I am.

Eyon

DesWeller wrote:

Dead wrong.

Nail the bastards every chance you get, take no prisoners, etc., etc.

+1

Though make sure they dont follow you at the next turning so you can collapse in the ditch from exhaustion without them seeing

Kieran_Burns

Theomerchant wrote:

Something you see thrown around a lot on here is 'its great to shoot past someone who has a better bike, shaved legs, 'proper' kit or 50+ old man'.

Now I am none of the above, I ride a second hand trek 1200 with hairy legs, altura kit and I'm 25 but when I pass a rider on a £4000 bike with shaved legs and racing kit (if I do!!!) I don't think to myself HA! I say hello or good afternoon and carry on my way.

It frustrates me that people on here are on a mission to be faster than people who have better bikes than the then make a massive point out of it and so on!.

Who's to say that 50+ rider toddling along at 15mph hasn't just ridden 100+ miles whilst your on your 10th mile also who's to say that rider on the £4000 bike didn't win a national race the day before and is just out to spin the legs!.

All I'm trying to get across is that competitiveness in cycling is good but only when you know the other riders circumstances otherwise just say hello and get on with your own ride because surely that's the whole point of getting out on your bikes!!

First rule of the game... don't talk about the game....

Theomerchant

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Theomerchant wrote:

Something you see thrown around a lot on here is 'its great to shoot past someone who has a better bike, shaved legs, 'proper' kit or 50+ old man'.

Now I am none of the above, I ride a second hand trek 1200 with hairy legs, altura kit and I'm 25 but when I pass a rider on a £4000 bike with shaved legs and racing kit (if I do!!!) I don't think to myself HA! I say hello or good afternoon and carry on my way.

It frustrates me that people on here are on a mission to be faster than people who have better bikes than the then make a massive point out of it and so on!.

Who's to say that 50+ rider toddling along at 15mph hasn't just ridden 100+ miles whilst your on your 10th mile also who's to say that rider on the £4000 bike didn't win a national race the day before and is just out to spin the legs!.

All I'm trying to get across is that competitiveness in cycling is good but only when you know the other riders circumstances otherwise just say hello and get on with your own ride because surely that's the whole point of getting out on your bikes!!

First rule of the game... don't talk about the game....

Hahaha!

Kieran_Burns

You didn't see me.

I wasn't here:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12575770

http://www.itsnotarace.org/




Welcome...... 8)

roypsb

MaxwellBygraves wrote:

I wouldn't believe everything you read on the forum. If I did, every time I go out on the bike I should be being scalped by all the 20mph+ average speeders out there.

Truth is, everyone I see is usually about as fat and slow as I am.

Good points. Throw in plenty of testosterone and a little jealousy and you have the recipe.

surreyxc

you just get that feeling, you can see the glint in their eye the body language, you can see the competition is on. then just have to decide whether to bite or let it go.

StillGoing

I ride a £4k bike, wear lycra, 50 next week and couldn't give a toss what other riders think of my performance. I'll never be a 20+mph average rider it's hard enough maintaining 17mph for me over a long ride. If other riders see me as a trophey then they set their targets very low. If i'm riding to a set HR then I'll be going very slowly and nowhere near maximum effort. It's pure jealousy on their part that makes them want to beat the lucky git with the nice bike..

Gazzaputt

Is it silly sometimes I feel embarrassed overtaking other riders?

I just feel the point of this thread that they will think 'flash bastard'. I always give an hello and ask how the ride might be going. Always nice when you have a chat and part ways. Even ended up riding with them for the morning.

SCR is just ridiculous. Sick to the back teeth of commuters thinking they have to try and keep up or whizz past and run out of steam 100 yards up the road. A danger to them selves and others.

Pigtail

I'm pretty new to this. 50 next year - fairly modest bike and I am faster than other cyclists. I'm also slower than other cyclists.

I'm still trying to answer "How much?" to both of these.

amaferanga

'Scalping' is so fcuking pathetic. If you want to race then get a licence and do a REAL race. Otherwise all bets are off.... losers.

Santa cruzing

if your not into it then fine, ignore it - just a bit of fun among those that do partake.

Sometimes I wish people would overtake me, rather than sitting in my wheel for 6 miles without a word.

bigmat

amaferanga wrote:

'Scalping' is so fcuking pathetic. If you want to race then get a licence and do a REAL race. Otherwise all bets are off.... losers.

It's just a way to make the commute more like interval training. It's also a lot easier to do a bit of SCR than it is to properly race, the two aren't really comparable to be honest.

Chad_c_Mulligan

I can think of times I do it and why.

I'm cycling out in the countryside and see someone in the distance, catching up with them has now given me something to focus on and acts as a training challenge,

I'm out for a long ride and come across someone going roughly the same speed as me, we chat and ride together for a while taking turns. The speed builds up slowly until you get to a big hill where they destroy me and I never see them again.

I'm going out for a club ride and someone who I've not met before gives me a that look as they're on a light bike and my bike is covered in bungee cords and mudguards.

Someone is just so slow or dangerous on the road that you need to put a mile between them and you.

They're clearly not a pro and are wearing a KoM jersey or equivalent, that's like walking into a pub with 'hardest bastard' written on your chest.

danowat

amaferanga wrote:

'Scalping' is so fcuking pathetic. If you want to race then get a licence and do a REAL race. Otherwise all bets are off.... losers.

Bingo 8)

You can't race someone who isn't racing, if you want to race, race, although I think those that partake in "scalping" are actually pretty insecure about themselves and wouldn't like to get pounded into the ground, hence they probably don't race 8)

StageWinner

I think you're looking for the 'Commuting' forum.

Headhuunter

danowat wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

'Scalping' is so fcuking pathetic. If you want to race then get a licence and do a REAL race. Otherwise all bets are off.... losers.

Bingo 8)

You can't race someone who isn't racing, if you want to race, race, although I think those that partake in "scalping" are actually pretty insecure about themselves and wouldn't like to get pounded into the ground, hence they probably don't race 8)

Oh calm down dears... It's just a bit of silly fun against the same old people you see in the morning and evening on the way to and from work... It's not a threat to the "amazing" world of racing.... You do your thing, let others do theirs... Don't take life so seriously....

amaferanga

BigMat wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

'Scalping' is so fcuking pathetic. If you want to race then get a licence and do a REAL race. Otherwise all bets are off.... losers.

It's just a way to make the commute more like interval training. It's also a lot easier to do a bit of SCR than it is to properly race, the two aren't really comparable to be honest.

Fine, but like the OP I've lost count of the number of times I've read posts from losers bragging about how they overtook some guy on a £4k bike while they (the 'scalper') were wearing jeans and trainers and smoking a cigar, blah, blah, blah,....

Overtaking another cyclist really should mean feck all.

jgsi

Sometimes I get the feeling I get scalped when I am on the turbo...
Scalpers probably have the shychological breakdown in their personalities to do well in races, in reality they probably wont have the fitness or nouse to actually get a race win under their belt.

rolf_f

amaferanga wrote:

'Scalping' is so fcuking pathetic. If you want to race then get a licence and do a REAL race. Otherwise all bets are off.... losers.

As a young person would say "Lol Noob "

tarquin_foxglove

Dog Breath wrote:

You can't 'beat' someone who isn't racing you.

Course you can.

Whether it is two people walking up parallel escalators on the tube or cars in a traffic jam or someone waiting for a lift while you take the stairs, there are a million & one mini events you can have in a day which see you crowned 'World Champion'.

It is a non-serious & mildly diverting way to pass the time.

squired

I'll always remember one time I was out cycling when I was 16. I was going up a hill that is about a kilometer long, with a gradient of appx 8%. At the base of the climb I noticed that a guy (he was maybe 25-30 years old) was latched onto my wheel. Half way up he was still practically touching my rear wheel, so I slowed down to about 5km/h, so that he would go past me and let me enjoy my ride. Of course, he stayed on my wheel. When we were 100m from the top he "attacked" me.

My take on the above was that he was pathetic. If he wants to come alongside an offer to race me up the climb, fair enough (and I'd have said no thanks). To race someone who isn't racing you is a bid sad really in my opinion.

Since the above I've had many people try to "race" me, even though I was clearly not interested. I think the worst are the ones who overtake, then blow up 100m later, or steam past because they know they are turning off into a different road in 100m.

desweller

amaferanga wrote:

'Scalping' is so fcuking pathetic. If you want to race then get a licence and do a REAL race. Otherwise all bets are off.... losers.

I think you may be taking this a bit too seriously!

CambsNewbie

If I make someone feel better about themselves because they can cycle faster than me then I'm happy to oblige!

Meanwhile I'll carry on enjoying myself going at a pace I'm happy with and challenging myself..

Redhog14

I think Sclaping in SCR mode is justifiable "fun" - Although I have never claimed a scalp excepting a girl on a road bike with a tennis racquet over her shoulder but I don't count that. because of the tennis racquet before I get decryed for being sexist.

Out on training rides I do "hunt" if I see another cyclist in the distance but dont claim any great victory if achieved (unless it turns out to be someone I know) just treat them as sprint targets. I always acknowledge them and if it was hard work to catch them let them know.

Headhuunter

CambsNewbie wrote:

If I make someone feel better about themselves because they can cycle faster than me then I'm happy to oblige!

Meanwhile I'll carry on enjoying myself going at a pace I'm happy with and challenging myself..

Exactly, some "race cyclists" egos appear to be very fragile....

Frank the tank

The overtaking of other cyclists happens all the time, last time I was out a pair came by me never spoke (fair enough) but then continued to keep glancing back to see if they'd dropped me (unless that's my paranoia). Later I was passed by another couple who gave it some "morning" went by and never looked back at all. Further down the road one of the second pair caught me up and we had a chat going at my pace for about three/four mile before going our seperate ways.

The impression this gave me was the first pair were endevouring to "race" me, hey-ho I wasn't. The second pair were doing their own thing and really couldn't have given a toss whether I was drafting or I'd been blown into the weeds.

Omar Little

Life is essentially meaningless beyond perpetuating itself so scalping can be regarded as pointless but so then is winning the Tour de France, never mind being a weekend racer. In terms of propagating dna these activities have as much merit as trying to break the record of eating cream crackers in a minute. Learn to embrace the meaningless however and start to enjoy it for what it is, a bit of fun before you die and a way to take your mind off the everlasting nothingness that awaits.