When a younger guy challenges you at the lights ...

[Grandad]

Rule number one - never look behind to see where they are - it just encourages them!

My handlebar mirror does this for me

[hondated]

I used to ride with someone who was a bike messenger.

Riding with him was like being tied to a post.

I do remember, though, once going for a ride with him on our way to the pub, when some lycra clad muppet geezer shot past us going up a hill. We decided to catch up. I was keen and strong, and I had to really push to keep up. My mate, who was wearing jeans and riding an old mountain bike overtook him.

With his hands behind his back.

While whistling.

Did I say he was quite good?

Brilliant story particularly as he was on a mountain bike. Did a 15 mile loop on mine earlier and its definitely back to the racer next time as its so much easier.

Going to archery on a Dutch-style thing with a wicker basket at front and two more as rear panniers, not to mention a 40llb backpack full of archery stuff, I once passed two rather large fellows in all the gear aboard super-bikes of the Pinarello ilk .... going up a long rise. I gave them a tinga-linga-ling on the old-fashioned bell before passing them with a cheery wave and "good morning".

Ever since I have berated myself for a childish display of pointless macho silliness. I was all sweaty when I got to the archery field, which was a small price to pay for a small bout of infantilism.

By now those large lads may be superfast monsters. I only hope I don't come across them again, even on the summer wafty bike!

Cugel

Cugel what another great story, it did make me laugh
If you should ever feel their grown up version is fastly approaching you from behind then either take the next junction or stop and look down at your bike

[hondated]

I was riding very slowly and sweatily, a few years back (in my habitual 57 year old overweight style ), up

the draggy hill out of Otley towards Leeds, I was on my tourer with Carradice bag on the back.

A mature and fit looking road cyclist came past me on a road bike that looked, like it had seen a lot of

miles, as indeed did he. I said 'How Do' or something with no response from him, I probably inwardly

expressed some negative thought at this time, which would probably have begun with the word

'miserable'......

Carrying on up the climb he started to labour in an increasingly spectacular fashion, I assumed

that he'd been out all day and had bonked or something. At this point I was actually starting to catch

him which I eventually did and sat on his wheel for a bit until he almost came to a standstill at which

point I passed him, 'saying nowt' as the saying goes in those parts, he didn't know I was there (or care

probably, all the nonsense was in my mind ).

About 20 or so seconds later a youngish female road cyclist who must have been watching

this glacially slow tableau came breezing past doing 3 or 4 times our speed, that made me laugh and

I'm sure she must have found it amusing to observe.

'There is no fool like an old fool, and I should know ,'cos I've had years of practise' .

If the gentleman had passed the time of day earlier , he could have had a reviving dusty fig roll out of

my bag , but as it was, onwards and upwards.......

Everyone is different of cause but I just cannot understand the mentality of someone not returning a merry greeting as they inevitably pass me.

[hondated]

Everyone cycles faster than me.

And me

[hondated]

Rule number one - never look behind to see where they are - it just encourages them!

My handlebar mirror does this for me

Your so right thats why I have two mirrors on my bike. One on the bars and the other down on my forks.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Well got overtaken by an Ebike..........on the pavement......not me!.....on my inside.............away from lights..........he no lights on.....maybe that's why he was on the pavement..........I engaged top gear and caught up passed and he ducked into his workplace

[The utility cyclist]

That reminds me of the old 'im peeling off because my abode/route is this way or I've done xx miles already when actually they've blown up.

Heard the latter more than a few times from older gents when passing on a slope., just think that's a bit sad that they are so insecure they have to somehow try to justify why they are slower over x bit of tarmac than someone else.

I usually say, aye that's a good ride already or some such. I'm sure there's been a few times older guys have passed me. It's how things are, accept it or you spoil cycling over-thinking it.
I'd hazard that the guy who challenged me will think twice about doing so to others. Just enjoy the ride and have fun, push hard but laying down gauntlets, meh, I think up to your mid teens yeah, that's a regular thing, after that who can be bothered, really! If you want to race, go race properly.

[Cugel]

That reminds me of the old 'im peeling off because my abode/route is this way or I've done xx miles already when actually they've blown up.

Heard the latter more than a few times from older gents when passing on a slope., just think that's a bit sad that they are so insecure they have to somehow try to justify why they are slower over x bit of tarmac than someone else.

I usually say, aye that's a good ride already or some such. I'm sure there's been a few times older guys have passed me. It's how things are, accept it or you spoil cycling over-thinking it.
I'd hazard that the guy who challenged me will think twice about doing so to others. Just enjoy the ride and have fun, push hard but laying down gauntlets, meh, I think up to your mid teens yeah, that's a regular thing, after that who can be bothered, really! If you want to race, go race properly.

The crowing of "the winner" over the supposed inadequacies and excuses of "the losers" is also a bit sad I feel. In fact, the whole notion of jousting-cycles at traffic lights or elsewhere other than an actual race seems, well. rather [supply your own downbeat emotion]. :-

Now, did I tell you about the time when I roared past 47 club cyclists going up Fleet Moss, whilst riding my restored Coventry Eagle weighing 54 llbs and with only 8 gears the lowest of which was 54 inches? I think that Broodley Waggins was in their number but was still a bit stiff after 2 hours in the Hawes café, or so he claimed.

Cugel, hopeless as boasting, for all sorts of reasons.

[eileithyia]

Ha ha on way home from a ride today 2 blokes turned out onto the road just ahead...... classic pedal for a short way, freewheel for a short way... started to overhaul them on the longish flat road over Rivington reservoir... managed to pass and wish them good day. Few 100 yards later where the road dips and where they could steal an advantage they both came steaming past to collapse in heap at the pub on the entrance to Horwich I smiled sweetly wished them well and said they needed to do a hill climb race and 35 miles ride first....