29'ers Are Faster Than 26 "

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Out today, saw a mtb guy stopped and on phone.........................you know its one of those extra large wheeled things with tyres to match.
Thought no more then I slowed for some puddles and............"Good morning" he's on me
I said slowed so I don't get my feet wet...............overtook me going through the puddle, bolt upright and moving well quicker than me

Thought that won't last and sure enough after a while I caught him as we entered a nice fast smooth section.......although he got a move on I then gained and past, tried extra hard not to be caught again..............he's on my tail again so I concentrate up over the bridge and then he passes just before the top.

I am now determined to stay with him till he drops......................ah he turned off
The penny finally dropped when I saw him press a button on the bars whilst I was gaining but I knew early on that no one passes me that quick if at all on a sit up and beg 29'er

[mercalia]

last summer I was up sheringham Norfolk, it was that heatwave few days, so getting around was unpleaant as too hot to cycle. I was coming back from a ride to Blackeney point suffering the heat and this gal wooshed past legs only slowly rotating the pedals so was in top gear, the coming hill didnt stop her, up she went with no slowing. Of course she was on a pedelec

[reohn2]

We do the same on the tandem,makes us 20 years younger

PS, and our wheels are only 20inch,size ain't everything

[MikeF]

Same thing happened to me the other day. I was going up a short gradient out in the sticks when I realised I was being passed rapidly by another cycle. I'm used to that and I was expecting to see a lycra clad rider on a carbon frame bike with drops or similar. But no, I was passed by someone sitting bolt upright on bike with a mid fitting Bafang type unit. I'm wondering how long it will be before I actually need one of those!

[Paulatic]

About this time last year I was toiling up Cheddar Gorge when near the top a 29 fat tyres bike whizzed past me. Guy wearing jeans and checked shirt. Couldn’t believe it then I got to thinking

[fastpedaller]

I had a similar happening in Norfolk last year....... Up ahead was a cyclist, so the old racing instinct comes to the fore! Pedaling with some effort, but hardly making any ground..... hmm dig deeper and I'm now making some headway until (some 2 miles later) I caught up with him, merrily going along on his electric way - me a 'pool of perspiration!'

[foxyrider]

Reminds me of the woman towing a child trailer I couldn't catch in Switzerland the other year. I know I was toting full camping gear but even so I was a bit put out to not catch her. Then of course she stopped, I caught up and lo and behold there was a huge hub motor doing all the graft!

Most of the time I can hold my own against them as I can ride faster than their assist speed but uphill i've no chance

Might need one one day I guess but hopefully that day is far enough away that I can save up for a decent one, there are some nice drop bar machines coming out of the Med area

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Hub area was bulgy but the battery was slim.
In the past I have burnt off electric toys but I only just returned to full training ride length with the hills after 4 months, my trainer had a mtb set of tyres the other has hybrids and though 2 kgs heavier faster on the flat.
If I was on the tourer then they would not hold on..........will I need one one day...........will I own a car if I can't work on it........probably not

[Patrickpioneer]

I was slowly going up a bit of a hill one day and a chap in a flat cap passed me on his Ebike, I grinned because as he passed he gave me a very superior look ( ;

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
I know that look.
Passed today on my trainer 2, 1st was at the lights and was stationary........I know he is in his seventies
2nd younger guy on a x cross uphill well he had 25mm tyres and looked as dirty as I normally do.

[Thornyone]

A while back I was sweating uphill into a headwind when a young chap on a sit-up-and-beg came hurtling past at about 20mph, legs hardly moving. I’m getting so fed up with smug looking individuals on ebikes bombing past me with a fag between their lips that I’m thinking of sprinkling tacks behind me

[carlislemike]

Strangely, I have a 27“ or thereabouts mtb; steel at that. Race past roadies on some short hilly sections but scoured on the flat or downhill. Good luck to the ebikers, I’ll need one when I’m 75

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Mmmmm well I spotted a 29'er with a battery yesterday, I stopped to take my coat off and whilst he passed to get to gate I said "What do you do when the battery goes flat push it"

He was straight faced and replied............." no it rides like a normal bike"............not sure he saw the funny side.

Bike was probably his new toy and people are sensitive to any criticism of such, probably about 25 - 30 years old, I get the impression he was out for a ride not out for some exercise, if you know what I mean.

[mercalia]

I would like to see the face of some one getting back into cycling thru just a pedelec, getting on a real bike and the puzzlement why they are not moving very fast. Must be a shock?