Cycling UK Forum

Out on my Raleigh Strada hybrid. It's got 'guards, dynamo, rack with a big basket on the back, D lock attached to it, etc.......all the stuff that the stereotypical roadie is thought to abhor in the name of speed.

Stopped at traffic light, heard another cyclist stop behind me. Light goes green, I start off, push a tad harder than normal so as not to delay cyclist behind, but by no means a sprint. Then onto the small rise and so sit down and spin up in a low gear. Near the top and slow to turn off, at which point the other cyclist, young chap on a light weight road bike, wearing the lycra kit, catches me and starts accusing me of cheating by using an electric bike!!!!!!

Was slightly bemused to say the least. To leave him his ego reassuring state of ignorance. Or point out that the old git on the heavy bike who hasn't done a proper ride since Christmas is just plain quicker than him?

Chose the latter as 'one could simply not be bovvered' .But had to chuckle afterwards

Si wrote:Out on my Raleigh Strada hybrid. It's got 'guards, dynamo, rack with a big basket on the back, D lock attached to it, etc.......all the stuff that the stereotypical roadie is thought to abhor in the name of speed.

Stopped at traffic light, heard another cyclist stop behind me. Light goes green, I start off, push a tad harder than normal so as not to delay cyclist behind, but by no means a sprint. Then onto the small rise and so sit down and spin up in a low gear. Near the top and slow to turn off, at which point the other cyclist, young chap on a light weight road bike, wearing the lycra kit, catches me and starts accusing me of cheating by using an electric bike!!!!!!

Was slightly bemused to say the least. To leave him his ego reassuring state of ignorance. Or point out that the old git on the heavy bike who hasn't done a proper ride since Christmas is just plain quicker than him?

Chose the latter as 'one could simply not be bovvered' .But had to chuckle afterwards

I used to have fun with 'mamils' on a Sunday back in the days when my daily commute was 30 miles using a tourer with laden panniers and averaging 20mph both ways.

On the Sunday run with mates, I'd cycle 6 miles on my MTB to the start then we'd do the run (legs) over 12-16 miles and I'd cycle back.
I'd often come across groups of mamils and I'd pass them on the MTB, the drone of the MTB tyres adding to their shame...
I did push myself (it was only 6) miles so often would be doing 20-25mph and they'd either hang on to my rear or occasionally pass me only to have to give up when they ran out of go.

Electric bikes weren't "a thing" then so there was no excuse for them to cling to and they had to accept that an old guy with grey hair had just passed them on a MTB.
(I wonder what they'd have thought if they knew I'd also just been out running for two hours)

If only I was still that fit.

A couple of years ago, in the Dales and on a slight downhill l passed two cyclists just before the Castle Bolton climb up to Redmire Moor. Slogging up the hill l could see them inexorably catching me up and knew (as I'd suspected) they were on electric. As the bloke of the couple passed me he said, 'When you get to your fifties you need these'.... I was already (just) in my fifties!