Dropped by someone strange?

[SeanScott]

Has anyone ever been dropped by someone totally unsuspecting?
I was doing some freelance work at Patagonia in Ventura and I live in Ojai.
There is a bike bath that is 17 miles long that connects the two places perfectly.
Having pretty good familiarity with this path I would consider myself fairly fast on it.
Currently ranked 62nd out of 2000+ on Strava (not to sound douchie, just giving a reference)
One day after work kitted up pushing it at about 85% I see a rider behind me gaining on me. Didn稚 think much of it.
Look back after about 1/2 and he is gaining on me seriously. Another 1/2 miles goes by and a guy in his young 20s, no shirt, no helmet, skater shoes, skater shorts, on a early 90s raleigh goes blasting by me.
I am curious at this point at start pushing it hard to catch up to him. After a few more miles I catch him and tell him that he is going good. He says thanks and that he just got the bike for $400 and that he was trying to catch up to me.
I tell him that he should pick up some cycling shoes and a helmet and that he looks to have talent on a bike. He says thanks and just takes off like crazy again. At first I thought it was just a strange burst of energy but I watched him for at least 13 miles in front of me.
Thought it was pretty funny that a guy with out all the fancy equipment owned me.

[Birddog]

When I first started cycling I wore T shirts, cotton shorts, and running shoes and frequently rode with the front of the pack on group rides and caught and dropped solo cyclists. Now that I have all sorts of kit and a much better bike(s) I am the one getting caught. Of course about 30 years have passed too.

[ultraman6970]

Some people is naturally talented and they never catch up with the sport. Maybe this kid is one of those.

When a guy in a overpass going uphill pass you using a 100 kilos dutch bike and with working clothing (thing that happened to me), then we talk about sucking at the sport :D

[d_douglas]

I love getting passed by electric bikes. Especially the ones that are subtle, so you can't quite tell if they're electric or not - always throws me for a loop :).

I am older now, so get dropped quite a bit. Some old (I mean REALLY OLD - like 50 years old! HA HA!) guy passed me on his 35 yr old touring bike while on my way to work last week. He looked a bit unstable (i.e.., might crash), but he was humming along pretty fast. It was mildly funny.

[benb]

I look pretty fredly most of the time the last couple seasons.. I ride a 26lb cheap ugly steel bike with big fat tires, v-brakes, and a short stem and usually wear ugly Primal jerseys (or my ironic at this point Serotta Owners Club jersey), etc.. and I drop people all the time if there are hills around.

I don't catch anyone who is seriously fit on a nice road bike and I lose a lot of ground on flats & downhills but I will still catch & drop lots of people who are carrying extra weight if their are hills. I also do wear a helmet and bike shoes. I average in the 17-18mph range most of the time if I don't detour into the dirt/woods, plenty fast to catch lots of people. I usually won't go on group rides with this goofy setup though.

It's somewhat fun, but nowhere near as fun as riding on a nice bike.

[bumknees]

When I lived in Philadelphia, there was someone who would regularly ride a penny-farthing and he was fast. On more than one occasion, he blew right by me on the ride home.

[unterhausen]

I was coming back from a hard ride and I almost caught up to a guy that was just noodling along on his hybrid. He gave me "the look" and took off. I don't usually do things like that, but I tried to chase him down. Fortunately, the turnoff to my house came up before I had to admit defeat. I also got into a race with some Mennonite teenagers on the second day of a 600k. I have a policy of not losing races that are started by people that are wearing straw hats (or kids on bmx bikes). That one looked dicey for a while, but the result was better, they chased us for a few miles and turned around. Although it was a little unfair, they had given us a 300 mile head start.

[nooneline]

Ever hear this story from Jeremy Powers?

But one of the coolest things I'm most excited about is an idea I followed up on during my break. The story goes, I was doing an opening-up work out for an upcoming çross weekend last November: five minute efforts at 400 watts and I noticed this young dude with a cut off t-shirt, Vans sneakers, Camelbak and a 1980s Motobecane with down tube shifters. I rode by and said "Yoooo," focusing on the task I had in front of me. After five minutes I glanced back and I hadn't lost my man with the Motobecane. WOAAAH. REALLY? Could that have just happened? I thought to myself, "I need to get this guy's info because he's talented - he just kept up with me on a 30-pound Motobecane and Vans sneakers."

Powers gets the kids name and number, drops by his house a few weeks later, and gets him into racing.

Anthony Clark goes on to become an elite cx racer within a few years - and just won his first UCI race this past weekend.

[Dead Man]

No electric bikes around here in Tweekerville, Oregon... but I get passed by foul smelling chopper 2-stroke MTBs fairly often.

[chiasticon]

this past august, to get ready for cross season, I would frequently hit the local singletrack on my cross bike. obviously, this is something of a venture fraught with peril as I'm running 35ish psi, tubes, and there are roots everywhere and lots of rocky sections. pinch flatting is a question of "when" not "if." I frequently get caught and dropped by guys on FS bikes like it's nobody's business. but, I'll easily catch and drop people who are either new to MTB's or are not on FS bikes, or are just not very good. so one day, I'm about halfway through my normal loop and this dude passes me, then proceeds to hammer it, but without looking like he's really trying to; he's just cruising, really. he's *just* out of reach of my current speed so I pick up the pace and push myself. I can keep up, but I'm definitely working for it. then the inevitable happens and I pinch flat. as I curse softly and begin to repair it, he rides away. he was on a very old department store MTB, with his knees bowed out because the saddle was way too low, wearing jean shorts with a cotton t-shirt and was carrying a plastic bag with some stuff in it; probably a couple tall boys and he was just hitting some singletrack on his way back from the store.

so... I'm either just that slow riding singletrack on my cross bike, or this guy was just that good.

[texbike]

Has anyone ever been dropped by someone totally unsuspecting?
I was doing some freelance work at Patagonia in Ventura and I live in Ojai.
There is a bike bath that is 17 miles long that connects the two places perfectly.
Having pretty good familiarity with this path I would consider myself fairly fast on it.
Currently ranked 62nd out of 2000+ on Strava (not to sound douchie, just giving a reference)
One day after work kitted up pushing it at about 85% I see a rider behind me gaining on me. Didn稚 think much of it.
Look back after about 1/2 and he is gaining on me seriously. Another 1/2 miles goes by and a guy in his young 20s, no shirt, no helmet, skater shoes, skater shorts, on a early 90s raleigh goes blasting by me.
I am curious at this point at start pushing it hard to catch up to him. After a few more miles I catch him and tell him that he is going good. He says thanks and that he just got the bike for $400 and that he was trying to catch up to me.
I tell him that he should pick up some cycling shoes and a helmet and that he looks to have talent on a bike. He says thanks and just takes off like crazy again. At first I thought it was just a strange burst of energy but I watched him for at least 13 miles in front of me.
Thought it was pretty funny that a guy with out all the fancy equipment owned me.

Pathletes, pfffttt... :D

About 10 years ago, I was out on a ride NW of Austin and stopped into a convenience store about 1/2 way into the ride. Taking a break at the store was an older gentleman (probably in his early 60s at that point) with a VERY high-end recumbent (ti frame, carbon wheels and cockpit bits). He had the flag and helmet mirror to complete the package. So, we roll out of the store at the same time and continue to head NW. Mr. high-end recumbent stays with me. Being the assjack that I am, I can't be seen associating with a recumbent and continue to dig a bit deeper, and deeper, and deeper trying to drop the guy. I'm cranking along at 30-35ish and am starting to really feel the effort. The guy is staying with me just off to my right and doesn't seem to be missing a beat. I continue to push for a few more minutes and finally give up. I ease off and ride with recumbent guy for another 20 minutes or so until he announces that he needs to turn back so that he can make it in time to run with his trail group that has a 15 mile trail run planned that afternoon. I was impressed!

Oh, you live in Ojai and work in Ventura? Nice! Call me jealous...

Texbike

[redir]

That's the thing about cycling at least here in the US. There is no nuturing for the sport. If it were baseball, football, soccer or any of the ball sports including hockey the kids talent would have been recognized very early on. But with cycling we have no idea who's out there sitting on the couch with incredible genetics and gifted talent for the sport.

[Ray]

I was coming back from a hard ride and I almost caught up to a guy that was just noodling along on his hybrid. He gave me "the look" and took off. I don't usually do things like that, but I tried to chase him down. Fortunately, the turnoff to my house came up before I had to admit defeat. I also got into a race with some Mennonite teenagers on the second day of a 600k. I have a policy of not losing races that are started by people that are wearing straw hats (or kids on bmx bikes). That one looked dicey for a while, but the result was better, they chased us for a few miles and turned around. Although it was a little unfair, they had given us a 300 mile head start.

I used to ride out in Lancaster County a lot and fast Mennonite kids weren't all that rare. Several years back one of those could easily have been pre-doped Floyd.

In reference to the guy on a full suspension mtb, Albert Bold (the guy who makes the seatposts and other components) is pretty well known around here for showing up on group rides on a full suspension bike with knobby tires and whatever he happened to be wearing in the shop that day and just shredding everyone on their zillion dollar road bikes. I love stuff like this. I'd always be one of the first dropped, so I got over my own pride a long time ago, but it's kind of fun to see it happen to guys with an ego about it...

-Ray

[OtayBW]

The guy was obviously JUICED!

[RFC]

Yes, I too have been surprised by fat old women on electric bikes, one even screaming "Weeeeeeee!" as she went by.

The best, however, was one hot summer morning here in the Valley. I was beat and fairly close to home when a one legged cyclist blew past me on the path. He was riding a MTB with narrow road tires and had his prostheses strapped to the rear rack. I was amazed and had to see more. I kicked into high gear (if you can do that on a single speed) and pulled up on him, but he was not going to leave it alone and took off again with me in pursuit. We played high speed tag for the next two miles until I reached my turn. The guy had serious stones!

Several years later, I was talking to a different one legged man at the gym and told him the story. He replied, "Oh ya, that's Fred. I surprised you were able to stay with him that long."

[beeatnik]

Bike path riding is weird. Not really an indication of cycling fitness. I used to do weekly rides on the San Gabriel, Rio Hondo, and LA River bike paths and the fast kid on my tail in a t-shirt was a regularly occurrence. Even picked up a few riding partners through these wacky interactions. I'd mentor and share equipment. None of them became pros.

[velotel]

I was on my way to ride Col de Charmette, hard climb, sustained most of the way. I'm in the approach, heading to the village at the base of the climb, cruising, saving myself for the climb to come. Cruise by a father wearing sandals, t-shirt, baggy shorts, his kid behind him in a kid seat, on a squeaking mountain bike. Say hello as I roll by. Little later I hear the kid exhorting his father on. I pay no attention. Keep my rhythm. Slowly it dawns on me that the kid's voice is getting closer. I refuse to look back but can tell he's definitely closing on me. I manage to refuse to up my speed, partially because of the double-digit grades up ahead a bit but also because there wasn't in fact all that much more speed I could add. I'm thinking shut up kid! Into the village, sounds like he's not far behind, but then the road rears up and I'm saved. That guy was friggin strong!

[benb]

That's the thing about cycling at least here in the US. There is no nuturing for the sport. If it were baseball, football, soccer or any of the ball sports including hockey the kids talent would have been recognized very early on. But with cycling we have no idea who's out there sitting on the couch with incredible genetics and gifted talent for the sport.

Such truth...

On top of all that I think we also don't do any favors for cycling development due to:

- Some folks are going to have a hard time getting on a bike that actually works for their body easily in their area. Put them on an ill fitting bike as so often happens with a riders first serious bike and you turn them off right away.

- The entry cost in $$$$ is way too high and also turns people off.

[purpurite]

This is my new favorite thread. :banana:

[ravdg316]

I commute ten miles to work from Santa Monica to Beverly Hills every day.

The kid dropping me is a young dude like me on a crusty bright yellow old aluminum frame with an old Ultegra kit. He wears jeans, carries a backpack and blasts EDM through a portable Bluetooth speaker in his waterbottle holder. I can hear him coming every time by the bass from his speakers - BUMP BUMP BUMP BUMP. I see him three times a week and we've even stopped at a stoplight together, but I've never heard him talk.

The weird thing to me is that he doesn't spin. He pedals slowly, like one of those old dudes on a beach cruiser riding uphill. He's also got balls of steel, weaving through traffic and cutting into the left lanes when traffic bottlenecks in the right two lanes as we pass through Century City on the way to Beverly Hills.

One day I'll drop him. One day...

[sandyrs]

A guy I know from school recently joined Strava and followed me, so I followed him back. He was a varsity swimmer and seems to just be getting into riding for the first time. His first ride? 21mph.

[msl819]

A guy I know from school recently joined Strava and followed me, so I followed him back. He was a varsity swimmer and seems to just be getting into riding for the first time. His first ride? 21mph.

Same thing with some collegiate cross country runners around here. You help them get started, help them understand the fundamentals and group dynamics, and then they crush all your pride! Those guys have huge motors they acquired pounding pavement 70-90 miles a week in a pair of Asics. Fun to watch. But they still can't beat me going downhill!

[holliscx]

I don't usually push on Strava segments, but when I do they're bike paths

[jtakeda]

I still wear cut offs and a t shirt. I see folks like that once in a while, it always makes me happy to see someone without all the gear crushing it.

Also I love Ojai. I consider it a home away from home. Spent many nights at the hub or the dam.

[ceolwulf]

I have never yet been surprised to be dropped.

[MattTuck]

I always thought it would be funny to dress up Cancellara or some other pro as an old guy out on a townie, and have him pass competitive cyclists to get their reactions.

Like Pepsi's Uncle Drew thing. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DnKOc6FISU)

[Johnny P]

I love getting passed by electric bikes. Especially the ones that are subtle, so you can't quite tell if they're electric or not - always throws me for a loop :).

I am older now, so get dropped quite a bit. Some old (I mean REALLY OLD - like 50 years old! HA HA!) guy passed me on his 35 yr old touring bike while on my way to work last week. He looked a bit unstable (i.e.., might crash), but he was humming along pretty fast. It was mildly funny.

Fifty is OLD? There is group who ride on Tuesdays in their 70's that I avoid because they are too fast for me. I could keep up with them , but after having afib; no way.

[paredown]

When my brother and I started racing--way, way back--we had no proper gear, but decent bikes. And lots of natural fitness. Because I was younger I got to start as a Junior--but my brother started with the Seniors (and in Canada in those days it was one bunch--Senior A, Senior B, Novices and Vets.)

So he shows up at the start for a 110 mile road race (I think we raced about 60 of the same route). Gun goes off, and he stays with the fast guys--in his tennis shoes and cotton shorts.

Pretty soon the bunch is weeded out, and there is 10 or so guys left with my brother hanging off the back--he didn't like to draft.

Most of the fast guys knew each other, so they agree--'let's burn off the newb'. So they would put their heads down, and my brother would hang--the same 6 lengths off the back. This went on for most of the race--and he stayed with them and finished at the back of the group that stayed together until the end of the race.

One of the best guys in the group nicknamed him 'The Ox'--and it kind of stuck.

[rePhil]

I was riding about 18mph when I realized I was being passed...like I was standing still, by a Mennonite on a 3 wheeler.
They have really taken to the e-bikes around here.

[tigoat]

I get dropped all the time but I have also dropped a lot of people. What's new?

[Mr. Pink]

I'll bet a 16 year old Lemond or Armstrong impressed some riders in their day.