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#1
08-08-2005, 09:31 AM
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Let the Excuses Fly
This weekend was kinda funny- I went out on sunday with a couple of my "normal" riding buddies- The beginning of the ride started with the expected "Dude- where's the Legend?" comments-
After re-explaining myself a few dozon times everyone now understood- I sold it- Not a single member of my ride acted like they understood- but thats cool- i didnt expect them too- My go fast buddies who look and ride the "pro" way are not going to understand selling a race bike  Next came the jabs for the way I have my Zurich set up now- I am trying larger tires- 27mm Ruffy Tuffys - and just to see how I like them I have two large bags on it- on in the rear on one out front- I really freaked them out with the Brooks saddle- "Dude- have you lost your mind?" "I hope your a** hurts." I heard at one point- "You're going to be to slow to ride with us- what are you thinking?" My buddies- (dont get me wrong I like them all- and enjoy our rides) are the type who are adding every carbon bit known to man- if the part isnt uber light or at least pro approved- its just not worth having. They are just not able to understand that I am willingly adding weight to my bike-  How'd the ride go- I did about 90% of the pulls during our 45 miler on Sunday- we kept an average of just under 20mph which is good considering the stop and go nature and the hills of much of the loop- Best comment of the entire ride was from my last buddy to pull off at the end of the ride- "I dont understand why you are doing this- but you are NOT slower- thats for sure!"    I was waiting for that all day!!! Jason 
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#3
08-08-2005, 09:42 AM
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Similar deal
DD, I had a similar deal happen to me yesterday. Went out on my 93 Lemond GLX with downtube friction shifters and was told by a fat guy riding a full on Merlin Cielo to "get a real bike and learn how to ride". Too bad for him I was next to him the whole way back.................
 Do your thing and don't worry about them............. 
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#4
08-08-2005, 09:51 AM
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Big D- on Saturday I followed the rail road track leading south out of down town St. Louis- they run along the flood wall- a mix of loose dirt and gravel and access roads of the various business that use river access- I was hammering down this section when I saw a cyclist ahead of me- so of course I had to pick up the pace to catch up-
The guys is riding a decked out MTB- I pulled up next to him and said HI-- he takes one look at me and says "If you were smart you would get a MTB and not waste time on the road bike" To which I promptly said have a great day and pulled away- It is quite refreshing to do 25 mph down a gravel road Jason
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#6
08-08-2005, 10:40 AM
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#7
08-08-2005, 10:45 AM
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Jason
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#8
08-08-2005, 10:49 AM
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(BTW - I wasn't dissn' your buddies...too much  )
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#9
08-08-2005, 10:50 AM
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Jason
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#10
08-08-2005, 11:35 AM
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I have this rule: closest bike to the door with air in the tires is what I ride. I show up on lots of rides on the wrong bike - so what? Most people put way too much emphasis on the bike and not enough on the rider. I say let the schooling begin.
The other week I wound up taking out my tandem as a short distance commuter (it had rained and the tandem doesn't need a rear fender if I'm riding solo, the back wheel is waaaaay back there). So I'm riding down the bike path when two guys on racing bikes go by, trading pulls. I hop on - it's just a force of habit... My tandem is a 47 pound Ritchey Skyliner with drop bars and slick tires (and 70 watts of lighting and an air horn), but the bike path is flat and once it's up to speed it's fine. They tried to drop me for a few miles, then they gave up and let me take pulls... One thing I tell my riders when I set them up on fixed gears for the winter - at some point you'll forget that the bike puts you at a disadvantage, and that's when it starts getting good.
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#11
08-08-2005, 11:54 AM
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Agree....
Ti you are right, even when you are at a disadvantage some of the difference can be made up by anticipating what is coming up ahead.
A know a guy that rides a 70's Merckx's S/R friction shifters, tubular under the seat... when he goes to the front of the group he signals when he is going to shift.... We barely hang on.................
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#12
08-08-2005, 11:59 AM
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hope you learned alot from him he probably thinks E-Richie's bikes come from that ''Sachs on 5th ave..." and Serotta is Italian... at least the guy is riding. (I have no room to talk being a chunker not on a clunker ATM )
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#13
08-08-2005, 03:44 PM
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Just my $.02
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#14
08-08-2005, 05:14 PM
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So I'm guessing that going off road on a fixed gear wouldn't be high on your to-do list either  I can certainly agree with one point, no stoker means a tail happy tandem. I can't see doing a fast, twisty descent solo for that reason, but with an inch of snow at much lower speeds the thing is a real hoot in corners. The bike path is about as flat and straight as they get, and even solo I can probably slow the tandem faster than any single bike could drop anchor. The problem I always have is people creaping up on the sides. One of the stokers jobs it to warn people on singles that they'll get squished if they stay there.
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#15
08-08-2005, 05:42 PM
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I tried not to make it personal, more as a note of caution for others. Sorry if you took it that way.
Having said that, if you think you can slow a tandem with no rear passenger faster than a single, either your singles don't have very good brakes or you haven't done an emergency stop. Best of luck when you do.
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