Bike path behavior

[coylifut]

I had the rare experience of riding the main bike path that shuttles commuters to and from the heart of the city. I was on my fixed gear which sits entirely upright and has three-speed type bars. I'm not in cycling clothes. As I was riding towards town, I noticed mini lines of riders (usually 3-6) that appeared to be actually racing home. The look on a few of the faces was that of one riding the rivet to hold the wheel in front. I found it a bit bizarre. After the turn around, as I was leaving the path, a youngish guy on a Trek and the Stars-n-stripes with the #6 on it (the Lance #6 commemorative jersey) went by me in a fairly decent clip and informed me he was on my left. As he passed a guy on a Cannondale, Mr. Cannondale actually chased him down and Trekman got on his wheel. They hammered that way for a while until they turned down different tributaries.

I just kept my steady fixed gear pace, spinning my 42x18. I quickly forgot about the Whittier Blvd. impromptu drag race I just witnessed until I was approaching Mr. Cannondale at the base of a 1/2 mile or so steepesh hill. Now, I have no choice but to stand and basically sprint up the hill, I'm on my fixe. As I jog by Mr. Cannondale, I say hello and he actually sprints for my rear wheel. He basically couldn't hold it and I figured I wouldn't see him again. A few minutes later, on a flat section, the guy actually buzzes me. So there we are at the base of similar hill and I go buy him in a similar fashion and he grabs my wheel again. This time I turn around and say "look I don't know you well enough to have you on my wheel. I'm not attempting to race you and I'd prefer it if you'd just go by me, I have one speed here."

The guy backed off and when I turned off, he went straight. Did I just witness what is called the commuter Olympics? It reminded me of when I had a 69 Chevelle and would take it out on a hot summer's night.

[Russ]

Coy,

For some reason, this reminds me of riding in Key Biscayne here in Miami.... I gather in large cities, there are less friendly riders.

[froze]

You have to sing a special song that informs you of the type of person that guy is; the words go something like this: "Macho Macho man, I want be a Macho man,..."