Comments on: I don’t want a race, mate

By: Tri Boy

Tri Boy — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 01:37:11 +0000

Commuting is commuting and training is training and neither should be confused with racing. Let the boy and girl racers go and when you see them struggling up the hills, after flying past you down the hill, feel free to ride past them on your mountain bike.

By: Apertome

Apertome — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:10:09 +0000

Well said, I’m the same way. I’m decidedly uncompetitive, and I like it that way.

By: Simon

Simon — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:16:10 +0000

Nice post.

As you say, while it isn’t about ‘beating’ them, other cyclists can definitely be ‘performance motivators’.

I might think that I’m moving along at a decent click, and then someone blasts past me – usually on something in ‘celeste’. I watch their chamoised behind sashay into the distance for a moment, and then ask myself, “well, Simon, can you do that?”. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. But it’s always for my fitness, and never at the expense of anyone’s safety. I’m not going to squeeze past you between the bollards on Canning St, and I’m not going to overtake on a blind corner on Merri Creek trail and take out some poor afternoon jogger. You’re absolutely right – it proves nothing.

I have to say I’ve never really said thank you for drafting – I’m not sure whether the person will know what I’m talking about, and if they do they, might not take kindly to being drafted by a guy on a straight-gauge aluminium fitness bike with hairy legs and Hi-Tops (I’ll move on to clipless shoes when I master the ever elusive trackstand – I don’t fancy keeling over onto someone’s bonnet when standing at the lights)!

By: Charlie B.

Charlie B. — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:57:30 +0000

I don’t care if people faster than me pass me. I’m quicker than a lot of riders, and a lot slower than a lot of riders. All I want is that people hold their line, and if they’re passing me they let me know they’re there so I can move left a bit…

What I hate is overtaking a slow rider, then waiting at the next lights and they queue jump the waiting bikes (possibly running the red in the process) and I have to pass them again… and then again after the next set… I finally said something the other night after the same guy did that 3 times – “Do you have any idea how rude that is?” – which possibly confused the hell out of the culprit, but maybe he’ll think twice next time…

By: Treadly and Me

Treadly and Me — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:46:23 +0000

I get passed by all sorts of riders all the time and it's never a problem from where I sit—not interested in racing. And when I get passed by someone wearing Dunlop Volleys I always smile because they were my (somewhat inappropriate) choice of cycling shoe for a long time. And when I pass others, if breath allows, I always say a cheery "hello", and if they choose to take that as some kind of smug point-scoring well that's their problem (and a little bit sad, really).

In the end, I don't care what other riders do except in the case I described above where my presence—at quite some distance back—seemed to be motivating the young racer (and he was racing) to do stupid things that put other people at risk. Possibly he'd keep doing it if I wasn't there, but I didn't want to contribute to his recklessness. And that's my whole problem with commuter racing: it's rarely a safe and sensible thing to do.