# Why do people like you stop in front of people like me?



## RedRider (17 Aug 2012)

Wind, rain, night and day, all year round she gets on her sit-up-and-beg and goes. She's a proper commuting cyclist and has been for years. Today she's made to cry by a dick in all the gear. Thinks. He's_. _It.

The way she tells it a lapse of concentration means she ends up pulling up in front of this bloke at some lights rather than waiting behind or alongside as she normally would. Lights change, they cross the junction, he passes and blocks her path.

She knows it wasn't great cycling so it wasn't his questioning of her riding that upset her, or even his bully-boy block. It was his ignorant, arrogant, presumptive 'why do people like _you_'-line. She's a tough one my partner, good in adversity and cool but this hit a nerve. (What did he mean? Woman? Not skinny? Wrong bike? Too slow? No Lycra? Not good enough?)

Sadly her riposte came to her some minutes after he'd ridden off towards whatever sad appointment he had. Just in case he's reading it went like this....

'Small penis?'


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## schlafsack (17 Aug 2012)

She has a small penis?


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## fossyant (17 Aug 2012)

Plonker (geddit ).

Just cos he is on a bike doesn't mean anything. Anyway, she should have scalped him - no excuses now !


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## Estheroid (17 Aug 2012)

Bullies comes in all shapes and sizes, lycra clad or not. Mebbe karma bit him on the bum and he had an appointment with the puncture fairy further up the road?


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## Markymark (17 Aug 2012)

I love it when the lycra brigade barge in front of me at the lights then I cruise past them on my crappy hybrid. Doesn't alwasy happen but I've learnt, all the gear doesn't always make you that fast.


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## BentMikey (17 Aug 2012)

Someone did that to me the other day, pulled in front of me, that is. I said to him: "Do you think you're going to be faster than me?". He moved back.


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## sabian92 (17 Aug 2012)

I've had it as well at a keep clear box before some traffic lights. Some knobber in all the gear on a really expensive looking Spesh something or other blasted down the outside of traffic, skimmed my drops (as I was waiting at the keep clear box) and then plonked himself in the box. Thought better of saying something but I wish I had now.

Some people think because they _look _one of the Schleck brothers or Lance Armstrong, they _are_. Gives a bad name to everybody who rides a bike, really. If 2 cyclists can't get on then what chance to car drivers have of giving us room when our own don't?


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## Andrew_Culture (17 Aug 2012)

Pillock! Whenever I overtake another cyclist I do so assuming they've just canned it at 45mpg average and are taking a well-earned rest, regardless of their bike, clothing, pace or rank odour.


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## tadpole (17 Aug 2012)

Happened to me, on my ride home from work, two young chaps on nice looking roadies, bullied passed me at the lights, and in to the front of the cycle area. I sat there, puffing and a blowing, I got the "look at that fat bastard" look. They looked kind of sad as I left them behind on the first slope we came to, when they had run out of gears to change down to. I am fat and my bike is old, but I average 16.8 to 20.2mph on my 9 1/4 mile ride home (with six sets of lights along the way) We should respect all on two wheels, from the fattest to the fittest and all points in between.


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## MissTillyFlop (17 Aug 2012)

I get nerks who are upset by the fact that I am faster than them despite my lack of penis all the time. Usually they undertake me at the lights, RLJ, ride in the extreme right hand of the bus lane, so I can't over take them and I sigh and jsut use the lane next to it over taking them and letting out a little trump in their face if possible.


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## 400bhp (17 Aug 2012)

Let's put a bit of perspective on this.

There's a lot of talk on this forum about an annoyance of cyclists that will move to the front of a queue after you have overtaken them at some previous point. It irks many people.

It sounds like this bloke had had his fair share and lashed out. I'm not condoning what he did but we all have moments we're not proud of.


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## alans (17 Aug 2012)

I suspect that some of these bollockbrain bullies verbally abuse a female whereas they wouldn't do it to a bloke.


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## Andrew_Culture (17 Aug 2012)

MissTillyFlop said:


> letting out a little trump in their face if possible.


 
Hero.


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## 400bhp (17 Aug 2012)

tadpole said:


> Happened to me, on my ride home from work, two young chaps on nice looking roadies, bullied passed me at the lights, and in to the front of the cycle area. I sat there, puffing and a blowing, I got the "look at that fat bastard" look. They looked kind of sad as I left them behind on the first slope we came to, when they had run out of gears to change down to. I am fat and my bike is old, but I average 16.8 to 20.2mph on my 9 1/4 mile ride home (with six sets of lights along the way) We should respect all on two wheels, from the fattest to the fittest and all points in between.


 
I think you're reading far too much into it.


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## fossyant (17 Aug 2012)

Here we go again. Lycra roadie bashing


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## fossyant (17 Aug 2012)

MissTillyFlop said:


> I get nerks who are upset by the fact that I am faster than them despite my lack of penis all the time. Usually they undertake me at the lights, RLJ, ride in the extreme right hand of the bus lane, so I can't over take them and I sigh and jsut use the lane next to it over taking them and letting out a little trump in their face if possible.


 
Ladies don't trump !


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## Andrew_Culture (17 Aug 2012)

In all seriousness I'm a lot happier not giving a fark what other road users (regardless of mode of transport) think about me. I'm not arrogant (I don't think) but I spent years feeling very hemmed in and paranoid about upsetting other road users so these days dealing courtesies out to other road users but giving no mindspace to imagined aggressions leads to far happier rides.

As with any aspect of life, some people are shoots and some people are diamonds, we make friends with the diamonds and disregard fæces.


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## rb58 (17 Aug 2012)

My commute home is part of de-stressing after a day in the office. If I let every instance of bad cycling (or driving) get to me, I'd be as stressed when I got home as when I left the office. I learned quite some time ago to relax, stay safe and not allow things to wind me up. And I'm much happier for it. Having said that, I do occasionally shout "Oi! That's a red light" on my way to the office, but that's about as far as it goes.


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## redcard (17 Aug 2012)

400bhp said:


> Let's put a bit of perspective on this.
> 
> There's a lot of talk on this forum about an annoyance of cyclists that will move to the front of a queue after you have overtaken them at some previous point. It irks many people.
> 
> It sounds like this bloke had had his fair share and lashed out. I'm not condoning what he did but we all have moments we're not proud of.


 
Yeah, if the guy came on here and posted we'd probably all take his side, right.


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## 400bhp (17 Aug 2012)

It's not about sides - it's about perspective.


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## Edwards80 (17 Aug 2012)

Not seen him for a while but I had a chap who used to overtake me when I started commuting last year on my heavy MTB, he'd shout at cars that had done nothing wrong, shout "move" at other cyclists when there was a full lane to pass etc.

Now I use the road bike to commute and am a lot fitter, I started overtaking him regularly. He stopped next to me at the lights after I had overtaken him (in the next lane, nowhere near him) and he said "Ya, F****ng shouldn't do that"

Me:"Do what?"

Him:"F****ng . . . . (blank confused look)"

I couldn't help but laugh. Some folks are just assclowns - ignore them


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## Lyrical (17 Aug 2012)

Eh, I don't really mind if people pull up infront of me at lights...

It works like this, I get kicks out of overtaking people, the overtaken people get kicks when they get to the next set of lights and I'm there waiting and they can think "Pfft see going faster got you nowhere!"

It's win-win in my world.

Edit; I'm a lyrca roadie douchebag.


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## Andrew_Culture (17 Aug 2012)

Assclowns is now my word of the day.


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## thefollen (17 Aug 2012)

Personally I think we should all have each other's backs as cyclists on the road whether roadies, mtb, duchesses etc. In effect someone slower 'barging' in front isn't too dissimilar to a cyclist filtering in front of a car or motorbike- ok we have the ASL on many occasions and are totally entitled to use it but I'd imagine motor vehicles often think the same.

Saying this, I never cut in front of another cyclist when stopped at lights (unless there's masses of room in the ASL and a clear slot). Get plenty of people doing it to me, but I really don't care. As soon as traffic's moving and the coast is clear they're usually not in front for long ;-) Maybe it's the case that some cyclists feel the need to cut to the front as they feel uncomfortable in a pack. I've actually found older gents (40+ - older than me anyway) to be a bit bargy. Have had to give an 'easy Boris' when a bojo's almost wobbled into me on a couple of occasions!

As I've said in a few posts, commuting just requires a bit of patience and composure, even if you're a speedy gonzalaz riding a scalpotron 5000. The bloke in the OP sounds a bit of a douche, but hey, you get 'em.


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## teekay421 (17 Aug 2012)

Andrew_Culture said:


> Assclowns is now my word of the day.


Me also!
Awesome post Edwards80


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## Andrew_Culture (17 Aug 2012)

What does 'ASL' mean? It's confusing me seeing it because my initials are ASL!


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## redcard (17 Aug 2012)

Andrew_Culture said:


> What does 'ASL' mean? It's confusing me seeing it because my initials are ASL!


 
advanced stop line


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## Andrew_Culture (17 Aug 2012)

Thank you! Sadly in Ipswich most of them appear to have faded in the sun.


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## GrasB (17 Aug 2012)

I've given up with ASLs. I find I get where I'm going quicker by getting to a nice spot between cars a few cars back from the lights & staying in lane. This way I avoid the whole problem of people barging in front of me, most of the time going beyond the ASL to do so, then causing me to have to accelerate hard from 5mph or so to 25mph in the small gaps between cars.


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## MissTillyFlop (17 Aug 2012)

fossyant said:


> Here we go again. Lycra roadie bashing


 
I am a lycra roadie. Just a lady one.


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## Lancj1 (17 Aug 2012)

Andrew_Culture said:


> giving no mindspace to imagined aggressions leads to far happier...


 
This - applied to life in general. So accurate.

Every hobby or leisure pursuit I have had over the years seems to alienate itself against the outside and then turns on each other. Must be a way of the world I guess.

In this case, its riding a bloody bike


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## MrJamie (17 Aug 2012)

tadpole said:


> Happened to me, on my ride home from work, two young chaps on nice looking roadies, bullied passed me at the lights, and in to the front of the cycle area. I sat there, puffing and a blowing, I got the "look at that fat bastard" look. They looked kind of sad as I left them behind on the first slope we came to, when they had run out of gears to change down to. I am fat and my bike is old, but I average 16.8 to 20.2mph on my 9 1/4 mile ride home (with six sets of lights along the way) We should respect all on two wheels, from the fattest to the fittest and all points in between.


 Its hard to guess what people were thinking though, it might just be they're impressed/suprised at your pace.  I definitely agree about sticking together as cyclists though.


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## tadpole (17 Aug 2012)

MrJamie said:


> Its hard to guess what people were thinking though, it might just be they're impressed/suprised at your pace.  I definitely agree about sticking together as cyclists though.


 Not real hard, one guy, looked over at me gave me a fat bastard look, nudged his mate, pointed with his head/chin, his mate looked over, muttered something ending in *unt. and they both laughed. I'm thick skinned, and mostly don’t notices the subtleties of human interaction because of a mental condition, so it has to be pretty clear cut for it to even register with me.


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## Cyclopathic (17 Aug 2012)

Andrew_Culture said:


> Pillock! Whenever I overtake another cyclist I do so assuming they've just canned it at 45mpg average and are taking a well-earned rest, regardless of their bike, clothing, pace or rank odour.


Whenever I overtake another cyclist I'm always careful not to clip their stabilisers


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## Maylian (17 Aug 2012)

I tend to assume the looks I get are of admiration. I know when I'm walking along I look at all cyclists with admiration and longing to be back on my bike.

As for scalps and aggression I do love over taking any cyclist I can although I always make sure to give them plenty of room and normally won't pull back into secondary for a long time to make sure I'm clear. I shout at RLJers regardless if their lycra clad roadies like me, hipster fixies or just people pootling along on their bikes. I also tend to try and ride defensively for some other cyclists when the traffic is busy and I think they look nervous as then traffic overtaking me is well away from the other cyclist.

But yeah a little friendly competition is fun but I think of cyclists as a nice family, although still think hipsters on fixies are the adopted ginger children....


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## Drago (17 Aug 2012)

Perhaps he has the squirts and was 'desperate' to get to work?

I ride in Lycra but always try to be friendly and considerate to other cyclists. Sadly, the SAS roadies are often the ones that don't respond to greetings.


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## summerdays (17 Aug 2012)

I would either wait behind someone or more likely if there is the space pull up beside (on their right), that way I'm not in their way, nor them in mine and we can set off at the pace that suits us. I'm quick at accelerating but can't maintain that pace, but like to get away from the junction and the bunch.


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## gaz (17 Aug 2012)

I can see the guys point. It can get annoying if the same people continuously filter in front of you and then pull away really slowly.
It happens to me regularly in London, however I don't go talking to people like that, we have to share the road and that includes with other cyclists, we should be happy that they are on bikes and not on the train, car or motorbike.


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## lukesdad (17 Aug 2012)

gaz said:


> I can see the guys point. It can get annoying if the same people continuously filter in front of you and then pull away really slowly.
> It happens to me regularly in London, however I don't go talking to people like that, we have to share the road and that includes with other cyclists, we should be happy that they are on bikes and not on the train, car or motorbike.


 
Gaz is a miserable geet he won't even talk to anybody when he s stationary. <  Gaz on a good day >


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## PpPete (17 Aug 2012)

My other half is often un-necessarily overtaken by "all the gear -no idea" merchants on her commute. Unfortunately it's a narrow & busy road and difficult / dangerous to overtake back on the uphills where she is invariably faster - despite riding a 22 year old steel tourer laden with pannier.

Unfortunately there are some clowns who seem to think "female" - must be faster than her. or "tourer/panniers" - must be able to overtake that.... and slow down immediately after. 
It's the same mindset as the drivers who assume they are going to be faster than all bikes - whatever the road conditions.
I've also recently encountered it among drivers who see an L plate and automatically assume they "must" overtake any Learner driver - even when that Learner is right on the speed limit. - My son is learning to drive at the moment and I get to go out with him when he practising between lessons !

Morons, the lot of them !


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## Simba (18 Aug 2012)

Andrew_Culture said:


> Thank you! Sadly in Ipswich most of them appear to have faded in the sun.


 
You get sun in Ipswich?


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## Andrew_Culture (18 Aug 2012)

Simba said:


> You get sun in Ipswich?



Days and days of it each year, at least 8.

<anorak>Actually Suffolk officially gets more sunshine each year than any other English county. </anorak>


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## jonny jeez (18 Aug 2012)

it a variant on the "manners" debate.

It happens to all vehicles, although the larger they get the more tricky it becomes. Groups of road users all abide by an unwritten rule and get along just fine respecting each others space, until someone decides to ignore the equilibrium and push up to the front.

Happens in Tescos a bit.
Happens in Asda's a bit more.
Hardly ever happens in Waitrose.


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## Maylian (18 Aug 2012)

jonny jeez said:


> it a variant on the "manners" debate.
> 
> It happens to all vehicles, although the larger they get the more tricky it becomes. Groups of road users all abide by an unwritten rule and get along just fine respecting each others space, until someone decides to ignore the equilibrium and push up to the front.
> 
> ...


 
I often enjoy a quick whistle at the person who tries to push infront of me at a supermarket, I just point to the back of the queue. They almost always look a little shame faced and sullen that they haven't got away with it. Waitrose and Sainsbury's just have a better quality of shopper since it only ever happens in Asda for me.


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## Maylian (18 Aug 2012)

Andrew_Culture said:


> Days and days of it each year, at least 8.
> 
> <anorak>Actually Suffolk officially gets more sunshine each year than any other English county. </anorak>


 
I always thought it was Cornwall? Or are they the warmest county just not the sunniest?


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## Andrew_Culture (18 Aug 2012)

Maylian said:


> I always thought it was Cornwall? Or are they the warmest county just not the sunniest?


 
I think that's correct.


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## Crankarm (18 Aug 2012)

tadpole said:


> Happened to me, on my ride home from work, two young chaps on nice looking roadies, bullied passed me at the lights, and in to the front of the cycle area. I sat there, puffing and a blowing, I got the "look at that fat bastard" look. They looked kind of sad as I left them behind on the first slope we came to, when they had run out of gears to change down to. I am fat and my bike is old, but _*I average 16.8 to 20.2mph on my 9 1/4 mile ride home (with six sets of lights along the way)*_ We should respect all on two wheels, from the fattest to the fittest and all points in between.


 
You should turn Pro now.


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## smokeysmoo (18 Aug 2012)

fossyant said:


> Ladies don't trump !


You're making an assumption there about MissTillyFlop 

I'm saying nowt


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## smokeysmoo (18 Aug 2012)

Andrew_Culture said:


> Thank you! Sadly in Ipswich most of them appear to have faded in the sun.


Most of the ones around here have been washed away by the rain


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## Andy_R (18 Aug 2012)

smokeysmoo said:


> You're making an assumption there about MissTillyFlop
> 
> I'm saying nowt


You've said more than you should


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## smokeysmoo (18 Aug 2012)

redcard said:


> advanced stop line


I assumed it meant automatic stop light, don't know why, just assumed it to be and never sought clarification for it 

I've learnt something today, today is a good day


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## smokeysmoo (18 Aug 2012)

Andy_R said:


> You've said more than you should


You might be right, when MissTillyFlop comes looking for me do me a favour, tell her I've emigrated


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## Crankarm (18 Aug 2012)

Sometimes I deliberately ride slow so I can get a lift. It works like this. Looking over your shoulder from time to time you spy a FABMAMIL busting a gut to catch you or student riding a Viking wearing flip flops which happened on wednesday. You reduce your cadence. The FABMAMIL/student creeps by you sweating like a sumo at a weight watchers class or the morning they are due to sit their finals. You notice he is on one of those hybrids/crappy road bike that is trying to look like a proper road bike. He then slots in in front of you, pedalling as if his other half has just caught him eyeing up the next door neighbour whose sunbathing topless. Anyway this FABMAMIL/student is busting a gut while you are riding in their slipstream, drafting them getting an easy tow for 10+ miles. In the last 400m fresh as a daisy you pull up on the pedals and cruise pastthem with a cheery "Thanks for the ride. See ya!".

The rule is you don't over take, you draft. Anything for an easy life.


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## Andy_R (18 Aug 2012)

smokeysmoo said:


> You might be right, when MissTillyFlop comes looking for me do me a favour, tell her I've emigrated


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## Maylian (18 Aug 2012)

smokeysmoo said:


> I assumed it meant automatic stop light, don't know why, just assumed it to be and never sought clarification for it
> 
> I've learnt something today, today is a good day


 
Just be careful because it also means: age/sex/location in chat circles, so you might be getting a come on....although quite difficult to confuse the two given the scenario.


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## smokeysmoo (18 Aug 2012)

FTFY


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## Andy_R (18 Aug 2012)

If you go and hide in pet chat, I'll not say a word................


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## snorri (18 Aug 2012)

Crankarm said:


> The rule is you don't over take, you draft. Anything for an easy life.


 Uh huh, another one nearing pension age.


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## al78 (18 Aug 2012)

Maylian said:


> I always thought it was Cornwall? Or are they the warmest county just not the sunniest?


 
It's actually West Sussex.


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## Pat "5mph" (18 Aug 2012)

Crankarm said:


> (...) you spy a FABMAMIL busting a gut to catch you (.....) You notice he is on one of those hybrids/crappy road bike that is trying to look like a proper road bike. (....) FABMAMIL/student (....)


 
Well, then: there is a "people like you" and a "people like me" cycling thingmy, it seems, just like in other circles of life.
The guy in the OP must have been thinking aloud, how rude of him.
Wish him a roundabout filled with black taxis


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## jim55 (18 Aug 2012)

the past few days have seen me sharing most of the route with one guy who thinks its a grand prix start from the lights ,by the time i move off and im clipped on hes already 10 yds ahead sprinting like a mad thing ,invariably once i get going i pass him and at the next set of lights he catches up and repeats the process ,,
he done this on fri and i asked him why ,his response "cos im faster than u"i just shook my head and said nothing


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## jefmcg (19 Aug 2012)

Crankarm said:


> Sometimes I deliberately ride slow so I can get a lift. It works like this. Looking over your shoulder from time to time you spy a FABMAMIL busting a gut to catch you.


What's a FABMAMIL? Google has no idea (I know what a MAMIL is)


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## GrasB (19 Aug 2012)

Crankarm said:


> You should turn Pro now.


Assuming that's a rolling average that's no where near pro standard. I Regularly get that kind of average across Cambridge.


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## GrasB (19 Aug 2012)

gaz said:


> I can see the guys point. It can get annoying if the same people continuously filter in front of you and then pull away really slowly.
> It happens to me regularly in London, however I don't go talking to people like that, we have to share the road and that includes with other cyclists, we should be happy that they are on bikes and not on the train, car or motorbike.


As I said earlier there are also ways to avoid the problem as well. There's no need to filter to the front of the line every time & personally I don't actually like leading out across a new green light; I'd much prefer the traffic stream altercation between 2 motor vehicles when an amber gambler gets it wrong.


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## gaz (19 Aug 2012)

GrasB said:


> As I said earlier there are also ways to avoid the problem as well. There's no need to filter to the front of the line every time & personally I don't actually like leading out across a new green light; I'd much prefer the traffic stream altercation between 2 motor vehicles when an amber gambler gets it wrong.


From a central London perspective, you will waist so much time if you don't attempt to filter near to the front.
Because the cars have no chance of getting in front of the cyclists before the next set of red traffic lights.


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## Pat "5mph" (19 Aug 2012)

jefmcg said:


> What's a FABMAMIL? Google has no idea (I know what a MAMIL is)


I think it means fat and bald.
Cyclist can be cruel, I found out!


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## tadpole (20 Aug 2012)

Crankarm said:


> You should turn Pro now.


I'm assuming that you doubt me. and that is your right, as to turning pro, I'm knackered at the end of that. So unless the hold 9/14 mile road races with traffic lights where you can catch your breath I'll leave that to the rest of the armchair racers.


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## GrasB (20 Aug 2012)

gaz said:


> From a central London perspective, you will waist so much time if you don't attempt to filter near to the front.
> Because the cars have no chance of getting in front of the cyclists before the next set of red traffic lights.


As I said 2 or 3 cars from the front. With my, very, limited London cycling experience. It seemed to work quite well & allowed me to consistently get past the bulk of the slow cyclists before dropping infront of them without the whole overtaking problem. That said there seemed to be far more bus lanes in london than I'm used to around here which means you're not having to kick hard past the cyclists.


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## jefmcg (20 Aug 2012)

Pat "5mph" said:


> I think it means fat and bald.
> Cyclist can be cruel, I found out!


Thanks.

And now google has 1 search result for that: this thread!


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## Sara_H (20 Aug 2012)

Happens to me all the time, I ride helmetless in ordinary clothes with panniers and sometimes a basket, but I've been negotiating the hills of Sheffield for many years and I often pass lycra clad newbies!!!


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## MrSweary (20 Aug 2012)

Yes, people filtering in front of you at lights and then pulling away slowly can be annoying, especially if they do it continuously all the way along the Kings Road  . However, console yourself with the thought that these unfortunate indiviuals have been raised without manners and no doubt go through life as if everything is a battle or a competition - hence they are invariably miserable, embittered types with low self esteem and no friends. Plus they probably smell of poo. Don't let them ruin your beautiful cycle.

Of course, if they give you verbals the only option is to give them the hairdryer treatment with as much obscure and disgusting language as you can muster. If delivered at pace
I find one can quite often shock the verbal abuser into silence. 

Yours, MrSweary


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## BrazingSaddles (20 Aug 2012)

Pat "5mph" said:


> I think it means fat and bald.
> Cyclist can be cruel, I found out!


Oh Pat - that saddens me to think an 'orrible cyclist has been mean to you. Do they not know who you are?! We need to invent switch-blade wheels x


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## stephen.rooke (20 Aug 2012)

i dont usually dress in cycling gear have cycling shorts under some tracksuit bottoms, always have people thinking there good trying to get past. i just put the power on and out run them  same with car drivers in traffic lol


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## defy-one (20 Aug 2012)

I'm usually wearing trousers with a shirt,no helmet. Clips to keep the trousers off the chain.Rack & pannier.
Love dropping the urban warriors with there shorts,mtb & hump sacks!!!


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## stephen.rooke (20 Aug 2012)

was on the cycle path near my house the other day taking my sister for a ride so going around 10mph, 2 guys went past laughing at my speed. came up to a strava segment so i blew past them and took kom, oh the joys of cycling


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## Pat "5mph" (20 Aug 2012)

BrazingSaddles said:


> Oh Pat - that saddens me to think an 'orrible cyclist has been mean to you. Do they not know who you are?! We need to invent switch-blade wheels x


Actually ... no 
No cyclist has ever been cruel to me (yet, ha, ha!).
I was referring to the term FABMAMIL, which I assume means fat and bald middle aged male in Lycra, used by Crankarm in post 53.


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## wheres_my_beard (20 Aug 2012)

Maybe he finds cycling near sexy ladies uncomfortable  

Especially if he was wearing overly revealing lycra shorts.


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## fossyant (20 Aug 2012)

jim55 said:


> the past few days have seen me sharing most of the route with one guy who thinks its a grand prix start from the lights ,by the time i move off and im clipped on hes already 10 yds ahead sprinting like a mad thing ,invariably once i get going i pass him and at the next set of lights he catches up and repeats the process ,,
> he done this on fri and i asked him why ,his response "cos im faster than u"i just shook my head and said nothing


 
Love it.....


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## Crankarm (21 Aug 2012)

tadpole said:


> I'm assuming that you doubt me. and that is your right, as to turning pro, I'm knackered at the end of that. So unless the hold 9/14 mile road races with traffic lights where you can catch your breath I'll leave that to the rest of the armchair racers.


 


tadpole said:


> Happened to me, on my ride home from work, two young chaps on nice looking roadies, bullied passed me at the lights, and in to the front of the cycle area. I sat there, puffing and a blowing, I got the "look at that fat bastard" look. They looked kind of sad as I left them behind on the first slope we came to, when they had run out of gears to change down to. I am fat and my bike is old, but I average 16.8 to 20.2mph on my 9 1/4 mile ride home (with six sets of lights along the way) We should respect all on two wheels, from the fattest to the fittest and all points in between.


 
Simply deluded if you think you can actually average the speeds you claim commuting if you have to stop for traffic lights which means slowing down, stationary for a couple of minutes then getting going again when the lights change and on a hybrid as well .......................... Not to mention you being a bit fat by your own admission.


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## Crankarm (21 Aug 2012)

GrasB said:


> Assuming that's a rolling average that's no where near pro standard. _*I Regularly get that kind of average across Cambridge*_.


 
No way!


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## Crankarm (21 Aug 2012)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Actually ... no
> No cyclist has ever been cruel to me (yet, ha, ha!).
> I was referring to the term FABMAMIL, which I assume means fat and bald middle aged male in Lycra, used by Crankarm in post 53.


 
Fat And Bald Middle Aged Men in Lycra.


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## GrasB (21 Aug 2012)

Crankarm said:


> No way!


Yes way on *rolling average*. To get a 20mph rolling average you need to be getting into the mid-20 most of the time when you can ride smoothly, it also requires you to accelerate up to speed quickly. Now that 20mph rolling turns into around 15mph end to end.


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## 400bhp (21 Aug 2012)

You on strava/gps tracker Gras?-post a ride up to shut him up.


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## GrasB (21 Aug 2012)

No GPS on my city hack, just a cheapish wired trip comp.I often have to wait 3-5 min for my Edge 500 to lock onto a signal at the offices.


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## Crankarm (21 Aug 2012)

400bhp said:


> You on strava/gps tracker Gras?-post a ride up to shut him up.


 
Are you User3143 in disguise?


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## tadpole (21 Aug 2012)

Crankarm said:


> Simply deluded if you think you can actually average the speeds you claim commuting if you have to stop for traffic lights which means slowing down, stationary for a couple of minutes then getting going again when the lights change and on a hybrid as well .......................... Not to mention you being a bit fat by your own admission.


 
No you are right, 20.2mph is based on only two rides, did them both in 27.16 so not really real averages
Based on my top ten rides to work, my average time is 28 minutes.42 seconds (8.6 miles average measured, I’ve been cycling/driving the route for 4 years / 8 years) 17.9895mph
Based on my top ten rides to home, my average time is 28.minutes 1 second (9.2miles average measured) I’ve been cycling/driving the route for 4 years / 8 years) 19.7026mph
My best five rides to work are averaging out at 27.minutes 41 seconds 18.6393mph
My best five rides home are averaging out at 27.minutes 40 seconds 19.95mph.


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## Glow worm (21 Aug 2012)

Crankarm said:


> Are you User3143 in disguise?


 
Oh I'd forgotten about him - has he gone? - a right old barrel of laughs if I remember rightly!


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## 400bhp (21 Aug 2012)

Crankarm said:


> Are you User3143 in disguise?


 
Is that a football chant?


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## Miquel In De Rain (21 Aug 2012)

Whatever happened to User3143?


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## Cyclopathic (21 Aug 2012)

Maylian said:


> I often enjoy a quick whistle at the person who tries to push infront of me at a supermarket, I just point to the back of the queue. They almost always look a little shame faced and sullen that they haven't got away with it. Waitrose and Sainsbury's just have a better quality of shopper since it only ever happens in Asda for me.


When I went to Iceland to get nothing more than a block of cheese at xmas time, not only did niether of the two fully laden trolly drivers in front of me not say "Oh, is that all you've got love, why don't you just pop through" but the person in front of me waved down a friend of theirs with yet another fully laden, in fact more than fully laden trolly, and said "Here, I saved you a place in the queue" . I muttered something like "oh great" to which she said to her friend "what's his problem" and then without any shame continued to send out her sprogs to further pack their trolly with yet more packets of the three main food groups i.e fat sugar and salt.
Scum has gone to Iceland.


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## Miquel In De Rain (21 Aug 2012)

She was probably off of her trolley.


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## Cyclopathic (21 Aug 2012)

Crankarm said:


> No way!


There are certain sections of my ride through a busy city where I am averaging 25 mph. Scouts honor.


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## Miquel In De Rain (21 Aug 2012)

Best bet is to fit your trolley with an airzound.


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## Crankarm (21 Aug 2012)

Cyclopathic said:


> There are certain sections of my ride through a busy city where I am averaging 25 mph. Scouts honor.


 
 . So you have stated that you _average_ 25mph riding in a busy city where you have all sorts of road users and traffic signals to negotiate .............. on a hybrid bike. I don't believe you, this is b******s.

Most good club riders can just about average 22-24mph. Your claim of 25mph is frankly fanciful.


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## 400bhp (21 Aug 2012)

I can average in excess of 30 mph in some segments.


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## tadpole (21 Aug 2012)

Crankarm said:


> . So you have stated that you _average_ 25mph riding in a busy city where you have all sorts of road users and traffic signals to negotiate .............. on a hybrid bike. I don't believe you, this is b******s.
> 
> Most good club riders can just about average 22-24mph. Your claim of 25mph is frankly fanciful.


Ok so what is, in you opinion, a realistic speed for say a 9.2 mile cycle rural to urban to city ride?


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## Glow worm (21 Aug 2012)

tadpole said:


> Ok so what is, in you opinion, a realistic speed for say a 9.2 mile cycle rural to urban to city ride?


 
My 10 mile commute average is between 10 and 12 mph if that's any help


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## davefb (21 Aug 2012)

Andrew_Culture said:


> Thank you! Sadly in Ipswich most of them appear to have faded in the sun.


washed away by the constant rain oop t'north..

[edit]
knew I should have gone thru and checked, since it was too obvious a comment


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## tadpole (21 Aug 2012)

http://app.strava.com/rides/19162485

16.877mph
And that was not one of my better rides (need to apply rule#5)
you can also see I've been caught on 5 of the 6 sets of lights. 

Edit Ok so maybe you can't see where I was caught on the lights.


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## jim55 (21 Aug 2012)

Right il post a picture of the strava app , note the diff between top speed ( which is what I'm sure folk are quoting their ave as ) and the actual average ( stopping at lights / getting going again/ gen road commuting£

This is my commute to work through Glasgow and as u can see I wasn't hanging about ( by no means fast but a few wee downhill sections )





It's one iv posted before but it illustrates what iv said


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## Cyclopathic (21 Aug 2012)

Crankarm said:


> . So you have stated that you _average_ 25mph riding in a busy city where you have all sorts of road users and traffic signals to negotiate .............. on a hybrid bike. I don't believe you, this is b******s.
> 
> Most good club riders can just about average 22-24mph. Your claim of 25mph is frankly fanciful.


I would draw your attention to the first part of my claim which states "There are *certain sections*..." They are in fact very specific sections and very short sections and very down hill sections. My claim is entirely factually correct and truthful. However for a more honest appraisal of my overall average speed around town you could probably change the mph for kph and then knock a few off that for good measure.
I make no apologies for my claim as it was meant to deceive. I laid my cunning little trap and you fell right in to it...mwhahahaha.


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## Crankarm (21 Aug 2012)

tadpole said:


> Ok so what is, in you opinion, a realistic speed for say a 9.2 mile cycle rural to urban to city ride?


 
Around 13 - 16 mph AVERAGE speed. If you are more than a plodder maybe 18 - 19mph AVERAGE speed.


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## Cyclopathic (21 Aug 2012)

400bhp said:


> I can average in excess of 30 mph in some segments.


Don't listen to the haters out there...I believe you.


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## Crankarm (21 Aug 2012)

Cyclopathic said:


> Don't listen to the haters out there...I believe you.


 
It's not an average if you only choose to consider your fastest speed .............. .

To AVERAGE 30mph riding a bicycle you pretty much have to be doing a time trial with few obstacles to slow you down. I suppose you could do it around town if you hung onto the back of a bus but then a bus keeps stopping .............


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## MissTillyFlop (21 Aug 2012)

fossyant said:


> Ladies don't trump !


 
I ain't no lady!


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## tadpole (21 Aug 2012)

jim55 said:


> Right il post a picture of the strava app , note the diff between top speed ( which is what I'm sure folk are quoting their ave as ) and the actual average ( stopping at lights / getting going again/ gen road commuting£
> 
> This is my commute to work through Glasgow and as u can see I wasn't hanging about ( by no means fast but a few wee downhill sections )
> 
> ...


My average is worked out over the whole distance of the ride. if you see my strava ride you'll see that my ride is listed as 8.8 (9.2 but strava takes off 2 tenths each end so for privacy, not relevent) and the time is 31.17.
this website http://www.machinehead-software.co.uk/bike/speed_distance_time_calc.html works out the average as 16.877mph
My top speed on that ride was I think 27.7 mph but only for a couple of hundred yards.


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## MissTillyFlop (21 Aug 2012)

Andy_R said:


>


Ah come on, my bum's not THAT lethal


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## 400bhp (21 Aug 2012)

Crankarm said:


> It's not an average if you only choose to consider your fastest speed .............. .
> 
> To AVERAGE 30mph riding a bicycle you pretty much have to be doing a time trial with few obstacles to slow you down. I suppose you could do it around town if you hung onto the back of a bus but then a bus keeps stopping .............


 
I've done 40 average before. Indeed, I've averagred 50 too.

I am a CYCLING GOD


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## Pat "5mph" (21 Aug 2012)

400bhp said:


> I am a CYCLING GOD


Like him?


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## GrasB (21 Aug 2012)

jim55 said:


> Right il post a picture of the strava app , note the diff between top speed ( which is what I'm sure folk are quoting their ave as ) and the actual average ( stopping at lights / getting going again/ gen road commuting...


However there's a big difference between a rider who can achieve those sorts of speeds on the flat & one who does those sorts of speeds down hill. If they've got the power to hit those speeds regularly then they'll accelerate far far quicker than most cyclists & still have the filtering advantage. This should allow them to get into the 20mph average if they don't get much interference from slowly accelerating traffic. This route is an example, there have been the very rare occasions I've completed it 10min & a handful of seconds (22mph). However 12-15min (15-18.5mph) is a much more typical door to door time.

Edit: my like went AWOL


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## jim55 (21 Aug 2012)

^^^^ this
i know for a fact that i couldnt maintain anything like 36 mph (unless in a car or something ),id say i could maintain 16 or so (on my own ) for a good while ,i only posted that as some people see the top speed and think its great ,it isnt a true measure as its down a wee incline and tbh a lot of peeps would go a lot faster 
in fact i was out at the weekend in a group and we done a section and it was about 3-4 ml before we stopped at lights and the average pace was 21 mph (all fairly normal riding ,no major hills and flat(ish)

a fair way off 36 mph!!!


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## RedRider (21 Aug 2012)

I thought the original post might be provocative but wasn't expecting six pages so I'm enjoying the responses and all their diversions. Cheers.

In relation to the original point maybe the tangent into average speeds over the last couple of pages is strangely relevant. Could it be the bloke who made my woman cry had his eyes on the prize of a PB?

Probably not but it raises a thought about how aggressively we sometimes ride our city commutes. Reminds me how people get on tubes in London where they'd curse a pregnant pensioner pausing to stretch their aching back.

The OP was not anti-stretchy material by the way but perhaps dressing up does have an effect on our behaviour. Wearing lycra is not a crime (and if it is then lock me up) but just because we definitely look like gods it doesn't mean we are.

PS I'm happy to report my partner hasn't missed a pedal stroke. She's out there and prepared with a little finger gesture and a gust of wind!!

I'll shut up now but bottom line...there's no excuse to make someone cry on your commute.


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## Pat "5mph" (21 Aug 2012)

RedRider said:


> (... )pregnant pensioner(...)


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## al78 (21 Aug 2012)

GrasB said:


> However there's a big difference between a rider who can achieve those sorts of speeds on the flat & one who does those sorts of speeds down hill. If they've got the power to hit those speeds regularly then they'll accelerate far far quicker than most cyclists & still have the filtering advantage. This should allow them to get into the 20mph average if they don't get much interference from slowly accelerating traffic. This route is an example, there have been the very rare occasions I've completed it 10min & a handful of seconds (22mph). However 12-15min (15-18.5mph) is a much more typical door to door time.
> 
> Edit: my like went AWOL


 
I doubt they would be filtering at 20+ mph though (if they are then they are insane).

I can believe it is possible to get to 20 mph average in an urban area over a set number of miles but it would require free flowing traffic conditions. Going from Manchester to Salford for example a powerful cyclist could sustain 20+mph along the bus lane on the A6 easily if the few traffic lights are favorable.

I've only averaged 20 mph a couple of times on my 9.5 mile ride from work to home, but that involves a net descent and is almost entirely rural.


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## RedRider (21 Aug 2012)

Pat "5mph" said:


>


Terrible problem with pensioners down here. All sex and drugs and hanging round Piccadilly Circus spitting.


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## Cyclopathic (22 Aug 2012)

Crankarm said:


> It's not an average if you only choose to consider your fastest speed .............. .
> 
> To AVERAGE 30mph riding a bicycle you pretty much have to be doing a time trial with few obstacles to slow you down. I suppose you could do it around town if you hung onto the back of a bus but then a bus keeps stopping .............


He didn't say his fastset time he said "over some segments". It is perfectly possible to collect up the data from all the "segments of ones journey where the speed is about 30 mph and come up with an average speed over those specific segments of 30mph. No one is for a second claiming that this is an honest appraisal of ones actual performance, it is simply an exercise in semantics to give a misleading but humorous impression that one is an impossibly quick cyclist.


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## 400bhp (22 Aug 2012)

Cyclopathic said:


> He didn't say his fastset time he said "over some segments". It is perfectly possible to collect up the data from all the "segments of ones journey where the speed is about 30 mph and come up with an average speed over those specific segments of 30mph. No one is for a second claiming that this is an honest appraisal of ones actual performance, it is simply an exercise in semantics to give a misleading but humorous impression that one is an impossibly quick cyclist.


 


I couldn't be arsed to spell it out - thanks for that


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## GrasB (22 Aug 2012)

al78 said:


> I doubt they would be filtering at 20+ mph though (if they are then they are insane).


My really fast city crossings are more dependent on oncoming traffic conditions than in-lane traffic conditions. When you have very light oncoming traffic simply go onto the other side of the road & overtake at 25-30mph... motorists faces look a little like this: 
It's a real case of showing people in motor vehicles you're not _in_ traffic, you _are_ traffic.

As I said that's exceptional, more usual end to end speeds are 15-18.5mph, with rolling averages above 20mph.


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## BentMikey (22 Aug 2012)

I once managed a rolling average of 21.4mph over the 22.5 mile trip from home to work. Never come close to that again. Usually it's closer to 17-19mph.


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## Cyclopathic (22 Aug 2012)

400bhp said:


> I couldn't be arsed to spell it out - thanks for that


You're very welcome.


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## tadpole (22 Aug 2012)

GrasB said:


> As I said that's exceptional, more usual end to end speeds are 15-18.5mph, with rolling averages above 20mph.


In this context, what is meant by "rolling average"?


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## al78 (22 Aug 2012)

tadpole said:


> In this context, what is meant by "rolling average"?


 
Only the parts of the journey where you are moving count towards the average speed i.e. stoppage time doesn't count.


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## tadpole (23 Aug 2012)

al78 said:


> Only the parts of the journey where you are moving count towards the average speed i.e. stoppage time doesn't count.


 Right, I understand. same as Strava's "moving time"


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## GrasB (23 Aug 2012)

BentMikey said:


> I once managed a rolling average of 21.4mph over the 22.5 mile trip from home to work. Never come close to that again. Usually it's closer to 17-19mph.


That's not surprising to me. I can't get close to my DF times on my Giro 26 across town despite it being faster than any of my DFs on a flat road. Even for the same power a DF accelerates far more quickly than a 'bent.


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## 400bhp (23 Aug 2012)

GrasB said:


> That's not surprising to me. I can't get close to my DF times on my Giro 26 across town despite it being faster than any of my DFs on a flat road. Even for the same power a DF accelerates far more quickly than a 'bent.


 
Please stop using acronyms - most annoying.


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