# Why can't you overtake a club bunch without them taking it as a challenge?



## spire (11 Feb 2008)

I went out for a decent solo ride on Saturday (what a beautiful day) and came upon a bunch of club riders going along at about 18mph, which was just too slow for my mood.

I positioned to overtake thinking 'groan, I know what's going to happen,' then smiled as I went past, saying nothing.

Inevitably this was taken as a challenge, and after a while they put on a burst then settled back down to 18mph, so I overtook them again.

The pattern then repeated. Although it was quite fun, on the third occasion they just glared at me.

If you don't want an extended conversation is there anything you can say that's not perceived as a challenge?


----------



## zimzum42 (11 Feb 2008)

I often have this problem on my Brompton in Majorca.

I'll be trundling to the shops to pick up some Paella ingredients when i come across these pro team riders blocking up the road on their 'training runs'.

They don't half whinge when I breeze past, what with their shaven legs you'd think they'd have other things to worry about


----------



## yenrod (11 Feb 2008)

As you passed them you should have said to them 'imagine Im a car and you wont chase me...


----------



## fossyant (11 Feb 2008)

Should have gone past at 25 mph said a cheery hello and give it some......


----------



## Ludwig (11 Feb 2008)

I love flying past these posing and posturing road divas on my mtb


----------



## fossyant (11 Feb 2008)

Now now ludwig......


----------



## stevenb (11 Feb 2008)

Haven't had it happen to me yet...some club riders completely blank me and my mate when we're out.....yet we always say hello and smile and wave etc.
I'd just hang on the back of them and drift along....save energy...when they spot you then blast it and say Ciao...


----------



## jashburnham (12 Feb 2008)

They hate it don't they - especially the London Dynamo gang we see round these parts. I've never had one of their riders respond to my cheery "'morning" as I sidle past them... grumpy sods.


----------



## RedBike (12 Feb 2008)

I have no idea. I've never been quick enough to over-take a chain gang. 

Now and then I pass groups of riders clearly out for a lesuirely ride; but they never attempt to keep up or re-pass.


----------



## dudi (19 Feb 2008)

I've only ever seen one chaingang out on the roads round here... and they were in the opposite direction. got a cheery hello and a wave from most of them... 

Looked like I was going faster than them... and no, it wasn't a uphill-downhill thing. 

I do enjoy overtaking the lone cyclists on my route out to work though... not sure how serious they take it, but I like to keep my average speed up... it's good to overtake on a long flat road... especially as I am riding my fixie at the moment... which doesn't really lend itslef to opening up the taps on a long flat road...


----------



## piedwagtail91 (19 Feb 2008)

you should have said hello or similar when you passed.if someone passes us and says hello we leave them, if they say nothing then it can be taken as a bit of an insult and they get chased down.don't know how it's viewed in other parts of the country.
although there were only to of us on the ride home from a tea stop, we caught and passed a lone cyclist, said hello and caried on.later he came flying past saying nothing, we let him get 100 yards before a long climb into town.
my son said lets rip his legs off, but i said ride steady we'll catch him easily, i could tell from his riding style .we got behind him and my son wanted to pass and drop him.
being a bit of a git i said no, sit on his wheel and talk a bit louder, so we ride easily whilst he kills himself trying to keep a speed up.
if he'd just have siad something when he passed we'd have let him go and not have sat on him watching him suffer.


----------



## Jacomus-rides-Gen (19 Feb 2008)

I think it depends on the typre of clubrun - I'm not into racing, despite the constant needling from the club racers to join them, I just like riding my bike and having a chat to people who don't get bored when you start talking about tyres/wheels etc.

If someone passes us on either side of the road most members will wave or call out, and there certainly isn't any chasing down. The race boys however are a moody bunch - training and everything is a race to them, so if someone goes past they *must* chase them down etc etc.


----------



## Dave5N (19 Feb 2008)

I think it's because you don't say hello. If we get overtaken and the rider doesn't give a greeting, we chase him down. Great fun taking turns to half-wheel a desperate man!


----------



## spire (20 Feb 2008)

I've tried:

"Morning!"

"Hello!"

Just smiling.

Always seems to be taken as a challenge.

Don't really mind, and it's often fun, but most groups settle back to a slower pace (presumably to cater for their slowest rider), so the process repeats itself, which can become tedious.


----------



## jashburnham (25 Feb 2008)

Fricking London Dynamo got in the way again on Saturday. I'm tooling round Richmond park with a mate when they decide to overtake and them immediately drop their speed again forcing us to overtake, at which point they get cross and overtake again completely spoiling our rhythm, so frustrating, and they never ever warn you when they pass. My buddy go so fed up that he ended up sitting in their bunch and having a "word" with some of them.


----------



## walker (25 Feb 2008)

jashburnham said:


> Fricking London Dynamo got in the way again on Saturday. I'm tooling round Richmond park with a mate when they decide to overtake and them immediately drop their speed again forcing us to overtake, at which point they get cross and overtake again completely spoiling our rhythm, so frustrating, and they never ever warn you when they pass. My buddy go so fed up that he ended up sitting in their bunch and having a "word" with some of them.




Don't wind up them LD boys, they will show you a lesson in pain if you make them angry


----------



## will (29 Feb 2008)

where I live there are endless strong, very friendly, seniors riding.

On the odd occasion when I am trying - at my far more talented - friend's insistence to go slow and do a light ride - It kills me to get passed.

But unlike some knuckleheads, instead of passing, I catch up and socialize. 

Often very fun


(great thread title!)


----------



## Keith Oates (7 Mar 2008)

If I'm out alone and see a bike ahead I like to work my way up to them and use them as a target, getting there is more satisfying than actually passing them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## jags (7 Mar 2008)

just before you pass the groop whip out your mobile phone and pretend your talking to your coach


----------



## gezza (8 Mar 2008)

jashburnham said:


> Fricking London Dynamo got in the way again on Saturday. I'm tooling round Richmond park with a mate when they decide to overtake and them immediately drop their speed again forcing us to overtake, at which point they get cross and overtake again completely spoiling our rhythm, so frustrating, and they never ever warn you when they pass. My buddy go so fed up that he ended up sitting in their bunch and having a "word" with some of them.



saturday mornings are interesting down there arent they ???

what with the the london dynamo and tri-on-tri club jostling for the right to own the road

i was in the park last year ,and on one of my first visits i was doing the obligatory 3 laps ,i went to signal that i was turning right into the roehampton car park and with no word of warning the fast group came flying past and i almost went straight down the verge and off the bike,this was when i was deciding what club to join,made the right choice by joining KW


----------



## Jacomus-rides-Gen (8 Mar 2008)

I've ridden with KW a few times, but I find them a little too balls out too - I like riding with Charlotteville. Much more civilised!!


----------



## gezza (9 Mar 2008)

everyone's different jacomus i suppose,but the help i've got from KW in getting into cycling,you couldnt ask for more !!!! admitally i dont do too many club runs as i normally have to work sundays


----------



## Roger Livesy (22 Mar 2008)

Lea Valley CC would not be challenged at all . We would give you a friendly wave as you went by.


----------



## roadiewill (30 Mar 2008)

me and two mates overtook the chippenham wheelers group today, but they were only doing about 16mph. no problems, they even told their teamates to move out the way


----------



## GruB (30 Mar 2008)

I hope you said hello or nodded as you went by.
Some ignorant arse didn't when I said hello this morning.
Was it because I was on my winter bike that has mudguards?
Tool


----------



## roadiewill (30 Mar 2008)

of course. hate it when people ignore you


----------



## GruB (30 Mar 2008)

roadiewill said:


> of course. hate it when people ignore you



Nice one, so do I. It costs nothing and is polite.
When people do ignore me I feel like turning around and pushing them off into a hedge


----------



## roadiewill (30 Mar 2008)

haha, they arent really worth the effort though.


----------



## ChrisW (2 Apr 2008)

Jacomus-rides-Gen said:


> I've ridden with KW a few times, but I find them a little too balls out too - I like riding with Charlotteville. Much more civilised!!




Jacomus, there are quite lot of KW members now and on the Sunday club run we normally split into 3 or 4 groups. 

Yep, there are the guys who are using it as a traning ride, but there are normally a couple of groups who do "club run" speed. I really enjoy those!

Trust me, at my age, size and fitness, doing a "training" pace ride is not on... 

Try coming along again this spring ( not this Sun, looks freezing!)

Chris

P.S I agree with what everyone says about the London Dynamos


----------



## walker (4 Apr 2008)

GruB said:


> Nice one, so do I. It costs nothing and is polite.
> When people do ignore me I feel like turning around and pushing them off into a hedge



I ignore everyone on the commute these days, Everyone in London are so arrogant, not many used to say hello back so I don't bother these days


----------



## CopperBrompton (6 Apr 2008)

London is different - it's not really feasible to say hello to every single cyclist you pass: you'd end up with no voice left. :-)

On the open road, though, I'll always say hello, wave or nod.

Ben


----------



## WindyRob (19 Apr 2008)

GruB said:


> I hope you said hello or nodded as you went by.
> Some ignorant arse didn't when I said hello this morning.
> Was it because I was on my winter bike that has mudguards?
> Tool



my bike takes guards and i haven't taken them off yet what with winter not yet ended  it really gets my goat that the ponsed up roadies in matching kit to bike don't even nod let alone raise a hand or say anything. 

there is some smugness on my part having taken the moral high ground by making a greeting that my bike probably cost more than theirs 

i mean it's not as if i'm riding in central london where i'd have to say hi to loads of people, i ride round the hampshire country side and may see just a couple of other riders in 30 miles so it's not like i'm having to say hello every couple of minutes for 2 hours, surely it must be the same for them?

Windy

P.S. if you ride in hampshire and see someone on a blue bike with guards and the rider says hello at least raise a hand, i mean it's not like i want to pick curtains with you


----------

