Hannninfield reservoir scalp

[Nebulous]

I overtook a man on a bike today!

I travel 1.92 miles to work, mostly uphill and never really see another bike.

Today I was heading up to the only set of traffic lights on my journey and realised there was a bike ahead of me. The lights turned red and my heart jumped to see him stop - at last a chance to test my mettle.

I got closer and thought that's funny his breath is condensing, I didn't think it was that cold. I then realised he was smoking.

Royal Mail jacket, full suspension bike, no oil on the chain, back tyre almost flat, steel wheels that were more rust than chrome and a fag in his hand.

The lights changed, and we were off- so slowly that a car opposite turning right took the option to cut across the front of us. Nevertheless I overhauled him quite quickly, upped my cadence and never saw him again.

James

 

[Mad at urage]

Should have stopped and oiled his chain for him!

 

[AaronC]

Lol, on my old mountainbike I used to get overtaken all the time - didn't even realise 'scalped' was a word for it haha

 

[Clandy]

I think all of this type of thing is pathetic in anyone over the age of 12. It's the way car drivers behave, always wanting to go faster than the person in front, and most of it is just willy-waving (sorry, but it is mostly men who like this kind of stuff). Time to grow up!

This.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Never mind, all you moaners about people willy waving.... when you get a bit faster maybe you'll get some scalps and start to enjoy your riding a bit more.

 

[Clandy]

Never mind, all you moaners about people willy waving.... when you get a bit faster maybe you'll get some scalps and start to enjoy your riding a bit more.

In my opinion those who need to prove themselves by 'scalping' other cyclists, who are unaware they are in a childish 'race', haven't got much willy to wave.

 

[david1701]

In my opinion those who need to prove themselves by 'scalping' other cyclists, who are unaware they are in a childish 'race', haven't got much willy to wave.

your mum disagrees

(nb this is meant to be a joke - hence the childish your mum statement- please don't ban me I like it here )

 

[monnet]

1 cyclist = a commute/bike ride
more than 1 cyclist = a race

It's all harmless fun. There are plenty of variables but if you're vaguely competitive then scalping and being scalped are necessarily matters of pride. If it's not for you, good on you. Different people cycle for different reasons.

I commute. I race. I ride with a club. On Monday morning after racing hard on Sunday, legs full of lactic acid and knowing I've got the joys of chaingang to suffer on Tuesday night, I know it's time to put it in the little ring, spin my way into work and get the legs loose again. And then I see someone in the distance...it takes alot of self discipline not to chase. Even worse is the person who comes past. On a hybrid. Not to chase kills me, it's even worse knowing that they'll be bragging that they scalped a proper roadie in all the kit. Of course the worst thing is that I try to channel these frustrations into racing and unfortunately the races are full of all the gear guys who do have an idea and it's as much as I can do to hang on in the bunch!

 

[Clandy]

and unfortunately the races are full of all the gear guys who do have an idea and it's as much as I can do to hang on in the bunch!

Which proves my point.

 

[monnet]

That fun in cycling should be subject to a strict definition?

We all have our perceptions of cycling fun. For some it's just the act of riding a bike. For some it's actual proper racing. For most people, it lies somewhere in between. Everyone has different aims - the act of finishing a race is good enough for some. Getting a few points for another, winning for someone else. Sportives, time-time trials, club runs, commuting - what many (not all, but many) cyclists have in common is a competitive pride. It comes in varying sizes.

Cycling is brilliant. If someone gets their kicks out of 'scalping' me, good luck to them. I get my kicks out of getting a good placing in a race. Other people get their kicks out of climbing Mont Ventoux, others doing a '10' at evens, others still from the pleasure of beating the traffic, some from gently tootling through the countryside helping their health and enjoying the view. People frequently post the incredulity of their colleagues on being told their cycling exploits. This is equally a form of big willy waving, but no one shouts those thread down. Some or all of these may seem immature or futile or both, I'd call it human nature. The great thing is, for the most part no one gets hurt, pride aside depending on the case.

On being scalped. One person may not care for it and be too big to get involved. Someone else might find it the kick up the backside they've wanted to get some better fitness. Let people be. Unless people are doing their scalping waving chain whips round their heads, flicking Vs and claiming to be 'the daddy' then I'm not sure any of it is really worth complaining about.

 

[Mad at urage]

I commute by 'bike. Sometimes y'know, when I get overtaken after a hard day, it wakes me up to the fact that I've slowed down and am just drifting along... So I wake up and see if I can hang on.

Occasionally I wake up enough to overtake back - feels good, proves I can still turn on the power if prompted ... makes me no better than a 12 year-old apparently; shees! Well, only those with the hearts of children will enter the Kingdom of Heaven (so I was told), and the swordplay looks fun on the film version...

Some people just need to get a life and stop telling others what (not) to do for fun . What sort of control freak idiot tells people they can't try to catch someone they see ahead , or has just overtaken them? Seems a pretty inadequate character to me.

 

[chewy]

Local trail was shut today as James May laid down 9 miles of Hornby track, this meant lots of mountain bikers on the pavement next to the main road I use for my short ride.

It was lovely to see lots of people enjoying their bikes and I didn't give a monkeys weather they were on a grands worth of bike or an Asda special, nor how fast they were or not, we were all as one!

However. I did enjoy passing them B-)

 

[Phixion]

I don't really see cyclists in my area, even if I did I wouldn't dare overtake as I know I'd have to stop a few mins down the road to catch my breath