Revenge of the Lycra-clad cyclists
 

Got smashed today by a Lycra-clad cyclist :( Absolutely annihilated, I was.

What's going on here? Is this newsgroup being monitored by Lycra-clad
cyclists AS WELL AS the AFP? :)

Was on Garderners Road, just after the overpass at Southern Cross Drive,
headed East.

On the downhill dip between the overpass and Eastern Ave, with the sun
on my back (it was about 1700) I was admiring my shadow in front of me
and thinking how I looked just like that SBS ad during the 2010 Vuelta
Espana when I noticed a second shadow come up behind me.

In the 2 or 3 secs it took for my brain to register that it was another
cyclist, he had gone past me at some speed - yes, it was slightly
downhill and yes, it was a he - the beard was a dead giveaway :)

In additiona to Lycra, he also had on the mandatory sunnies.

Anyway, he was about 5m in front when I organised myself to give chase.
He simply kept pulling ahead effortlessly :(

BUT, the lights at Eastern Avenue got him and he came to a full stop -
obviously not interested in the bonus points available for not having
one's feet touch the ground. I was by now 15m behind so I slowed down
hoping to get a rolling start.

The lights changed and off I went. I got about 2 bike lengths in front
when I heard his gears change. On the long downhill after Eastern
Avenue, he just sailed past me casually like he was on a Sunday arvo
ride. :( No way I could catch him at all.

I tried to read the name on the bike but it was in fancy script and the
front forks had "De G????" (I think) on them. His rear gear cluster
looked very impressive - 11 gears? I dunno.

Anyway, I had to turn off right at Doncaster Avenue so that was the end
of that for me.

My only consolation was that I am 5ft 10in and 71kgs and he looked 5ft
6" and 85 kgs :) OK OK OK, so most of his 85kgs looked like muscle.

Revenge of the Lycra-clad cyclists
 

On Wed, 09 Feb 2011 06:18:29 +1100, Geoff Lock glock@home wrote:

In the 2 or 3 secs it took for my brain to register that it was another
cyclist, he had gone past me at some speed - yes, it was slightly
downhill and yes, it was a he - the beard was a dead giveaway :)

Could have been a Greek girl...

Revenge of the Lycra-clad cyclists
 

On 9/02/2011 7:22 AM, Gettamulla Tupya wrote:
On Wed, 09 Feb 2011 06:18:29 +1100, Geoff Lockglock@home wrote:

In the 2 or 3 secs it took for my brain to register that it was another
cyclist, he had gone past me at some speed - yes, it was slightly
downhill and yes, it was a he - the beard was a dead giveaway :)

Could have been a Greek girl...


I don't confuse guys with gals - regardless of nationality :) Although,
I am told that in Thailand and Singapore .... but I am starting to be OT.

Revenge of the Lycra-clad cyclists
 

Geoff, it is time to get over the lycra thing: or seek therapy.

They are all just cyclists. Whether I am wearing a t-shirt and
boardshorts or lycra knicks and jersey I am still just a cyclist.
Face it: some people ride faster than others, some ride slower than they
can, some are in no rush, some love the feel of speed. But no
matter whether it is an italian carbon fibre bike and the rider is
decked out in the full team kit or whether it is a rusty Gitane mixte
ridden by someone in overalls they are all just other cyclists.

Go faster than them if you wish to and you can, ride along and chat,
dawdle as they zoom past, it is all the same.

Every additional person (regardless of wardrobe) who rides a bike makes
it a healthier and safer place for you and for me. This goes for people
who ride on roads, off road, on cycle paths or on the velodrome. It is
all good.

That person trundling down to the shops on the bike with baskets front
and rear could be me. Or the person out cruising on the retro fixie, or
wearing tough clothes on the dualie out on some singletrack, or with my
laden touring bike rolling down some country road, or in my lycra on my
CF road bike, I don't change personality when I swap bikes so I don't
apply stereotypes to other bike riders either.

On 9/02/2011 7:57 AM, Geoff Lock wrote:
snip

Revenge of the Lycra-clad cyclists
 

On 9/02/2011 10:15 AM, Patrick Keogh wrote:
Geoff, it is time to get over the lycra thing: or seek therapy.

I have been undergoing therapy for some years now and I am getting
better :) I used to be worse - believe it or not :)

I think the Lycra thing with me is that I can't afford it and I am just
jealous :)

ridden by someone in overalls they are all just other cyclists.

True, true.

Go faster than them if you wish to and you can, ride along and chat,
dawdle as they zoom past, it is all the same.

I dunno about chatting as some of them seem decidedly unfriendly.

Every additional person (regardless of wardrobe) who rides a bike makes
it a healthier and safer place for you and for me. This goes for people
who ride on roads, off road, on cycle paths or on the velodrome. It is
all good.

And it will get better :)

That person trundling down to the shops on the bike with baskets front
and rear could be me. Or the person out cruising on the retro fixie, or
wearing tough clothes on the dualie out on some singletrack, or with my
laden touring bike rolling down some country road, or in my lycra on my
CF road bike, I don't change personality when I swap bikes so I don't
apply stereotypes to other bike riders either.

That is an interesting comment about changing personality when swapping
bikes. Some folks do and some folks don't :)

BTW, how is the restoration going with the Europa?

Revenge of the Lycra-clad cyclists
 

On Thu, 10 Feb 2011 05:34:54 +1100, Geoff Lock wrote:

That is an interesting comment about changing personality when swapping
bikes. Some folks do and some folks don't :)

I'm mostly the same on all my bikes, although I might aim for sillier
lines on a 7" travel duallie than a lightweight road bike. What really had
a bad effect on my attitude to cars and other traffic was wearing body
armour and a full face helmet on the way home from riding silly bikes in
a silly fashion.

It's quite scary just how much you feel safe with what really isn't going
to do much, when you eventually notice you're riding a lot more
aggressively than you normally would.


--
Dave Hughes -
That which does not kill me, make me stranger
- Old Dragon Axiom

Revenge of the Lycra-clad cyclists
 

On 10/02/2011 8:44 PM, Dave Hughes wrote:
On Thu, 10 Feb 2011 05:34:54 +1100, Geoff Lock wrote:

That is an interesting comment about changing personality when swapping
bikes. Some folks do and some folks don't :)

I'm mostly the same on all my bikes, although I might aim for sillier
lines on a 7" travel duallie than a lightweight road bike. What really had
a bad effect on my attitude to cars and other traffic was wearing body
armour and a full face helmet on the way home from riding silly bikes in
a silly fashion.

Body armour on a bicycle? Cool :)

It's quite scary just how much you feel safe with what really isn't going
to do much, when you eventually notice you're riding a lot more
aggressively than you normally would.

I know what you mean. Normally, I give lots of highly visible hand
signals when I am changing lanes and occassionally during the latter
part of a ride, I do catch myself changing lanes after the merest flick
of my hand - very sobering, it is, when that happens.

Revenge of the Lycra-clad cyclists
 

On 10/02/2011 8:44 PM, Dave Hughes wrote:
On Thu, 10 Feb 2011 05:34:54 +1100, Geoff Lock wrote:

That is an interesting comment about changing personality when swapping
bikes. Some folks do and some folks don't :)

I'm mostly the same on all my bikes, although I might aim for sillier
lines on a 7" travel duallie than a lightweight road bike. What really had
a bad effect on my attitude to cars and other traffic was wearing body
armour and a full face helmet on the way home from riding silly bikes in
a silly fashion.

It's quite scary just how much you feel safe with what really isn't going
to do much, when you eventually notice you're riding a lot more
aggressively than you normally would.



In my younger days I raced motorcycles, had to be aggressive to win,
this transferred to the roads when either I drove or rode.

Revenge of the Lycra-clad cyclists
 

On 11/02/2011 9:19 AM, Rob wrote:
On 10/02/2011 8:44 PM, Dave Hughes wrote:
On Thu, 10 Feb 2011 05:34:54 +1100, Geoff Lock wrote:


It's quite scary just how much you feel safe with what really isn't going
to do much, when you eventually notice you're riding a lot more
aggressively than you normally would.

In my younger days I raced motorcycles, had to be aggressive to win,
this transferred to the roads when either I drove or rode.

Must be hard to carry an axe handle with you on the bicycle :)