US vs Foreign bicycling

I can't remember whether I said something about this at the time but it doesn't hurt to repeat it:

When riding from San Francisco to Sausalito to do the Paradise Dr. loop the pathway on the Golden Gate bridge was all screwed up with tool and paint sheds blocking a great deal of the pathway.

US riders as usual were trying to go as fast as they could under heavy traffic and narrower than normal bike roadway. Meanwhile there were strings of what appeared to be Indian Tourists riding across the GG Bridge. They even had little children on bikes with what looked like 12" wheels. The children were all competent riders even down to the 6 or 7 years or possibly even younger. While I was slowing down when I saw these people in the pace line, it appeared to be totally unnecessary. These kids wee as competent as their parents which is saying a lot because while the American idiots were flying around the bridge towers as if they were the only one's in the world the Indians calmly negotiated these at a careful speed and on their own side of the road.

So unlike Americans my guess is that the proper age Indians could go every bit as fast as the American if not faster, they had no interest in showing their speed in a dangerous location.

This reminds me of that group I saw out on Mines Rd. after I was returning. For reasons I am not sure of but probably because of the head wind, I was pretty slow on the return trip on the second weekend I did it. At the Junction Café there was a sizeable group and loudest among them were some Swedes (I believe - maybe Norwegians) - I probably started 10 minutes in front of then and so cleared the 5 miles of climbing when three of them came by me where the road was fairly flat. It was the two Swedes and an Indian fellow who was with them. All three of these guys appeared to have once been professionals by the way their rode and their speed. They were probably going about 28 mph and were not swaying which is NOT an easy thing to do. They were there and gone so fast I couldn't see much but the Indian fellow was pedaling circles. While I can do that upon demand (hard climbs and accelerations) I certainly can't do that on a continuous ride. And I practice it a lot.

Perhaps the American riders should attempt to learn basic riding rather than trying to pass the person in front of them at any cost.

On 2019-12-02 11:52, Tom Kunich wrote:
I can't remember whether I said something about this at the time but
it doesn't hurt to repeat it:

When riding from San Francisco to Sausalito to do the Paradise Dr.
loop the pathway on the Golden Gate bridge was all screwed up with
tool and paint sheds blocking a great deal of the pathway.

US riders as usual were trying to go as fast as they could under
heavy traffic and narrower than normal bike roadway. Meanwhile there
were strings of what appeared to be Indian Tourists riding across the
GG Bridge. They even had little children on bikes with what looked
like 12" wheels. The children were all competent riders even down to
the 6 or 7 years or possibly even younger. While I was slowing down
when I saw these people in the pace line, it appeared to be totally
unnecessary. These kids wee as competent as their parents which is
saying a lot because while the American idiots were flying around the
bridge towers as if they were the only one's in the world the Indians
calmly negotiated these at a careful speed and on their own side of
the road.


If they grew up in India then they are used to cycling as transport,
meaning part of daily life. I did (in Germany).


So unlike Americans my guess is that the proper age Indians could go
every bit as fast as the American if not faster, they had no interest
in showing their speed in a dangerous location.

This reminds me of that group I saw out on Mines Rd. after I was
returning. For reasons I am not sure of but probably because of the
head wind, I was pretty slow on the return trip on the second weekend
I did it. At the Junction Café there was a sizeable group and loudest
among them were some Swedes (I believe - maybe Norwegians) - I
probably started 10 minutes in front of then and so cleared the 5
miles of climbing when three of them came by me where the road was
fairly flat. It was the two Swedes and an Indian fellow who was with
them. All three of these guys appeared to have once been
professionals by the way their rode and their speed. They were
probably going about 28 mph and were not swaying which is NOT an easy
thing to do.


I could probably do that for about 5mins and then fall off the bike. The
boss at a client of mine "cruises" at 25mph average and after 20-30mins
I told him he'd have to continue alone. My tongue was almost on the
handlebar by then.


... They were there and gone so fast I couldn't see much but
the Indian fellow was pedaling circles. While I can do that upon
demand (hard climbs and accelerations) I certainly can't do that on a
continuous ride. And I practice it a lot.

Perhaps the American riders should attempt to learn basic riding
rather than trying to pass the person in front of them at any cost.


Having lived decades in Europe and decades in the US my impression is
that the average speed of cyclists on longhaul stretches such as the
American River Bike Path is higher in the US versus Europe.

However, with cars it's different. When I inquired about auto insurance
after moving to the US and nobody wanted us I was told "That's because
you are from Europe where everyone drives like Mario Andretti".

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On 12/2/2019 4:26 PM, Joerg wrote:
On 2019-12-02 11:52, Tom Kunich wrote:
I can't remember whether I said something about this at the time but
it doesn't hurt to repeat it:

When riding from San Francisco to Sausalito to do the Paradise Dr.
loop the pathway on the Golden Gate bridge was all screwed up with
tool and paint sheds blocking a great deal of the pathway.

US riders as usual were trying to go as fast as they could under
heavy traffic and narrower than normal bike roadway. Meanwhile there
were strings of what appeared to be Indian Tourists riding across the
GG Bridge. They even had little children on bikes with what looked
like 12" wheels. The children were all competent riders even down to
the 6 or 7 years or possibly even younger. While I was slowing down
when I saw these people in the pace line, it appeared to be totally
unnecessary. These kids wee as competent as their parents which is
saying a lot because while the American idiots were flying around the
bridge towers as if they were the only one's in the world the Indians
calmly negotiated these at a careful speed and on their own side of
the road.


If they grew up in India then they are used to cycling as transport,
meaning part of daily life. I did (in Germany).


So unlike Americans my guess is that the proper age Indians could go
every bit as fast as the American if not faster, they had no interest
in showing their speed in a dangerous location.

This reminds me of that group I saw out on Mines Rd. after I was
returning. For reasons I am not sure of but probably because of the
head wind, I was pretty slow on the return trip on the second weekend
I did it. At the Junction Café there was a sizeable group and loudest
among them were some Swedes (I believe - maybe Norwegians) - I
probably started 10 minutes in front of then and so cleared the 5
miles of climbing when three of them came by me where the road was
fairly flat. It was the two Swedes and an Indian fellow who was with
them. All three of these guys appeared to have once been
professionals by the way their rode and their speed. They were
probably going about 28 mph and were not swaying which is NOT an easy
thing to do.


I could probably do that for about 5mins and then fall off the bike. The
boss at a client of mine "cruises" at 25mph average and after 20-30mins
I told him he'd have to continue alone. My tongue was almost on the
handlebar by then.


Â* ... They were there and gone so fast I couldn't see much but
the Indian fellow was pedaling circles. While I can do that upon
demand (hard climbs and accelerations) I certainly can't do that on a
continuous ride. And I practice it a lot.

Perhaps the American riders should attempt to learn basic riding
rather than trying to pass the person in front of them at any cost.


Having lived decades in Europe and decades in the US my impression is
that the average speed of cyclists on longhaul stretches such as the
American River Bike Path is higher in the US versus Europe.

I suspect that's because in Europe, a cyclist is more likely to use the
bike for transport. In the U.S., a higher percentage of those on bikes
are using a bike for sport.


--
- Frank Krygowski