Victory! Or, I DROPED THE HAMER II!
07-02-16, 09:45 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Victory! Or, I DROPED THE HAMER II!
(So, last summer I posted about some dude I dusted after he passed me and slowed down as my first "HAMER DROPE." Anyone recall?)
Yesterday, coming back from a quick little 25-miler, I saw some young hipster-type dude on a fixie up ahead of me as I cruised up Sagg road at my usual unimpressive 16-17mph. As I closed in on him, I saw him turn his head, SHOOT ME THE LOOK, get into the drops, and start pedaling furiously!
Now, I may be an old fart, but I'm down for a challenge! So I DROPED THE HAMER! He's young, so he's pulling away from me at first, but I have, you know, gears; I pass him at about 25mph, and as I do, I yell "go fixie dude, go!" And he looks at me all pissed off and starts pedaling harder, so I do, too. And it's hard work staying ahead of him, cuz I'm old and not in the best of shape, and he's probably 25. I some point I look down at my RFLKT, and I'm doing 30! And my heart rate is only 140! (Probably a slight downgrade, because I couldn't do that normally, though the road appears flat.) And he slowly drops back, getting smaller and smaller, and then my turnoff comes up and he keeps going straight...through a stop sign and cutting off a car turning from the oncoming lane into the road where I was turning. Ah, the stupidity of youth.
Victory! I vanquished a kid probably 30 years younger than me! (Never mind the fact that he was wearing street clothes and he spun out on his silly fixie)
Yesterday, coming back from a quick little 25-miler, I saw some young hipster-type dude on a fixie up ahead of me as I cruised up Sagg road at my usual unimpressive 16-17mph. As I closed in on him, I saw him turn his head, SHOOT ME THE LOOK, get into the drops, and start pedaling furiously!
Now, I may be an old fart, but I'm down for a challenge! So I DROPED THE HAMER! He's young, so he's pulling away from me at first, but I have, you know, gears; I pass him at about 25mph, and as I do, I yell "go fixie dude, go!" And he looks at me all pissed off and starts pedaling harder, so I do, too. And it's hard work staying ahead of him, cuz I'm old and not in the best of shape, and he's probably 25. I some point I look down at my RFLKT, and I'm doing 30! And my heart rate is only 140! (Probably a slight downgrade, because I couldn't do that normally, though the road appears flat.) And he slowly drops back, getting smaller and smaller, and then my turnoff comes up and he keeps going straight...through a stop sign and cutting off a car turning from the oncoming lane into the road where I was turning. Ah, the stupidity of youth.
Victory! I vanquished a kid probably 30 years younger than me! (Never mind the fact that he was wearing street clothes and he spun out on his silly fixie)
07-02-16, 01:48 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: northern michigan
Posts: 13,317
Bikes: '77 Colnago Super, '76 Fuji The Finest, '88 Cannondale Criterium, '86 Trek 760, '87 Miyata 712
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 659 Post(s)
Liked 595 Times
in
313 Posts
We may have been separated at birth.
Good job, though I would have backed off enough to stay out front and tease him.
Good job, though I would have backed off enough to stay out front and tease him.
07-02-16, 04:53 PM
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
07-02-16, 04:58 PM
#9
Veteran, Pacifist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 13,325
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Mentioned: 284 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3896 Post(s)
Liked 4,822 Times
in
2,226 Posts
Sometimes the silly little 'victories' in life make us smile (laugh?) the most.
"go old-man dude, go!"
"go old-man dude, go!"
__________________
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
07-02-16, 05:36 PM
#10
Beicwyr Hapus
I'm going to even it up. Next time I see a 90 year old on a bike I'm not going to give him chance to DROP THE HAMMER.
He won't see my a*se for dust.
(p.s. is "drope the hamer" a BF term that I haven't seen before or a mis-spelling?)
p.p.s. a search has told me it's a bit of an in-joke on the forum. You learn something every day.
He won't see my a*se for dust.
(p.s. is "drope the hamer" a BF term that I haven't seen before or a mis-spelling?)
p.p.s. a search has told me it's a bit of an in-joke on the forum. You learn something every day.
Last edited by Gerryattrick; 07-05-16 at 07:55 AM.
07-02-16, 05:40 PM
#11
Me duelen las nalgas
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,513
Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel
Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4559 Post(s)
Liked 2,802 Times
in
1,800 Posts
Last week I was faster than a little girl who was riding a solid rubber tire bike with training wheels and pink streamers (hey, she was churning some serious butter), a 5 year old boy in a Big Wheel, and a grandma in a power wheelchair.
Little victories.
Little victories.
07-02-16, 08:03 PM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Eugene, Oregon
Posts: 7,048
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 509 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times
in
8 Posts
You did better than me. My grand-daughters had me begging for mercy while riding their strider bikes. I can't wait for them to be big enough to hop onto tandems with my wife and me. Oh, the places we'll go, with our without Dr. Seuss.
07-02-16, 08:20 PM
#14
Me duelen las nalgas
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,513
Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel
Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4559 Post(s)
Liked 2,802 Times
in
1,800 Posts
Hey, you saw me tonight? Shoulda said "Hi". I was flying a whopping 12 mph. I even offered to share my inhaler.
07-02-16, 09:13 PM
#15
So how's the rest of your racing season been? I'm guessing based on that performance you've got some platform pics!
07-02-16, 09:35 PM
#16
- Soli Deo Gloria -
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Northwest Georgia
Posts: 14,779
Bikes: 2018 Rodriguez Custom Fixed Gear, 2017 Niner RLT 9 RDO, 2015 Bianchi Pista, 2002 Fuji Robaix
Mentioned: 235 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6844 Post(s)
Liked 736 Times
in
469 Posts
I passed lots of geared bikes when I rode my fixed-gear after work this past Thursday. I didn't treat any of them like garbage nor did I brag about it on the internet.
-Tim-
07-02-16, 09:53 PM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Down Under
Posts: 1,936
Bikes: A steel framed 26" off road tourer from a manufacturer who thinks they are cool. Giant Anthem. Trek 720 Multiroad pub bike. 10 kids bikes all under 20". Assorted waifs and unfinished projects.
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1188 Post(s)
Liked 1,154 Times
in
640 Posts
Humour (in British English), or humor (in American English) is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement.
07-02-16, 10:26 PM
#18
Senior Member
Thread Starter
07-02-16, 10:29 PM
#19
Senior Member
Thread Starter
...It kinda is when he's young enough to be my grandson, in the prime of life and health and wanting to race. Also: THE HUMOR IS THAT HE WAS ON A FIXIE. This was as much meant to be self-parody as anything. Sorry you were not amused.
Last edited by Wheever; 07-02-16 at 10:47 PM.
07-02-16, 10:33 PM
#20
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Dude! I totally blitzed a three-legged chipmunk!
07-03-16, 06:02 AM
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 128
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 23 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
A few days ago I blew by a line of about 6 road racers on their fancy CF bikes in their expensive matching kits like they were parked, I was so proud!
(Actually they were parked drinking their expensive energy goo, I was on the way to met a friend for a beer at a local watering hole on the beach. So who's the winner here!)
Last edited by wished; 07-03-16 at 10:58 AM.
07-03-16, 07:22 AM
#22
Senior Member
Thank you for articulating what I wanted to say in a civil yet pointed fashion.
Much better than the rant I was mentally composing.
+1
__________________
Fixed Gear Randonneur
A cult within a cult
Fixed Gear Randonneur
A cult within a cult
07-03-16, 07:53 AM
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Hampton Roads VA
Posts: 1,787
Bikes: '07 Trek 520, '09 Gary Fisher Triton, '04 Trek 8000, '85 Trek 500, '84 Trek 610, '85 Trek 510, '88 Trek 660, '92 Trek 930, Trek Multitrack 700
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 19 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I serve as fodder for theses " little victories " on most rides, as roadies fly by me.
__________________
"When I hear another express an opinion, which is not mine, I say to myself, He has a right to his opinion, as I to mine; why should I question it. His error does me no injury, and shall I become a Don Quixot to bring all men by force of argument, to one opinion? If a fact be misstated, it is probable he is gratified by a belief of it, and I have no right to deprive him of the gratification."
T. Jefferson
"When I hear another express an opinion, which is not mine, I say to myself, He has a right to his opinion, as I to mine; why should I question it. His error does me no injury, and shall I become a Don Quixot to bring all men by force of argument, to one opinion? If a fact be misstated, it is probable he is gratified by a belief of it, and I have no right to deprive him of the gratification."
T. Jefferson
07-03-16, 08:16 AM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Alpharetta, GA
Posts: 15,280
Bikes: Nashbar Road
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2934 Post(s)
Liked 341 Times
in
228 Posts
Passing a fixed gear bike may not be much of a "little victory" but I still recall the sting of the "little defeat" of being dropped by a kid on a fixie, on one of my commutes. I was riding my fixie and feeling pretty good about it. But that kid just flew around the corners somehow.
07-03-16, 10:20 AM
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 5,968
Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 2007 Dahon Boardwalk, 1997 Nishiki Blazer, 1984 Nishiki International, 2006 Felt F65, 1989 Dahon Getaway V
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1362 Post(s)
Liked 1,674 Times
in
827 Posts
I mostly commute, but when I can catch and pass some younger hipster or poseur I do feel a small twinge of smugness, especially if I am a few miles into my ride. When I can't catch 'em I say to myself, "Yeah, but what kind of shape will they be in at my age?" or "well, they probably just started their ride." As we have an Olympic training center here in town (and on one of my commute routes) it's not unusual to get smoked by a line of kitted out atheletes. That's when I say to myself, "Okay, but how would they do on one of my heavier bikes with racks, fenders and a backpack?" (They'd probably still leave me in the dust).
But there is this one older guy who works a couple of doors down from me. He used to pass me on his older touring-style bike. Then a couple of years ago he started commuting on an old single-speed Schwinn Typhoon and I can't keep up with him for long. I caught up with him at a light last spring and asked him about his commute, and by the time I encounter him he's already been riding 4 miles longer than I have. He slips on a helmet, and some old cut off jeans, throws his backpack in the front basket and pedals like a madman. He is my hero.
But there is this one older guy who works a couple of doors down from me. He used to pass me on his older touring-style bike. Then a couple of years ago he started commuting on an old single-speed Schwinn Typhoon and I can't keep up with him for long. I caught up with him at a light last spring and asked him about his commute, and by the time I encounter him he's already been riding 4 miles longer than I have. He slips on a helmet, and some old cut off jeans, throws his backpack in the front basket and pedals like a madman. He is my hero.
