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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Cycling vanity

Old 03-25-20, 10:30 PM
  #1  
woodcraft
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Cycling vanity

When I ride through some water, I make sure to leave tracks in a straight line

so I will be seen as a Cyclist, and not some wobbly bike rider.

Also align the stems when parking at the coffee shop. (no, made that up)

How about you?
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Old 03-25-20, 10:43 PM
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If I ever had any pride or vanity about that kind of thing, it's long gone, long gone.
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Old 03-25-20, 11:01 PM
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When i overtake anyone, i always keep a poker face with zero suffering showing - no matter how much i am dying inside.
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Old 03-26-20, 04:32 AM
  #4  
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Originally Posted by guadzilla
When i overtake anyone, i always keep a poker face with zero suffering showing - no matter how much i am dying inside.
Exactly. I don’t even breath for that instant I’m passing. Little does he know I’m on the verge falling over
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Old 03-26-20, 06:18 AM
  #5  
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Originally Posted by Greatestalltime
Exactly. I don’t even breath for that instant I’m passing. Little does he know I’m on the verge falling over
These days, (s)he’s not breathing either.
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Old 03-26-20, 06:41 AM
  #6  
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My two tricks:

When I'm exhausted and have to stop, I take a drink or check my cell phone to make believe I wasn't stopping to catch my breath.

When I pass someone, I wait to stop until the person is out of sight so he / she won't know I stopped.
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Old 03-26-20, 06:45 AM
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Originally Posted by guadzilla
When i overtake anyone, i always keep a poker face with zero suffering showing - no matter how much i am dying inside.
For best effect, take a swig of water while passing, make a cheerful comment on the weather, maybe ride no hands for a bit.
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Old 03-26-20, 06:46 AM
  #8  
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One year on the RAGBRAI on a real hot day I was out of the saddle on a fair incline. I thought it was a radio as a tune from the rear got closer. I was soon passed quite handily by a collage age dude sitting in the saddle playing a harmonica. He was at a high level cycling vanity. lol
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Old 03-26-20, 06:54 AM
  #9  
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Originally Posted by guadzilla
When i overtake anyone, i always keep a poker face with zero suffering showing - no matter how much i am dying inside.
^^ this.

I live right next to one of the nicest national conservation park in Canada and I can tell you, it is mountains after mountains so roads aren't easy to ride on. You can tell pretty quickly who's used to it and who's not. I laugh when inexperienced cyclists pass by and I know that I'll catch them up in a few minutes because we're close to a steep hill. I will sometimes turn my head and smile while overtaking them (or stop if they're puking on the side of the road, because yes, I see that at least 1x / month in summer time - lots of tourists there!).

On a separate note, I like to park my bike where it can be seen by others when I stop for a break, because it's handsome and people always compliment it (not very humble, I know).

Last edited by eduskator; 03-26-20 at 06:58 AM.
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Old 03-26-20, 09:32 AM
  #10  
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My vanity is I don’t mix clothing. If I am riding A castelli jersey, everything else is Castelli. Socks, gloves, it all has to match.
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Old 03-26-20, 09:56 AM
  #11  
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When I get KOM's I downplay the title of the ride, even though I may have gone out on that ride specifically to get the KOM and died a thousand deaths to make it happen.

That being said, if someone asks me about any specific KOM I hold (this happens a lot, actually), I'll be totally honest with them and go into detail over how I rode it and how it ruined the rest of my ride.
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Old 03-26-20, 10:12 AM
  #12  
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Originally Posted by woodcraft
When I ride through some water, I make sure to leave tracks in a straight line
Must be tough to do going around a curve. Or do you only ride in a straight line?
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Old 03-26-20, 10:24 AM
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I announce my presence to everyone I'm overtaking. I think that might be my vanity.

It's annoying when I walk with my wife that virtually no cyclist do the same for us.
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Old 03-26-20, 10:34 AM
  #14  
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If I know I'll be riding with people (obviously not now) I'll make sure the legs are as freshly-shaved as the schedule will allow.
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Old 03-26-20, 11:13 AM
  #15  
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I refuse to ride an ebike.
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Old 03-26-20, 11:24 AM
  #16  
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
I refuse to ride an ebike.
Recreationally, I'm with you, but I would consider a utilitarian ebike for grocery/liquor store trips, towing the younger child to preschool, etc.
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Old 03-26-20, 12:01 PM
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Originally Posted by mercator
For best effect, take a swig of water while passing, make a cheerful comment on the weather, maybe ride no hands for a bit.
Oh yeah, i make a big show of looking around and up, as if i am enjoying the scenery (and not really looking for a place to curl up and die).
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Old 03-26-20, 12:02 PM
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Originally Posted by colnago62
My vanity is I don’t mix clothing. If I am riding A castelli jersey, everything else is Castelli. Socks, gloves, it all has to match.
That's not vanity - dem's the rules.
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Old 03-26-20, 12:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
I refuse to ride an ebike.
I had my soul taken in Tuscany by a rather large lady wearing a billowing dress and riding an eBike.

Wife and I had rented bikes to cycle around while in Sienna - only got MTBs at short notice, but no worries, we werent planning on going that fast anyway. So there I am, wearing regular shorts and cotton t-shirts, riding MTBs with sneakers, and slowly going up a hill while cursing the mushiness of the bike - and this woman zips by me like i was standing still. She's pedaling, and i dont see the bike too well but i see enough to realize it is a hybrid: a big part of me just DIED inside at that. 10 minutes later, she goes zipping by in the other direction. And another 15 minutes later, comes back and drops me again.

To be honest, I didnt see what kind of bike she had. But it MUST have been an e-bike. Right? Right?
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Old 03-26-20, 12:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
I refuse to ride an ebike.
But give me a Yamaha 250 from my teenage days and I'll be out there on the trails appropriate for that type bike.
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Old 03-26-20, 12:20 PM
  #21  
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-The TT bike must be ridden in a manner to never get passed by a drop bar bike, even if there is a group.

-When the bike is stopped and leaned up, big ring and a middle cog. Put it back in the small ring if you need to once you leave.

-Guns out when the suns out, legs shaved always when weather allows. You've worked hard polishing the guns, show em off.

-For me, well executed ride data. No weird farting around in parking lots or in the grass while waiting for lights, etc..... Either pause it or don't record it. The ride and route are the ride and route. It ruins the reputation of the local hammer ride if you record all your childish shennanigans and bring your ride avg down to like 18mph. But, if the goal of a ride is Z1 farting around, by all means......make it some royally farted around stuff.
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Old 03-26-20, 12:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Iride01
I announce my presence to everyone I'm overtaking. I think that might be my vanity.

It's annoying when I walk with my wife that virtually no cyclist do the same for us.
I always say something well in advance before passing riders and walkers. Most say thank you when I pass. Cyclists, being a little narcissistic, forget being passed suddenly can be a little scary.
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Old 03-26-20, 01:20 PM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by guadzilla
That's not vanity - dem's the rules.
Rules, Schmules
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Old 03-26-20, 01:40 PM
  #24  
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Originally Posted by colnago62
I always say something well in advance before passing riders and walkers. Most say thank you when I pass. Cyclists, being a little narcissistic, forget being passed suddenly can be a little scary.
I've got White Industries CLD hubs in my wheels. I just freewheel for a few seconds as I approach people I'm going to pass and trust me, they are never surprised. I also find it a little passive-aggressive when folks yell out "on the left!" or whatever as they pass. It's almost like they're rubbing my face in it. I recognize this could be one of those "it's not you, it's me" kinds of things.
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Old 03-26-20, 03:45 PM
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I immediately begin racing anyone who passes me.
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