stumpbumper

Today I headed out on my bike for an early morning ride, Ive only been riding road bikes for like a week, I think a week exactly today, not sure.

I was cruising through town and after about 6 miles I came to the rear of a group of 7 guys out cycling, And I stayed a few car lengths behind them for a while, but their pace was slow, so when traffic cleared I broke off to the left and passed them up and just kept riding, they looked at me so I smiled and said good morning. Kept pedaling until I hit the main road and waited my turn to get out on the road and head back home when they start catching back up and the lead guy was yelling "Hey!" so I waited for them thinking they may want to chit-chat a minute. When they caught up he pulled up beside me and started blessing me out for passing them, and said I had no manners, blah blah, If I wanted to ride to stay with the group and I`d have my turn to lead, and complaining about the way I was dressed ( gym shorts and T-shirt) and that I needed to ride with more common sense LOL. I told the guy I was out on my own riding my own pace and just having fun on my ride. I did not interfere with them doing their thing and I tried my best to be nice. This guy was acting like I had just hit his dog and shrugged it off or something.

Im new to road biking, so did I do something "wrong" by passing them? we were on back roads, few cars, I put no one at risk of anything, and gave them more than enough space. I just saddled back up and kept riding, wondering if I did something wrong or if I had just ran across a giant prick on a bicycle? Im confused to as if I did something wrong and didnt know road cycling etiquette, or did I just meet some ass hole?

generalkdi

You where ok, he was probably just upset for being passed by someone not wearing lycra.

lineinthewater

No, you ran into several giant egos with small pricks on bikes.

otg 

This

justkeepedaling

Correct, nothing done wrong at all.

Lew.

Edit: Deleting long post as others replied quicker.
Yeah, they're just ********.

lineinthewater

I think OP should post his route (just kidding OP). I'm sure some of us could have some fun with these guys - get all decked out in your worst Fred outfit, etc.

Homebrew01

Next time you see them, try to pass them a little faster to really annoy them.

rpenmanparker 

Yes you did one thing wrong. You listened to those a$$hats. You should have just told them you didn't have time for their crap. BTW after 65 years on earth this is the first time I have every heard the term "blessing out". Say what?

Elduderino2412

you should have yelled at them for being slow posers
There is a high ratio of dooshbags in road cycling. You just can't let them get to you.

TassR700

My guess is you came up on a group ride that the leader didn't know everyone and thought you were part of the group. I have a hard time believing someone would get that upset about some random cyclist passing their group, but maybe things are different where you ride.

stumpbumper

It was a weird situation, these guys were all about it, full gear, funny helmets, I guess for aerodynamics. I was pretty shocked at the situation so I just stood there thinking WTF? I mean they were acting like a group of geese migrating home, everything was perfect in their formation or whatever, and I did pull them pretty hard and passed them like they were sitting still. I guess I just hurt his pride lol.

Next time I see them out, and they wont be hard to spot Ill pass them at full steam, and ask how does my dust taste hahahaha.

RPK79

I have a hard time believing this story as well.

seymour1910

It just amazes me how many people take themselves way to seriously with this. Doing something that is obviously a hazard is one thing but if you are telling the truth about how this went down, these guys sound like a big joke. I get passed all the time on training rides, sometimes by groups, sometimes buy a guy that is just moving faster than I am.

I even laugh at this "we will ye'll at you" BS here in BF. if you yell at me, be ready to get off the bike.

wphamilton

It's almost too good to be true. Slow roadies in a paceline that get upset when you pass them, and act like middle school girls about your choice of fashion. I'd get a kick out of passing them up - I'd probably troll for them - but you didn't make this up did you?

PhotoJoe 

while dressed as a clown.

contango 

Yes, you were totally out of line here. You were dressed like a fred and bruised somebody's precious ego by going faster than them. Try not to do it again, and if you must do it again remember to feel suitably smug as you overtake them. For added smugness points make some mildly condescending remarks about how they were blocking the view or how you needed to speed up to stop yourself falling asleep.

Put another way, yes, you ran across such a big prick it's a wonder he didn't puncture both your tyres at once from 100 yards away.

If you see them again feel free to build up a nice head of speed and then pass them while freewheeling. Bonus points for eating a sandwich or smoking a cigarette as you go past. That will really make their day.

spectastic

wow


also, double bonus points if you manage to stick a tire level in the front wheel spokes of the lead guy

stumpbumper

no this 100% true, I cant prove it, but it happened. I live in a tiny town in georgia, and we dont see many cyclers out on the roads, so when they came up on me and he was yelling "hey" I thought he may ask me where and when I ride and see if I wanted to ride with his group, I was thinking "oh cool some other riders maybe theyll want to ride" but no. I think they just take it too seriously and that the leader thought I was part of his group, I dont know. it just happened and confused the hell out of me.

foresthill

this is what it sounded like to me, too

peckma

get a kiddie bell on your bike, and then ring it as you pass them next time.

banerjek

This was my reaction.

But if this was not the case....

Nah, pass just barely fast enough to get the job done. When they boost their speed in response, notch it up the minimum it takes to be just enough ahead that they get no draft whatsoever but are too close to feel like going their own pace. Keep this process up until you burn their legs up at which point you can kick the pace way up just for fun.

Or just ignore them. They could be cooling down after a long hard workout, helping someone with an injury, or whatever. There are a million reasons to go slow.

Dudelsack 

Well, first they were being a bunch of ***** and ********. You would have been within your rights to tell them to **** ********** and the horses they rode in on. Finally, I would have ***** the **** and ******** until they **********.

Mountain Mitch

Yep!

mprelaw

Damn, 6 minutes too late. I was gonna say the same thing.

Or get one of those squeezy horns.