Originally Posted by
texaspandj
...I looked behind me and a cyclist had just turned on to the road i was on, about 60 feet behind me. Keeping in line with the current guidelines I decided to shift to the big ring and put some distance between us. A half mile later there's a stop sign so I slowed to almost a complete stop then I took off. Generally I down shift, but I figured I could muscle the big ring up to speed. A quarter mile later They caught me. I didn't realize there were Two. A woman was pulling at that point and the guy said how you doing, and I said Good. I let them get a "safe" distance and then challenge accepted. I didn't ask to join because I wasn't on their wheel but I stayed approximately 25 feet behind them. In retrospect I should have stayed further considering our speed. Anyways, considering my ego/vanity I figured they had to be tired from trying to reel me in.
This is my main regular route so i know it well and anticipated every incline and shift. Eventually, we got 4 miles left and a stop light. I knew I couldn't hang with them anymore unless I drafted and that was entirely out of the question. So staying far enough away from them on the side I passed them as they unclipped and said see y'all later. The guy said have a good day. I hoped that after the light turned green they would go straight and Not turn left like I did.
They were young (college age) lean and fit on carbon bikes. The girl was pulling the whole way. And the guy kept looking back to see if they had dropped me. I'm pretty sure they couldn't believe an old guy with a pot belly on a steel bike could keep up with them. Also they were completely kitted and I was wearing a sport shirt over a long sleeve sport shirt. Had I been on one of my other Ironman that have aerobars, I might gotten away initially.
They really were cyclist, shaved legs, smooth pedaling and the like. And I'm not, I'm a Triathlete and out of shape as well. Only residual fitness and them two at the end of possibly a long ride allowed me to stay with them. But then again it could be that I was on my IRONMAN.
I had a similar experience Sunday. I was taking it pretty easy, mostly riding to keep my heart rate around 140-150, and averaging around 15 mph. About 10 miles from home I noticed a fellow in my mirror gradually catching up. I slowed to let him pass as quickly as possible. We exchanged greetings as he passed.
Then I had to keep slowing down to avoid passing him again.
He had that psychological competitiveness burst when he was behind me, but faded after expending energy to catch and pass me. Then he couldn't sustain it.
But I was planning only an easy ride Sunday anyway, so I just coasted down hills and soft-pedaled the remaining climbs headed home. My Strava segment times were a little faster than his, even though he'd passed me and remained 50-100 yards ahead.
Kinda reminded me of how some pros describe riding against Chris Froome. They'll pass him early, thinking they've dropped him. Then near the end of the race they'll check over their shoulders and Froome is quietly, effortlessly closing the gap, wearing them down psychologically.
LeMond had a similar tactic, but more aggressive. He'd sprint to pass or open a gap, then ease up and let the other guy pass. Then pass him again. And again. Gradually breaking them down psychologically. LeMond wasn't a strong final sprinter, so he wore them down physically and mentally to drain opponents so they had nothing left for a final sprint. That tactic probably wouldn't work as well nowadays, with leadout trains so well organized to support the designated finisher. But LeMond rarely had that kind of support.
One thing I like about keeping my Ironman stock is the clicky index shifting. I like to imagine the guy ahead hears my on an old school steel bike, clicking away on the downtube shifters, wondering why I'm still there.
The Trekenstein is even better for that. The downtube shifter resonate like a percussion instrument through those fat carbon tubes. That's why I named it the Noisy Cricket, even though I later switched to MicroShift integrated brake/shifters, which were much quieter. But I'm thinking of putting the original downtube shifters back on after the Chris King headset is rebuilt.