LarrySellerz

Hey guys, do any of you who have a regular commute keep track of the other commuters and have little races with them? I’m very aware of the other cyclists on my commute. There are two who consistently beat me, Tripple Lights (king of Alameda, he takes the evening commute super seriously) and Redbeard. Today I caught Redbeard at the red light we exchanged hellos, hadn’t see each other in a while. He was riding with a woman who I didn’t recognize, and asked if they were commuting together or just met up. Kind of threw me off. But yeah the little commuter races are the best part of my mornings, and I have a running tally in my head of how I fare against all the regulars, there are like 10 of us who are fairly well matched.

tomato coupe

Ah yes, racing against other cyclists that don't know it's a race is a time-honored tradition.

Koyote

Narrator’s voice:
The other commuters did not know they were racing with Larry.

jaxgtr

No.

calamarichris

As long as you don't mind showing up shiny and sitting in your own buttsweat all day long; two riders + one road = race.

mstateglfr 

No

squirtdad

don't keep track, but have been known to push my pace to keep up with other cyclists

but that can backfire....stopped a light with 2 guys on very nice gear....i said go and they replied nope we'll let the guy on the De Rosa go first....about killed my self setting a respectable pace until i hit my turn off

LarrySellerz

Tripple Lights knows and takes it way too seriously. First time I met him I caught up to him and said hi, and he said something really obnoxious like “you can’t keep up with me” or “can you handle this pace?” or something, then looked all pissed off and wouldn’t talk to me after I responded “well I just caught you didn’t I?” Then he absolutely sent it on the only hill, and local dropzone, and beat me soundly.

im convinced that he would brake check me to try and get an advantage if he saw me drafting. Dude is hardcore. I also think his over the top light display isn’t for cars, the way he rides suggests to me that he is not worried about visibility, he is peacocking other cyclists.

big john

Racing other strangers can be fun. But if someone is being a dick, just avoid him.

CAT7RDR

That's why I'm only Cat 7.
I cannot keep up with the Cat 6 commuter crowd.

big john

If I only had a dollar for every time I've done something like that.....

LarrySellerz

with people that look like they ride with other people I’ll start signaling or give an elbow for them to pass me so I can draft. Often works.

calamarichris

Anyone who brake-checks you is not "hardcore", they're C#ick3n$#lt. I don't know what peacocking is, but it's much simpler to look back and say,
"Please don't draft me. I'm very insecure about helping my fellow cyclists."
One time I unknowingly blew a snot-rocket into the face of the Belgian National Champion (at least he was wearing the jersey) north of Camp Pendleton. He rode up alongside and glared at me. I apologized and said I didn't know he was back there, then asked for how long. Honestly unintentional, but also honestly, zero remorse.

LarrySellerz

Tripple Lights has internalized the importance of the evening commute, and holds no quarter. He considers himself the fastest commuter (I called him King of Alameda) and if someone like me is challenging him and drafting, I wouldn’t be surprised if he brake checked me to secure his advantage. I don’t think it’s necessarily malicious, he would think I’d dodge or recover from the wheel touch. He is trying to win, not make me crash

tomato coupe

I think the odds that these other riders would brake check anyone is extremely low. Like the “peacocking” he described, this is all just Larry’s imagination.

seypat

Make sure you have a wattage meter/dial/adjuster installed just in case. You never know when you'll have to use it.

indyfabz

You couldn’t come up with better material than this? 🤦‍♂️

DorkDisk

Hell No, I live in New York City; you don't do that here.

I realized that "wanna race" is actually a gay pick up line, people don't actually wanna race.

New York City

TiHabanero

The human ego is a curious thing.

Chuck M 

A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

indyfabz

fify

dedhed

I do, but they always seem to pull away when I stop to check a dumpster for vodka

Fahrenheit531 

I'm endlessly impressed with your ability to read the minds and motivations of others.

WaveyGravey

These are good reasons I ride alone.

Outrider1

Alameda Blvd; the new Isle of Man TT. I foresee underground racers flying in from all parts of the globe to vie for the opportunity to knock Tripple Lights off his roost and become the new King of the Blvd.