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Competitive Commuting

by kempo
Fri, Jan 28, 2011 12:44
7

Hello road.cc

I thought I'd post about a terrible affliction i have. I don't think there's a cure. In fact, I hope there isn't a cure. But it is sometimes embarrasing, and I can't deny it any more.

I'm a competitive commuter.

If there's someone in front of me I have to catch them. I don't care if they're on a fixie, sit up and beg or a pinarello dogma. I will catch them, pass them, crush them.

If we're going up a hill, I will be the first to the top of that hill. I will break my b*lls to get there, wretching every single last watt of power out of my legs to triumphantly hit the top first. Then tried to hide my suffering out of fear of being found out that I care...

If we're on the flat, I will out accelerate and out pace every other cyclist and try to maintain it until I can hardly breath anymore and my vision goes hazy, and my legs are burning... just to stay ahead.

I just can't help myself. Sometimes I wake up and I think - hey, today, take it easy, relax, have a nice spin in. but as soon as someone passes me, those thoughts fade rapidly and I'm out the saddle and back on the attack.

Am I alone?

kempo

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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7 comments

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vorsprung | 13 years ago
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hmm just before xmas I was riding 35mm ice tyres that weighed about a metric ton each. And I was recovering from a cold.

But when a hybrid tried to pass me I counter attacked and lost him. Usually you can loose random commuters on the climbs.

Now that's all good and well but then I made a bit of a mistake. A guy on a Specialized Tarmac who is fitter / lighter / more motivated (I've encountered him before) caught me. I hopped on his wheel. I held his wheel, despite feeling ill and having tyres that make the bike act as if it is towing a dead badger. Eventually, 5 miles later I gave up.

But that did me in for several days.

Commuter racing...don't do it

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Simon E replied to vorsprung | 13 years ago
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vorsprung wrote:

Commuter racing...don't do it

Until tomorrow 3

You can't fool me vorsprung, you'll be back in the mood once you get rid of the badger.

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kempo | 13 years ago
0 likes

Thanks for the support. I had no idea there was an actual collection of individuals who do this in a hardcore way! I'd like to meet some of them on the road... competition of late has been a little substandard... or i'm just getting quicker 3

Mind you, my commute is only 8km each way, so it's basically a sprint any way

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Simon E | 13 years ago
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You haven't lived if you have never raced anyone during your commute.

The Game has its home on the Bikeradar.com commuting forum. I've just checked and the main thread is currently at 1193 pages. There are some entertaining characters on there, I have to say 1

@kempo, welcome you sound like a player. However, unlike most addictions, admitting it is not the first step on the road to quitting. Once you've started you can never go back to being a normal (boring, slow) commuter cyclist.

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Dr_Death | 13 years ago
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It's called 'the game'.... It has a facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17813152777) and official rules: http://www.itsnotarace.org/

I can never help myself either.

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Grishnak | 13 years ago
0 likes

No,definately not alone,I saw somewhere PCR or pointless
commuter racing.Strangely enough they have a points system
on who you manage to pass.Probably a championship by now!.

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dave atkinson | 13 years ago
0 likes

I nearly killed myself last night trying to stay with a chap on a nice Cannondale after he took me at the bottom of the hill to my house, it's a kilometre climb at 7%.

I *did* stay with him though 19

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