I once described the ingredients of "pot belge" to some ravers and even they were shocked..."That's cheating"
"Have you ever seen a pro cyclist who doesn't cheat?"
But I think slowing down and giving a "friendly" nod to somebody that's struggling up a hill could be misinterpreted too. After all, people on mopeds don't slow down and give cyclists a nod.
When overtaking it may be best we just keep on going and be careful not to look like we're showing off. But I know, it's definitely a little awkward riding past a cyclist. I think this is because we just know they're going to be looking at the back of us with thoughts like "Ugh?" "What just happened?" "Where did he come from?"
Maybe when ebikes are more common then being overtaken by an ebike wont be such a shock.
Thats a point. I heard that during the Tour de France half of the population of Columbia went on holiday.... ."That's cheating"
"Have you ever seen a pro cyclist who doesn't cheat?"
Yes your probably right. A snappier one might be: ''Well if it is you ought to try it, you might like it''That takes far too long, after someone I pass says "That's cheating" I have about 1.5 seconds before I'm too far away to be heard. I think I'll just have to adopt the simple and easily understood rasberry.
My reply is normally, "..at what?"I wonder what the vote would be for the best put down for ''that's cheating.'' Perhaps we all ought to adopt the best one as a standard reply.
To their comment of ''TC'', mine would be something like: ''Explain why'', they would then say, ''Well it's got a battery and a motor'', to which I might say, ''a motor cycle has got an engine, would that be cheating''?
here's a strange strategy that works for me - look rough, when I look particularly rough (I mean half a beard boots and hangover rough with the desolate air of a recent divorcee) I don't get any abuse at all, whereas when I look chuffed and happy its quite the oppositeYesterday as I rode up my first long hill (3.5 mile 650' climb on a narrow lane) on my way home from work I passed a cyclist on a road bike about halfway up the hill. I have only seen him once before (over a year ago). The route is one I use twice daily, at regular times, so I'm guessing he's unlikely to be a regular commuter - which may be lucky for him - read on......
As I came up to overtake him, I slowed down and gave him a friendly nod and greeting. At first it was responded to with a smile, but then as he realised I was on an ebike his mood changed. 'You're cheating' he yelled followed by a succession of comments such as 'w**ker, cheating, lousy ba**ard' and a few other riper ones I won't bother with here. I couldn't believe I was hearing it. I had the sudden urge to stop the bike and deck the miserable sod, but by an effort of supreme will power managed to just turn my back on him and cycle on. I reckon he was at least 20yrs younger than me, but ironically judging by his pace up the hill on his road bike, I could still have trounced him on my non-electric hybrid, so I think his bluster was a triumph of style over substance. Whatever, if I had passed him on my motorbike, or in a people carrier, Land Rover etc. it would not have drawn such an attack of verbal abuse. It was totally inexcusable. I have encountered this sort of thing before, but never so severe or in response to an attempt at being friendly and conciliatory.
What is up with these 'lycra snobs?' - some of the most offensive people on the planet. They do the environmental lobby the sort of favours Pol Pot, Stalin and Mao's wife did for communism.
All I can say is if he does it again, I'll do the time for my actions and smile all the way through it .
Phil
at risk of saying the obvious, I think they were taking their bad day out on you, I see a lot of that somehow in dear old blightey - sad middleclass, often middle-aged souls, seethingly frustrated by the way nothing seems to be going the way it goes in American sitcoms, blearily eyeing everyone as if they are indeed from the dark sideI had quite a bizzare and very negative response from two road riders last weekend.
I had been out getting muddy as usual, but when I stopped for a cafe stop, I happened to bump into my cousin who was out on his road bike.
I opted to cycle the ten miles back home with him on the road, and along the way came across two road riders, one of which was sitting on the ground.
I was out in front, and stopped to see if they needed help. They both blanked me, and asked my cousin what he was doing out with someone from the dark side, whatever that is supposed to mean!
They continued to ignore me, and explained that to my cousin that the rider on the ground had broken a cleat from his shoe.
My pedals are both flat and clipless, and knowing that I had a spare set of cleats at home, I offered to remove one of my cleats and let him have it. Quite incredibly, and without even bothering to look up, the guy who didn't have the broken cleat, said that they would tape it up somehow. They didn't even have the courtesy to say thank you for the offer.
At that point, I just thought f**k you, and set off on my way, with my cousin following up behind saying what a couple of miserable tw*ts that they were.