Sometimes I just have to complain but......

[stumpy]

ever notice those guys who encouter a girl riding better than they are always has a reason why they can't keep up? The other evening my husband and I were out riding a local yet pretty techincal trail. Let me be the first to say that I'm not that fast of a rider at all but I have built up endurance and I do have technical skills. So, we were riding and we passed this guy who had stopped at the top of a hill to rest. We said hi and kept going at my moderate pace. I guess this guy decided he didn't want to stay behind us so he started riding. I told him if he wanted to pass, go ahead when he had a chance but I wasn't going to stop. Right about that time we hit a pretty techincal section over some granite rocks. Since I have ridden this trail more times than I care to count, I was able to easily clear the rocks. Huffy Puffy couldn't clear the rocks so he came off his bike which put him further behind. Well, later down the trail........same thing. Huffing and puffing coming up behind me and here comes and obstacle etc etc. Finally at one point on the trail my husband and I stopped to talk to some friends of ours we happen to run into. As we are talking, huffy puffy comes riding up. We say hi to him and then he let's us know that he has four broken ribs and that's why he couldn't keep up. Whatever. Why can't guys just admit when a girl may be a little better than him. I'm not the best rider by any means but I did kick his butt. Oh well, I guess I'm just being an overly senstive female.

[Divscotty]

;) It seems to me if you had let him by you could have watch a spectacular wreck. Lol They can be entertaining.

Divscotty

[CRUM]

Originally posted by stumpy
Whatever. Why can't guys just admit when a girl may be a little better than him. I'm not the best rider by any means but I did kick his butt. Oh well, I guess I'm just being an overly senstive female.

Could it be that you were way pleased that you kicked his butt, but damn disappointed when he used an excuse instead of acknowledging your superior riding?

Remember the fragile male ego. We can handle a licking by a guy, but some of us draw the line at being beat by mere women.

Just today I had my ass handed to me by a mere woman. But then I get thrashed by mere men on a regular basis also. My ego is fine though. I leave it at the car before I start the ride. Well, most of the time, I do.

After many years of trail riding, crashing and general offroad mayhem, I have come up with 3 basic rules to ride by:
1 - There is always someone faster, you'll catch them at the car
2 - There is always someone slower, they'll catch you at the car
3 - Never be afraid to walk. What people think hurts a lot less
than broken bones or contusions.

[Raymo853]

It is so very true that guys have a tendency to do this when passed by women, there is no denying that. I’ll admit I feel the motivation myself. The best I have ever seen is when my friend Margot, who is in her early 60’s, has passed racer type guys at the end of 5 hour rides, they go nuts on both gender and age bias, and I have seen them injure themselves trying to catch her. But men also do this crap with other guys; part of the broken rib’s motivation had nothing to do with sexism.

I have often sailed by guys looking like they were just cruising along, suffering horribly, paying more attention to the tree’s changing foliage color than riding, or whatever and they'll speed up and sit on my wheel, try to pass me or so on. And I too have done many times myself including just yesterday. Near then end of a 40 mile single track and fire road ride with lots of climbing, I was begging Jesus to just help me up the last fire-road hill (Bear Meadows in Rothrock in Central PA) at 5 MPH while peddling squares in my 32 by 30. I looked back at about the halfway point of this hill, and noticed three guys catching up to me, so I starting flying. I ended up cresting the hill in my 32 by 15 and at about 18MPH spinning and dancing on the pedals like Lance.

[Cyclenaut]

Ok I have a confession...

I know how guys are going to respond when I ride past them, or even keep up with them, and I like to have fun with it.

I'm much faster on the road than on the dirt, and I do these group rides on Tuesday and Thursday nights when I'm in Houston. The ride consists of many of the local racer boyz, and a few chicks mixed in. The first part of the ride goes into downtown Houston so it's traffic light central and pretty much one sprint after another. On really strong days, I'll lead out the whole group. I can hear the gears dropping behind me and the scramble to catch me takes place. Those guys just hate it when a chick makes them look slower.

Of course they catch me and then make me suffer, as if to tell me that I have some nerve being a chick and riding faster than them, even for a little while. I just grin because you can almost feel the testosterone level shooting up.

It makes me a better rider though, since I can't just relax and let them drop me.

There is another side of this, too. If I see a rider ahead of me I'll drop the hammer and try to catch up. Admittedly, this is because I want him to see that there are chicks out there who can ride fast. It's pretty cool to see the deer in the headlights look when I roll up and say hi!

Muaaaaaah ah ah ah aaaah!

I have a little devil in me, I guess...

:D

[wooglin-at-home]

I'm reminded of my pure roadie days. I was riding along across Paynes Prairie in Gainesville, FL when I spied a $20 on the side of the road. I stopped and picked it up, and looking way up ahead I could see a rider on the short climb out. This was a standard loop with about 3 miles to go, and I figured the money was (what turned out to be) hers. After busting my butt I finally caught her just as we were getting back into town and slowed as I pulled up alongside and said hi. She glanced over and with no preamble said, and I quote, "I really prefer riding alone".

I gave her the $20 (her seat pack was open) and struggled the rest of the way home alone. Some days you just can't win. :)

[Cyclenaut]

Well, there could be two possible explanations for the chilly reception:

1) She's been jaded by years of feeling second best to men on rides, and has thus stopped riding with anyone.

-or-

2) She's simply an unpleasant pain in the arse who has no social skills whatsoever.

If it's the former, then I can understand how she would become this way. There are guys out there who are capable of being real jerks. My guess is that she started riding with an ex-boyfriend who dropped her from the parking lot.

If it's the latter, then it's obvious that she grew up in cave.

[wooglin-at-home]

Or maybe she just likes riding alone. So do I, so no big deal. ;)

[Cyclenaut]

Wanting to ride alone is one thing, perfectly acceptable.

Being rude about it is another, less acceptable thing.

[jugdish]

Sorry for lurking in the Women's Room, I'll make it quick. Women who ride are cool, women who rip it are righteous! I've only (unfortunately) had the chance to ride with two really fast women (not that there aren't more out there), this may sound sexist but they were cute at the trailhead, they were beautiful crushing my sorry ass. Props...