30 January, 2007

Competitive commuting

My cycling to work is about saving money and losing inches from my waist. It is a way of getting to work, it is not a race!

It is not a race!

But.......

I don't like being overtaken, it is something that happens and I have generally learned to accept it. As far as I am concerned there are three groups of cyclists:

1. Those who I am fairly happy to be overtaken by, these include:
Anyone who has a bicycle that has carbon-fibre bits.
Anyone who has those clip on shoe/peddle things.
Anyone that has cycling legs
Anyone who can do that balancing thing at traffic lights

2. Those who I am not really happy to be overtaken by but I put up with, these include:
Anyone riding a bike that has a basket on it.
Anyone wearing a suit of skirt.
Anyone whose bike is clearly older than me.
Anyone who is clearly fatter than me.
Anyone who looks more than twice my age.

3. Those who I will not let overtake me.
Anyone riding one handed while chatting on a mobile phone!!!!!!!!! (it almost happened).

4 comments:

Raedwald said...

It could be worse.

When trout fishing in Galway I made use of my host's ancient Mobylette moped to get into the village. With the throttle hard open I was chuggin down the lane at about walking pace. A nice old lad of about 80 gave me a cheery wave as he overtook me on a cycle that must have been in use when I was born.

Harumph.

Danvers said...

Where do you stand on those fold-able Brompton bikes with the tiny wheels? It always amazes me that I can never seem to keep up with them.

James Cleverly said...

They are surprisingly nippy!

My dad has a Moulton bike which has small wheels and it absolutely flies. Even with my dad doing the peddling.

It is also about 30 years old.

james higham said...

Classic. James, it's 'competitive'.