went on group ride today

[MikeWaters]

It was a last minute thing, that some of the riders in the club said they wanted to do.

I was a little nervous when it ended up only being 6 riders total, all 5 others being racers or racer-types, even though this was a recovery ride.

Well anyway, I hung in just fine, but this one rider chewed out me and one other guy for our lack of pack skills. Not riding close enough, slowing down, not going through turns fast enough, speeding up and passing.

That's always fun. You want to learn, but some are not very good teachers.

Me: "thanks for telling me this stuff so I can learn. It's hard for me to learn if no one ever tells me."

Him: "well there is such thing as observation you know."

Me: "true"

Me (thinking): "wow what an asshole."

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

It was a last minute thing, that some of the riders in the club said they wanted to do.

I was a little nervous when it ended up only being 6 riders total, all 5 others being racers or racer-types, even though this was a recovery ride.

Well anyway, I hung in just fine, but this one rider chewed out me and one other guy for our lack of pack skills. Not riding close enough, slowing down, not going through turns fast enough, speeding up and passing.

That's always fun. You want to learn, but some are not very good teachers.

Me: "thanks for telling me this stuff so I can learn. It's hard for me to learn if no one ever tells me."

Him: "well there is such thing as observation you know."

Me: "true"

Me (thinking): "wow what an asshole."

Some racers are assholes.

My first or second ride with the racers went something like this.

Mind you, I have never been on a practice ride, on a group ride and had no fitness whatsoever.

"Hey, Tony, when do the guys ride their slow ride?"

"We don't. If you can't hang, we drop you like a bad habit. If you don't want to be with the big dogs, don't show up."

I'm thinking to myself, this is a guy, who divorced three wives because they work harder than he, doesn't see his kid and is dating his eighteen year old high school student. He earns as much as I do racing, ZERO, and he's giving me this sort of attitude.

Well that's the attitude of some racers, it defines them.

Triathletes are much, much nicer people.

[MikeWaters]

He's a skinny Indian dude. Interestingly he does a cadence of about 60 in the hills.

If it's the same guy that I remember, 3 years ago he was completely new to cycling. Now he's the master know-it-all rabbi/mullah of cycling who corrects by putting down.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

He's a skinny Indian dude. Interestingly he does a cadence of about 60 in the hills.

If it's the same guy that I remember, 3 years ago he was completely new to cycling. Now he's the master know-it-all rabbi/mullah of cycling who corrects by putting down.

I've yet to determine why cycling attracts so many asswipes, but it does. It could be it requires so much mental focus, you just shut out everything else. Or you have to be so selfish, everybody else becomes a tool for you.

[SteelBlue]

Tell him to suck it. I wouldn't ride with anyone who talked to me like that.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by SteelBlue

Tell him to suck it. I wouldn't ride with anyone who talked to me like that.

No kidding. Sheesh, Mike. Grow a pair and tell where to put that bike seat. Or invite him to the gym for a little round of boxing. See how tough he acts in that setting.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

No kidding. Sheesh, Mike. Grow a pair and tell where to put that bike seat. Or invite him to the gym for a little round of boxing. See how tough he acts in that setting.

Next time.

The thing is, I'm the new kid on the block, the kid who doesn't belong in that group.

I have to eat crow if I want to get better (by riding with people better than me).

I fell back a bit, and talked to the charismatic leader of the group and said "I guess I need to work on my riding etiquette."

He says "You don't need to learn from him. Don't listen to a single thing he says."

[Quisqueyano]

Originally Posted by Archaea

I've yet to determine why cycling attracts so many asswipes, but it does. It could be it requires so much mental focus, you just shut out everything else. Or you have to be so selfish, everybody else becomes a tool for you.

My theory is that it it the perfect sport for type A personalities.
People that are very driven and disciplined. And therefore somewhat arrogant.
Not all. But the real A-holes anyway.