All the gear ?
Discussion
Now there is nothing wrong with having nice stuff if you can afford it and conversely no shame in having something basic, regardless of ability.
But, do you have any interesting stories of polar opposites, perhaps yourself ? I have a £1500 Trek Carbon Road bike but its 5 years old, I am nearly fifty and a bit overweight but can get a move on when I feel like it and the hills are my favourite, the down type.
I remember getting it and I worked with a guy who was about 11 stone of muscle, he had every KOM in the area, even by the standards of the "proper cyclists" at work he was almost mythical, I remember trying to keep pace with him when he wasn't even "on it" and almost ended up puking after about five miles, his trusty steed was a ten year old, unmodified basic model Specialized Allez. He got a new one when it was replaced by Specialized for free when the poor frame finally gave up and cracked after years of year round commuting and numerous holidays in the Alps, thousands upon thousands of miles.
Contrast with another chap at work, wanted to go Mountain Biking, not short of money, spent four grand on an Orange full suspension bike, told all the other guys he would smoke them on their crappy old bikes, thinking spending more, like cars guaranteed faster, soon realised it didn't and got a lot of stick after.
So have you ever been comprehensively smoked on your six grand Road/Tri/TT bike by a nutter of a Raleigh Grifter ?
Even been overtaken by a kid on a rigid Halfords MTB when on your DH bike ?
But, do you have any interesting stories of polar opposites, perhaps yourself ? I have a £1500 Trek Carbon Road bike but its 5 years old, I am nearly fifty and a bit overweight but can get a move on when I feel like it and the hills are my favourite, the down type.
I remember getting it and I worked with a guy who was about 11 stone of muscle, he had every KOM in the area, even by the standards of the "proper cyclists" at work he was almost mythical, I remember trying to keep pace with him when he wasn't even "on it" and almost ended up puking after about five miles, his trusty steed was a ten year old, unmodified basic model Specialized Allez. He got a new one when it was replaced by Specialized for free when the poor frame finally gave up and cracked after years of year round commuting and numerous holidays in the Alps, thousands upon thousands of miles.
Contrast with another chap at work, wanted to go Mountain Biking, not short of money, spent four grand on an Orange full suspension bike, told all the other guys he would smoke them on their crappy old bikes, thinking spending more, like cars guaranteed faster, soon realised it didn't and got a lot of stick after.
So have you ever been comprehensively smoked on your six grand Road/Tri/TT bike by a nutter of a Raleigh Grifter ?
Even been overtaken by a kid on a rigid Halfords MTB when on your DH bike ?
Saw a family out for some lockdown exercise the other week.
Teen daughter at the front rolling along comfortably on a hybrid in normal clothes.
Mum in her late 40's wobbling along in normal clothes on on a hybrid that had clearly only ridden once since hubby bought it for her but has now been dragged out to function as lockdown entertainment / exercise.
Slightly overweight dad at the rear, in his mid fifties, on a carbon road bike wearing the full lycra setup.
It was like someone putting on a full nomex racesuit to drive to Tesco.
One incident from many years ago for me though.
In my mid twenties I used to occasionally cycle home from work in Portsmouth to Waterlooville which meant a mid-journey climb up Portsdown Hill which is very long and very steep.
One day, as I was powering along on my 21 speed MTB, I heroically swept past a teenager on a BMX about 100m into the climb. About three quarters of the way up I was starting to slow but was still keeping up what seemed to be an acceptable pace, when the kid on the BMX glided past and continued to pull away all the way to the top.
Teen daughter at the front rolling along comfortably on a hybrid in normal clothes.
Mum in her late 40's wobbling along in normal clothes on on a hybrid that had clearly only ridden once since hubby bought it for her but has now been dragged out to function as lockdown entertainment / exercise.
Slightly overweight dad at the rear, in his mid fifties, on a carbon road bike wearing the full lycra setup.
It was like someone putting on a full nomex racesuit to drive to Tesco.
One incident from many years ago for me though.
In my mid twenties I used to occasionally cycle home from work in Portsmouth to Waterlooville which meant a mid-journey climb up Portsdown Hill which is very long and very steep.
One day, as I was powering along on my 21 speed MTB, I heroically swept past a teenager on a BMX about 100m into the climb. About three quarters of the way up I was starting to slow but was still keeping up what seemed to be an acceptable pace, when the kid on the BMX glided past and continued to pull away all the way to the top.
I was once passed on a climb by a middle aged gentlemen. This is not unusual. Doubly so because I was racing at the time.
What made this stick in the memory was that he only had one leg. When I found him at the finish and complemented him on the leg that he had, he mentioned that his knee was a bit buggered so he’d only switched to cycling a couple of months back....
What made this stick in the memory was that he only had one leg. When I found him at the finish and complemented him on the leg that he had, he mentioned that his knee was a bit buggered so he’d only switched to cycling a couple of months back....
Did a Gorrick race for a laugh , as a member of the club in Swinley, then on my retro Fuquay steel with rigid forks and cantilever brakes. At a time I was reasonably fit . In with about 100 other riders , including the usual trophy hunters on their carbon wotsits and managed a 7th by the end . First and last race. 
I did get left behind in a local industrial estate on my ride back home the other day by an old guy , in a high viz , on what looked like a shopper bike . Guess he was on a mission as his tea was on the table after he had just finished his shift . I wasnt wanting to let the gap get any bigger, but had to admit defeat !!
I did get left behind in a local industrial estate on my ride back home the other day by an old guy , in a high viz , on what looked like a shopper bike . Guess he was on a mission as his tea was on the table after he had just finished his shift . I wasnt wanting to let the gap get any bigger, but had to admit defeat !!
Shirtless Keith
https://pvcycling.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/let-it-...
https://vimeo.com/211342610
https://pvcycling.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/let-it-...
https://vimeo.com/211342610
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 27th April 22:57
About 5 or so years ago I was based in Germany with the Army. There was quite a good road cycling scene, wome sort of race most weekends.
Me and a mate were at the same unit so trained together. He was new to biking and used one of the Battalion bikes, around 10 years old, steel framed, something like Sora triple ring drive train. He was a very fit and dedicated guy.
He won every race, often against guys who had been doing it for 20 years with 5k+ of kit. The looks on their faces that first season was priceless.
He now podiums quite regular on the European triathlon scene so I don't feel in the least bit hard done by losing to him on my Boardman.
Me and a mate were at the same unit so trained together. He was new to biking and used one of the Battalion bikes, around 10 years old, steel framed, something like Sora triple ring drive train. He was a very fit and dedicated guy.
He won every race, often against guys who had been doing it for 20 years with 5k+ of kit. The looks on their faces that first season was priceless.
He now podiums quite regular on the European triathlon scene so I don't feel in the least bit hard done by losing to him on my Boardman.
JPJPJP said:
Shirtless Keith
https://pvcycling.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/let-it-...
https://vimeo.com/211342610
That must be really annoying for those guys he goes past but it doesnt make me wonder how, he is at quite a disadvantage on a big heavy bike with one gear and those roadies wont be pushovers, must be some genetic thing and just huge numbers of miles going on. Be interesting to see him on a decent bike.https://pvcycling.wordpress.com/2017/03/18/let-it-...
https://vimeo.com/211342610
Edited by JPJPJP on Monday 27th April 22:57
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