Tubehunter Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 Fair enough But If I am able to race in the first 4 bunches do not get upset/aggro towards me with my 780mm bars I am not capable of riding there with my mtb in anycase. I think something to remember aswell is the fact that not everyone has got various bikes for the different disciplines. I think thats why there is so much mtbs in road races. The aggro is not because you have wide bars. (I typically don't do aggro as my first response. Enough people flying off the handle for no reason whatsoever really in these situations!) Lets make it real world scenario. Picture the scene: You're pushing hard at the front of a group regularly pulling through and riding on the front doing your bit to keep the average speed up and the pace consistent. You've got a functional paceline that's alternating between rolling turns and the odd extended session for that stronger diesel engine that's able to ride clever without surging and breaking the group of chaps that are doing all the work. You start picking up stragglers from earlier groups, some of which are our off road brothers\sisters who were dropped on a climb or descent along the route earlier. They merge with the group and start jostling for position in the group. They're not pulling through and doing a turn on the front but keep pushing in at the 5th wheel. Their MO is to get halfway past the 5th rider and just pull in, essentially switching you. You have to bang on the brakes, have everyone behind you scream and get nervous as there's no logical reason to have to consider hard braking on a flat section with a group laying down pace and now you're having to surge to get the wheel again! The first time it's a little annoying, but if it continues throughout that flat section until you're next able to find a meaningful climb or descent to shake them off, you do have your patience seriously challenged!
Escapee.. Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 This thread would be great if TH doesnt write a 1000 word essay in each post
Martin PJ Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 This doesn't only apply to MTB's but also a lot of roadies. After one hour you catch guys who started 5 to 10 minutes ahead of you, then they want to get busy in the bunch while you had a good thing going without them. This is quite annoying. Basically roll it over, or go sit at the back. You start picking up stragglers from earlier groups, some of which are our off road brothers\sisters who were dropped on a climb or descent along the route earlier. They merge with the group and start jostling for position in the group. They're not pulling through and doing a turn on the front but keep pushing in at the 5th wheel.
Tubehunter Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 This thread would be great if TH doesnt write a 1000 word essay in each post Sorry Escapeeeeeee TL\DR.... (Just making sure I'm not misinterpreted by being vague. Are you going to give me a word count?)
NotSoBigBen Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 The only thing that makes me naar about the MTB okes in road races is that when I'm drafting them (they are good for that ) they go straight over the damn cateyes and I nearly poep myself that I'll puncture or break a wheel .... so bloody inconsiderate
raptor-22 Posted December 1, 2015 Author Posted December 1, 2015 The aggro is not because you have wide bars. (I typically don't do aggro as my first response. Enough people flying off the handle for no reason whatsoever really in these situations!) Lets make it real world scenario. Picture the scene: You're pushing hard at the front of a group regularly pulling through and riding on the front doing your bit to keep the average speed up and the pace consistent. You've got a functional paceline that's alternating between rolling turns and the odd extended session for that stronger diesel engine that's able to ride clever without surging and breaking the group of chaps that are doing all the work. You start picking up stragglers from earlier groups, some of which are our off road brothers\sisters who were dropped on a climb or descent along the route earlier. They merge with the group and start jostling for position in the group. They're not pulling through and doing a turn on the front but keep pushing in at the 5th wheel. Their MO is to get halfway past the 5th rider and just pull in, essentially switching you. You have to bang on the brakes, have everyone behind you scream and get nervous as there's no logical reason to have to consider hard braking on a flat section with a group laying down pace and now you're having to surge to get the wheel again! The first time it's a little annoying, but if it continues throughout that flat section until you're next able to find a meaningful climb or descent to shake them off, you do have your patience seriously challenged! yes but not only the surging , as they make an attempt to surge they whp this tillers around and come surgng past you tagging your shorts. Now they're lucky I wear bibs cos rukking my shorts past my bum isn't going to earn you friends.
SAGecko Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 Mountain Bikers actually have real bike handling skills. Skills, if I may, that are far in excess of those possessed by mere road bicycle riders. It is, after all, rather easy to stay upright on a lovely bit of tarmac amongst all your slinky lycra-encrusted buddies while chatting about the end-of-ride cappuccino and stroking each other ego's and other things. It is another thing altogether to keep rubber side down in a rock garden while your saddle is mashing your goolies to guacamole and your handlebars are doing kendo practice on your wrists. So, in answer to all you roadies who cannot conceive of a greater horror than riding with a Mountain Biking cyclist, just suck it up, genuflect and be grateful that you have an actual cyclist in your midst.
NotSoBigBen Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 Mountain Bikers actually have real bike handling skills. Skills, if I may, that are far in excess of those possessed by mere road bicycle riders. It is, after all, rather easy to stay upright on a lovely bit of tarmac amongst all your slinky lycra-encrusted buddies while chatting about the end-of-ride cappuccino and stroking each other ego's and other things. It is another thing altogether to keep rubber side down in a rock garden while your saddle is mashing your goolies to guacamole and your handlebars are doing kendo practice on your wrists. So, in answer to all you roadies who cannot conceive of a greater horror than riding with a Mountain Biking cyclist, just suck it up, genuflect and be grateful that you have an actual cyclist in your midst. Ai could you not have waited for Friday
Tubehunter Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 This doesn't only apply to MTB's but also a lot of roadies. After one hour you catch guys who started 5 to 10 minutes ahead of you, then they want to get busy in the bunch while you had a good thing going without them. This is quite annoying. Basically roll it over, or go sit at the back. Yep plenty of peeps with min bunch skills! No excuse for chaps who have been riding for a long time and can't get it right! But the lesser spotted fat wheel whirring MTB'er who is OX strong to be there, in most cases doesn't KNOW the etiquette as he has rarely been exposed to it...
Tubehunter Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 Mountain Bikers actually have real bike handling skills. Skills, if I may, that are far in excess of those possessed by mere road bicycle riders. It is, after all, rather easy to stay upright on a lovely bit of tarmac amongst all your slinky lycra-encrusted buddies while chatting about the end-of-ride cappuccino and stroking each other ego's and other things. It is another thing altogether to keep rubber side down in a rock garden while your saddle is mashing your goolies to guacamole and your handlebars are doing kendo practice on your wrists. So, in answer to all you roadies who cannot conceive of a greater horror than riding with a Mountain Biking cyclist, just suck it up, genuflect and be grateful that you have an actual cyclist in your midst. Tangent uncle! You're on your own one bru! Having rock garden skills counts for nought when you're doing silky, buttery, smooth pacing efforts with a cohesive crew...
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 Tangent uncle! You're on your own one bru! Having rock garden skills counts for nought when you're doing silky, buttery, smooth pacing efforts with a cohesive crew... http://i1.wp.com/www.tor.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/crazy-were-sheep.jpg?fit=475%2C%209999&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C230px
Pure Savage Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 You would think these MTB'ers that bomb down trails and keep it rubber side down on those super knarly trails could ride in a straight line on the road... There is that type of person that says I did the Argus in 3:05, ON A MTB, every time I tell them, if only you had not been a plonker and used a road bike, you could have had a sub 3 story to bore everyone with, instead of your Sub 4.
Pure Savage Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 Also, there is a lot of skill to ride in a tight lycra clad bunch with bars touching and someone leaning on you around corners etc. The scratch riders at Killarney are generally very good at group riding. (Unlike those Elite Epic riders this year that touched handlebars on a dirt road and formed a pile up, if only they had used their gnarly MTB skills to ride in a bunch)
Tubehunter Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 Oi Gecko, please refer to post #134 and explain the MTBer's superior rock garden skills and how it has kept him upright on the tar for us please dude... Hey, the okes in that group were super amped to witness first hand 'the actual cyclist in their midst' ekse!
Hairy Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 Also, there is a lot of skill to ride in a tight lycra clad bunch with bars touching and someone leaning on you around corners etc. The scratch riders at Killarney are generally very good at group riding. (Unlike those Elite Epic riders this year that touched handlebars on a dirt road and formed a pile up, if only they had used their gnarly MTB skills to ride in a bunch) you sure they were not undercover roadies?
Thor Buttox Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 A big guy came soloing past our little group on his 29er with knobblies at Klapmuts on Sunday. Didn't see what group he was in, but at that moment I would have just doffed my cap and said 'Well done'. I averaged 34kph,so to be TT'ing along on your ace at that speed into the wind must have taken some doing. A few okes on road bikes were far more dangerous in the group.
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