Why do people cycle slowly?

[angusc43]

I was just responding the "why do people walk slowly" thread and though of another one.

Why do people ride bikes slowly?

In fact why do people by stoopid single-gear American bikes and wobble around London looking pleased with themselves?

- They don't go
- they don't stop (rear wheel coaster brake anyone.....?
- they weigh a ton
- the seating position is so far back over the rear wheel to totally hash up the weight distribution
- and in my book they are an affront to a century of progress in bicycle engineering.

I bet these are the same people who walk slowly down Oxford Street weaving randomly from side to side. And buy Harleys (duck).

Thoughts?

[ewenm]

Because they want to?

[Nurburgsingh]

because going fast makes your legs hurt.

[Don]

Because they're unfit and don't want to get sweaty?

[Motorrad]

Not sure about the pose value of such a machine (there's a guy round here who rides one with spinners and ape hanger bars and he looks like a tool) but cycling slowly can be great fun taking in the sight and such.

It's only a problem when you're inconveniencing others which again is the sort of thing that only a dick would do.

[FM]

There`s a guy cycles by my house every day...a shambles. Too old for it really, I swear you could easily walk faster, he`s all over the shop & looks like he`s almosted fainted such is his exhausted `draped over the handle bars like a wet blanket` technique.

[Mr Gear]

ewenm said:

Because they want to?

Probably this^

Get over it. Morgans are an affront to 50 years of car development, but that's why I like them.

[5pen]

The ones that get me are those that I see around London riding mountain bikes on flat tarmac using one of the gears more useful for a one-in-four incline. The legs are doing about 50rpm and they are travelling at walking pace. Bizarre.

[fathomfive]

angusc43 said:

I was just responding the "why do people walk slowly" thread and though of another one.

Why do people ride bikes slowly?

In fact why do people by stoopid single-gear American bikes and wobble around London looking pleased with themselves?

- They don't go
- they don't stop (rear wheel coaster brake anyone.....?
- they weigh a ton
- the seating position is so far back over the rear wheel to totally hash up the weight distribution
- and in my book they are an affront to a century of progress in bicycle engineering.

I bet these are the same people who walk slowly down Oxford Street weaving randomly from side to side. And buy Harleys (duck).

Thoughts?

You forgot to add that they think they own the road, don't pay attention to red lights, ride two abreast so you can't overtake and don't pay road tax.

[angusc43]

FM said:

There`s a guy cycles by my house every day...a shambles. Too old for it really, I swear you could easily walk faster, he`s all over the shop & looks like he`s almosted fainted such is his exhausted `draped over the handle bars like a wet blanket` technique.

Actually there's one guy I quite often see wearily walking past my house (presumably on the way to and from work). The strange thing is that I've recently seen him on two occossions recently at least a mile from my house. Pushing his bike. Eh?

[JJCW]

What's great is people in the highest gear peddling insanely, going slowly - comical

[angusc43]

5pen said:

The ones that get me are those that I see around London riding mountain bikes on flat tarmac using one of the gears more useful for a one-in-four incline. The legs are doing about 50rpm and they are travelling at walking pace. Bizarre.

Yeah. That's just wrong.

[mat205125]

ewenm said:

Because they want to?

Same reason people buy Harley Davidson motorbikes rather than the latest ZX10R

Freedom of choice.

If they want to look a dick, and go slow, let them.

[angusc43]

fathomfive said:

You forgot to add that they think they own the road, don't pay attention to red lights, ride two abreast so you can't overtake and don't pay road tax.

Or pay insurance. And then they f**k off after pulling daft stunts and causing my wife to crash and write off a £2000 scooter*

• actually I wasn't that bothered about the scooter - fairly carp retro-Vespa thing

[angusc43]

mat205125 said:

ewenm said:

Because they want to?

Same reason people buy Harley Davidson motorbikes rather than the latest ZX10R

Freedom of choice.

If they want to look a dick, and go slow, let them.

Actually you make a good point. Maybe on this basis I look less stupid - which is always a good thing

[dtmpower]

I see alot of people locally - riding on the road, rusty old cheap mountain bike, normally with a flat tyre.... must be slower and more difficult than walking.

Why do people use too low a gear on the road? With some skinny hybrid tyres pumped up hard you can roll along quite nicely in the top gear on a mountain bike...

[ben_reza]

Its amazing the amount of people who dont put their saddle high enough- which is partly why its such a struggle and why they end up going slow.

A heavy super-market special bike doesnt help of course.....

[shouldbworking]

ben_reza said:

Its amazing the amount of people who dont put their saddle high enough- which is partly why its such a struggle and why they end up going slow.

This one gets me the most... if you're practically kneeing yourself in the chest every revolution, youre doing it wrong!

that said if they didnt I wouldnt be able to sail past their road bikes on my mtb with off-road tyres

[Chris71]

angusc43 said:

fathomfive said:

You forgot to add that they think they own the road, don't pay attention to red lights, ride two abreast so you can't overtake and don't pay road tax.

Or pay insurance. And then they f**k off after pulling daft stunts and causing my wife to crash and write off a £2000 scooter.

This has become such a PH cliche. I'm not sure if it's a vain attempt to fit in with everyone else moaning or simply trolling.

[angusc43]

Chris71 said:

angusc43 said:

fathomfive said:

You forgot to add that they think they own the road, don't pay attention to red lights, ride two abreast so you can't overtake and don't pay road tax.

Or pay insurance. And then they f**k off after pulling daft stunts and causing my wife to crash and write off a £2000 scooter.

This has become such a PH cliche. I'm not sure if it's a vain attempt to fit in with everyone else moaning or simply trolling.

No, this genuinely did happen. My wife was on her way to work on the road through Regents Park in the LH lane when a cyclist (without looking) veered right across in front of her into the RH lane as he decided he wanted to turn right. She locked up the front and binned the scooter (luckily no more than the odd scratch and bruise but of course here clothes were trashed and the scooter was a write off). The cyclist hung around long enough to deny responsibility then disappeared. Bit shabby really.

Don't get me wrong - I am cyclist myself. I just think this particular character was a t**ser for basically leaving my wife lying in the road with a trashed scooter after an accident that was 100% his fault.

Nothing to do with being anti-cylist, more to do with having a sense of responsibility.