# What's the most embarrassing thing you've been passed by?



## mtrac (Sep 23, 2013)

This season isn't going that well, but that's a subject for another thread. Today reminded me of an incident from last year.

I'd like to start a survey. Given relatively flat terrain and a smooth roadway, what's the most unlikely thing (not just bicycle) to pass you and eventually disappear out of sight? My contributions are:


a guy on inline skates, accompanied by a bicyclist
a (middle-aged?) couple on a Cannondale tandem. Twice


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## Mckdaddy (Feb 8, 2014)

A large beastly man passed me yesterday on his hybrid. I realized I was doing steady-state, heart rate zone 2 training....but still. This guy was every bit 6'2", 240, and had a nice cadence going.


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

A guy who looked like he might be homeless - filthy blue jeans, grubby sweatshirt, sneakers, greasy tangled hair - on what looked like to be a 70s or 80s vintage department store "10 speed" that looked like it had been living rough with him for a couple of decades. He passed me pretty handily and I couldn't keep up with him. He did pull over and drop his bike in the weeds about 1/2 mile ahead of me at one point, and evidently went into the woods because I didn't see him when I rode past a few minutes later. For years, I've been imagining he went into the woods and collapsed and died because he had to ride 150% to pass me . It was very odd. I'm not a very strong rider, but am in decent shape and like to ride (a lot).

I also got beat on an 800 meter speedskating race (fairly casual, but I did have speedskates) by a guy on hockey skates. If he'd been younger than me, it wouldn't have bothered me, but he not only was my age or a couple years older, but he was wearing, again, blue jeans and I was in tights.

I get passed on XC skis all the time by younger and / or much stronger people who can't ski for S***, but can power past on youth and strength alone.

Story of my life boys.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

This one's easy. About 15 years ago, when I mountain bike raced, I was training at an upcoming race venue - a ski area with a gravel access road to the top of the hill. I was doing repeat climbs up the hill. I was quite a good climber and I was on my mega-$ tricked out Kestrel carbon mountain bike. On one of my climbs that afternoon, when I was right at my limit, I heard the crunching of gravel behind me. Another rider had caught me and was going to pass. Hey, fair play to him if he could pass me on my type of climb.

The guy drew alongside. What I saw nearly made me quit cycling, never mind racing. The guy was on about an early '80s Miele mountain bike - some generic cheapo POS that I wouldn't ride to work. He had flat plastic pedals (no toe clips or click-in pedals), sneakers, long knee socks, flappy nylon shorts and a wife-beater t-shirt. The killer was the effin' kickstand.

He passed me fair & square and rode off into the distance. {{{{shame and embarrassment}}}}


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## Duane Behrens (Nov 8, 2013)

I rode my bike to the grocery to get a couple of items. Forgot I was on the bike. Came out again after spending $150 for a trolley full of groceries. Saw my bike. #!*X!*!

Had to go back in. Asked for the store manager. "Would you watch this cart for me? I'll be right back with my car. Go ahead and eat the ice cream!"


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## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

I get passed on a fairly regular basis, but the best so far was the lady pulling a Burley. She was absolutely hammering. I couldn't see the kid in the back, but I could hear her/him cackling like mad and saying "Wheeeeeee!" as they blew past me.


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## matfam (Jul 13, 2012)

An 80 year old man on a 40 lb Schwinn up a 7% grade..... He didn't just pass me... He flew past me like I was completely at a stop.


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## prome (Jul 9, 2010)

Yeah, so my friend in this scenario is probably going to see this and kick my *ss. Sorry Dano!

So a couple of years ago, I'm on a training ride that I was a mentor for in preparation for a charity century. I'm riding with my buddy, and a team of ~30+ riders overall spread out across a few miles. It's our peak training ride. 88 miles with some significant climbing. But it's early in the day. Coincidentally, this stretch of road is also in use by an annual 2-day event of a club of tricked out British 3-speed afficionados. They have some fantastic, gorgeous collector bikes, and ride in period costume, so like woolens, knickers, sporting coats, button down shirts, the whole bit. And they all have little bells on their bikes and give a merry ding-ding whenever they see another rider. They carry little picnic rolls with them, like with little steel flasks and picnic blankets. All very quaint. Well my friend is sucking wind going up this 2-mile climb. We're all decked out in lycra, clipped into our carbon steeds. I'm riding along behind him egging him on, but he's hurting that day for whatever reason. Pretty soon, coming up the hill behind us... ding-ding... It's a group of women on this ride. Long flowing skirts. Wicker baskets on the front of their 3-speeds. Bloody bonnets with flowers in them. They were probably wearing pettifores. Bouquets in the baskets. I saw all this as they blew past us up the hill. I just smiled from behind my dark wrap-around carbon sunglasses and hoped I didn't recognize anyone. Ding-ding. Still haunts me...


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

> They were probably wearing pettifores


Or maybe wearing petticoats, and planning to eat petit fours for dessert.

Excellent story.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

I got passed by a guy in a full kit on a rusty Schwinn Varsity with rattling fenders. 

It was RAGBRAI so anything is possible there.


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## Mckdaddy (Feb 8, 2014)

Solid thread. Good job, OP.


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## prome (Jul 9, 2010)

JCavilia said:


> Or maybe wearing petticoats, and planning to eat petit fours for dessert.


Yep. Definitely not up on my vintage women's undergarments, JCavilia.  Here's a link to the 3 speed tour, however. Pretty cool event; I bet some of their bikes are WAY more expensive than mine. Not to mention those knickers...

The Lake Pepin 3-Speed Tour


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

prome said:


> Yep. Definitely not up on my vintage women's undergarments, JCavilia.  Here's a link to the 3 speed tour, however. Pretty cool event; I bet some of their bikes are WAY more expensive than mine. Not to mention those knickers...
> 
> The Lake Pepin 3-Speed Tour


That looks way cool, and it's in a beautiful place. I could imagine doing that. Have to drag out my Harris Tweed cap, of course.


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## D&MsDad (Jul 17, 2007)

Not passed, but I did get beaten to the line by a chicken once. 

I was coming up a steep hill, and there was a chicken near the top. I tried to catch it, but it beat me to the top of the hill. Of course the little [email protected] had a motorized assist (wings), but still....





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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

What comes to mind is actually my passing something not being passed.

Going up a real steep grade towards the end of a really hard ride I decided I'd finish this last hill 'fast' (but was having little to show for my efforts) when I see something moving on the sand shoulder about 20 yards up going my direction.
What seemed like a half an hour later I caught this thing and noticed it was a snapping turtle doing the same climb. I know for sure it was a snapper because the 'passing' allowed for plenty of time to look and see.


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## bellzisu (May 1, 2013)

When I first started riding 6 years ago, I bought a Target POS Schwinn 10 speed. Knowing nothing about bikes or biking I went on my first ride with my brother and some of his friends he rides with. It was a 40 mile extremely flat ride on a perfect 4th of July weekend. I was extremely excited about riding with them at first. After the first mile they were already a half mile ahead of me and I felt like crap. They ended up waiting for me every 5 miles or so. Even worse I had to push my bike up the smallest on inclines, while people hauling Burleys were flying by.

I rode one more ride with them on that bike and I would always take off 5 or so minutes before them since they always caught up with me. 

After that ordeal, I decided it was time to either buy a real bike or just give up on biking. Thank God I bought a real bike and got into shape. Even an entry level trek was 20x better then that crap they sold me at Target. 

My second most embarrassing thing.. Admitting I bought a bike at Target.


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## Sundog (Sep 25, 2013)

I didn't get passed by him, while rolling ............ but I would have ........

...... if I had not been hacking up a lung off the side of the trail.

Friend of mine and I were climbing up the back side of Mt. Falcon on our '93 mountain bikes (it was ok - because this was early '94). I'd been sick all week, and should have stayed home that evening. Anyway....

.... as I was struggling to catch my breath - about 2/3 the way up, i glanced upwards in time to see my friend's jaw drop as he was staring down the trail.

A rider was approaching. As he passed us at a nice clip - I glanced up the trail and noticed the dude had ......

...... wait for it .......







..... one leg. Stump above the knee on the right side. 

I think of that guy often. I was not so much embarrassed - as impressed - and inspired.


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## Kumachan (Jan 15, 2013)

A jogging guy. Seriously.

Well, ok, it was very heavy climb and the "jogger" was actually pro runner who was training there. His support team gave me water too.


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## icarus (Jun 6, 2007)

I was riding the bike leg of a sprint triathlon. There's one rough climb with the last section being 18% grade. My goal was to stay on the bike and not walk the last section like a few people were. I'm going along struggling and the I look to my left as this guy passes me walking his bike. And of course there's local residents cheering on the side of the road witnessing my pathetic effort.


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## Wetworks (Aug 10, 2012)

Mckdaddy said:


> A large beastly man passed me yesterday on his hybrid. I realized I was doing steady-state, heart rate zone 2 training....but still. This guy was every bit 6'2", 240, and had a nice cadence going.


That was you?!?!


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## fast ferd (Jan 30, 2009)

I forgot to reply to this excellent topic a few weeks ago. Glad somebody resurrected it.

I rode the 50-mile Rosorito-Ensenada fun ride for the first time in the early-90's. New bike and spiffy garb - I looked fast! Must've passed several hundred riders over the first ten miles, many on far superior machines. Dang, I should be in the tour de freaking france!

Halfway up a midpoint three-mile climb, there's this creaking, grinding racket hehind me. Some dude in flipflops on a beatup, single speed beach cruiser. Probably pushing a 45x15 gear. To add further insult, I spot him at the finish sipping a margherita. Finished ahead of me, naturally.


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## loxx0050 (Jul 26, 2013)

How about getting passed by the same guy twice in the same race!!! He was probably 30-40lbs heavier than me (from my guestimate) and even had a platform rack over the rear wheel (commuter type for carrying bags/panniers). 

He passed me and eventually I saw him on the side of the road with some bike issues so I whizzed by him. About 10 minutes later he passed me again!! This was halfway through the bike leg of a duathlon I was competing in. 

Oh, and in the same race during the final run leg I was passed by a guy who was at least 40-50lbs heavier than me not too far from the finish line. I always try to make a mad dash for the last 100 yards of so and as I pass this guy, he looks at me, gives me a smirk of encouragement and proceeds to hammer down and sprint past me. Couldn't catch up for the life of me. Not the strongest runner I'll admit but I passed the casual runners that were signed up for the race (that were doing team efforts for the duathlon).


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## tystevens (Jul 10, 2008)

Hmmm, reading the responses, I've been passed by just about everyone you all have identified as noteworthy:

Guy with one leg? Check (although I was riding my mtb up the canyon road to get to a trail, and he was on a road bike)

70's something guy on older dept store hardtail mtb? check (although I did catch and pass him once the bike path leveled off!)

runner? check

late 20's woman on cheap mountain bike wearing pink coordinated gym outfit, no helmet, makeup and done hair, and bright pink running shoes going up a 12%+ grade? check (although she was very fit and probably only 100 lbs). 

So in summary, I've been passed by a one-legged guy, old non-cyclist (appearing) guy, person not even on a bike, and non-cyclist (appearing) woman. At least I've never been passed by a recumbent, a unicycle, a roller-blader, or a kid as far as I recall.


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## loxx0050 (Jul 26, 2013)

Have you also been passed by a guy on handbike? My brother came across one and for the life of him he couldn't catch the guy. Granted he is riding a hardtail MTB on a paved trail that is relatively flat.


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## mtrac (Sep 23, 2013)

This isn't completely embarrassing, but Saturday I got passed by four guys on a decent hill. I drew close to the last one mashing his way up, noticed he was on the big chainring, and wondered if he would shift. Then I saw he only had one chainring, and only one rear sprocket, too.

Yes, I got passed by a peloton of single-speed track bikes. They eventually disappeared out of sight.


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## UPSed (May 3, 2014)

I was momentarily embarrassed when I was cruising down the street about 18mph and a transient looking dude pops off the bike path about 50' in front of me on a red MTB and just pedals away. I tried to reel him in to no avail. Pulled up next to him a couple signals later and noticed the large battery on top of his down tube. When the light turned green he motored away as if he was on a motorcycle.


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## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

Anyone else wondering if there's a "What's the most ridiculous thing you've passed" thread on another forum that has descriptions of all of us in it?


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

When I had been riding about 5 months, was climbing one of the steepest hills in town on my dual sport trek triple. I was small front, big back and got passed by a jogger going up the hill.


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## bradkay (Nov 5, 2013)

On a transcontinental bike tour I was climbing Lolo Pass on a very windy day. IT was blowing so hard that on some switchbacks you felt like you were standing still. At one point I had just come around the curve from the headwind to the strong tailwind (and had yet to accelerate my heavily laden bike) when an empty soda can passed me by, being blown by that wind.


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## PJay (May 28, 2004)

When I first did the MS 150, I was in pretty good cycling shape. I averaged 15mph altogether (no elapsed time) on both days.

This was with a group from where I was working. The organizer was a big, muscular guy with huge quads from working out in the employee gym all the time. Nearly all of us were ahead of him first day, since he held back to make sure everyone got off to a good start.

He passed me mid-way first day, on his hybrid - a road bike would fall apart under him.

There are two things that make these riders incredible. Either, or both, work.

1. time in the saddle.
2. Quads.


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

My buddy and I signed up for a week long organized tour in Colorado. As we had both ridden these before, we knew there was no trophy at the end and certainly not for the first day.
We were just riding along visiting very early on day 1, riding up the first climb. A tandem passed which was certainly unexpected on a climb. Then we noticed the stoker was a woman with only one leg.
My buddy and I just looked at each other and kept our own pace. Later we agreed to never share this experience with any of our friends!
That was almost 14 years ago and this IS the first time I've shared it with anyone.


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## blackfrancois (Jul 6, 2016)

*What's the most embarrassing thing you've been passed by?*

pt cruiser, no question.


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## No Time Toulouse (Sep 7, 2016)

About 15 years ago, I used to bike-commute to my job through a 'rough' neighborhood, on my Cannondale touring bike. As I was going at a fairly decent speed on a lightly-trafficked street, I was passed by a 60-something Rastafarian on a Schwinn Continental, his long dreads trailing him in the breeze. He was wearing a muumu and sandals!


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## Fredrico (Jun 15, 2002)

No Time Toulouse said:


> About 15 years ago, I used to bike-commute to my job through a 'rough' neighborhood, on my Cannondale touring bike. As I was going at a fairly decent speed on a lightly-trafficked street, I was passed by a 60-something Rastafarian on a Schwinn Continental, his long dreads trailing him in the breeze. He was wearing a muumu and sandals!


Must have been been stoned on Jamaican gold! :thumbsup:

8 years ago I got passed by a 40 something guy riding a Colnago towing a Burley trailer containing two little girls. They were trucking up a slight rise going about 17 mph. I couldn't catch them. The girls were giggling.

It was awful! I felt so old. :cryin:


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## No Time Toulouse (Sep 7, 2016)

Fredrico said:


> Must have been been stoned on Jamaican gold! :thumbsup:
> 
> ...


Nah, man, I t'ink he be into de ital foods......


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## Fredrico (Jun 15, 2002)

No Time Toulouse said:


> Nah, man, I t'ink he be into de ital foods......


You mean like pasta and pesto? Or, heaven forbid, pizza?!


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## No Time Toulouse (Sep 7, 2016)

No, man, de I-tal foods. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ital


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## Fredrico (Jun 15, 2002)

No Time Toulouse said:


> No, man, de I-tal foods.
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ital


Oh, sorry! Shoulda looked it up! I still think spaghetti pesto would qualify!


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

mtrac said:


> This season isn't going that well, but that's a subject for another thread. Today reminded me of an incident from last year.
> 
> I'd like to start a survey. Given relatively flat terrain and a smooth roadway, what's the most unlikely thing (not just bicycle) to pass you and eventually disappear out of sight? My contributions are:
> 
> ...


The skater shouldn't be embarrassing. I can hold a 14mph pace with climbs thrown in pretty handily without drafting. Keep in mind, an elite level male inline skater will complete a traditional marathon distance in about an hour in decent conditions. 

Now... to answer your survey, I was once passed by runners. OK, joggers. I was at the end of a 14 mile beach ride on my fatty going teeth to the wind into a 25+ mph and it was steady. I was wishing I had drop bars on the fatty. I couldn't get a good line in the sand, it was sugary and fine. I looked up to my right at the boardwalk and a pair of joggers on the boards went past me talking to each other as they went by. I even tried to hammer it but I was so shot from miles and miles of this and the soft sand I didn't have any gas as I watched them drop me. It hurt on so many levels. Haha.


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

A kid felt awful when another guy and I passed him in a race. The Juniors started minutes in front of our group. 

Chugging up a narrow climb I announced to the kid in front "Comin' thru; two of us."

The kid said back "Gawdd I feel awful". I said "You'll feel a lot worse when you find out we're Masters."


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

deleted


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## mtrac (Sep 23, 2013)

PBL450 said:


> The skater shouldn't be embarrassing.


Trust me, it was. I've seen the paceline version of inline skating (on 9W near NYC for locals) and they are FAST. This was more in the vein of "I'm out of shape, struggling, and just got ditched by a f*cking skater." Would have been even better if it was a kid with a hockey stick.


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## KojoAkimbo (Dec 6, 2010)

A butterfly.

I was making pretty good progress up a slight, long incline, but the butterfly just flitted up and rode in front of me for at least a half mile before zooming off. We did have a nice tail wind, but still...


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## Terrasmak (Jan 8, 2015)

I had a hipster wearing jeans blow past me going uphill in the foothills of Tucson.


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## 80turbota (Dec 3, 2011)

This is not exactly right because I didn't get passed on this one. A couple of years ago I was riding the Columbia River Gorge. Hood River to The Dalles to be exact. Was heading out of Mosier. Up ahead I saw a woman jogger leave her driveway heading the same direction as me. Figured it would be no time before I caught her. I was so wrong. It took miles before I caught her. Granted it was uphill but I still didn't think it would take that long. 
The time I did get passed was on a ride for my LBS. A friend and I was cruising along chatting away. ( we knew we were slow and had no problem with that.) when this older couple (who was taking part in the same ride) but had left before us was heading back to us going the wrong way. Stopped us and asking questions. No problem, the shared with us some banana's and we got them pointed in the right direction. My friend and I were on our road bikes. They on borrowed hybrids. headed out. next thing we knew they were half mile ahead. Before long they were out of sight. We never did catch up. Figured they had turned off on a different road so we asked people as we went along. (road stops and people that were riding the opposing way.) if they had seen the couple. Oh yeah no problem. They were just idling along enjoying the day. Folks my friend and I were laboring to make this ride and they were out for a sunday cruise. I doubt they even broke a sweat.I have never gotten over that one. My friend and I joke about it regularly. Oh yea. They were somewhere in their late 60's to make matters worse. LOL


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## fiziks (Jul 22, 2016)

Young woman pulling a Burley going uphill? Add a 3 month old in a child seat and you were probably passed by my sister-in-law. But to ease your pain, three months after giving birth, she was training this way for her next triathalon (her goal was top 50, I think she came in 20th).

I got passed by my nephew, who's 12, on a single speed 16-incher (I swear that kid could take Cavendish in a sprint).


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