Author Topic: High cadence descents - cautious following drivers  (Read 5810 times)

High cadence descents - cautious following drivers
« on: 02 November, 2017, 08:32:17 am »
I live in a pretty hilly area and get the impression that spinning down a descent tends to impose holding back and wide overtakes on following motorists when compared to a descent on gears. I suppose its ovb. really there is a certain wtf is happing to that cyclists legs.
(Upright Trike and Tandem trike descents have the same effect)

Re: High cadence descents - cautious following drivers
« Reply #1 on: 02 November, 2017, 09:02:27 am »
Some people, who don't know what fixed-wheel is, assume you're pedalling to go as fast as possible.  I was once accused of 'trying to have a race' by another cyclist.

Re: High cadence descents - cautious following drivers
« Reply #2 on: 02 November, 2017, 05:41:47 pm »
(Upright Trike and Tandem trike descents have the same effect)

They're presumably just bemused by seeing you (or your stoker) attempt to sit on one of the rear wheels every time you go round a bend.

simonp

Re: High cadence descents - cautious following drivers
« Reply #3 on: 02 November, 2017, 05:49:00 pm »
On the way back from a DIY 200k to Lyme Regis a few years ago I got some applause from a passing car on a descent. Descending towards Axminster, I think.

I assume they were clued in to what was going on.

Kim

  • Timelord
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Re: High cadence descents - cautious following drivers
« Reply #4 on: 02 November, 2017, 06:24:41 pm »
Some people, who don't know what fixed-wheel is, assume you're pedalling to go as fast as possible.

Applies to high cadence in any situation - non-cyclists consider walking-like cadences to be normal, and anything higher must mean you're trying to go fast.  This can be useful when you have to take primary position - the drivers think you're making a stupendous (if not successful) effort not to unduly hold them up.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: High cadence descents - cautious following drivers
« Reply #5 on: 24 November, 2017, 04:35:50 pm »
They probably think you're on the verge of losing control - which I am, at 170rpm.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: High cadence descents - cautious following drivers
« Reply #6 on: 28 March, 2018, 01:53:41 pm »
I've been experiencing this recently, or at least I think I'm experiencing this. Live at the top of a big hill which is an A-road (30mph limit), usually I'll have people trying to squeeze past in a couple of places despite me doing (at least) 30mph. Never seems to happen on the fixed gear.

Ben T

Re: High cadence descents - cautious following drivers
« Reply #7 on: 28 March, 2018, 01:57:53 pm »
I guess there's no reason why you couldn't just spin your legs anyway to ward them off on a geary.