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Hands off bars while passing
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I'm pretty slow these days so on my commute I get passed quite a bit. Someone followed me up a hill. Sat behind me for a bit but then passed and choose that exactly moment to take their hands off their bars to fiddle with something in their rear pockets! I almost had a word at the next lights but I've given up talking to other cyclists. It rarely ends well. If you want to take your hands off the bars to show what a cool kid you are sit at the back then pass don't endanger me please?
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [newManUK] [ In reply to ]
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newManUK wrote:
don't endanger me please?



http://www.jt10000.com/
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [jt10000] [ In reply to ]
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meh,

totally depends on the rider, I know a couple riders i'd happily ride alongside with while they are fishing around in their pockets... i know other riders i wouldnt ride alongside full stop.
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [newManUK] [ In reply to ]
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I wouldn't appreciate someone doing that.
They may have thought nothing of it, or they may have been trying to impress you, who knows. If the former, it's almost certainly because they are very confident hands off and do it all the time. But, even so, it's not wise when riding in a group, drafting or overtaking, especially when you don't know the other rider(s). You're not in a position to respond fully and quickly to anything happening around you.
Still, it's not the worst thing I've seen people do on the roads, so try not to let it get to you too much!
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [Ai_1] [ In reply to ]
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Well said. So much crap happening on the London Roads
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [newManUK] [ In reply to ]
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Not worried at all about it. Anyone who's doing that is def skilled enough to pull it off. You don't let go of your handlebars with others nearby unless you know exactly what you're doing. I still wouldn't do it, but I'd be fine if someone else did. Honestly, I'd feel MORE comfortable if I encountered more of these riders on the road, since I'd know for sure these are skilled enough bike riders, and not real green new riders that I DO have to be super cautious about, including slowing to a crawl so I don't scare them as I pass.

As well, if anyone's going to go down if there's any contact or road surprises, it's not going to be the guys with his hands on the bars.
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [newManUK] [ In reply to ]
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newManUK wrote:
I'm pretty slow these days so on my commute I get passed quite a bit. Someone followed me up a hill. Sat behind me for a bit but then passed and choose that exactly moment to take their hands off their bars to fiddle with something in their rear pockets! I almost had a word at the next lights but I've given up talking to other cyclists. It rarely ends well. If you want to take your hands off the bars to show what a cool kid you are sit at the back then pass don't endanger me please?


so, you COULD have said something at the next light, but instead decided to say nothing to the actual person that caused you so much grief, and come to a tri-forum to bitch about it a publicly to a bunch people who weren't there? okay snowflake, good on you.
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [newManUK] [ In reply to ]
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newManUK wrote:
I'm pretty slow these days so on my commute I get passed quite a bit. Someone followed me up a hill. Sat behind me for a bit but then passed and choose that exactly moment to take their hands off their bars to fiddle with something in their rear pockets! I almost had a word at the next lights but I've given up talking to other cyclists. It rarely ends well. If you want to take your hands off the bars to show what a cool kid you are sit at the back then pass don't endanger me please?

I take both hands off my road bike routinely - changing water bottles, eating, stretching, etc. - and I do it in fast group rides, as does everyone else that I ride with. It is common to hand stuff back and forth between bikes as well. We aren't endangering anyone. We are simply capable of riding at a level above your apparent comprehension.

Believe it or not, there are people out there on road bikes that have skills far in excess of you. Time to wake up and look around.

Yes, I wrote this knowing I will come off as a dick. But sometimes people need slapped in the back of the head.

"...the street finds its own uses for things"
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [AutomaticJack] [ In reply to ]
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AutomaticJack wrote:
newManUK wrote:
I'm pretty slow these days so on my commute I get passed quite a bit. Someone followed me up a hill. Sat behind me for a bit but then passed and choose that exactly moment to take their hands off their bars to fiddle with something in their rear pockets! I almost had a word at the next lights but I've given up talking to other cyclists. It rarely ends well. If you want to take your hands off the bars to show what a cool kid you are sit at the back then pass don't endanger me please?

I take both hands off my road bike routinely - changing water bottles, eating, stretching, etc. - and I do it in fast group rides, as does everyone else that I ride with. It is common to hand stuff back and forth between bikes as well. We aren't endangering anyone. We are simply capable of riding at a level above your apparent comprehension.

Believe it or not, there are people out there on road bikes that have skills far in excess of you. Time to wake up and look around.

Yes, I wrote this knowing I will come off as a dick. But sometimes people need slapped in the back of the head.

You are a dick.
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [AutomaticJack] [ In reply to ]
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Two both of the above posters. Calm down.

Yes I'm having a moan on a forum as I said I've given up correctly other road users. Rarely do please react well so I given up.

To the chap that suggests that say I can't comprehend the skill level that other have cyclist. Really? I've ridden with some very, very good cyclists. If you are out with a few of your mates that you really trust then ok. If you are commuting on our rubbish London roads, with people/cars doing whatever they want don't cycle in riding in front of me. Crap happens, like my mate who after finishing a race at The Palace, cycled/free wheeled no handed to the grass area but forgot about the small lip, at the end of the pavement, and broke his collar bone.
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [newManUK] [ In reply to ]
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newManUK wrote:
Two both of the above posters. Calm down.

Yes I'm having a moan on a forum as I said I've given up correctly other road users. Rarely do please react well so I given up.

To the chap that suggests that say I can't comprehend the skill level that other have cyclist. Really? I've ridden with some very, very good cyclists. If you are out with a few of your mates that you really trust then ok. If you are commuting on our rubbish London roads, with people/cars doing whatever they want don't cycle in riding in front of me. Crap happens, like my mate who after finishing a race at The Palace, cycled/free wheeled no handed to the grass area but forgot about the small lip, at the end of the pavement, and broke his collar bone.

Your posts suggest that is not the case, and what does the road condition have to do with anything? He took his hands off in a section of road you think would be unsafe. He apparently felt otherwise, and since he didn't crash or cause you problems I going to have to go with his evaluation, not yours.

"...the street finds its own uses for things"
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [offpiste.reese] [ In reply to ]
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offpiste.reese wrote:

You are a dick.

I will gladly wear that badge with pride. BTW, you don't know the half of it. I'm a much bigger dick in person, especially to stupid people.

"...the street finds its own uses for things"
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [AutomaticJack] [ In reply to ]
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You got an actual LOL. Excellent retort 😂😂😂
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [AutomaticJack] [ In reply to ]
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AutomaticJack wrote:
newManUK wrote:
Two both of the above posters. Calm down.

Yes I'm having a moan on a forum as I said I've given up correctly other road users. Rarely do please react well so I given up.

To the chap that suggests that say I can't comprehend the skill level that other have cyclist. Really? I've ridden with some very, very good cyclists. If you are out with a few of your mates that you really trust then ok. If you are commuting on our rubbish London roads, with people/cars doing whatever they want don't cycle in riding in front of me. Crap happens, like my mate who after finishing a race at The Palace, cycled/free wheeled no handed to the grass area but forgot about the small lip, at the end of the pavement, and broke his collar bone.


Your posts suggest that is not the case, and what does the road condition have to do with anything? He took his hands off in a section of road you think would be unsafe. He apparently felt otherwise, and since he didn't crash or cause you problems I going to have to go with his evaluation, not yours.

Mate you are really showing your deep understand

"and what does the road condition have to do with anything?"

Really? I've ridden with some very, very good cyclists.

Well you put in bold. I was being English and modest. The best cyclist I rode with is Big Mig. There weren't a pack of 100 but 5 of us. If he isn't a very, very good cyclist then I would be interested to hear who is.
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [tfleeger] [ In reply to ]
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I could, without much hard work, come up with ten reasons not pass someone without having control (hands on) of the bike.

None of them include using the term snowflake.....little low on coffee this morning are we?
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [AutomaticJack] [ In reply to ]
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AutomaticJack wrote:
offpiste.reese wrote:


You are a dick.


I will gladly wear that badge with pride. BTW, you don't know the half of it. I'm a much bigger dick in person, especially to stupid people.
Maybe you're sort of a dick, but nothing unforgivable, just make sure you don't end up like tfleeger. He's anatomically located further to the rear. Much less forgivable.
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [newManUK] [ In reply to ]
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newManUK wrote:
.... I've given up talking to other cyclists. It rarely ends well. ......

You might take a look in the mirror based on that statement. Or maybe you just live in a place with a bunch of unfriendly people.

It seems that people get so worked up over nothing these days. Maybe it's always been that way, but it just seems to have gotten worse or maybe I'm more aware as I get older. I travel a bit for work and you see it every day. Some people are looking for small things to get worked up about and some people go with the flow. You really have very little control over delayed flights, kids crying on the plane, etc., so what is the point of getting worked up? It seems that some people are just constantly looking for something to be unhappy about. What a way to choose to go through life.... Not say OP is in that boat, but it just seems like such a non-event to give a second thought about.

Would it strike me as a little odd if a guy passed by me on the open road with his hands off the bars? Yeah, I guess. Give it a second thought? Nope.
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [newManUK] [ In reply to ]
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Now I'm laughing.

Guess what? I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express once also.

"...the street finds its own uses for things"
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [AutomaticJack] [ In reply to ]
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No hate for the hundred or so cars and trucks that passed while probably fiddling with the radio, on the phone, eating something, putting on makeup, polishing the bishop, but.......here we have a topic about a cyclist. It's not just cars that hate us, we seem to hate ourselves too.

The geometry of some bikes is such that this is extremely easy.

One day while driving around town I saw a guy going down a little gentle hill on a BMX bike while riding no hands while standing on the rear pegs and juking and jiving to his music while using lots of animated hand and arm gestures.

He's probably more trustworthy than the person on the group ride who can't even take a drink without swerving.
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [burnthesheep] [ In reply to ]
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burnthesheep wrote:
No hate for the hundred or so cars and trucks that passed while probably fiddling with the radio, on the phone, eating something, putting on makeup, polishing the bishop, but.......here we have a topic about a cyclist. It's not just cars that hate us, we seem to hate ourselves too.

The geometry of some bikes is such that this is extremely easy.

One day while driving around town I saw a guy going down a little gentle hill on a BMX bike while riding no hands while standing on the rear pegs and juking and jiving to his music while using lots of animated hand and arm gestures.

He's probably more trustworthy than the person on the group ride who can't even take a drink without swerving.

Pretty much my original point. Just because you think it is dangerous doesn't make it so. The roads are rough and busy here as well, probably as bad as anywhere. We still take our hands off the bars when necessary, and it isn't unsafe. You have to look ahead, understand and anticipate what is going to change, and then make a decision whether it can be done safely or not. Just because the person next to me can't do it doesn't mean I can't.

But then maybe I'm forgetting that this is ST, where the majority of the people ride bikes only as triathletes. They can't be expected to be on a level with someone that rides Crits on weekends for the last 20 summers, who rides with a group that doesn't constantly yell "car back" or "hole" like no one but them are actually looking down the road.

"...the street finds its own uses for things"
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [michael Hatch] [ In reply to ]
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michael Hatch wrote:
I could, without much hard work, come up with ten reasons not pass someone without having control (hands on) of the bike.

None of them include using the term snowflake.....little low on coffee this morning are we?

my comment had nothing to do with whether or not the guy passing should of or shouldn't of had his hands on the bar. My comment was entirely about the OP saying nothing to the actual person who upset him when he could have, then running to the interwebs to complain about what happened.

any yes, low on coffee, please send more
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [AutomaticJack] [ In reply to ]
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AutomaticJack wrote:
newManUK wrote:
I'm pretty slow these days so on my commute I get passed quite a bit. Someone followed me up a hill. Sat behind me for a bit but then passed and choose that exactly moment to take their hands off their bars to fiddle with something in their rear pockets! I almost had a word at the next lights but I've given up talking to other cyclists. It rarely ends well. If you want to take your hands off the bars to show what a cool kid you are sit at the back then pass don't endanger me please?


I take both hands off my road bike routinely - changing water bottles, eating, stretching, etc. - and I do it in fast group rides, as does everyone else that I ride with. It is common to hand stuff back and forth between bikes as well. We aren't endangering anyone. We are simply capable of riding at a level above your apparent comprehension.

Believe it or not, there are people out there on road bikes that have skills far in excess of you. Time to wake up and look around.

Yes, I wrote this knowing I will come off as a dick. But sometimes people need slapped in the back of the head.

Yeah. All this.

Frankly, I might even argue that people who *can't* ride comfortably/safely no-handed tend to not be all that safe on the bike *in general.* Not all, but there are a hella lot of people out riding that don't know what the F they are doing even though they stay on the bars/aerobars. And actually I don't care if they pass me at a normal distance - I'm solid enough they're in way more danger than I am.

burnthesheep wrote:
One day while driving around town I saw a guy going down a little gentle hill on a BMX bike while riding no hands while standing on the rear pegs and juking and jiving to his music while using lots of animated hand and arm gestures.

He's probably more trustworthy than the person on the group ride who can't even take a drink without swerving.
Haha. Yup.


http://www.jt10000.com/
Last edited by: jt10000: May 23, 19 10:25
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [tfleeger] [ In reply to ]
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So in your world everyone is reasonable and there are no dickheads who might take offence when told they were riding dangerously.
So the "snowflake" came on here to get opinions and ran into the very reason why many would think twice about correcting the behaviour of a complete stranger.
So I'm sure that put the "snowflake's"mind at ease, and you get your rocks off with a casual insult.

As for the coffee....snow thanks.
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [newManUK] [ In reply to ]
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Hello newManUK and All,

While not the same as your situation ....

I will say I was impressed on a ride with strangers when we came to a steep hill ...

As most everyone huffs and puffs and digs in hard to go up the hill

And one guy moves out just a bit .... sits back and rides hands off .... starts pulling his warmup over his head to stay 'cool' ....

Not losing his position ..... badass ....

Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster
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Re: Hands off bars while passing [newManUK] [ In reply to ]
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Thought this was going to be about some new USAT/WTC rule for the bike leg.
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