"Chicked"

[indysteel]

Every once in a while I'll be stopped at a red light or stop sign on the way home and someone - usually male, but not always - will push past me and plonk their bike down right in front of me. Because of course they're going to be faster than some plump grey-haired lady.
Trouble is, they frequently aren't. And I have to find a way to pass them in traffic. Luckily, traffic on my present commuting route isn't heavy, but if they're going to get huffy about it, I remind myself that they asked for it. Same as the people who push off the wall at the same time as me in the pool and "race" me... and then shoot me filthy looks for the rest of the swim session because I had the audacity to swim faster than them and then keep going for 10 more lengths while they gasped for breath at the wall after two.
Moral of the story: never race anyone that your ego can't bear to lose to.

I love this post. You rock!

[zoom-zoom]

I just found an interesting blog post about being chicked. The author totally had me, aside from her snide comment about anyone who runs >8:50 pace (seriously, lady...?! ).

[Reesha]

Eh, I didn't think it was that snide. Seriously, if a guy runs an 8:50 mile and really believes that he's not going to be passed by women? That's problematic. I liked her article though, especially what she says at the start about the assumption that men are always physically superior. Eyeball Gouge.

[missjean]

Occasionally when I go to group rides, some guy will race to get ahead of me at the start of the ride. Often I will end up passing him and staying ahead for the rest of the ride. I don't make a point to pass him, I am just faster. If he catches up and passes me, not a problem with me.
There was this one guy that I remember tho, he started the ride just that way, racing to get on the trail before I did. Sure enough, I pass him & keep ahead. But at every stop & re-group, he pushes ahead of me - only to have me pass him on the trail a few minutes later. After the third time of pushing past me, I did make a point to get right up on his back wheel for a ways and made him fight to keep ahead before I passed him again. Snarky, but fun.

[limewave]

The other day I was out doing an endurance ride. There was a mass showing of a local team there, probably about 15-20 guys. I was doing lap after lap and I kept seeing the guys. I never passed them, but they never got too far ahead that I didn't see them here and there. Getting into the parking lot at the end of the night, a couple of the guys were complimenting me on my riding. I thought that was really nice, that rarely happens.

I've also noticed the following happening frequently: I've been doing a lot of riding by myself. I show up at a trail head and there just happens to be some guys I know. Guys that aren't super fast, I imagine I would be able to keep pace without blowing a lung They chit-chat in the parking lot and ask if I'm riding alone. Yup, I am. And then they say "have a nice ride" and take off. They never offer to ride together.

Some of the time I catch them and go on by, sometimes they stay just 100 feet ahead of me. I've not been in a racing mood lately--in other words, I'm out there doing my own ride at a steady pace, no desire to try and chase anyone down.

Anyways, just thought it was kind of odd they never invite me a long It makes me wonder if their afeared of riding with a girl.

[tealtreak]

had to add my funny experience to this- in the past two years I have been mountain biking- everyone is friendly at trailheads- but no one has ever asked me to join them before. I just have recently gotten back into road and this A.M. THREE different groups of riders (two all male) asked me to join them when we met at intersections! Richmond must have the friendliest bikers ever! (: (and back to the whole "chicked" theme...yes, I had passed two of the groups... politely of course)

[tulip]

had to add my funny experience to this- in the past two years I have been mountain biking- everyone is friendly at trailheads- but no one has ever asked me to join them before. I just have recently gotten back into road and this A.M. THREE different groups of riders (two all male) asked me to join them when we met at intersections! Richmond must have the friendliest bikers ever! (: (and back to the whole "chicked" theme...yes, I had passed two of the groups... politely of course)

Richmond is really catching the cycling bug; all the talk of the Road World Championship in 2015 is having an impact. I see a lot more cyclists than I did when I first moved here.

[tealtreak]

Let me know if you ever want to ride! I have been just recently loving the road again- but Pocahontas, Poor Farm and Dogwood Dell/Belle Isle are my favorites when I have time to drive to trails (:
Also- you are right about Richmond- Cap to Cap was so well attended this year they had to close registration- no day of at all.........

[chatnoire]

I've never actually heard this term before, but I think it's silly. Why assume a guy can/should be better than me? Why assume he can't? Gender has nothing to do with it.

On the ERock ride I did this weekend, on an uphill, I passed a tall, fit man on an uphill. Apparently he looked a little annoyed by it. Well, that's what happens on a big ride, buddy. Total riders that day was about 7500 between the different lengths.

At the same time, I usually ride with two guys. I constantly, routinely, lead and set the pace. If I drag behind, I usually can catch up and pass too. No one cares. We're all going to the same place.

[nuliajuk]

In my experience, men who are very offended at being passed by a woman are actually quite rare. They tend to stick out in your mind, but most guys are relieved if you can keep up, as they don't have to keep stopping to wait for you. The rare obnoxious ones tend not to join clubs, because in a club they'd find a lot of people they can't bear to be passed by - older riders, kids, etc..

[Artista]

I managed to chick my husband twice on an organized ride last Sunday, once on an uphill and once on a downhill. Chicking him is a rare event as he's a much larger, stronger, and more experienced rider than I am. He's always a good sport about it and even brags to his friends that his wife is getting so strong that she can chick him now. I love my husband!

[zoom-zoom]

I managed to chick my husband twice on an organized ride last Sunday, once on an uphill and once on a downhill. Chicking him is a rare event as he's a much larger, stronger, and more experienced rider than I am. He's always a good sport about it and even brags to his friends that his wife is getting so strong that she can chick him now. I love my husband!

I doubt I will ever see this day. My hubby has been riding regularly for at least 5 years longer than I have (probably closer to 10, really) and is simply a natural jock--his parents were both jocks and DH has amazing VO2 max and a barrel chest with quads to match. I'm a tiny-lunged asthmatic and hail from an almost entirely inactive bunch of wide-loads. limewave has ridden with my DH and can attest to his beastiness. I'm just happy when I can sorta keep up, heh.

[limewave]

I doubt I will ever see this day. My hubby has been riding regularly for at least 5 years longer than I have (probably closer to 10, really) and is simply a natural jock--his parents were both jocks and DH has amazing VO2 max and a barrel chest with quads to match. I'm a tiny-lunged asthmatic and hail from an almost entirely inactive bunch of wide-loads. limewave has ridden with my DH and can attest to his beastiness. I'm just happy when I can sorta keep up, heh.

^^Yes, he be a beast. I drafted behind him once in a group ride--best draft ever. I'm hoping to catch his wheel for LJ100!

[goldfinch]

I'm a tiny-lunged asthmatic and hail from an almost entirely inactive bunch of wide-loads.

You almost made me lose my breakfast.

[zoom-zoom]

^^Yes, he be a beast. I drafted behind him once in a group ride--best draft ever. I'm hoping to catch his wheel for LJ100!

The JDRF team used to call him "The Whomper," years ago...I guess it's a sailing term. He's great to draft behind. There's another guy on the team who's even taller. He got behind me once and said "Kirsten, you're not very effective at blocking wind, you know!"