TrentonMakes Posted July 10, 2014 Share #1 Posted July 10, 2014 I was thinking about this on a couple of my rides last week. On one ride I'd stopped to catch my breath after cresting a hill, and a rider approached and passed me - I realized it was a woman. When I resumed, it seemed like we were riding the same pace, and I stayed a couple hundred feet behind her. She ended up turning left at the same place I planned to, so I ended up tailing her for about 1-1/2 miles total. I wasn't following on purpose, it just seemed that we were each riding a comfortable pace that happened to be the same. On another ride, on the towpath, two women were riding side-by-side and they were engrossed in conversation. I knew there was a crossroad coming up so I figured I'd get past them then, so I ended up following them for a bit instead of interrupting their talk. I wondered if this kind of thing makes women nervous - knowing there's some guy sort of hanging around behind them. Probably (hopefully) I'm overthinking it. And it's odd that it hasn't come up in my previous decades of riding - maybe I just think differently these days. (And probably, having a daughter who seems to aspire to ride helps) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingtermite Posted July 10, 2014 Share #2 Posted July 10, 2014 I've been in this situation before too. I'd be interested in hearing a woman rider's perspective. I've often wondered if they think I'm a creepy guy following them, when in truth we just happen to be going the same way and pace for a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former member Posted July 10, 2014 Share #3 Posted July 10, 2014 There are a few women that I ride with, and all of them are pretty damn good looking. They've never mentioned getting creeped out by other cyclists, but they all have stories of strange comments from motorists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former member Posted July 10, 2014 Share #4 Posted July 10, 2014 I've been in this situation before too. I'd be interested in hearing a woman rider's perspective. I've often wondered if they think I'm a creepy guy following them, when in truth we just happen to be going the same way and pace for a time. I think the woman would have to be pretty vain to think that any cyclist riding behind her is "following" her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Road Runner Posted July 10, 2014 Share #5 Posted July 10, 2014 I'm not bragging or being misogynistic, but where I ride, the women seldom, if ever, ride the same pace as I do. They also never seem to have any problems with barriers, either. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtyhip Posted July 10, 2014 Share #6 Posted July 10, 2014 There is a rider that I can not stand that lives here. He pushed my back once, because I fell off pace. I was tired after a pretty long ride, and this was towards the end of the ride. I guess he pushed me forward to make me surge. It felt unsafe to me. He went to do it again, and I said "DON'T TOUCH ME!" If he touches me again, I am going to punch him in the face. Seriously. Otherwise, I don't mind boys riding with me, but do not touch. Hell, I can even deal with comments and jokes, but touch me at your own risk. Creep! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Road Runner Posted July 10, 2014 Share #7 Posted July 10, 2014 I didn't know that you ever rode with Chopped_Liver. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrAzY Posted July 10, 2014 Share #8 Posted July 10, 2014 I think the only thing that would really bother them in the video camera you have on your bike... Sometimes it can give the chicks a little creepy feeling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted July 10, 2014 Share #9 Posted July 10, 2014 A few times over the last couple years I have been following behind women and thought the same thing. Those times I just checked up, stopped for just a bit, took a drink, let them get further ahead and then went on. I don't know what they were thinking but it was pretty easy on my part to make sure I wasn't playing the creeper role in their mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentonMakes Posted July 10, 2014 Author Share #10 Posted July 10, 2014 A few times over the last couple years I have been following behind women and thought the same thing. Those times I just checked up, stopped for just a bit, took a drink, let them get further ahead and then went on. I don't know what they were thinking but it was pretty easy on my part to make sure I wasn't playing the creeper role in their mind. For the woman who rode past me, that's eventually what I did - at one intersection I decided I'd go whichever way she didn't. Seemed like it probably wasn't necessary but... Even if I wasn't a nice guy, at this point my conditioning is such that pretty much any woman should be able to ride away from me if she wanted to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingtermite Posted July 10, 2014 Share #11 Posted July 10, 2014 I think the woman would have to be pretty vain to think that any cyclist riding behind her is "following" her. I'm more thinking in terms of TrentonMakes post as in a turn or two come up and you happen to take the same ones because you happen to be going the same direction. If it's just she passed you on the (no turn offs) trail and you are now behind her, then it would be silly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former member Posted July 10, 2014 Share #12 Posted July 10, 2014 I'm more thinking in terms of TrentonMakes post as in a turn or two come up and you happen to take the same ones because you happen to be going the same direction. If it's just she passed you on the (no turn offs) trail and you are now behind her, then it would be silly. In this area there are a few roads and routes that are very popular for cyclists. I guess if a woman were to turn off the main roads into a neighborhood it could look creepy if I were to follow, but most of the roads cyclists use around here are main streets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted July 10, 2014 Share #13 Posted July 10, 2014 In this area there are a few roads and routes that are very popular for cyclists. I guess if a woman were to turn off the main roads into a neighborhood it could look creepy if I were to follow, but most of the roads cyclists use around here are main streets. So what do that usually say about it when you catch up to them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former member Posted July 10, 2014 Share #14 Posted July 10, 2014 So what do that usually say about it when you catch up to them?normally it's just a simple "on yer left" , and they get dropped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtyhip Posted July 10, 2014 Share #15 Posted July 10, 2014 HAHA! I just received notification that the creep wants to follow me on Strava. DENIED! Kinda ironic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentonMakes Posted July 10, 2014 Author Share #16 Posted July 10, 2014 So let me get this straight: - Following in real life - OK - Following on Strava - no effin' way. Yes? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrAzY Posted July 10, 2014 Share #17 Posted July 10, 2014 HAHA! I just received notification that the creep wants to follow me on Strava. DENIED! Kinda ironic. go for it.. Every strava route you do looks like a penis :) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtyhip Posted July 10, 2014 Share #18 Posted July 10, 2014 So let me get this straight: - Following in real life - OK - Following on Strava - no effin' way. Yes? It was a group ride. I have not rode with him since. Some people just don't seem right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingtermite Posted July 10, 2014 Share #19 Posted July 10, 2014 Some people just don't seem right. Some of them even frequent this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kzoo Posted July 10, 2014 Share #20 Posted July 10, 2014 Some of them even frequent this forum. Yes. Yes we do! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralphie ★ Posted July 10, 2014 Share #21 Posted July 10, 2014 I hardly ever come across other bikers. This area is sadly underbiked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott in MN Posted July 11, 2014 Share #22 Posted July 11, 2014 I frequently ride with a group of women. I enjoy riding behind them for obvious reasons but they think I should be in front so they can draft off me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend_Maynard Posted July 11, 2014 Share #23 Posted July 11, 2014 I frequently ride with a group of women. I enjoy riding behind them for obvious reasons but they think I should be in front so they can draft off me. Is that the excuse they gave? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former member Posted July 11, 2014 Share #24 Posted July 11, 2014 I frequently ride with a group of women. I enjoy riding behind them for obvious reasons but they think I should be in front so they can draft off me. that's normally what happens to me, but they are getting better about it. Most of the time, I'll lead if we are heading into the wind, and we'll turns on downhills and tailwinds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now