Always be casually deliberate, even when riding.
You have just attacked off the front to take a town line sprint. It was a just-the-perfect-amount-of-dumb yet successful move. You went deeply anaerobic for a sprint no one else was even mildly interested in, but you did crush them unrestrainedly.
Now, to hide your effort, you deploy the Rule #80 Casual Coast. Left hand on the bars, right hand resting on the thigh, right pedal up to raise the right thigh to armchair height. You coast along as your awesome sprinting momentum eases and the group rolls up. You are a picture of relaxation and confidence. You drift left and regard them as they ride up on your right. Your body language says one thing.
Let that be a lesson, jongens.
My old friend and LBS owner, George “Lefty” Sykes has taught me many cycling things over the years. He invested too much time, swearing and frustration drilling us in the perfect double pace line. The Casual Coast was never mentioned but George was a master of this move. I discerned this posture was as important as riding a double pace line though no one was going to pull me off the road and lecture me about it. This was not a skill, this was just cool. We cyclists don’t do much coasting but this an awesome way to recover and survey your fellow riders from a position of power and relaxed confidence.
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Rolling with Rule #80 also works when checking yourself out while rolling past shop windows/mirrored office windows.
Awesome photo. I love to do this to the kids!
@Gianni Like a boss Gianni, like a boss...
@norm
Claud Butler - Nice. With a sprung saddle too.
@Gianni
O contraire...beautiful whip! What kind and size stem might I ask?
@norm
A few days ago I was out with two of my kids and my parents. My daughter, the eldest of the velominipper was out in front whilst I was riding with the youngest on my wheel out of the wind. He was struggling with a nasty cold so I decided to stop and take him home rather than letting it get any worse. After waiting for my parents to catch up I then set off to retrieve my daughter, when I eventually caught up with her she was the picture of casual deliberate, leaning against a tree, hands in (jacket) pockets and feet on the drops in the manner above.
As proud of her progress as I am, it rankles that she can ride with no hands further and with so much more style.
@Teocalli
So here's this guy eating his lunch, one foot strapped in and steering with the other and you comment on the frame and saddle. That's cracked me up mate.
@Mike_P
Not sure about the tights and shoes, but I'd kill for that sweater. As for the skill required top ride one-legged, steer with one foot and eat with one hand while looking beyond cool is little short of awesome.
@frank Also quite fun to chase down a rider...slowly coast into view next to them as you announce your presence...and then sit up [no hands on the bars] and leisurely stretch out the back. Toasting them as you take a sip from your bidon would be pretty freaking sublime, but doing just the first two drains my well of on-bike talent.