MB vs. pedal bike

[Virginian]

I have a good friend who I used to bicycle with, but he has ridden less and less in recent years as he got older and less able to handle the hills and distances. I encouraged him to ride with me with him riding my GEBE 32cc Tanaka motor bike and me riding my yuppie carbon-fiber racing pedal bike. I picked out a 15-mile route with lots of big hills.

At first, he was a little scared of the motor bike and stayed well behind me especially on the downhills. But after a while he gained confidence and would pass me going up hills and then wait for me at the top. As he gained confidence he kept riding faster and faster.

After a while, I suggested that we race to the top of each hill, but I would get a big head start up each hill. Even with a big head start and pedaling at my absolute 100% max, he just blew me away 8 hills in a row and by more and more each time. Going up one hill I was pedaling at 7 mph. I heard him coming so I stood up in the pedals and got to 9 mph. He passed me at 24 mph! He made me seem like I was standing still! I could not sustain 9 mph for long and dropped to 6 mph for the rest of the climb.

It was fun. He loved the bike and had a big smile at the end. I had a terrific workout, working harder than I could have possible done if I wasn’t chasing someone. And I got a real appreciation of just how vastly more powerful my motor bike really is compared to human pedal power!

 

[kerf]

Yes, it's very true, the human machine is an absolute wonder with all the things we're capable of. One of our capabilities is to design other machines with even grater capability than we could ever hope to have. That being said, I commend you for trying to keep up with a mechanical machine with a 67 yo human machine. You may have lost but you deserve a medal for trying.

 

[SimpleSimon]

John Henry

Some say he's from Georgia,
Some say he's from Alabam,
But it's wrote on the rock at the Big Ben Tunnel,
That he's an East Virginia Man,
That he's an East Virginia man.

 

[professor]

Virginian, I am amazed, didn't realize your age until Kerf pointed it out.
I had been thinking this might be a good way to achive another buddy to motorbike ride with. a few good snorts of engine power and He might like the result.

 

[Virginian]

You may have lost but you deserve a medal for trying.

I knew I would lose every time because I know how fast my motor bike can climb a hill. With the motor, I can climb hills 3 to 4 times faster than I can pedal - like 25 mph vs. 6 mph. I would ask for a head start that would put me only half way up the hill or less before he started. I just wanted my friend to get more aggressive with the bike, to experience its power, and to have some fun.

Besides which, he cheated. He didn't give me as much head start as I asked for. He didn't really believe my motor bike can climb a hill as fast as it does.

I did win one undeclared race and that was downhill where my pedal bike really flies. I pedaled down at about 35 mph. He was afraid to go faster than 30 mph. Had he gone down at full throttle, he could have hit 39-40 mph.

 

[darwin]

Depends on the state.....CO is bike friendly.