Dr Hutch: Reverse ‘proper cyclist’ snobbery

All ‘proper’ cyclists are used to being taunted by civilians, says the Doc, but what happens when one turns out to be better than you?

Dr Hutch April 29 Issue
(Image credit: Future)

Not long ago, out for a ride, I was approaching our local hill. Ahead of me by about 100 metres was a man on a mountain bike, wearing jeans and a hoodie, probably riding home from work. He glanced over his shoulder, saw me coming, and started to sprint.

I’ll be honest, this effort increased the amount of arse-crack on display much more significantly than it did his speed. After about 10 seconds, he backed off, glanced over his shoulder again and was clearly astonished that he had not seen me off. He repeated the process, and not to the betterment of the view. When I rode past, he spat at me, then said, “Sorry, mate, didn’t know you were there.”

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Michael Hutchinson is a writer, journalist and former professional cyclist. As a rider he won multiple national titles in both Britain and Ireland and competed at the World Championships and the Commonwealth Games. He was a three-time Brompton folding-bike World Champion, and once hit 73 mph riding down a hill in Wales. His Dr Hutch columns appears in every issue of Cycling Weekly magazine