Squeaky Cleat Dude . . .

[BFSpin]

So there's this guy, friendly guy, who has been riding in our group rides this year.

I'm terrible at remembering names, so I identify people by their jerseys - for a while he was Mountain Man (a picture of a mountain on his jersey), there's Yellow Shirt Dude, Racer Guy, Grumpy Girl, Patriot News guy, Aero-bar dude - you get the idea.

Last night's ride, he earned himself a new name. Squeaky Cleat Dude. Why oh why doesn't he fix that darn noisy thing? He struggles to keep up on the climbs (but is getting stronger and faster). Last evening I was feeling great, and he tucked in on my wheel. Which was cool, except for the psyche part. . . here's this guy, staying with me every pedal stroke - which I knew absolutely because the cleat on his right shoe emitted a nasty loud squeak with every downstroke.

I couldn't block it out. Must be the ADD, I guess :redface: So I guess I kinda dropped him on the hill . . . which I felt a little guilty about. But heck, that darn cleat squeaked for the next 20 miles til we were home.

I'm hoping he fixes that cleat before next week so I can find a new name for him :)

Beth

[megale3]

Funny stuff Beth! Its like the sound Jason makes when hes chasing slow moving teenagers in Halloween scary movie series. I have a friend that loves to keep his dérailleur detuned and it skips all the time and makes a racket when you are just trying to hear the wind or tire road noise. I have no name for him until now. Its "not tuned up dude" :D PS I ahve your number so the tour will be updated
Mike

[like2bike]

Oh yikes. Squeaky Cleat Dude probably isn't even aware of it. I've found that sometimes sounds or other things that annoy me, others are completely unaware of (like the mockingbird in my back yard that kept me awake all night but didn't even phase my husband)! Oh Beth I do hope he earns himself another nick name by the next time you ride! ;)

[lizardbiker]

I'm curious what my name would be this weekend if you didn't know me before seeing me on the road... <<<mental note to check bike & gear for any abnormal sounds or visuals...>>>

[like2bike]

Lizard Dude, of course!

[SpinBob]

How about Smoke-in-face dude? :D

[RaffCycles]

Sometimes my cleats squeak. But I've either gone deaf to it or managed to clean the grime off of them so they don't do it anymore.

[lizardbiker]

How about Smoke-in-face dude? :D
That would be a good one - no matter where I stand, it's in my face! The wind seems to shift constantly (maybe that's why it always feels like I'm riding into a headwind). I bet if I ran around a campfire really fast I could create a tornado!

[sandy]

How about "Snot in the Face "dude. I have two buddies who I ride with (they are husband and wife), and maybe its a common cycling thing, they constantly blow snot out of one nostril while holding the other with their finger. They always either drift off or wait till theres a gap before doing it to spare you the residual snot but alot of times I get the spray. Ugh! Good thing I like them both alot and get an amazing workout when riding with them.

[2bfit]

How about "Snot in the Face "dude. I have two buddies who I ride with (they are husband and wife), and maybe its a common cycling thing, they constantly blow snot out of one nostril while holding the other with their finger. They always either drift off or wait till theres a gap before doing it to spare you the residual snot but alot of times I get the spray. Ugh! Good thing I like them both alot and get an amazing workout when riding with them.


I think I've heard that method called "farmer nose blow" or something to that affect ... They could at least give you a heads up! A "FORE!" or something!!

[lizardbiker]

snot rockets!
My left nostril shoots great - my right nostril seems to have issues. Needless to say I have to clean my lenses at the end of a ride...guess that would make me "snotty glasses dude"

Anyone ever do a lot of outdoor riding, then jump into an indoor class and almost shoot one on the floor out of habit? :o

[like2bike]

Oh geezus....

[BFSpin]

snot rockets!
My left nostril shoots great - my right nostril seems to have issues. Needless to say I have to clean my lenses at the end of a ride...guess that would make me "snotty glasses dude"

Anyone ever do a lot of outdoor riding, then jump into an indoor class and almost shoot one on the floor out of habit? :o

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Liz, can't say as I've ever done that. If I did I think I'd get drummed out of the Y. I'm thinking that maybe you're speaking from experience here?! :o

Seriously, while I'm not exactly a girlie-girl, I'm beginning to think that I am more so than I thought. I just can't bring myself to shoot a proper snot rocket while amongst my fellow cyclists. Just can't do it. Solo in cold weather? No problem. And I can't spit either, unless the bug is really big:D

At this point, you are "Bike forums Liz". And even if we happen to run into each other and first names are acceptable, you will probably still be "Liz".

Funny - there's a big group of us from bikeforums.net that have met to ride the Lancaster Covered Bridge ride for the past several years - and even though we've all gotten to know each other a bit, have met for group dinners, etc., we all still tend to call each other by our screen names (or identified by our jerseys!)

And really, Squeaky Cleat Dude is a good guy. It's fun to watch someone getting stronger by the week, and he's working hard at it. But that cleat wasn't just randomly squeaking - it was rhythmic and constant over 40 miles. And loud. Seriously.

Beth

[lizardbiker]

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Liz, can't say as I've ever done that. If I did I think I'd get drummed out of the Y. I'm thinking that maybe you're speaking from experience here?! :o

Seriously, while I'm not exactly a girlie-girl, I'm beginning to think that I am more so than I thought. I just can't bring myself to shoot a proper snot rocket while amongst my fellow cyclists. Just can't do it. Solo in cold weather? No problem. And I can't spit either, unless the bug is really big:D

At this point, you are "Bike forums Liz". And even if we happen to run into each other and first names are acceptable, you will probably still be "Liz".

Funny - there's a big group of us from bikeforums.net that have met to ride the Lancaster Covered Bridge ride for the past several years - and even though we've all gotten to know each other a bit, have met for group dinners, etc., we all still tend to call each other by our screen names (or identified by our jerseys!)

And really, Squeaky Cleat Dude is a good guy. It's fun to watch someone getting stronger by the week, and he's working hard at it. But that cleat wasn't just randomly squeaking - it was rhythmic and constant over 40 miles. And loud. Seriously.

Beth
Never did it myself, but saw someone just about let one go indoors during a real high energy seated run.

I'd probably start humming or singing a song to myself to the beat of the squeak.

That Covered Bridge Ride is a very nice ride to do. Did you ever do the H.Ray Wertz Ride to Read out of Little Buffalo State Park? It's another great ride on the last Saturday of September.

[RaffCycles]

Proper etiquette calls for dropping to the back of the pack and launching your rocket. If done along side, in the pack, or anywhere close enough to a rider that they spray a fellow cyclist, it's time to hock a big loogie on the middle of their back and yell "We're even dude!" (just kidding):D

[BFSpin]

Never did it myself, but saw someone just about let one go indoors during a real high energy seated run.

I'd probably start humming or singing a song to myself to the beat of the squeak.

That Covered Bridge Ride is a very nice ride to do. Did you ever do the H.Ray Wertz Ride to Read out of Little Buffalo State Park? It's another great ride on the last Saturday of September.

Yup, tried the rhythmic humming/drumming thing to go along with the squeak - only worked for awhile. I think part of the distraction was the mental issue of pulling a guy twice my size up a hill. I was trying to block out his breathing and the squeaking and get my own self up the climb.

The Covered Bridge ride is a lot of fun (especially because I was born and raised in Lanc. Co.) - we've made a social event of it for several years.

Haven't done the Ride to Read yet - but it's on my list for this year. We've done another nice one on the day of the Apple Butter Boil from just above Liverpool (mid-October) that stretches out through Perry Co. Nice ride, and the best tailwind return I've ever had last year! A beautiful thing.

B