[Blieb]

I've been on 3 group rides since I got my road bike a few weeks back.

I was talking with one of the locals toward the end of a ride, and he said he doesn't like a lot of local riders because they use team tactics.

The ride we were on was very fast ... but I didn't fully understand until this weekend, when 5 guys in the same jerseys eventually broke out alone by over-pushing the envelope (maybe 30 miles into 41 mile ride they just went into full out-non-stop sprint).

Is this common? I enjoy these group rides, they're fun, I love working on the group riding techniques.

 

[Wumpus]

I wouldn't call that team tactics. More like macho roadie syndrome. If it is always the same group just sit on their wheels and don't go to the front for your pull. Nothing will make them madder than not being able to drop everyone.

Team tactics is more like getting one of your teammates in a breakaway then sitting up and refusing to go to the front to help the group in catching the break. Or protecting your strongman so they can save their energy for a climb or finishline sprint.

 

[Blieb]

I was talking to one of the old timers ... and he took notice that I pulled and "took some chances" as he put it. I think I'm going to earn some respect from other locals before I start pissing off the teams when they can't drop me.

So far it's been tough. When there's someone putting a gap on you, it's my natural instinct to kick it up and keep up. The last thing I want is to get dropped!

 

[The Toninator]

define a goal for your ride. mOst of the time i am out with the club i go with a moderate group and try to stick a moderate hr zone.
I try to get them to keep a nice steady moderate pace. About halfway through some of the riders think they got something in their legs and try to push. I just let them go. Then about 5 miles up they stop (of all things) at a gas station i guess to brag about their 'victorys?' over the people they left. Then i pass without stopping and solo the next 20 miles in and no matter how hard they press to catch me they cant. i try to learned them something after they get back, if i'm still there, but they mostly dont get it.

 

[dhriderII]

alot of the times when i ride with the group we generally ride at almost a race pace the whole time, but its really funny for me being only 18 now and 16 when i started to ride road i would be able to hang with the more advance racers and be able to pull the same pace and still keep up after my rotation but i always get a kick out of slightly frustrating theese guys cause i was more then half their age and depending on the location i would preform better then they where. plus its fun to here them talking damn we tried to drop u but we couldnt. just ride as much on your own and at a strong pace, its not as much fun but it will build u up and then ride with the group and really start to push yourself, u'll really notice the change in your strenth. oh i love it

 

[jaydee]

The whole idea is to go out and hurt as many people as you can without hurting yourself too much to finish the ride and contest the sprint or, even better, sneak away on the last climb and win. Our Tuesday night World Championships are always totally cutthroat, last-one-alive-wins affairs and we all love it. Any tactics except dangerous riding are fair game, especially trash-talking, blackmail, and empty threats. We are serious and dedicated riders, but the key is that no one takes himself or herself seriously and big egos that come on the rides are either discouraged or stuck with a sharp pin.

 

[Westy]

There is a local group ride(race) here. I am a very competetive person but I can't say I enjoy the aggressive nature of it, it is also very dangerous. Many of the people on the ride think they are challenging for a sprint finish on Le Tour but have bike handling skills that make Tyler look like a trials rider. I usually just fall back when the women get dropped and hit on them with little success.

But one day this year after peaking for a race my friend "Bob The Ringer" and I are going to challenge the group on our slick shod mountain bikes. That will ruffle some feathers. With fat tires and riser bars the usual attempts at bar bashing will come out in our favour.

 

[sanjuro]

Group rides are a funny one. When I trained with my team, I was a lowly Cat 5 at the time, and these dudes were Cat I & II's. We would warm up at leisurely pace, then they would hammer at 30mph for the next 2 hours. I'd hang for 10 minutes at most, and then eject off the back.

But the team leader would warn everyone before we even started riding, so if you didn't want to get dropped, then don't go. I was prepared and I would get my training in despite riding back by myself.

The reality is you better understand what pace your group is going to keep. Flip it around: lets say you are a Cat II, its worthless to train with a bunch of slow-pokes.

The worst was a guy who came on my team ride in late March. We had been training in the winter since December, but this was his first ride of the year. He tired out so much, he had to stop at mile 50 of a 75 mile ride and get his friend to drive back to pick him up.

I am not sure why more rides are like this (actually, I do know: too many a-hole roadies), but my New Haven ride we would leave the coffee house and do an easy pace for 15 miles. It was a big group, some mountain bikes and others who didn't ride too seriously, but it was very friendly. At the 15 mile mark, we would stop for a pee, then we would split the groups: the B group went back for an easy no-drop 25 mile ride. The rest of us would do 60+ at a hard pace with town line sprints, etc. It was a good way to be in a large group of people but still ride at your pace.