Riding in a Crowd

[itself]

Well, physically and mentally I am prepared for the Tour de Tucson. But I am really nervous about riding in the "crowds." I have been training all alone, as I always do. Remember I am on a recumbent, so turning around is difficult. I have a mirror, but still, I have a feeling I will have to voice when I am shifting in any direction. I hope people are courteous...

What has been your experiences at events?

[radacrider]

Just add to your mental preparation that there may be riders across the whole range -- experienced, group, organized riders and those who are very new and all in-between. Try to keep your distance from others, look around often so you know as much as possible who else is around you and watch the riders you are coming up on - are they weaving (squirrely), are they riding smooth and steady. If you are moving one way or the other use hand signals, if safe to do so. I use hand signals when riding on the road and I need to move from the shoulder into the traffic lane, even if I know no car is around, because you just don't know.

Have an awesome ride and enjoy it.

[indysteel]

Hopefully you'll see fewer new riders on the century route. Still, your best strategy is to ride very defensively. Use a lot of voice signals and keep an eye out for riders overtaking you without announcing themselves. Stay to the right and hold your line as much as possible. Be especially careful entering and exiting the SAGs. Hopefully riders will spread out as the ride progresses, especially since the century offers a staggered start.

[alpinerabbit]

some rules of paceline riding apply - feather the brakes, don't slam them.
don't weave. in curves, keep your line.
keep the distance to the person in front of you and do not keep watchng their wheel, it puts you in a trance. Watch their butt and just in front of them so you can react to whatever they are doing.

at least you are not racing - packs are one reason why I don't want to try a race.

[OakLeaf]

If your experience is like my 'bent friends' you probably can't see much of the road ahead of you, but you should point out any road hazards that you do see. Finger-point on the side you're passing the hazard on; a verbal warning is helpful too ("road kill," "hole").

Always use both hand signals and voice signals ("slowing," "stopping," "right turn").


And for the more ladylike athletes among us ... use a hand to shield your spit, and call out a warning before you blow a snot rocket.

[Zen]

Sorry I'm no help
Riding in crowds, I hate it and avoid it.
you never know what someone else is going to do. Just like driving a car but with a lot less steel around you

[Pedal Wench]

This was compiled for our bike club: http://www.studio208.com/TOPRS.pdf

[Biciclista]

most people are courteous! it's a great ride. but there are idiots and jerks in every crowd.
Look out for the last 20 miles when people are getting tired and sloppier.

It's a great ride, i'd love to do it again sometime.

[Desert Tortoise]

Itself, just saw this thread. Hope I can still offer something to you.

I rode the 109 last year, 80 mile the year before and 35 mile the first time around. What a difference between the riders in the 35 mile course and the 80/109.

The longer course tends to have much more experienced riders. The shorter has newbies (like I was, been riding 2 months when I did it) kids, very relaxed riders as in not paying attention to others around them. Anyway, I found it was easier to manuver in the 109. People had better skills which meant quicker responses, etc.

Remember, this course has one of the bigger groups of people at the start. Thousands! I got in line around the bronze level because frankly, I did not want to get there so early and I didn't want to get tangled with the faster riders. Figured I work my way through. Well, that last part didn't work as well as I would have liked.

From the bronze start it took less than 5 minutes to cross the start line. The difficulty was getting out of the packs. We were caught in packs until a good mile or two after the Santa Cruz River crossing.

Wherever you start and however early you get there, I hope they have port-a-potties near you and not only at the start line like last year. Being in the back it was a ways to the bathrooms. By the time I got through the line, I had to jog back to my bike to get there in time before the start. On the upside, the jog gave me a nice warm before the ride.:D

Good luck and have a blast!
dt

[f/64]

Just hold your line especially when turning & if you're going to stick on someones wheel, don't stick directly behind.. stay at least a couple of inches to the left or right.. remember not to get your eyes stuck on their wheels too !

Enjoy the ride !

[Maye]

This was compiled for our bike club: http://www.studio208.com/TOPRS.pdf

Thanks for sharing this.