Suddenly scared of first charity ride

The past few weeks have been much better on "Dotty." I am a bit more confident getting going with the clipless pedals and stopping starting is smoother. And I haven't fallen in a few weeks :D

But... I ride by myself.

I signed up for my first charity ride for November 11. It is dawning me I will have to start in a pack of riders and I am afraid I will take a moment to get going and cause a problem. Also, getting off in that pack seems a bit scary. My friend will probably be riding with a team and has offered to bring me into the team so I can be closer to the front with them, but I don't know..somehow I think starting in the back would be better for me and others :confused:

Any tips as to what to expect? Am I doomed? Am I naive to think I won't be the only newbie there? Any suggestions are welcome!

TYIA

I wouldn't start at the front. Unless you can maintain that speed, you will be passed by a lot of riders, and that's where problems can happen. Start near the rear if it's a mass start. Stay to the right and ride predictably. Call out/signal road hazards and when you're slowing down, stopping or turning. Also call out approaching and overtaking cars ("car back," "car up," "car passing"). Keep an eye our for riders overtaking you, as well as advancing cars before moving out of your line. If you ride predictably, stay alert, and announce what you're doing to other riders, you should be okay.

The only supported ride I've ever done had a "eh, whenever" start--you left when you felt like it, so take it with a grain of salt. If it is a mass start, then if it makes you more comfortable to start at the back, do it. However, I'd try to start somewhere that means you're with people who ride at a similar pace, so that you don't have to pass a bunch of people.

remember that you are doing this for fun and a cause, not a race. Feel easy about starting at the tail of the tail end and find your pace. There will be other slow riders and you will find that since you aren't hammering down the road, you will have time to chat briefly with people as you ride past or with them. Do ask if you can ride along for a while if you find a group at your pace. Be honest about being a beginner and not too sure of things. You will find that most charity riders are just out there to have fun and lolly gag along. Stop at the Sag stops but keep your stops short. Remeber to warn other riders, thank the sag people or the police officers doing traffic duty. With the exception of the police, they are all volunteers and while the police do get paid they still deserve to be thanked on general principles. If someone makes you uncomfortable, slow down until they pull away. Start slow, find your pace, chat up strangers and enjoy your ride.

It will be fine.

I generally ride solo, but when I do a charity or other group ride event I pretty much always start at the rear. That makes me feel more confident to not have so many people around me and the start is ALWAYS much slower than I expect. I don't stay there, as the group gets going and people start spreading out then I start passing (or not) as I choose. Do what makes you feel most comfortable as that will insure a safe and fun event :)

Good advice on staying away from the front of the pack. Do you have any opportunity to practice riding in a group?

How many riders will there be?

I rode El Tour de Tucson last year for the first time- over 5000 riders were on the long route. I started in the middle and a lot of folks passed me. It was not that long until a lot of folks were spread out and it was never a big unwieldy group after the first section.

Organized rides are rarely group rides. People start at different times (of their choosing -- those doing a longer option tend to start earlier) and ride at their own pace. Hence, I would not have much angst over it. One key thing to remember is to ride predictably: keep your line and keep right, so faster riders can pass safely. Keeping your line is crucial during turns. Other than that, enjoy the ride. It is nice to have a route set up for you, with rest stops and probably sag support if a bike breaks down.