Road biking rules?

[mtkitchn]

Hi Bikemad! I'm thinking about doing El Tour this year as well for the first time. I have an entry level Giant that I'll be riding....definitely not super duper! Try to get some longer rides before November....I plan to do the Memorial ride for Safety up in Carefree on the 14th of Oct as well as the Tour de Farm on Oct 21 in Goodyear (both 60 milers). I ride alone as well, but group rides like the aforementioned get you used to riding around a lot of people. I'm not sure what part of AZ you are in, but the Phoenix bike club has rides for "beginners" every Sunday, where someone is always happy to show you how to ride with a group.

[bikemad1]

Thanks everyone for all your input!! I live in Nogales, Arizona, which is right on the border with Mexico. I'm somewhat of an oddity around here with my bike riding. There are a few (and I mean very few) men that road bike here but I've never seen any women do it. Needless to say, I get a lot of stares!! Another drawback is that my town doesn't have any bike lanes anywhere on which to bike safely. I've gotten great at riding with cars!! It would be wonderful if someday the city/town would consider cyclists in any future road plans but I don't see that happening when interest in cycling here is so small.

As for El Tour...I think I'm going to start off with the 66 mile ride. I know I'll be able to handle the distance for sure and it'll give me a great insight into the workings of group riding and future bike tours. Lenusik, I'm interested in the Scottsdale tour. Let me know when that is, if you can. That'd be cool to meet you there!
Mtkitchn, let me know if you decide to do El Tour. I'd like to have a TE companion along with me ! We could learn together!
Maillotpois, thanks so much for your insight! Hopefully next year I'll be able to do the whole thing, and you'll be able to join as well!!
Thank you all for your info!! I knew you all would guide a crazy newbie in the right direction!!!

[Susie]

Bikemad1 -

I'm not going to do it this year. I'm still recovering from an accident this spring and just started riding again, so I'm going to sit this one out.

That said -- I've signed up for a metric century this weekend, but since I haven't riden more than 25 miles without my knee swelling up, I'll probably need to bail out early. As long as I make it to the 2nd rest stop and get some pie, I'll be happy ...

Susie

[Fredwina]

I'm planning on doing this, too. It'll be my first, and hopefully I won't wind up with another fractured humerus!
I started a thread in the southwest section:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...211#post127211

[Geonz]

Based on what everybody has said, I would absolutely, no way, never, NOT make this even an *early* experience with pacelines. I'm in a different part of the country, but it's a timed race and people will be trying to go as fast as they can, and willing to take some risks. How badly would I want to get injured, as so many people seem to do?
Of course, I am the antithesis of an adrenaline junkie. I'll work my tail off for endorphins, and I *do* enjoy a paceline... but actually, I'm not sure I'd hop onto a strange one...
I reckon another quesiton is: how fast do you go? If you're not fast enough, then the pacelines will stream by you. If you are fast enough... do everybody including yourself a favor and practice in a lower-stakes situation first!
But what the heck, it's only your bones... well, and everybody elses', and unfortunately the one in front making that braking mistake *isn't* the one to go down... and if you really liked risking them, I'd have thunk you'd be mountain biking