Another group ride ettiquette thread

[Crankin]

This has happened on rides I lead. If you have signed the waiver and have the cue sheet AND tell me that you are "officially leaving the ride" then it is OK. AMC has a very specific liability policy for this. On our second ride this year (in March) which was billed as an intermediate level spring warm up ride, with hills, 2 people came that are also leaders. Within 2 miles it was clear that they could not keep up. Our average was about 14, but these women usually lead slower paced rides. Since I was sweeping, they told me to go ahead and I did. When i emailed one of them later, she said it took them 4 hours to do the ride that took us 2! But, there was another woman there who clearly had overestimated her qualifications for the ride (all participants are screened for these rides and this one must have felt OK lying to me) and since she was from the city, she did not want to do the ride alone, as she was really unfamiliar with the area, even though there was a cue sheet. The result was the group stopped and waited for me and her at the intersections, but eventually, near the end, I told them to go ahead. It was a really miserable ride for me, but it was my job, and I stayed with her. However, on the climbs, I did go ahead and wait for her at the top.

[spokewench]

I lead no drop rides and have for years. I make it very clear that it is a no drop beginner's ride. If people come on the ride and become disenchanted with the pace, i.e. they want to go faster, I tell them that they are on their own and to go ahead. (this usually does not happen) If they are really slow and can't go as far as the others in the beginner's group, I will ask them if they are comfortable turning back and going home on their own. If they are not, I either go with them back or someone else will opt out because they are getting tired. Our road riding is limited here so it is basically an out and back straight out ride - pretty hard to get lost. It is not a good idea to start no drop rides with other faster rides! People are competitive and if the other rides do not have the same no drop attitude, it becomes a mess.

I try to work on bike handling, rudimentary pacelines, how to drink when riding, how to be comfortable and relaxed on your bike, etc. This usually keeps people occupied if we are going too slow for them. The rule for uphill is that you can go at your own pace, but we either wait at the top or turn around and climb again if we want till everyone is back together again. This works out great. For the stronger riders, they get to climb more, and for the stronger but not as much endurance riders, they go at their own pace and get a rest at the top.

For those Arizona riders, there is a no drop ride on Sunday August 19th. PM me for more information if you are interested.

Spoke

[Fredwina]

some good points, spokewench!
The regroups for my ride are at the top of hills.
I always tell people if they get ahead of the leader, they're on their own ride

[Tuckervill]

All this great input!

With my son last week, we did wait at the top of a big hill that we were about to descend, which would have to be climbed on the way back. There were three miles out before the turn around. Max did NOT want to leave us, and the rest of the group was down the hill and around the bend. But I know he likes to power up that hill, so I just said we'd wait at the top for the group to return. On the way back, they still hammered ahead of us, but Max, Will and I just stayed together. After that 20 minute rest, Will was raring to go, so it worked out better for him that way.

Yes, I do wish the fast people would just go on without us and not muddle up the beginner's ride. I do intend to go back every week, and I really hope there are new people every week.

Karen

[bouncybouncy]

a thought...any way you could go down "part" of the hill and turn around? each week go a tad bit farther?

I used to ride with an extreme hammer head group...I would be able to keep up for less than a mile (their warm-up...but I had already rode 5 miles to the start so I was already warm) The route was a 35 mile out and back...I would turn around way early and eventually they would pass me up again but it was ok cause I would race to see how close to the start-finish before they actually did catch up. My hubby was always with the faster crowd and sometime he would slow and stay with me, sometimes he would blow by me, but he would always wait at the start-finish cheering me on!

Glad to hear you are sticking with it!!!

[Tuckervill]

I don't really care about the hill, but I like the idea of doing a little more each week. Maybe I can try to have a higher average or something. Next time I take the boy, I will have him better mentally prepared for the hammerheads and what to expect. I think he will be fine.

Since that first ride almost 3 weeks ago, I've done many rides longer than I usually do on my own. I just got back from a solo 20 miles, which is as long as I could go in my "big" event last season (that's the picture of me finishing in my avatar). So, I'm making progress!

Don't know if I'll get to ride with the group tomorrow because it's Babe Ruth World Series time and I'm working the tournament gate. I'm going to try, though. I'll be better prepared for it from this conversation, too!

Karen