getting dropped

[kelownagirl]

This area is a bone of contention between DH and I as well...

[Veronica]

This area is a bone of contention between DH and I as well...

Maybe I should post this in VB's good vibes thread, but I'm so glad Thom and I don't have this issue. He's always climbed faster than me and I've always had more endurance. I've asked him to help me get faster on climbs and he's started pacing me. It's hard, my heart rate is wicked high and sometimes I feel like I'm going to puke. But hopefully it will make a difference with my climbing.

He's riding a little slower than he would normally and I'm definitely riding faster. But the encouragement he shouts at me helps. Well kinda, sometimes I just want to punch him!

In the "macho" guys defense, if they are out there for a training ride, not on a no drop ride, they should be riding their own ride and not caring a hooey about you.

V.

[Bad JuJu]

I don't have any problem with people riding faster than me. If I did, I'd never ride. I just had to find a few people--mostly women--who ride a pace similar to mine, but who also are up for an occasional challenge. I know not everyone is fortunate enough to find riding buddies like that, but it's worth the search. I've actually gotten stronger now that I don't face the discouragement of getting dropped all the time.

But if a ride is advertised as a no-drop ride, the group should stick by that designation. Is that what your problem is, Sundial?

[sundial]

I just had to find a few people--mostly women--who ride a pace similar to mine, but who also are up for an occasional challenge. I've actually gotten stronger now that I don't face the discouragement of getting dropped all the time.

I don't mind sprinting, but I'd like to do it with women. My problem is there aren't any women who have the same aspirations for cycling so I'm left to my own vices per se. I'm stuck with men who take the fun out of riding. I do ride solo quite a bit, but occasionally it would be nice to ride a group ride where I don't have to worry about changing the paceline every 3rd telephone pole, sprint, go hog wild on hills with traffic and no shoulders, circle back for those who aren't keeping up, etc.

[NJBikeGal]

When looking for a team to ride with, I specifically chose one that was only for girls! Now, I think riding with the boys is a great idea and good for developing speed and skills (you know...avoiding the Cat 5 guys who think that they are Tom Boonen ). However, there's a reason that the Saturday morning ride out near me is referred to, among others things, as the Weekly World Championships!!

P.S. Where are you located? Maybe there are options other than the good old boys? Maybe there are other gals in your area thinking the same thing you are...just dying for *someone* to start a team?

[Grog]

Maybe ride once a week with the men (challenging ride), once a week with women who don't really care for speed (recovery & chatting) and the rest on your own, following some kind of program?

[Andrea]

Just a hint- having a woman around that is keeping up will only make them go faster... or do that thing where you stop for the bathroom and they "forget" that you're in there & are leaving the parking lot as you're walking out the door.

My advice- find other groups to ride with or hold on as long as you can! Riding with them will make you stronger

[kelownagirl]

Maybe I should post this in VB's good vibes thread, but I'm so glad Thom and I don't have this issue. He's always climbed faster than me and I've always had more endurance. I've asked him to help me get faster on climbs and he's started pacing me. It's hard, my heart rate is wicked high and sometimes I feel like I'm going to puke. But hopefully it will make a difference with my climbing.

He's riding a little slower than he would normally and I'm definitely riding faster. But the encouragement he shouts at me helps. Well kinda, sometimes I just want to punch him!

In the "macho" guys defense, if they are out there for a training ride, not on a no drop ride, they should be riding their own ride and not caring a hooey about you.

V.

Ditto on riding with DH making me stronger. That is definitely the case for me. And to be honest, most of the time, he's pretty good about sticking with me. It's the climbs where I get lost behind. For the most part I don't really mind but once in awhile it just irks me. I like to be able to lead once in awhile, especially on the flats when I CAN go fast. I'll mention it and I'll lead for awhile and then he'll pass me when we stop for a light and it just peeves me. Then one day I suggested he go out and do some hill repeats before our ride so he'd be a bit tired and not feel like he needed to hammer, and he still ended up riding ahead of me.

Our latest solution, which works quite well for me, is that he goes really hard ahead of me for about 3-4 minutes, then turns around and rides hard back to meet me. He goes further, and harder and I am seldom on my own for more than 4-5 minutes. I feel safe (I am still a bit freaked about being along if I'm stung by a wasp), and I feel like I can ride my own ride as well. We can't do this everywhere we ride because some roads are too busy but it works in many places.

[Mr. Bloom]

This area is a bone of contention between DH and I as well...

Here too!

Some day, I hope to keep up with Silver

[SlowButSteady]

I am ALWAYS dropped.

Always.

And usually riding in mixed XY and XX groups. Even the short, slow-looking XX's drop me.

I checked my speed the other day sprinting on a flat: 25 miles per hour. I can sustain 20+ for awhile.

Of course I average, uh, 10mph less than that (if not less).

Good thing I'm happy riding alone.

Someone always waits on me or calls to check on me...I'm never really more than a mile or two behind them.

It is quite discouraging to never SEE the people you think you're riding with.

[Mr. Bloom]

I checked my speed the other day sprinting on a flat: 25 miles per hour. I can sustain 20+ for awhile.

Of course I average, uh, 10mph less than that (if not less).

Depending on conditions, that's really pretty good!

Sounds like you're choosing groups that stretch your limits...and that might be a good thing.

[Crankin]

This is why I choose the groups I ride with very carefully. I am riding for fitness, but also for FUN. I always seem to be between groups in terms of ability. When I ride by myself or with my husband, my average is between 15.5 and 16.5 if it's not too hilly. However, there are always hills where I ride. I can't get home without riding up 2 pretty big climbs. I can sustain 18-22 for awhile, if it's really flat, but like I said, no place here is really flat.
Riding with my husband forced me to improve for the first few years. Now he is happy to ride at my speed and gets his faster rides when he commutes to work. I am too fast for the "slow" groups and when I have gone on rides that advertise a 15-16 average, it always feels fast to me, even though it doesn't feel fast when I am alone. However, I find that I can out climb a lot of the riders on these rides; I am a downhill weenie and that brings my average down.
I don't do well when I am constantly trying to keep up with others; it doesn't make me stronger, it just makes me angry and feel like I am weak! I can compete with one person, but a whole group, no.
Of course, I have to make myself remember that most "regular" people think that what I do is crazy and that I am fitter at 54 than I was 10 years ago.

[Natasha]

My husband and I have addressed the speed disparity difference (he is much faster) by riding a tandem. We like it so much that we rarely get out on our singles anymore. We can each push as hard as we want to and always have someone to ride with and talk to.

[shootingstar]

\I don't do well when I am constantly trying to keep up with others; it doesn't make me stronger, it just makes me angry and feel like I am weak! I can compete with one person, but a whole group, no.
Of course, I have to make myself remember that most "regular" people think that what I do is crazy and that I am fitter at 54 than I was 10 years ago.

I don't enjoy the sensation..of trying to keep up with many others.if it was a regular group ride..it feels to me, like being forced to conform/to keep pace with Joneses.... Like you Robyn ,it creates unnecessary self-disgust/anger inside myself which lowers cycling love. I am certain I wouldn't have stayed on the bike for so long, the past 17 yrs., if I spent the majority of cycling time in group riding.

Usually my partner is riding ahead...it can get complicated because he doesn't like to cool down when waiting for me at a turn or top of a hill somewhere... but he's able to do lots of riding in past few years on his own while I'm at work (early retired, but now he's starting up a biz ....cycling consulting...this is another story.. ) and when we're together on bike (though not side by side), he might cycle round a loop a few times to "meet" up with me. If it's a route we're familiar he'll kinda ignore me and pump it out. If I didn't do enough solo cycle, I suppose I would be bothered. But I'm not. Hey, we don't have a car...so in the end, we will meet at the finish line..at a store, park, etc.

On loaded bike trips, I tell him how much of a beetle he looks like way out on the horizon.. As along as I can see where he's going in strange/new, unknown areas...even if he's 1-3 kms. ahead of me.

There is no way we would cooperate on a tandem. We rented a tandem once..I sat behind and hated it. I am 5'1", he is 5'10".

He is the sort of person who isn't bothered if a woman passes him.

I have led group rides which have taught me: a)I'm a somewhat impatient person b) not as sensitive of other cyclists as I thought I would be since I'm not a fast-pacing cyclist. This alone, I think I still have enough to learn..

[Crankin]

You sound like me, Shooting Star! There have been several times when I've been leading or sweeping a group ride, that I am annoyed... of course I keep a smile on my face and no one would know.
I have found 2 groups that I like to ride with and I think it's because I am one of the better riders in the group. One group can get pretty quick at times, but they always stop and regroup. Plus, I have found that living on a hill has advantages because I am usually one of the first to reach the top of a climb. But, I still enjoy riding with just 3 or 4 other people most of the time.