Group Ride Etiquette Dilemma

[Eden]

Most rides regroup at the top of hills is pretty standard, so going ahead on hills and waiting at the top is not usually considered to be completely rude, unless you've agreed to not do it ahead of time. OTOH, if you work on riding slow it will improve your bike handling skills and your balance. You should be able to go very slow without falling over. (unless it is really windy...)

[OakLeaf]

You should be able to go very slow without falling over. (unless it is really windy...)

I'm not going to disagree in general, but I don't think a steep hill on a group ride in heavy traffic is the place to learn new handling skills.

Personally, there is no way I could stay upright below about 2.5 mph, below about 40 rpm, above maybe a 12% grade. It's the strength input and the unfamiliar slope of the frame, rather than the speed per se, that makes it very difficult to stay upright under those conditions.

[Andrea]

Look at it this way- if they do get offended, then you'll just have to find faster people to ride with!

[Mr. SR500]

I don't think you offended, but there are all sorts of group rides: social, training, combination with lots of break aways and regrouping (this is how we typically ride), and strict pacelines, to name a few. Many times on a social ride, the idea is to stay together - hills will always stretch out a group. We almost always regroup at major turns/roads/etc... but with all the breakaways, a rider can easily ride as hard as they choose, and no drop makes it fun for all.

[7rider]

I wouldn't think they would be offended. Hills should be expected to spread out the group. Did you take off the moment the last woman came up to the top, or did you give her a chance to rest and catch her breath? It seems like you did nothing that I would view as offending.

[channlluv]

<<--Still very much a casual rider. If it had been me you'd ridden past, I'd have been wondering what took you so long, recognizing that you're a much stronger rider than I. And by that I mean, I would have been feeling badly for holding you up.

I actually have friends here who have invited me to come running with them and I just pass because I'm nowhere fit enough to do it. I'd be keeping them from their actual workout if they had to hold back to accommodate my less-than-theirs fitness level. (And that's improving, but still, I don't want to keep them from working up a sweat just because I'm struggling to keep up.)

I don't think you did anything wrong at all. I'd have been grateful for the example of how to do it the most efficient way.

Unless you took off a soon as she got up the hill behind you. Then, yeah, that's kind of snarky. Ha!

Roxy

[Eden]

I'm not going to disagree in general, but I don't think a steep hill on a group ride in heavy traffic is the place to learn new handling skills.

Personally, there is no way I could stay upright below about 2.5 mph, below about 40 rpm, above maybe a 12% grade. It's the strength input and the unfamiliar slope of the frame, rather than the speed per se, that makes it very difficult to stay upright under those conditions.

ummm yeah - and I don't think I suggested any of this... I was not saying that that particular ride was the time or place to practice this skill, nor did the OP say she was trying to go under 2.5 mph...

As far as etiquette goes - I don't think I've ever been on a ride where everyone expects to climb at the same rate... even on a no drop ride, its pretty standard to regroup at the top of hills.

I do think its good to learn how to handle your bike slowly, especially if you ride in groups. You may find yourself in a situation where you are blocked from going around slower people and you just have to deal with it. We had a new gal jump across the yellow line, when a car was coming, on a team ride and tell us it was because she couldn't climb the hill any slower...... She was lucky she didn't get hit, but still couldn't understand why we were so PO'd.

[aicabsolut]

I do think its good to learn how to handle your bike slowly, especially if you ride in groups. You may find yourself in a situation where you are blocked from going around slower people and you just have to deal with it. We had a new gal jump across the yellow line, when a car was coming, on a team ride and tell us it was because she couldn't climb the hill any slower...... She was lucky she didn't get hit, but still couldn't understand why we were so PO'd.

I agree. I hate having to crawl along when I'd rather just keep up my rhythm, but this kind of situation happens to me a lot in races (and sometimes on training rides, but we aren't as much of a roadblock then). The slower ladies just don't stick to the right, so either I need figure out a way to stay upright or I'm going over the yellow line. It kind of baffles me when I am one of the few running a compact, I am in my easiest gear, and I am still snaking back and forth behind the leaders trying not to slam into someone, but it happens a lot. And I don't even consider myself to be a strong climber.

As for the headwind, I don't think you did anything wrong, and it was certainly fine to move ahead to be the one pulling...but I don't think it was the nicest thing to then proceed to drop the others.

[WindingRoad]

Honestly I think you are worrying too much. If someone had done that to me I wouldn't have thought twice about it. Don't stress over it. If it was 'rude' most likely one of the other riders would have mentioned it to you. Not in a mean way but just to 'nicely' let you know it wasn't very cool. Obviously not the case though. Keep up the good work!

[fidlfreek]

Ok great opinions everyone. I DID wait at the top and then let everyone else decide when to take off. Also, the traffic wasn't really heavy, just annoying because they made a lot of extra "wind" when it was there. The shoulder was a full lane width, so basically no problems there. And the woman I normally ride with hooked me up the next day w/ another girl who she thought I would ride more similarly to.

I guess this is an issue of handling skills. Though honestly as a tiny person I can't every see myself becoming one to hammer up hills. I know there are many ways to climb - but in a situation like that I wasn't about to try to learn it all at once....

Thanks everyone for all the great advice!