First group ride

[Possegal]

Possegal -- come out tonight and keep me company in the back!

I'm seriously thinking about it. I'm off today and sitting here thinking - I should go for a ride now. But, maybe I should wait and head into Bethesda!

If I do, I'll be the one wearing my TE Canadian Molson shirt that I got recently when I went a wee bit crazy with an order to TE. Seriously, how many pairs of socks does one girl need?

[fallstoclimb]

I'm seriously thinking about it. I'm off today and sitting here thinking - I should go for a ride now. But, maybe I should wait and head into Bethesda!

If I do, I'll be the one wearing my TE Canadian Molson shirt that I got recently when I went a wee bit crazy with an order to TE. Seriously, how many pairs of socks does one girl need?

Great! I'll be in a white sleeveless jersey with red trim, on a white and purple specialized dolce. My husband's bike stands out more -- its nickname is Captain America (you'll know it if you see it....).


Thanks for the responses, everyone. I will try not to be too frustrated when I get dropped!

[ny biker]

I've never done one of Conte's rides. Based on the commercials they ran on Versus during the TdF, they're trying to position themselves even more as a shop for racing than they used to be. (That's assuming the Bethesda store is still owned by the people who own the Arlington store, which just changed its name to Fresh Bikes.)

But based on the ride description, I'd say it's worth giving it a try. If you don't feel like they are welcoming to someone who rides at your pace and abilities, you can always just not do it again.

I will say that I'm finding the folks in the Oxon Hill club to be very friendly. If you don't feel that their ride starts are too far away, you might give them a try. www.ohbike.org.

[ny biker]

I think if they are planning a pace of 15 mph, then their intent is that of a recreational/beginning group.

Plus, I always always ride faster with a group. It's just how it is.

You'll be fine.

I average less than 15 mph on rides that are not recreational for me, and I am not a beginner.

[Velocivixen]

My LBS which is about 2 miles from home has a new "Beginner Pace" bike ride Sunday mornings from 9-11. I spoke to them and they said how they ride is determined by who shows up and what type of bikes they're riding. So if a bunch of people show up on carbon road bikes and some of cruisers, they'd split the group and do a faster and a slower ride. So it's fluid. I still haven't made it. I should try one, but 9 a.m. on a Sunday is about the time I'm just getting out of bed!