First group ride

[jlnc]

Congratulations on your ride Jessie! Sounds like fun, and I bet you are so glad you did it. I read your blog, which was a nice write up.
Just 2 quick questions for you ....you mention being embarrassed that you dropped your chain. Why? (I've never done this before, and just wondering how it happens?) Also, the girl that didn't finish...was it her choice to not finish with the group? Or was she really "dropped" because she was too slow? Do you know if she just turned around and went back?
---->"A ride leader told us someone behind us was on her first ride on a road bike (this is the woman who didn't have toe clips), and after a few miles they decided we wouldn't be waiting on her. "

[fallstoclimb]

Congratulations on your ride Jessie! Sounds like fun, and I bet you are so glad you did it. I read your blog, which was a nice write up.
Just 2 quick questions for you ....you mention being embarrassed that you dropped your chain. Why? (I've never done this before, and just wondering how it happens?) Also, the girl that didn't finish...was it her choice to not finish with the group? Or was she really "dropped" because she was too slow? Do you know if she just turned around and went back?
---->"A ride leader told us someone behind us was on her first ride on a road bike (this is the woman who didn't have toe clips), and after a few miles they decided we wouldn't be waiting on her. "

Oh, my understanding is that you drop your chain when you try to shift while pedaling too hard. It happens to the best of cyclists though (wasn't there a Tour de France that was lost on a dropped chain?), so it isn't in itself embarrassing, but it was just sort of capping off how exhausted/falling apart I was at that point.

And the girl who didn't finish had a more experienced friend who stuck with her -- I think her and her friend told the ride leader not to worry about them. They must have done a shortened circuit because they were at the bike shop when we finished up. I only mentioned her because it was a relief to hear that I wasn't the most overmatched rider, although since she dropped out the comfort didn't last long. She was brave to attempt a group ride on her first time on a roadie!

[jlnc]

Thanks for the updates, was just curious!

[goldfinch]

You did really well!

I am a bit frustrated with reading about group rides that are advertised for beginners and cyclists of all abilities. Some new rider might actually think that is the case. They certainly don't fit my abilities, which is still a pace of only about 10-11mph. I'd love the chance to ride with some other people sometime but this kind of riding is way out of my league.

[fallstoclimb]

You did really well!

I am a bit frustrated with reading about group rides that are advertised for beginners and cyclists of all abilities. Some new rider might actually think that is the case. They certainly don't fit my abilities, which is still a pace of only about 10-11mph. I'd love the chance to ride with some other people sometime but this kind of riding is way out of my league.

I do agree with this -- and honestly that group ride was way out of my league. I don't think the LBS can be blamed, though, because if more inexperienced cyclists had shown up, we could have all hung together. However I think unfortunately it tends to be the strong cyclists who mostly show up to group rides, and the weaker ones are the exception.

One thing I have done before are bike club-sponsored longer-distance rides, with staggered start times, that were much more casual. Are there any of those near where you live?

[goldfinch]

I do agree with this -- and honestly that group ride was way out of my league. I don't think the LBS can be blamed, though, because if more inexperienced cyclists had shown up, we could have all hung together. However I think unfortunately it tends to be the strong cyclists who mostly show up to group rides, and the weaker ones are the exception.

One thing I have done before are bike club-sponsored longer-distance rides, with staggered start times, that were much more casual. Are there any of those near where you live?

It is hard for me to find anything like that as I am rarely in one area more than a month.