I have found these statements and articles below about group riding helpful:
"Constant pedal pressure helps to maintain a steady pace and makes it easier for other riders to pace with you." "Never overlap someone's rear wheel. If that rider should veer and hit your front wheel even lightly, you're likely to eat pavement." "When the rider in front of you peels off and you are taking the lead position, don't get excited and accelerate to fill the gap. If you accelerate, then every rider will have to accelerate. Maintain the same speed as when drafting so you don't cause gaps to open between the other riders." "Once you pull off the front, soft-pedal until your wheel comes even with the last rider's bottom bracket, then start to accelerate to pull in behind the last rider." <http://bikevar.nationalmssociety.org/site/DocServer/Rules_for_Group_Riding. pdf?docID=41637> http://bikevar.nationalmssociety.org/site/DocServer/Rules_for_Group_Riding.p df?docID=41637 <http://raleighgyros.com/pdf/riding_the_paceline.pdf> http://raleighgyros.com/pdf/riding_the_paceline.pdf <http://www.spectrum-cycles.com/67.htm> http://www.spectrum-cycles.com/67.htm From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David Bender Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2010 12:50 PM To: [email protected]; Carol Kozar Subject: [Gyros: 15517] Thursday Trek Store Ride pre-ride safety mtg Good afternoon Gyros, In an effort not to bore you with my usual pre-ride speech at the start of each Thursday ride I decided to spare you the misery and just say what I got to say here. G so Just a couple regular issues and a few new ones: The Thursday ride is a training and learning ride not a speed ride. Pace Line: The ride is to stay together in a tight double pace line with no surging, overlapped wheels, passing on descents or overtaking riders mid-pack. Riders need to keep a tight single pace line on Six Forks and 98 and not surge ahead to create a long strung out unorganized group. This is for safety purposes. Re-Group: Group is to regroup at the bottom of all climbs except for Vernon Church Road after the bridge up to Pleasant Union which is a free for all; regroup at the top of all climbs, and at all intersections and turns. Average Pace: This ride is posted at 18 mph and I will try my best to keep it as close to that average as I can so if you cannot maintain this minimum pace you will be dropped. This is a drop ride. This includes me cause the hotter it gets the harder it is for me to keep up. Mechanicals: If you have a mechanical you need to attempt to do the following: Call out as loud as you can that you are having trouble! If you are already dropped and you have a mechanical you are on your own. Make sure you are familiar with the route and that you know what the pace of the ride is so you can keep up. Also, it is a good idea to come to the ride with the necessary tools and equipment with you (ie. pump/co2, tube, tire levers, phone, teddy bear to comfort you when you start whining that you got dropped and your tire went flat and nobody helped you . Most of the riders will have everything you need if you forgo the previous advice so it is always the courteous thing to do to arrange to replace any tubes, co2, beer, etc that you are loaned during a tire repair. So, we will do everything possible to get you back going again but if we don't know you are off the back we can't help you. Rider Interactions: It would be my preference that if you have issue with another rider we need to handle it like adults and not create unsafe situations where we are distracting other riders. It is more dangerous to be yelling at each other then it is to wait to calmly discuss when we return to the parking lot. I however, exempt myself from this condition since I will be yelling at you during the ride but that is why all of you do this ride because it is so entertaining to watch me turn red trying to keep up and yell directions at the same time. Rotating Pace Line: At times we will work on various forms of a rotating pace line; we will attempt this usually on Coley Road. If you are not familiar with a rotating pace line this is an opportunity for you to learn as well as all the regulars that are experienced and want to improve. If you do not want to participate in the rotating pace line just stay off the back and don't get in line just to throw the pace off or to disrupt the pace line. I usually will stay in the front and assist riders on their timing so expect to get yelled out if you are gapping or surging. Yelling back at me just pisses me off. Repeat Offenders: Sometimes we all resort to our bad habits which I am guilt of, so it helps to have someone remind us so we know what we are doing. This is esp. important when others safety is involved. Please consider any issue you as a rider have been guilty of so we don't have to continually remind you. Things like; wobbling side to side, overlapping wheels, overcoming riders mid-pack, descending around the group on hills, not peddling when leading on descents, gapping mid-pack, surging off the front every time you get to the front, etc. Share you grips so we can all learn what things to watch out for. That's a lot to remember isn't it. Hope you take this as just a recommended guideline. Thanks to all that continue to join this ride and esp. to the other ride leaders that join us to help out. C ya soon, David _____ Hotmail is redefining busy with tools for the New Busy. Get more from your inbox. See how. <http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?ocid=PID28326::T:WLMTAGL:ON: WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_2> -- You received this message because you subscribed to the Gyro email group. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected] To unsubscribe, send an email to [email protected] -- You received this message because you subscribed to the Gyro email group. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected] To unsubscribe, send an email to [email protected]
