Club ride average speeds, could i keep up ?
- Thread starter Ridgeway
- Start date
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byegad
Legendary Member
- Location
- NE England
It all depends on the leader. I used to attend York Rally and do the Medium/Slow 30 mile Saturday ride. I did this for years, then the leader changed. On his first ride, and the last time I did it, we set off at pace and soon people were dropping out at regular intervals. I was soon spinning out on my admittedly low 86" top gear. Arriving for lunch 30 minutes behind the survivors my friend and I made the decision to make our own way back to the Knavesmire.
Did nobody tell the leader he was doing wrong, I know I would certainly have done so.
OP
OP
Ridgeway
Veteran
- Location
- Lausanne, Switzerland
Don't worry i'll be looking for a 20 stone leader
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Some people just won't be told. That's arguably OK as long as it's clear all along (including in any pre-event advertising) that it's a "no prisoners" sort of ride. If it's an open or no-drop, that just stinks and that leader shouldn't get another go.
davidphilips
Phil Pip
- Location
- Onabike
Does no one just say change or steady?
OP
OP
Ridgeway
Veteran
- Location
- Lausanne, Switzerland
So there wasn't too much risk of C19 restrictions being flouted (we're allowed to ride in groups of up to 5) as only 4 people turned up this evening, but that was probably because the weather was crap or "temps anglais typique" as the 3 guys said and kept reminding me.....
Lots to learn about riding in a group so it was great that we were only 4, enough going on even in such a small group for a novice like me, especially as the wind was up to 25kmh.
Re the "could i keep up" flats = easy and what a pleasure to draft a few riders, super easy riding with low HR even at decent speeds (about 40kmh across the flats) downhill was where i needed to take most care, probably as i was the heaviest gravity took over and i was always on the brakes but all OK. Uphill, well that's another story and as i figured where i'd struggle, just hadn't realised by how much. One of the last climbs was a good example, 1km long with an average of 6% (max 8%) and i just hung on, me at almost 95% of HR max and the 2 guys in front chatting away about the weather, 18kmh all the way up
and i think that highlights my fitness gap and gave me a real wake up. It was a pretty short ride due to the weather, only 45km but there was 750m of climbing in that, these guys seemed to search it out and at least introduced me to some nice little routes.
Looking forward to the next sortie in hopefully better weather and also improving my hill climbing speeds, something i must work on.
Lots to learn about riding in a group so it was great that we were only 4, enough going on even in such a small group for a novice like me, especially as the wind was up to 25kmh.
Re the "could i keep up" flats = easy and what a pleasure to draft a few riders, super easy riding with low HR even at decent speeds (about 40kmh across the flats) downhill was where i needed to take most care, probably as i was the heaviest gravity took over and i was always on the brakes but all OK. Uphill, well that's another story and as i figured where i'd struggle, just hadn't realised by how much. One of the last climbs was a good example, 1km long with an average of 6% (max 8%) and i just hung on, me at almost 95% of HR max and the 2 guys in front chatting away about the weather, 18kmh all the way up
and i think that highlights my fitness gap and gave me a real wake up. It was a pretty short ride due to the weather, only 45km but there was 750m of climbing in that, these guys seemed to search it out and at least introduced me to some nice little routes.Looking forward to the next sortie in hopefully better weather and also improving my hill climbing speeds, something i must work on.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
And hope that they give you a push while the TV cameras and race officials are not watching...
OP
OP
Ridgeway
Veteran
- Location
- Lausanne, Switzerland
usually so my children can fight over them and the looser sulk in the car on the way back home
didn't ask how i know but when Luke Rowe threw out his bottle at the bottom of Planche des Belle Filles last on last years TDF No4 daughter managed to grab it before the other 2 did since then the others have managed to get other bottles but not from an Ineos rider
OP
OP
Ridgeway
Veteran
- Location
- Lausanne, Switzerland
Second club ride last night and a bit of an eye opener
8 of us turned up but more were still arriving in dribs and drabs. Not knowing the routine i took off with the first group that went out. Noticed after a few KM's that the speed was high, people were slimmer than a slim things you see in reptile zoos, oh and 2 of the riders i recognised as riding in U23 Pro teams
Nice ride though and some super interesting routes once again, but boy do they seek out the hilly stuff they were kind enough to wait for me at the top of the main climb (ave 9% for 2km) at least i gave them all a 1 min toilet break and snack stop which created some decent banter.
Starting to learn the hand signals a bit better and this group was very animated with them so that was a good learning. considering i was over double the age of all of the riders and probably 20% heavier (not to mention 100% less fit) i kept with them, although i think it was more that they stayed back with me.
As a comparison i have a segment that finishes at my front gate, 850m at ave 6% and my PR is 2mins 52secs (that's an ave of 284 Strava watts with 17.7kmh) one of the "lads" last night (he's 23yrs old) manages the same segment in 1min 55 seconds at 26.7kmh ave, the youth today, where do they get that energy from...
8 of us turned up but more were still arriving in dribs and drabs. Not knowing the routine i took off with the first group that went out. Noticed after a few KM's that the speed was high, people were slimmer than a slim things you see in reptile zoos, oh and 2 of the riders i recognised as riding in U23 Pro teams
Nice ride though and some super interesting routes once again, but boy do they seek out the hilly stuff they were kind enough to wait for me at the top of the main climb (ave 9% for 2km) at least i gave them all a 1 min toilet break and snack stop which created some decent banter.Starting to learn the hand signals a bit better and this group was very animated with them so that was a good learning. considering i was over double the age of all of the riders and probably 20% heavier (not to mention 100% less fit) i kept with them, although i think it was more that they stayed back with me.
As a comparison i have a segment that finishes at my front gate, 850m at ave 6% and my PR is 2mins 52secs (that's an ave of 284 Strava watts with 17.7kmh) one of the "lads" last night (he's 23yrs old) manages the same segment in 1min 55 seconds at 26.7kmh ave, the youth today, where do they get that energy from...
MntnMan62
Über Member
- Location
- Northern NJ
I've been thinking about doing the same thing. As I get in better shape and build up my cycling strength, I'd like to ride with some other people. I've never done it and I'd like to learn how to ride in a group as I imagine there is a protocol and method to doing so. But I've also found that with my average speed of about 11 mph riding solo, I'm probably not up to keeping up with a group riding at 15 mph. So, I'm going to keep working on my solo rides and try and increase my average mph for each ride. That may not happen until the end of the summer but I'm ok with that. As long as it happens.
Join the club and you will meet many people that cycle at your speed or even less, a cycle club is normally made up of people with many varying abilities.
