@Jodee1kenobi
The problem wasn't the speeds rather then we were organising rides that people thought they were being excluded from.
+1.
On my own, I don't pootle. My speeds may be some people's pootling, but not mine. I like to move at the kind of pace where I'm working hard, but sustainably so- which is generally something in the region of 12-16 mph (overall, not rolling). So the rides for food were/are (I hope we're not done with those!) perfect training for me before the LeJOG travesty, and they proved a real benefit to my fitness levels (I remember Abs and Frank told me I was looking stronger last autumn, and I think they were right). There was the intention of getting to the halfway stop at a reasonable time for lunch, and of getting back to the smoke for early evening, and the advice on speeds was given with that in mind.
Slower Less fast people- and I was one of them at times- were welcome, but the idea was to help them progress with their riding- in other words, 'I didn't know I could ride that far/fast, until I did'. Certainly worked for me, hope it did for others. People didn't get left behind, even when they had dropped off the pace a bit (and yup, that was me too). They were still fun rides too of course!
That said, the more pootly rides suit me too. As TMN rightly mentions, an organiser should do a ride that they want to do, and at a pace that they want to do. And as to getting left behind, been there, done that, certainly wouldn't do that to others.... if in doubt, treat people as you would wish to be treated, and remember that everyone on the ride is responsible for everyone else.
Slower Less fast riders are not a burden and should never be made to feel (or told) that they are. When I was doing mile after mile on my own trying to chase a dot on the horizon in Scotland last year, I knew I wasn't a burden, and I knew there was no reason for me to be dropped, except selfishness and poor organisation. If the ride leader sets the wrong schedule, or didn't make their intentions on pacing clear (or changes them)...that's their problem, not the riders. Trains run late. Roads close. It rains. It gets blowy. People have days where they're more than capable of riding, but aren't at their best. None of those factors are immovable objects that stop people having a good time, but leaders need to allow for them. Everyone I've ridden with off here, YACF and BikeRadar's done that!
Might well have a go myself some time....
