Vikeonabike
CC Neighbourhood Police Constable
- Location
- Bourne, Lincolnshire
He did mumble something about gears.. but said he didn't know how to use them!
Forum rides
- Thread starter totallyfixed
- Start date
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400bhp
Guru
OP
OP
totallyfixed
Veteran
- Location
- The only county without a McDonalds
To clear things up, my tourer / Audax bike has gears for reasons that shouldn't need explaining, my geared road bike is just that and is used when I anticipate hills of greater steepness than 17%, it is equipped with a triple which in my experience is way better than a compact, but that's another subject. My mountain bike has gears too, again for obvious reasons. My fixed is ridden probably more than 95% of the time , it is a Pearson with a 75" gear and 175 cranks. Finally "totallyfixed" was chosen for having more than one meaning. Hope that's all cleared up then.
Back on topic, I have no problem on a forum ride with people climbing hills at their own speed, it is the one thing on a ride that is guaranteed to split riders up, not a problem, it's expected and happens on club rides. I personally know several top time triallers in this country who can average more than 25 mph over considerable distances but grovel on hills, just the way it is although quite easy to improve.
Back on topic, I have no problem on a forum ride with people climbing hills at their own speed, it is the one thing on a ride that is guaranteed to split riders up, not a problem, it's expected and happens on club rides. I personally know several top time triallers in this country who can average more than 25 mph over considerable distances but grovel on hills, just the way it is although quite easy to improve.
Vikeonabike
CC Neighbourhood Police Constable
- Location
- Bourne, Lincolnshire
Oh well that is one forum myth dispelled. Mind you I would struggle on a 7% hill on a 75" gear never mind 17%.
I'm a bit late to the party here, but a note about what I've seen regarding group rides on other cycling forums.
Quite often, in the "group rides" section, or "meetups" or whatever else you care to call it, there is a sticky at the top of the list of threads. That sticky may read something like this:
Then for every group ride, the template *must* be in the OP, and filled in. Such as this:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Start point/time:
-info
End point/time:
-info
Trip distance:
-info
Average speed:
-info
Terrain:
-info
Route:
-info
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Filled in, it might look something like this:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Start point/time:
-Totnes Station, South-West Devon. (Trains run regularly through Totnes from most mainline stations). We'll meet at about 11AM, if everyone can get there for that time. If not, we can re-arrange the time..
End point/time:
-Plymouth Station, South-West Devon. (Trains to all mainline stations). End time whenever we get there! (If you're booking trains, perhaps book one for a while later than the expected time we should arrive in Plymouth, rather than earlier. Better to have to wait than miss your train!
Average speed:
-10 - 14MPH
Terrain:
-Well surfaced, decent roads. There is a lot of up/down, the steepest | incline is 12%, and lasts about 1KM.
Trip distance:
-Approximately 26 miles.
Route:
-We'll start off by going towards xyz, then move up along through | abc. After wxy, it's all along the A***, which is very straight forward.
There's a nice pub, the "Queens Arms" that we could stop at, if we
like. (About halfway through), discuss below?
Route link: http://www.some_map_link.etc/mymap
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This method of setting up groups rides is very efficient, and gives all the info you need right there in the first post....just a suggestion. Sorry for the weird layout of this post too
Quite often, in the "group rides" section, or "meetups" or whatever else you care to call it, there is a sticky at the top of the list of threads. That sticky may read something like this:
Then for every group ride, the template *must* be in the OP, and filled in. Such as this:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Start point/time:
-info
End point/time:
-info
Trip distance:
-info
Average speed:
-info
Terrain:
-info
Route:
-info
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Filled in, it might look something like this:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Start point/time:
-Totnes Station, South-West Devon. (Trains run regularly through Totnes from most mainline stations). We'll meet at about 11AM, if everyone can get there for that time. If not, we can re-arrange the time..
End point/time:
-Plymouth Station, South-West Devon. (Trains to all mainline stations). End time whenever we get there! (If you're booking trains, perhaps book one for a while later than the expected time we should arrive in Plymouth, rather than earlier. Better to have to wait than miss your train!
Average speed:
-10 - 14MPH
Terrain:
-Well surfaced, decent roads. There is a lot of up/down, the steepest | incline is 12%, and lasts about 1KM.
Trip distance:
-Approximately 26 miles.
Route:
-We'll start off by going towards xyz, then move up along through | abc. After wxy, it's all along the A***, which is very straight forward.
There's a nice pub, the "Queens Arms" that we could stop at, if we
like. (About halfway through), discuss below?
Route link: http://www.some_map_link.etc/mymap
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This method of setting up groups rides is very efficient, and gives all the info you need right there in the first post....just a suggestion. Sorry for the weird layout of this post too
OP
OP
totallyfixed
Veteran
- Location
- The only county without a McDonalds
Now do you see where you went wrong? There are no other cycling forums and if there were, we don't talk about them. The second thing to note is that having led rides for more years than you have been alive, I still don't always know where I am going until I have met everybody and even then I often chuck in changes depending on how early / late we are running and how everyone is feeling. I can't print out routes because the Garmin is in my head, and very cheap it is too.
Thank you for the suggestions though, I'm sure they are well meant
, come on a forum ride.
Thank you for the suggestions though, I'm sure they are well meant
, come on a forum ride.
Mr Haematocrit
msg me on kik for android
- Location
- Out of the saddle
I would hate a scripted ride and predefined route, the best thing about the forum rides I have been on is that I get to see area's I do not know, its an adventure, an unknown..... I follow a predefined route on my commute to work, I do not wish to experience this on my days off
Now do you see where you went wrong? There are no other cycling forums and if there were, we don't talk about them. The second thing to note is that having led rides for more years than you have been alive, I still don't always know where I am going until I have met everybody and even then I often chuck in changes depending on how early / late we are running and how everyone is feeling. I can't print out routes because the Garmin is in my head, and very cheap it is too.
Thank you for the suggestions though, I'm sure they are well meant
S-sorry
Yeah, I'm not saying that it's the best way to do it, but it seemed people here were complaining about the group ride arrangements, so I posted something that I'd seen before, somewhere else.
I've never been on a forum ride myself by any account, so I've got no idea about whether the cyclists always stuck to the "plans" or whether they changed completely. All I'm trying to say is that when I saw that way of organising a ride on this other-forum-that-doesn't-exist, I thought "Oooh, that's a clever way of doing it".
Sorry if I came off in a way that was saying "Your method is shoot, use this one!" I wasn't supposed to at all.
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Some rides- most I think, really- do have prearranged routes, a lot of people will do GPXs ready for use by those with Garmins.
OP
OP
totallyfixed
Veteran
- Location
- The only county without a McDonalds
Don't worry about it, you meant well and a lot of us on here can be right p*** takers which seems to get worse as the darker nights close in.
NotthatJasonKenny
Faster on HFLC
- Location
- Bolton
As the slowest rider in the little group I ride with (occasionally!) I can understand how it can put people off at the thought of others having to wait for them. It's the kind of pressure you don't need when sweating your tators off but I'm lucky that its a friendly bunch who tell me they don't mind!
If the ground rules are set from the start that's its a fast forum ride then people can opt out but I think a forum ride should be about inclusion not chest beating!
Besides, one rider I know starts off at 25mph and is glad of the rest waiting for me when I finally catch up! (Looking at you smokeysmoo!)
If the ground rules are set from the start that's its a fast forum ride then people can opt out but I think a forum ride should be about inclusion not chest beating!
Besides, one rider I know starts off at 25mph and is glad of the rest waiting for me when I finally catch up! (Looking at you smokeysmoo!)
400bhp
Guru
Aren't most rides scripted or predefined? Someone has to predefine them, it's just that you don't know that they are.
wiggydiggy
Guru
I havent been on any rides through this site as since joining I joined a local group and use their group rides instead, couple things I've picked up from those and the comments here:
'Not waiting' - as a back of the pack rider I had a couple of occasions where I caught up (top of hill usually) to see people starting to set off, at which point I'd shout "Oy! You've just had a rest, now I want one so you can wait". If thats you as well you really need to speak up so they know its been unfair.
'Its a fast/long/short/slow/on road/off road ride, are you sure?' - There's nothing wrong with raising expectations up front for people, even on the day, so that if someone that is coming/has come for a ride and is obviously not suited they are saved a wasted trip and others can enjoy what is supposed to happen. Famously with my group on a short ride (10-15 mile) a father brought his daughter along who was on a kids toy trike!
'Not waiting' - as a back of the pack rider I had a couple of occasions where I caught up (top of hill usually) to see people starting to set off, at which point I'd shout "Oy! You've just had a rest, now I want one so you can wait". If thats you as well you really need to speak up so they know its been unfair.
'Its a fast/long/short/slow/on road/off road ride, are you sure?' - There's nothing wrong with raising expectations up front for people, even on the day, so that if someone that is coming/has come for a ride and is obviously not suited they are saved a wasted trip and others can enjoy what is supposed to happen. Famously with my group on a short ride (10-15 mile) a father brought his daughter along who was on a kids toy trike!
Sittingduck
Legendary Member
- Location
- Somewhere flat
It's about communication. People aren't mind readers. I have been on plenty of forum rides when I have been one of the slower riders and certainly slowest uphill. Likewise I hae been on rides when I have been one of the stronger riders. I'm happy to go fast and happy to wait for others and likewise if I'm bringing up the rear happy to ask folk to give me 2 mins when I have crested a hill, if they have tried to set off straight away (although this scenario happens less these days 
). People are generally very reasonable and don't like to cause issues for others, so the best way is to pipe up if the pace is too fast, too slow or whatever. Nothing wrong with a ride stretching out a little bit and infact I would say that it's safer, on downhill sections. It's very very difficult to cater for everybody perfectly, on these rides. All you can really do is try a few out and decide on which ones you sign-up for, based on previous experiences
). People are generally very reasonable and don't like to cause issues for others, so the best way is to pipe up if the pace is too fast, too slow or whatever. Nothing wrong with a ride stretching out a little bit and infact I would say that it's safer, on downhill sections. It's very very difficult to cater for everybody perfectly, on these rides. All you can really do is try a few out and decide on which ones you sign-up for, based on previous experiences 
