Why, just why

[DCLane]

I've never come across anyone who likes a meander like so always a solo rider.

My club runs a 'Monday Meander' ride, started for those who found the Wednesday 'older cyclists' ride too fast.

They go meandering at 10-12mph, perfectly happy even if they're not sure where they are. Or where they're going.

 

[mjr]

The ride leader should take control; if they're going too fast let them know first. Second time tell them to go and club captain can deal with them.

That's if it's an official BC club. If not, then it's a free-for-all and I'd let them go with a sudden diversion.

Official BC club ride leaders have no special powers to control anyone on public roads. In reality, all they can do is the same as any other group does: if someone rides off the front of the ride, let them go and if they don't wait at the next junction and you go different ways, finding their way home is their problem!

 

[Lee_M]

Why do you bother with Facebook?

It's how the club organises and advertises rides, particularly during lockdown.

 

[Lee_M]

The thing about club rides, you have a good chance to find a couple of like minded people in them, then go and do your own group ride with them. I have 4 groups apart from official club rides, A couple of medium of speeds and a couple of faster groups, works for me.

agreed, I'm very selective who I ride with, but then others will decide they want to come with us and then spoil it.

I think next time I post a ride I'm going to be even more specific about speed, and if no one turns up, no worries.

 

[Lee_M]

Indeed. Having a ride leader and tail-end-charlie, should help in this regard and a clear definition of what the ride is and isn't.

There was a clear definition "I'll be doing the route but slowly, if anyone wants a slow ride they're welcome to join me"

Next time I'll add "if you intend to go faster than me and keep going off the front please don't bother coming"

 

[ClichéGuevara]

That's wierd. When I was a student I remember it taking some time to get to the pub (walking), but no time at all to get home.

Aye, the difference is staggering.

 

[Drago]

The ride leader should take control; if they're going too fast let them know first. Second time tell them to go and club captain can deal with them.

That's if it's an official BC club. If not, then it's a free-for-all and I'd let them go with a sudden diversion.

But have you seen the ride leaders? Training is poor, skills are accordingly poor, the few good ones have usually had training well away from BC, often with one of the foreign firms that provide specialist training in the UK.

Mention BC ride leader training to any given group of trainers with tickets from other organisations and its pretty much guaranteed that at least one will start whistling the Mickey Mouse theme.

 

[davidphilips]

What i have found with a few club cyclists, there are a few who are not fast enough to go with the A group and seem to want to show how fast they are.

Feel sorry for them to some extent but the best way to deal with them is to just say steady when they pick the pace up.

There have been many times when i have joined in for a slow or steady cycle just wanting to use it as a recovery cycle and found myself in what seems to be a race?

My view is if some one wants to go faster than the group but still join in then theres nothing wrong with them getting at the back, stopping for 1 minute then trying to catch up, stopping again but for 2 minutes and again trying to catch up etc, i have invited a few to do this and always find that after the 4th catch up any want a bee racers have had enough and seem quite happy to sit in?

 

[Fab Foodie]

There was a clear definition "I'll be doing the route but slowly, if anyone wants a slow ride they're welcome to join me"

Next time I'll add "if you intend to go faster than me and keep going off the front please don't bother coming"

Just let them go.
Or suggest as @davidphilips above
Or, just split the group and get the fast guys to nominate a leader and send them up the road.

It's annoying, but with time these things settle into different speed groups.

 

[Lee_M]

Just let them go.
Or suggest as @davidphilips above
Or, just split the group and get the fast guys to nominate a leader and send them up to road.

It's annoying, but with time these things settle into different speed groups.

In yesterday's ride there were only 4 of us, you'd think they'd be able to stay together.

I'm just going to be more obnoxious next time

 

[T4tomo]

Just let them ride off the front and stick with the other person(s) who wants to ride a sensible pace. unless all the other 3 were doing it, in which case then "dickheads" is appropriate.

 

[Lee_M]

Just let them ride off the front and stick with the other person(s) who wants to ride a sensible pace. unless all the other 3 were doing it, in which case then "dickheads" is appropriate.

Yes it was all 3, and it was "my" ride, hence why I was cross. If I tag onto someone else's ride and can't keep up that's my tough luck.

 

[GuyBoden]

I was guilty of this when I was a very young man, the older riders were just too slow, so I'd put my head down, get on the drops and they'd just let me go.

Wrong group or wrong Club.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Ride leaders here do two things - plan the route and sometimes call the changeovers. There's no tail-end charlies as everyone is at the back at some point, you've got lungs and a voice - use them to shout an ease up message up the line.

The riders at the front can't see the riders at the back, and quite frankly shouldn't be trying to! You're the eyes of the group, look forward...

 

[Fab Foodie]

Yes it was all 3, and it was "my" ride, hence why I was cross. If I tag onto someone else's ride and can't keep up that's my tough luck.

Kill them. Kill them all....