Local shop ride, not a club ride. Set off in a group of about 12. Splits occurring from the start. One rider struggling who I waited for, half the group waited for us the other half buggered off. The struggling rider bailed out as he was well below his usual form and left 5 or so of us to complete the ride, which we did. It seems like every week the same riders just split the bunch rather than ride steady to keep it together, the same riders are too scared to ride in the faster group and they never lead a ride in the slower group. I seem to spend every ride pacing dropped riders back.
And the bit that boils my piss is they always want the route to download in advance...they do moan like **** when I don't follow my routes though which is funny..
So my question is, have Garmin's etc ****ed up group road rides?
Poor form from the ‘faster’ part of the group. Perhaps a suggestion that a decision is made to split the group at the start of the ride if this always happens. Would make it far more enjoyable for all involved.
No, people **** up group rides.
As a club, we have rules that are repeated before every ride, but even when riding with mates the same applies.
It's a a social ride, approximately X mph, but pace determined by the rider at the back.
No one gets dropped.
Faster riders can go off the front if they want, usually hills, but wait at the top to regroup.
If its a training ride or chaingang, then different rules are agreed.
To be fair, we have 400+ members and there are 5 different social rides to choose from today, so maybe 50-60 of us out.
The problem is always finding someone prepared to lead the "slow/short" ride. Our ride captains do it on a rota if no one volunteers.
Our club is exactly as per MCTD ^^
It seems like every week the same riders just split the bunch rather than ride steady to keep it together
Would one of them have the initials GR?
Let the faster people do their own "slightly faster" ride, following the same route if they want. I think the challenge with that shop ride is there are far fewer people than pre Covid so there are only the 20 MPH+ group and then everyone else.
It sounds like you're leading this? Just tell them at the start to either wait for you or clear off and do their own ride at whatever pace.
And if it annoys you that much, just stop doing it.
Agree the rules before you set out? The ones that used to annoy me where the ones that sat-on for 100km, never took a turn and then suddenly tried to make some sort of ‘breakaway’ near the finish because they “know the way back home”.
Eventually gave up leading group rides and just rode with mates because too many times have to deal with someone else’s lack of preparedness/mechanical breakdowns/don’t know way home.
In a bizarre way, you’re not really a ‘cyclist’ until you’ve grovelled your way home due to a lack of fitness/over-ambition/foolhardiness - helping build a bit of resilience means you’re better prepared for the next time.
I went on precisely one road ride with Edinburgh Road Club. Was the beginners' group, roughly 35 easy miles out into East Lothian and back. There was one club member there who bitched and moaned the entire time due to folk not being fast enough for him, having to wait for punctures, first-timers not knowing how to chain-gang, etc. He got told to climb back in his box somewhere near Longniddry and then eventually gave up sulking and pissed off on his own on the way back to Edinburgh, but it was the first time out for about half the group and I'd be surprised if I was the only one who never went back.
The point being that, for whatever reason, some folk act up and can turn what is supposed to be an enjoyable activity into something else. Accept it or nip it in the bud before the ride.
It’s a a social ride, approximately X mph, but pace determined by the rider at the back.
No one gets dropped.
Faster riders can go off the front if they want, usually hills, but wait at the top to regroup.
If its a training ride or chaingang, then different rules are agreed.
Indeed, normal rules for being a human being imo!
It sounds like you’re leading this? Just tell them at the start to either wait for you or clear off and do their own ride at whatever pace.
What I don't get is why the need? Surely if you turn up for a group ride the clue is in the title
Every now and again I think it might be nice to have another go with a road riding club, and then I read threads like these, and I'm reminded that they're almost inevitably have a quota of socially maladjusted idiots who don't understand, or refuse to comply with simple instructions, and I bin the idea off again.
I'm sure other sports have them, road cycling seems to hold some weird fascination for them though.
When I'm leading I make it clear, the ones at the front riding faster than the advertised pace, can bugger off. I don't care about them. I place my self mid group and look after the ones behind me.
Everyone wants to enjoy the ride and I have no issue with people going hard if they want to but I won't skew the ride to keep up with them.
As a club ride leader, leading most weekends....pretty much the same as MCTD in terms of etiquette. To which I would also add a few thoughts.
Someone's always the slowest rider, it's inevitable. Not necessarily the same person, sometimes we have good and bad days, or maybe the ride is better suited (hills vs flat where us big boys can power along). Treat as you would be treated, sometimes we're the pigeon, other times the statue.
Also be aware that being the slowest means you won't get dropped but in turn we expect you to be putting some effort in. Almost as painful as the knobs that won't move up a group and instead are constantly champing at the front to push the pace up, is the person that has overestimated but doesn't want to get a sweat on trying and wants everyone to slow down so they don't have to. If you're the weakest rider today, don't expect it to be easy.
The blokes at the front (it's always blokes TBH) who won't move up a group - you're not impressing us. If you want to help, take a turn at the front but that doesn't mean add 3kph to the pace. Same pace please, just take the wind. If you don't get that, don't ride at the front. And if I'm sat second wheel for a rest and you drive on, then I'll just let you go. Stop at junctions if you get disconnected, you're not a pro and it's not a breakaway. If you don't and you take a wrong turn, I might wait briefly to see if you come back but it's on you now, and be aware as I said at the start, my routes can change at VERY short notice 😉 If you get disconnected off the back - I'll wait as long as it takes.
Exception - on proper hills, I'll encourage riders to ride at their own pace and regroup at (clear place, eg: the car depot 50 yards over the summit)....nothing worse that 6 riders all over the road on a blind summit of a narrow road!! And if it's a really proper hill I'll invite strong riders to 'top and drop'...when you reach the top, ride back down and join the back of the group and climb again (sociably, or rinse and repeat as many times as you want to avoid standing around getting cold) Not many seem to take me up on that - they aren't that bothered about standing round clearly, just want to do one big effort and then **** over it on Strava later.
The issue of getting someone to cover the slow / social ride - in my club constitutionally if there are riders for the slow ride, there will be a slow ride above any others (exception tend to be in depths of winter where no social riders want to go out) In those cases the Ride Leader Co-ordinator will ask someone to drop down to do it if there isn't a matched ability RL already running it. We're not a racing club although some members do race, we're a social club set up for recreational riding and that is priority above all. I've often dropped to lead the group and it's lovely to ride with other people than usual, and if you want to you can easily still make it a worthwhile ride - use low gears and work on smooth high cadence circles, or high gears and ride every hill at 30rpm like a weights session, etc. Be creative, not a moany ****er.
If you do a group ride, you follow the ride "rules," which might well mean you have to ditch aspirations of chasing segment times.
I've looked group road dudes since the late 90s, and they've always had elements of ask the things mentioned above.
I'm a bit is school and like a proper double line group - in reality it means about 6 or 7 people doing it and then there'll be one who decides that actually what's better is to ride between the 2 in front and so the back of the group has a waggly tail. Even riding with another experienced rider at the back constantly getting them back into double is a chore.
Lots of modern riders don't like being given advice.
Half wheeling is standard now.
If you go off the front of one of my rides I'll then control the pace of the group and leave you hanging of the front for as long as it takes.
Ten years ago I left a club in the middle of a not advertised fast club run because a couple of the guys (they're always men) deliberately put someone (a woman) off the back. They got the message when they'd been forced to stop at some lights and we rode up and I asked them what club they were in and where they were off to. Then I told them they could **** themselves and their club and went off on a different route (with the dropped rider).
So my question is, have Garmin’s etc **** up group road rides?
Lots of things **** up group road rides in the UK. Roads and traffic being the main ones - having a group constantly shifting around, singling out, doubling up, stopping at lights, getting going again, avoiding potholes, constantly calling car up / car back / hole left and dealing with impatient drivers is just a nightmare for any kind of cohesive steady work or social chat.
That just doesn't happen in Spain / France / Italy / Belgium where (generally) the roads are far better surfaced, drivers are better behaved and actually know how to overtake cyclists and the group can concentrate on the flow rather than constant swerving to avoid parked cars and potholes.
Lots of modern riders don’t like being given advice.
Half wheeling is standard now.
As is "2-abreast" with the inside rider in the gutter and the outside rider out by the centre line. I can get a bus between you, move in! But you also don't want to be the Ride Leader who's constantly saying "do this! move in! hold the pace! drop back!". That's not a relaxing or fun day out for anyone.
But yeah, state the rules clearly in advance of every ride, repeat them frequently and make it clear that anyone who is not interested in obeying them can go and do their own thing.
Jesus, I ride a bike to get away from this kind of shite.
My club isn’t like the op’s at all. There’s a couple of lads who like to try and hammer everyone else from the front, but if folks can’t keep up they’ll always dial down the pace. Hills are fair game for your own pace, however we always regroup
Never been on a ride where anyone is left behind, however rules are always laid out in advance
Sounds like great fun.
Would one of them have the initials GR
No it wasn't!! But I know what you mean! He once sat on my wheel for 10km as I dragged the slower riders along to try and close to the faster riders and when I had got everyone within range, he sprinted across the gap! FFS I could have done that 10km ago but was trying to help people..
Not got the time to read all posts as ar a duathlon with son. Will read and digest later,vthanks all
Ride solo, problem solved.
I know it sounds like a victorian school outing, it really isn't, only unless someone starts being a dick about it and the rules have to be reinforced.
I was out yesterday, we rode as a group, split on the one major hill but regrouped at the top (by the car depot just before the summit, that was a real example), on one false flat I got the call that the rear was starting to split off so we pulled it back by a couple of kph to allow them to get back on, the rest of the time we had a nice ride and I got to ride with someone I haven't been out with for ages 'cos he's normally leading a faster group, meant we had someone to share the front duties with and I also heard about his week long 900km tour of northern France. And it was sunny, and there was coffee and cake. What's not to like?
One thing I didn't mention, in my RL briefings ...... is that my groups don't get involved with motorists. If we get a close pass, while there might be an involuntary exclamation, that's as much as I'll tolerate. If it's because they're shit driver, they deserve our pity. If they're a headcase, then they're a headcase in a 2T killing machine, I'd rather not see how much of a headcase thanks. Anyone that starts or responds to provocation by a car driver is not welcome on my rides, simple as.
I almost always ride solo. I sometimes would like a bit of company on gravel or mountain bike rides but then get reminded about the way some people carry on and am pretty content on my own.
It’s not unique to road clubs either, there’s a well known running club near me that has similar form, dropping new runners on club runs and basically ****ing them off so they have to find their own way home. Thankfully my running club never leaves people behind, in fact the strongest runners are almost always the ones who ended up looping back and doing hill reps as a result.
Ride solo, problem solved.
These threads often degenerate into a string of complaints about poor group riding but actually, it's rarely that bad. Vast majority of rides, everyone has a good day out, most people will help most other people most of the time and the miles just tick by.
These threads often degenerate into a string of complaints about poor group riding but actually, it’s rarely that bad. Vast majority of rides, everyone has a good day out
Doesn't sound like you're someone who's always off the back of 'social paced rides' and struggling to get back.
Just joined a new club where I've moved to and 3 social rides in I'm very unsure whether I'll join another one as each one has been less than social for me, not because I'm lazy and not trying, it's just been too bloody hard trying to hang on on every single climb and then when they get a sniff of the home run it's TT time.
I was tempted to offer the same route as advertised, but at a lower paced with me, but being new I'm not so sure how that will go down. Only one way to find out....
I used to ride with 5 mates...one would every now and then bring a newbie ...obvs the newbie would be slow, but the person who brought them would just speed off and leave them....me being me would always help the slower riders...fast forward to now
I don't ride with the selfish rider anymore..simple as
Uggghh- everything above sounds like hell on earth. Mostly due to having a ride leader and rules at all it seems 🤣
We are blessed with the infamous Newbury 8am ride.
The route is simple- it’s the same one everyone has been doing for about twenty years so no conflict there.
The rules are simple too- if you don’t keep up you carry on at your own pace or cut a corner off of the loop.
The more people come out, the more groups form on the road.
If the fast folk aren’t feeling a speedy time is on- they may wait at a few choice spots but expect to have to carry straight on when you get there.
It’s the only way it can work I think. Like a pace partner on Zwift. Use it to your advantage and expect nothing from anyone.
I occasionally do the local shop 15mph ride as a Z2 but it runs into a few of the problems listed above. And being a bigger rider- the worst place to have the others stop is at the top of the hill! I want to recoup my advantage on the downslope whilst you’re still gassed- not have you look pitifully at me like I don’t know how to ride a bike whilst you freshen up 🤣🤣🤣
The proper chaingang is the best way mind you. Pull until you can’t and then sit on until you can’t and then solo in vowing to get fitter next week if the elastic snaps completely 🤣
I think that’s the biggest takeaway- only embark on a group ride you are happy to solo round if needed 🤷🏻♂️
Doesn’t sound like you’re someone who’s always off the back of ‘social paced rides’ and struggling to get back.
Just joined a new club where I’ve moved to and 3 social rides in I’m very unsure whether I’ll join another one as each one has been less than social for me, not because I’m lazy and not trying, it’s just been too bloody hard trying to hang on on every single climb and then when they get a sniff of the home run it’s TT time.
Of course everything is relative, but what sort of average pace / distance / climbing is the social group in this club? I can only speak for mine but our socials would do 50-60km, at around 20-22kph average and less than evens in climbing (evens being about 500m in 50km, 600 in 60, etc - so about 1%) Hillier rides will be slower.
And we only do it for fun, so if it isn't fun find another one that is. What area are you, maybe someone can give a recommendation.
We are blessed with the infamous Newbury 8am ride.
The route is simple- it’s the same one everyone has been doing for about twenty years so no conflict there.
You do the same route every week? That sounds like hell on earth to me!
Otherwise is wouldn’t be the 8am 🙄🤣🤣🤣
One old boy has racked up over 200 loops!
Poor bugger, he must be bored shitless.
Not if he has dementia.
I occasionally do the local shop 15mph ride as a Z2 but it runs into a few of the problems listed above.
You do realise you and the OP are talking about exactly the same ride?
Not if it was today Beej 🤔
Poor bugger, he must be bored shitless.
If you ride the same area all week long- it’s not like you can suddenly reach new and exiting scenery by doing different loops from of the same duration from the same starting point 🤷🏻♂️🤣
we (Woking) have about twenty places we can go, with multiple variations on route to get there. Windsor, Henley, Twyford, Warren Row, Bushy, Esher, Cobham, Box Hill, Ashstead, Leatherhead, Coldharbour, Peaslake, Holmbury, Cranleigh, Newdigate, Rudgwick, Alice Holt, Farnham, Hindhead, Odiham, Wellington....... I've been to all of these in the last year or so. That's without the big days out (Shoreham for example) and why we 'need' RL's to plan and lead these rides
Flat, hilly, in between you name it. I'm taking the piss a bit but I'm genuinely amazed if you don't have at least a few others to vary it a bit.
From Newbury, I’ve been everywhere from Windsor in the East, to Wantage in the North, Westbury in the West and Basingstoke in the South this year but that’s almost all been solo.
If I want to group ride then the 8am gives me what I need 🤩 🤣🤣🤣
Ride solo, problem solved.
I do that often, but I do like a group ride, yesterday's ride was great once this in front had ****ed off... I spent the first 20km telling those behind not to bother chasing. Next time I'm going to go full Cippolini and ride up to anyone attacking and lob a full bottle at their head 😜
I occasionally do the local shop 15mph ride as a Z2 but it runs into a few of the problems listed above.
There's a good reason for that! I haven't mentioned the shop as they are not involved anymore, it's just a place to meet.
The 8.00am ride is a Sunday isn't it, I can't ride Sundays. It also goes on what are, imo, big open dull roads..
Someone asked about the rides pace, usually between 25-27kmph ISH, and without wishing to boast I could easily not get dropped by the faster riders if I was wanting to not help others.
Jeez, the group I'm in all act like adults.
Teach the newbies how to work in a group, swap over every 3-6 minutes (unless it's summer and windy, then we let an A2 pull us 🤣), kill yourself on climbs and then regroup. If we are doing up and overs it'll be to point A and anyone dropped catches up there.
There is usually a ride leader but we all look out for each other. Fast lads do the first 20km or so with the touring group and then race off to do whatever.
Yes 8am is Sunday 🤣🤣
I’m guessing I *did* do last weeks culprit ride then 😱 😱
Apart from the boring old hills and the boring old narrow scenic lanes and the fact you have to stop for a lovely hot drink and let your legs get stiff it was ‘reet 🤷🏻♂️🤣🤣
For all the dissenters about group riding, you really are missing the thrill you get when riding in a well-drilled bunch. There has to be a certain level of trust and skill in riding fast in a tight formation, but when you’re clipping along a country road on a nice day it really is awesome. It’s also why you get some group rides when some numbtie upsets the harmony by pi$$ing on the chips by half-wheeling, missing turns and general baw-baggery 😁
Yes I must say- last weeks chaingang was more fun and enjoyable than any crit I’ve ever done. It was like being in a break where everyone actually wants to work together 🤣🤣
But way too fast for scenic roads 😬 (24mph for 30 miles)
I’m guessing I *did* do last weeks culprit ride then
Last week's ride wasn't as bad as this week's ride. Last week* edit that might have been the week before I dropped the hammer a bit on the climb up to Bradfield Southend and then sat up at the War Memorial and said let's wait and they all buggered off and we didn't see them again till Theale, then they all just rode off again later with us catching up another rider as they couldn't wait for him to take his jacket off...I don't get it. I can get just a good a workout sitting on the front of the others as in a faster bunch.
Where did we go last week? Sheep drove? That one stayed pretty much together, got a bit frisky at points but people seemed to be willing to wait
Yeah Sheep Drove 👍🏻
I think your expectations are too high. It’s a trade off between a bit of company and maybe a bit of draft here and there on the plus side and the inevitable clash of desired outcomes and abilities on the other.
I know the ‘19’s’ keep upsetting each other too so at least it’s not just you 🤣
