Group Rides

Maybe a little perspective first:  I’ve been riding a road bicycle with other cyclists since 1973 (Caloi Racer, use to pretend I was Eddie Merckx,lol), although I didn’t ride with larger groups (10+) until 1990 or begin racing until 1992. 

Each and every group of riders I been privileged to ride with has had its own “Group Personality”.  There was always a leader (or 2) who organizes the rides and enjoys that aspect of the group, there were the strong men of the group – they typically drove the pace on the designated hard rides and gave others a measuring stick for their fitness (ie: genetic ability or lack of).  Myself, I’ve always fallen in as the type of rider who was persistent and always shows up.

I enjoy group rides because they can give me a feeling of belonging to something larger than myself – and they let me ride at a pace faster than I could alone.  Group rides also allow for comradery – we suffer together and build a bond that cannot be acquired through other aspects of our lives – we ride through cold, wet, heat, up hills.  We cramp, we crash and we get dropped.  Each incident – for the dedicated cyclist – builds an inner strength that enables further gains, because cycling is as much mental as physical.  After every ride I feel better than when I started, I feel recharged and look forward to the next ride – be it solo or with the group.  Sometimes a solo ride is needed, allowing me to get back in touch with the pure enjoyment aspect of just riding a bicycle - I actually found this more so with Mt. Biking.

We’ve got a great group of cyclists here in Albany and great roads to practice our sport.  Our capabilities range from Pro to … well.. not so pro.  And that’s good.  Everyone needs to find their own reason and pace for riding.  But, from that large variation of capabilities stems the group rides biggest downfall – conflict.  Conflicting goals, conflicting form (I feel strong today or.. I’m toast, I need a recovery ride) and conflicting abilities.  That conundrum will never be solved – unless we do like a Pro team and boot people off the team/club – but that’s not what anyone wants.   My solution has always been to be a self-sufficient rider, able to find my way home and ride on my own without issue.  So if I get dropped, no worries, I can come back again the next day and laugh about how crappy I felt -  in other words – don’t blame the group for being faster than me.  My first year in Chicago was just that way – getting dropped halfway into a ride in 40 degree/25 mph winds with rain on the way.  I would ride back into the parking lot and the guys would be there smiling at me – no hard feelings, each month I got stronger and found my way to the front of the ride (sometimes).  The next ride we would all start together.  When I was finally asked to join the team and race with them, it meant something.  It meant more than if I had not suffered.  I had skin in the game, and they knew it.  I still got dropped, everyone did, because everyone was being competitive and trying to push themselves. 

Each individual rider will always be part of the group – whether they are fast or slow on any given day.  Each of us needs the other, to support and challenge ourselves to be our best.  Without the riders who push us to be better than we are, very few of us would improve on our own.  The pain we go through is less painful knowing that we are improving.  Being able to stay with the strongest riders for even one day can be an accomplishment, but if the strongest riders don’t push us, where is the accomplishment in keeping up.  I’ve never been the strongest rider in any group I’ve ridden with, but in every place I’ve ridden, its been the strongest riders who enabled me to get faster and ride stronger. 

So…. My own self-imposed rules for group rides:

• I never blame anyone else when I get dropped.  I decided to ride with the fast group, I could have ridden on my own or with a slower group. 
• When I do get dropped and finally catch back on or meet up again: I aways laugh and tell the strongmen how much they hurt me.  I never make them feel like they did something wrong.  Just to maybe look back once in while and see if I’m still on the horizon.
• I come prepared to ride alone on every ride.  You never know, maybe nobody will show up for the ride.  That means tubes, air, fluids and money.  And a cell phone for some.
• When I really need a recovery ride – do it on my own.  Nobody else can ride a slow as me when I’m in recovery mode.
• Keep working on my skills: steady wheel, smooth transitions to standing, no-hands stability, cornering, and situational awareness.
• Appreciate every ride: after living in areas where riding was outright suicide, I appreciate the ability to work and ride in Albany.
• No outcasts – you show up, you are part of the group.
• Never chastise anyone for anything in the group during the ride….unless its a safety issue (I reserve the right to decide on those).
• Bring a Positive Attitude – it’s contagious!

Being part of the group is a privilege and a responsibility.

EasyRider

Explore posts in the same categories: Uncategorized