This blog idea was requested by a reader... thanks and keep the ideas coming!
Most of you have watched the Tour De France... Unless of course, you live under a rock or in some bunker in a remote desert, awaiting a nuclear attack.
Have you noticed how many crashes there are during the first few days of the tour????
Some of you might be thinking... what's the deal!!! These guys are pros, don't they know how to handle their bikes for Christ Sake????
Well they do... But, there are a million factors at play, causing these crashes.
Nerves for the first several days are high. The rookies are nervous as hell, in some cases... scared shitless. Nerves as you can imagine... impacts bike handling.
Also... pack dynamics are different for every pack. As a new pack, they have to settle in with each other... that takes several days.
A few squirrely moves, a bad line, a aggressive nudge and 10 guys go down in a blink of an eye.
The same thing, but to a lesser extent, goes on in the group rides we are involved in... and guess what??? Each time a new rider joins the group, the pack dynamics change again.
It's easy to lay the blame of the group ride at the feet of the group leader. But... the responsibility of the group ride, really belongs to all of the riders in the group.
The group leader, however ... Is responsible for 2 important things
#1. Communicating the rules of the ride to the group
#2. Taking a quick head count at each regroup point... and if anyone is missing, either waiting or sending out a search party.
Now... I don't know about you... but there are 6 things that really irritate the hell out of me, that normally take place in group rides...
#1. Taking off like bats out of hell from the parking lot
This just irritates me to NO END!!! In the first 15 seconds of the ride... the group is already strung out all over the road and anaerobic, trying to catch the leaders who are motoring down the road at 25mph.
The Peanut Gallery Solution:
If you are in the lead don't be a moron!!! This is not the start of a race, start out the first 10 minutes of the ride at a steady pace... keep the group tight and safe. Let everyone warm up... then after 10 minutes steadily pick up the pace.
#2. Take No Prisoners, We're Here to Race Mentality
These are the guys and Gals who treat the training rides as races... They come to the group rides looking to tear the wings off their victims, attacking at every opportunity and totally screwing up the dynamics of the group.
The Peanut Gallery Solution:
Play by the rules of the group you are riding with... or go find a group of like mind souls of “ Take No Prisoners, We're Here to Race” and ride with them.
#3. Leaving Riders For Dead out on the Road
This is a cardinal sin of group rides... and never, never should happen. Regardless of the group ride... there should be designated regroup locations.
Top of climbs, Stop Signs, Stop Lights....
The Peanut Gallery Solution:
Each regroup points should be accompanied by a quick headcount. If someone is missing, then one of two things happens. The group waits... or 2 riders go back and look for the missing rider.
You don't leave anyone out on the road!!!! At least one of the 2 riders going back should have a cell phone... in case the rider back is hurt or has a disabled bike.
#4... Jumping onto a posted “No Bikes Allowed” Highway/as a shortcut – And other equally bush league moves.
You don't leave anyone out on the road!!!! At least one of the 2 riders going back should have a cell phone... in case the rider back is hurt or has a disabled bike.
#4... Jumping onto a posted “No Bikes Allowed” Highway/as a shortcut – And other equally bush league moves.
The Peanut Gallery Solution:
Stay on the right side of the law... find a route the doesn't involve highways...!! If we want to be protected by the rules of the road... we HAVE to play by them... not play with them.
#5. Attacking the pace line from the back and then splintering the group to hell. This is a clear message that Mr “Joe Go Fast” doesn't feel the Pace Line is going fast enough... and needs to attack the entire group to make it go faster... brother, I really hate when that happens.
The Peanut Gallery Solution:
The next time Mr. Joe Go Fast has that “urge”... jump behind a vehicle and moto-pace at 45 mph for the next 20minutes and burn off a little excess energy and get it out of his system... but please don't wreak havoc with a pace line, that is up to that point working well together.
#6. Sprinting the final 2 miles to the parking lot.. and then crawling into your car after a 40 mile ride with your legs filled with lactic acid.
The image above is what happens when your system is filled with lactic acid... the image below is what happens when your system is properly cooled down. I would prefer to, warm down for 10 minutes... vs. crawl into the car with my system filled with the crap in the top picture... wouldn't you???
The image above is what happens when your system is filled with lactic acid... the image below is what happens when your system is properly cooled down. I would prefer to, warm down for 10 minutes... vs. crawl into the car with my system filled with the crap in the top picture... wouldn't you???
Have fun out there, ride safe
I'll talk with you all soon
The Peanut Gallery
