Observations on our Sunday rides

[John D]

A few thoughts/observations from yesterday’s Sunday ride. Some are my own, others are comments garnered from others. Some also apply to out weekday rides. In addition to being the most welcoming cycling club in the city, TSC also has the reputation of running the most disciplined rides. Let’s keep it that way....

We had 28 riders by the time we got to the Oak Bay Marina. Our website states that we offer an “A” and a “B” ride on Sundays (seriously, this was news to me, too). Normally this isn’t an issue, especially in the winter, but when the group gets that big we should at least offer this option at the start of the ride. We limit groups to about 16 on weekday rides, right? I realize that riding in a single big group can be a bit of a rush, but I noticed several things yesterday:

1. Sunday ride really does mean “Sunday Ride”. So, if this is your only ride of the week and you need to get your ya-yas out while hammering away from the get-go, then you’re a day late - the hammerfest goes on Saturday mornings (or so I've heard ). For many of us, this is our fourth TSC ride of the week and is intended to be a social/recovery ride.

2. With 25+ riders in one group, we “accordion” quite a bit, especially at the top/bottom of hills. So if you’re on the front when we crest a hill, slow down in anticipation of the rest of the pack trying to catch up. If you’re at the back, don’t be afraid to call “Steady up!”

3. With such a large group, unless the riders peeling off the front really slow up we end up riding four abreast for about two minutes each time…NOT GOOD on city roads. When this does happen (as it did yesterday) and someone calls “Car back!”, PLEASE make room to let the riders who are drifting back jump into the pack until the car passes. We are REALLY bad at doing this and, safety aside, it really pisses off car drivers (and me).

4. “Car back” also means tighten up and move right. Don’t be the lone joker pedaling along, obliviously, about 1m to the left of the rest of us. It really pisses off car drivers (and me).

5. Stay inside the yellow line! With 28 of us charging down Ash, there is a natural tendency for the aerodynamic speed-demons to slip outside the yellow line. Yesterday a car attempted to overtake us as we went down the hill. A stupid move for sure but, to be fair, we should not have been five wide and outside the yellow line in the first place (see previous comments about pissing people off). Also, if you’re on the front as we descend a hill, PEDAL!

6. This one’s from last week (and follows from a comment Stephane made yesterday). Arguably the most dangerous part of the Sunday ride is the section when we join The Goose after the Interurban sprint. We’re tired, chatty, and often not paying attention - just as we join a path shared with recreational cyclists, pedestrians, runners, skate-boarders, dogs, cats, and cars at cross-walks. If anything, we need to be even MORE vigilant (certainly less aggressive) as we weave our way along this multi-use trail. So please use hand signals, etc. to let those further back in the pack know what’s up ahead. Can you imagine the bad publicity if we’d run over those two little old ladies at the end of last Sunday’s ride?

All that aside, the Sunday ride is still my favourite TSC ride. If you haven't come out yet, consider giving it a try!

John

[katew]

I missed out on this ride, and it's too bad - sounds like fun.

Lots of good pointers here, John.

I've always had a rule of thumb that if our group is bigger than a semi, we're too big... logic being that that's about the biggest vehicle anyone would usually have to try to pass.

Often we seem to pick people up en route. If the group's growing too big for your comfort, you probably aren't the only one thinking that. I don't think we should be afraid to split a group (kindly) mid-ride. All it takes is a reasonable consensus that everyone behind Paul up there is going to turn right and take that extra dipsy-doodle off Ferndale.

Of course, I totally made that up, so take it for what it's worth.

K

[Plawless]

I STRONGLY endorse John's post. We were too big on Sunday and if there is a car coming get small and let whoever is on their way back IN!!! Otherwise the message is that you are ok with them getting smacked by a car - not cool!

I often feel that when we are that big we start being a little too anonymous as individuals and somehow less responsible to our fellow riders. keep it small, keep it tight and keep it safe!

Peter

[Rolf]

I often come to Fairfield Bucks on Sunday for a quick porridge and chat before melting away around 7:25 to join up with other sometime Tripleshotters who are looking for a safer, more disciplined and more pleasurable Sunday ride. We don't go every week and we usually get in touch by email on Friday or Saturday to confirm. We're almost always a small group (4-12) and we average anywhere from 25-30 kph over 65K. The stronger ones among us pull a little more and sometimes jam on hills, waiting at the top. We only sprint on Interurban. It's strictly no-drop, but everyone gets a good workout.

In short, this alternative ride is what Tripleshot Sundays used to be: a welcoming, respectful, longer ride for everyone. (Quick, say "Cycling club schism" five times fast. )

Personally, I wish I could enjoy my porridge for a few moments longer and stick around for the same thing from Tripleshot. But as the angry Newfoundlander and Labradorian (?) who started this thread suggests: Sundays these days are often too big and hairy. Not only are bigger groups dangerous for the reasons set out by John and Peter, but the anonymity Peter refers to foments recklessness and interferes with the fantastic esprit de corps that can make Tripleshot rides so great.

Good group riding happens when everyone knows everyone else's name and is riding first for the group, and second for themselves. That's also why coming for coffee is so damn important.

Tuesdays and Fridays usually tick along like a well-oiled machine primarily because there are different rides to match the differing abilities and attitudes of various riders, ride sizes are restricted and expectations are well communicated. Why not do the same on Sundays?

I think a 16-rider cap should always be strictly observed - about the size of Kate's semi. If 17 show up for a ride, it should be one group of 8 and one group of 9, and so on...

[JohnT]

I happen to really like the big groups - satisfies my Tour de France fantasies. But, that said, I agree with all of the observations mentioned above. We could take up a lot less room than we usually do. And, from a car perspective, it takes only one of those 28 people to make a group look really wide. Group size limits might be the way to go, but all of the suggestions above apply even when there are six in the peloton and, if considered seriously, they might make bigger groups safe to.

JT

[barton bourassa]

Thank you John for this. One of the things I liked about this past Sunday's ride is the large group at the start, gives a sense of a large peleton in a fairly safe environment, amongst friends not competitors! I thought that splitting the group at Matticks worked great but I did not take part in the sprint down Cordova Bay so I am not sure how that all went with such a large group. We still met up at the top of Island View hill then split there as folks went north for flat and long and eventually some went up Willis for hilly and long while the rest went the usual Sunday route.

I find the large group adds a different dynamic and experience to my weekly riding routine. It is nice to ride with folks I normally don't ride with on other days. As has been said, this is a Sunday Ride, Social Sunday. We need to be careful, aware of what is around us and ride safe. I think this can be done in a large group.

I like the idea of rolling out together then splitting at Matticks then again at Island View.