Thanks to Eric, John T. and Mike Lawless (and any others I missed) who variously dropped back, paced, coached and encouraged the girls when their faster groups went past the girls group today. Good reaction from the girls; they got a taste of the group ride thing, and thought it was fun.
The only reason we're not full-on into the B ride is to try to keep a group that works for the newest riders while they get some smaller-group skills. For example, Emma Watt, who should be named Emma mega-Watt, can ride forever 10 metres off the back, but is still getting the hang of the drafting thing. Plus she has to deal with her dad's older downtube shifting bike.
Note to file: down-tube shifting may be good for old guys to show off their years of previous training, but for riders new to group riding, not so much. Emma has to move her hands to the middle of the bars (an excellent instinct by the way- madison riders do this when slinging their partner to avoid too much leverage on the bars http://www.dvcc.co.uk/Gallery/Gallery4/ ... 0SLING.jpg), then move one hand down to shift, then back up to the tops, then back out to the hoods, all while wondering if she's going to hit that guy in front or wobble into that person beside. Four steps to everyone else's, er, NONE. But she already has character!
A taste of the bigger group- Thanks to TSr's helping out
Moderator: mfarnham
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Lister Farrar
- Posts: 3093
- Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 3:19 pm
A taste of the bigger group- Thanks to TSr's helping out
Lister
"We're jammin', jammin',
And I hope you like jammin', too."
(Bob Marley)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QdwYY9rZL4
"We're jammin', jammin',
And I hope you like jammin', too."
(Bob Marley)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QdwYY9rZL4
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eric.partlow
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:34 pm
Re: A taste of the bigger group- Thanks to TSr's helping out
Lister,
No problem. I enjoyed helping out and think there is benefit to having more than one experienced club member ride with your group so we can coach a bit while riding with them and not just pulling them.
In general I think it is a good idea if more than one A rider always rides with the B's and the C's. One ride this week we had no one commit early to the B's and we ended up with an A ride that was too big and 3 stranded wanna B's. Someone should commit early and this helps encourage riders to hang back for a B ride.
Today Michael Lawless recognized the danger in a 30plus group and split the A's into two. This was a very wise move and we had a safe and fun ride. Next time we should recognize this in the parking lot and limit group size from the start.
I guess I'll have to actually get to the parking lot on time to participate in the ride plans.
Cheers,
Eric
No problem. I enjoyed helping out and think there is benefit to having more than one experienced club member ride with your group so we can coach a bit while riding with them and not just pulling them.
In general I think it is a good idea if more than one A rider always rides with the B's and the C's. One ride this week we had no one commit early to the B's and we ended up with an A ride that was too big and 3 stranded wanna B's. Someone should commit early and this helps encourage riders to hang back for a B ride.
Today Michael Lawless recognized the danger in a 30plus group and split the A's into two. This was a very wise move and we had a safe and fun ride. Next time we should recognize this in the parking lot and limit group size from the start.
I guess I'll have to actually get to the parking lot on time to participate in the ride plans.
Cheers,
Eric