Tripleshot Cycling

Is it happening?

I've just sent out a note to about 8 or 10 people that have expressed some interest to me. I asked them to post back here or to me, and I will post when I get a moment.

Here's the text I sent in case you have someone and are looking to save time composing what we're talking about. (Edits welcome.)

Hi all:

At one time or another, you have all expressed an interest in trying the Triple Shot group ride. (Feel free to forward to others.) A few of us were talking at the race Sunday, and thought we should offer an introductory group, to ease any fears of inadvertently showing up to a Tour de France start.

We thought Tuesdays might be good because a few of the vets are racing Tuesday night and willing to help out on a slightly slower group ride and go over the things that we think make a nice group ride for fitness and fun.

Let us know if you think you’d be interested, we can start tomorrow. Tuesday 6:00 am SE corner of Fort and Richmond, in the medical offices parking lot. The rides last about ~75minutes finishing at Shoal Pt mocha house coffee shop.

Our club has a website with a forum where a thread has started on a “B ride” http://tripleshotcyling.freeforums.org/ ... ng-f1.html. You have to register to post, but it helps others know who’s coming if you can respond there. Otherwise responding to me is fine.

Sorry if this is a repeat for some, but here’s a Tripleshot version of group ride guidelines:

The key thing about the group is that it’s a group ride, and there are expectations that riders will ride like they want the group to stay together; i.e. not go crazy at the front, and try to draft as well as they can. Some (often triathletes used to solo efforts) seem to just ride their own pace, yo-yoing off the front and back. This is different.

In our group, it means taking turns on the front if you feel strong enough (but absolutely not necessary to pull unless you are), keeping the pulls short, and steady so as not to break up the group.

Riders are expected to draft, i.e. ride about ½ to a whole wheel behind the rider in front. If beginners don’t try to draft, it’s hard to get others to wait if they get dropped.

We wait after hills to re-group. Stronger riders often come back for weaker riders and draft them back up to reduce waiting time, or even offer a push on hills or if you get caught in the wind. It’s not patronizing, it’s just keeping the group together.

It might feel a bit erratic at first because you have to try harder than you think to get into the draft or on hills, then you may have to go easier than you think waiting for your turn on the front, or downhill. I rationalize it to myself that the group motivates me to get out and go hard, even though custom training might be better for my absolute fitness. Good company too. Plus the speed is very cool.

Coffee after is compulsory. Well not really, but strongly encouraged! We take turns paying for the group.

Ride times and locations:

Tuesday 6:00 am SE corner of Fort and Richmond ~1 hour finishing at Shoal Pt mocha house

Wednesday 6:00 am same place for hills (repeats of Cadboro Bay and Tolmie), finishing at Pure Vanilla when I last did it,

o or The Farm Team, (reputed to be slightly slower, but not by much) 6:00 St Mathias corner of Richmond and Richardson

Friday same as Tuesday, diff route, same end pt and time

Sunday 7:00 coffee, 7:30 start at Fairfield Plaza Starbucks

Lister,

Excellent post - I really like the tone - very encouraging and welcoming - just like this group

Thanks for running (whoops, I mean riding) with this.

Michael

Hi Lister,

The Lawless boys hooked me up with you guys. I've never ridden with a group and very much look forward to joining you tomorrow morning.

Cheers,

Rolf

Katie is interested as well.

So for the kinder gentler ride we at least have:

Katie R.
Rolf W. and
Greg G.

Awesome!!!

It will be interesting to see if Greg G. takes the same Mix n match approach to getting dressed that Jeff does.

Plawless wrote: It will be interesting to see if Greg G. takes the same Mix n match approach to getting dressed that Jeff does.

Ack! Is that possible? Is it too late to add conditions on the ride? Like no more than 6 mismatched colours?

(Sorry Jeff. And after that nice email. But it's light now at ride time. I used to think you dressed in the dark to let Kristine sleep...)

Thanks for the invite. I will see you at 6:00 tomorrow. Hopefully not too mismatched, but it is early!

geoff

I've heard from Kerry who will be there if her sore back is better. Blair will come in two weeks-he's away this week and next. Joanna maybe next week; physio appt clash this week. +Liam if I can wake hime up.

To all who did the B-ride this morning: thank you!

My first experience riding with a group was extremely enjoyable. Satisfaction flowed from the psychological and physical benefit of exertion alongside others; but also from the welcoming and supportive social environment. I never once felt judged for riding a filthy, 20 year-old, commuter bike with a clunky drive-train!

Some interesting reading from Wikipedia:

Endorphins are endogenous opioid polypeptide compounds. They are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus in vertebrates during strenuous exercise, excitement, pain and orgasm, and they resemble the opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a sense of well-being. [Endorphins] allow humans to feel a sense of power and control over themselves that allows them to persist with activity for an extended time.

So I guess for me this morning was akin to an orgy or an opium den: enjoying endorphins with people I hardly know -- only minus the STDs and life-destroying addiction.

Thanks again. See you Friday.

rolfwarb wrote:To all who did the B-ride this morning: thank you!

My first experience riding with a group was extremely enjoyable. Satisfaction flowed from the psychological and physical benefit of exertion alongside others; but also from the welcoming and supportive social environment. I never once felt judged for riding a filthy, 20 year-old, commuter bike with a clunky drive-train!

Some interesting reading from Wikipedia:

Endorphins are endogenous opioid polypeptide compounds. They are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus in vertebrates during strenuous exercise, excitement, pain and orgasm, and they resemble the opiates in their abilities to produce analgesia and a sense of well-being. [Endorphins] allow humans to feel a sense of power and control over themselves that allows them to persist with activity for an extended time.

So I guess for me this morning was akin to an orgy or an opium den: enjoying endorphins with people I hardly know -- only minus the STDs and life-destroying addiction.

Thanks again. See you Friday.

Shhh Rolf! People think it's the coffee. Now Tripleshot will be known as a gateway drug...

As for life-destroying addiction, wait till your wife sees the bill for the new bike, if you get drawn into that. (I have second hand experience only )

Seriously, Katie, Rolf, Geoff, Greg; you guys were riding really well. Kept your line, drafted well, pointed out the potholes, kept a group friendly pace. You must all be humble early adopters; already have the skills but not sure that you do.

For the rest of the club, Peter and I thought we might take turns with the 'kinder, gentler' group. I'm fine doing every other week or whenever there isn't another taker. All you really have to to do is occasionally point out when people are doing stuff right (easier on the ego than correction), remind riders of the cue words ('steady' for 'ease off a bit', 'ok' for ok to go a bit faster, car back, car up, and pointing out the sourvenirs of the cold winter.

I see more addicts in our future.

Lister,

Thanks very much for organizing this and thanks to both you and the Fast Lawless for playing Mr. Miyagi today.

I am puzzled by your interpretation of what 'Steady' means. I like your definition, but my experience is that when I manage to get enough air into my lungs and gasp (cry / shriek) out 'steady' it seems to be taken for 'Attack'

See you Friday (well at least I will see your back since you did not do the regular ride Tuesday and will be keen on ripping the cranks off on Friday)

Michael

For the newbies, you should also know we have a Wednesday Triple Shot "Farm Team" ride, which is just a more civilized, less testosterone-driven pace ending with a small sprint at the end for coffee at the Cook Street Mocha house. We leave from the corner of Richardson and Richmond at 6:00am on Wednesdays. You'll know us by the look of our overalls, straw hats and pitchforks...

ooo - da farm team
it's a spectacular ride, this time of year, with dawn over mt baker, the mist of uplands misdirected sprinklers...
don't miss it ! (I'll arrive shortly after a few caddy bay hills - don't wait)

I'll be away this coming Tuesday. Pete will you be here? If not, can someone organize a seperate, kinder, gentler group and ride with them?

I think Peter will still be in Hawaii, and I'll be in Boston. Hopefully somebody else can do it.

Roland is right. My Tuesday includes a big Hawaiian hill climb followed by 80k of surf pounded coast.

Does anyone want to volunteer to lead the B ride? Basically the same route as the A ride but do 2 laps of the Henderson Box instead of 4 and then if there is time add a lap or two of Beacon Hill - aim to leave Beacon Hill around 7:05 and it will work out perfectly.

its easy, its fun, and its a good reminder of where all of us started ........

i'll be there -

hi,

i'll be there and see if i can keep up with various groups whoever meets up.

I will take the B ride on Tuesday.

See you there.