Kevin Unck Memorial Ride, 2011
L'Etape du California, 2011
Moving Planet, 2011
Claremont Tweed Ride, 2010
Showing posts with label group riding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label group riding. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Time to Join...?
I posted this question before, but with a slightly different emphasis. Then, it had more to do with racing and joining a team, or race-oriented club. Now, it simply has to do with getting out in a group.
You will notice a new list over on the right hand side of this blog - a list of local group rides. I have not yet figured out how best to define local, so I will start close to home and work my way out from there. Some of these you will find other places; SoCalCycling, for instance lists a number on its website, but they are more racing and training oriented. I am aiming for something a little more comprehensive, a list that will also include more socially-oriented rides as well. On a recent group ride, the question was put to me, how many local group rides are there? Other than to respond, "a lot", I couldn't give any kind of accurate answer. This list is a response. Living in a large metropolitan area, we are fortunate in that we have many options. We have shop rides, club and team rides, forum rides, and various other informal gatherings.
Once you have been riding for a while, you probably hop on your bike without a second thought. It's second nature. But, how did you reach that point? Can you remember when you first started? It can be intimidating, even to get out on your own. Even in so-called bike friendly locales, riding a bicycle on the road can be an intimidating proposition for first-time riders and novices alike. Whether the intimidation stems from sharing the road in such close proximity to so many automobiles (and being well aware of the damage they can inflict), or from a lack of understanding, or practical knowledge, concerning some aspect of the bicycle itself is irrelevant in this case. The fact that these concerns are enough to keep people from riding is what is important.
By far the easiest way around this problem is perhaps the most simple solution of all - the group ride. I think that people will ride the streets of our cities and towns if they possess a certain level of comfort in doing so. This is where the group comes into play - many people who may be unwilling to try things by themselves, will jump at the opportunity as part of a group. This is a truth for many activities, not just bicycling. The group allows the individual rider to retain a measure of anonymity, while a the same time, providing a backup or safety net. The safety net can take the form of assistance with unexpected mechanicals, or the inevitable crash. Group rides, especially those oriented toward newer riders, are a great way to gain experience and confidence, and can serve as a stepping stone for an individuals development as a cyclist. A novice today can turn into a commuter and racer tomorrow, another rider hooked for life.
Anyway, back to the list - consider it a work in progress. I am not sure what the final product will look like. It may be a simple list of links over there along the right, or something more comprehensive - a stand-alone page seems most likely since that would allow me to organize rides by day, and include other basic and relevant information. Ride On.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
A Sunday with the Psycho-Lists...
Many of my fellow bloggers across the country, and around the world, have been mentioning things like cold temperatures, rain, even snow lately. Let me assure you, there is none of that around here. I am not necessarily implying that this is a good thing, or a bad thing, it's just how it is. Just about any day on the bike is a good day - 80º temperatures means that good day is also a comfortable one. Anyway nine of us chose to do the Psycho-lists ride this morning, and did so beneath a pretty amazingly clear, blue sky. A route from Claremont to Monrovia, and back through the foothill communities was chosen, so we got to do some low rollers spread out between longer gradual up and down hill sections. Just enough uphill there to keep me happy.
Some of the group was out Halloween partying until late the previous night, but somehow those at the front managed to set a pretty torrid pace early on, maybe not Montrose Ride torrid, but nice and quick none-the-less, and we made it out to the San Gabriel River in good time. From there we followed the route of the aforemetioned Montrose Ride into Monrovia where I was able to get my morning cup of coffee. Better late than never. I have done so much solo riding lately that I was looking forward to doing a group ride, and the Psycho-lists group is a good one to do.
did I mention the sky was somewhat blue today
hamming it up for the camera. there were so many 1on1 Financial kits
it almost seemed like i stumbled into a team training ride
crossing the bridge over the San Gabriel River
you have heard of the Bosburg, one of the famous hills of Flanders, well this here is the Vosburg, in Azusa. i noticed the sign as we went through the roundabout and circled around to get a pic of some of the group heading up with sign in the foreground. Bosburg - Vosburg, nothing in common, but they almost sound the same
Psycho-list rides take place on Friday and Sunday mornings, they mix up their routes weekly which helps keep the rides fresh. You can sign up with the group and receive emails on upcoming rides through their Meetup, or Facebook pages.
By the way, if you are still debating whether or not to do the Tour de Foothills, make up your mind quickly. Prices increase on November 1st. See the link in the upcoming events section to the right.
Friday, July 1, 2011
The morning group ride...
This was one of those morning to play by ear since there were a couple ride options open to me. I could either get out of the house at a respectable time (7:30) and ride with the Psycho-Lists group, or laze my a** and hit up GMR somewhat later. Really though, who sleeps in on Friday anyway, especially when the afternoon temps are probably going to reach the upper 90ºF's.
So, while I may not mind riding in the heat of the day, it is more pleasant to ride in the earlier, and cooler, morning hours, so I joined the ladies (I can say that since Phil, and myself excluded), this turned out to be an all women's ride.
At this point, I feel like I need to make a few 'well done' statements. Phil's younger daughter was out on her first group ride; if you can remember your first group ride (unfortunately I can't, too long ago, and all that) you will know that there is a whole lot to learn, and a very short time to do the learning in. You get thrown into the fire pretty quickly. The climbing, the descending, clipping in and clicking out, when to stop, and when to roll, etc, etc. She passed with flying colors, and will only get stronger and more confident from here on. It is very cool that she had her dad there to see her through it. Well Done. Second - Anna. She has done spin classes with one of the other Psycho-Lists riders, but has only been riding road for a couple months. Super strong. After the ride split up, she rode the final 7 or 8 miles with me and held my wheel the whole time, then continued on her way when I turned off for home. Well Done.
I was going to use these two examples as a lead in for a post on the benefits of doing group rides, but instead I will save that for later. Suffice it to say that group rides offer the opportunity for novice riders to take their riding experience to the next level. Plenty of non-competitive, or slightly competitive, group rides exist and will allow you to develop, and transition into more competitive type rides, as you want. Soon I will take a look at some of these rides - how to find them, what to expect, etc. and so on. Happy weekend all, enjoy the start of the Tour tomorrow, if you are from the States enjoy the 4th, either relaxing or exciting, as you see fit.
almost triple digits
So, while I may not mind riding in the heat of the day, it is more pleasant to ride in the earlier, and cooler, morning hours, so I joined the ladies (I can say that since Phil, and myself excluded), this turned out to be an all women's ride.
At this point, I feel like I need to make a few 'well done' statements. Phil's younger daughter was out on her first group ride; if you can remember your first group ride (unfortunately I can't, too long ago, and all that) you will know that there is a whole lot to learn, and a very short time to do the learning in. You get thrown into the fire pretty quickly. The climbing, the descending, clipping in and clicking out, when to stop, and when to roll, etc, etc. She passed with flying colors, and will only get stronger and more confident from here on. It is very cool that she had her dad there to see her through it. Well Done. Second - Anna. She has done spin classes with one of the other Psycho-Lists riders, but has only been riding road for a couple months. Super strong. After the ride split up, she rode the final 7 or 8 miles with me and held my wheel the whole time, then continued on her way when I turned off for home. Well Done.
I was going to use these two examples as a lead in for a post on the benefits of doing group rides, but instead I will save that for later. Suffice it to say that group rides offer the opportunity for novice riders to take their riding experience to the next level. Plenty of non-competitive, or slightly competitive, group rides exist and will allow you to develop, and transition into more competitive type rides, as you want. Soon I will take a look at some of these rides - how to find them, what to expect, etc. and so on. Happy weekend all, enjoy the start of the Tour tomorrow, if you are from the States enjoy the 4th, either relaxing or exciting, as you see fit.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Cycling 101A: Why not single-file...
One of the frequently uttered complaints about cyclists made by the non-cycling or even, infrequently cycling public, concerns the amount of space the peloton takes up on the road - you know, things like "why can't those damned cyclists ride in single-file, etc. These are largely the utterances of people who have been conditioned by their auto-dependence, where single-file procession is a fact of the activity. Sure you can change lanes, but really that is just moving from one line to another. The peloton operates under entirely different conditions. These conditions are influenced by 1. physical features in the environment, 2. the competitive nature of the activity, and 3. vagaries inherent in any large group of individuals.
Take relatively minor things in the physical environment - cracks, rocks, glass, nails and other debris - these are things too small to even be noticed by drivers, let alone be of concern, but can be serious obstacles to a rider, capable of knocking a bike off course at the least, and laying it flat at the worst. Obstacles such as these will require an avoidance action on the part of the rider, anything from briefly lifting the front wheel, to bunny-hopping the offending object, to swerving around it. When a rider is pedaling along solo, there is usually little problem; but when riding in a group the reaction is compounded. We are all somewhat familiar with the saying "for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction"; you may have first heard this in high school science class. If one rider in the middle of the peloton moves left to avoid a pothole, for instance, the movement may put him into a space already occupied (which is of course another rule of science, that no two objects can occupy the same space at the same time) by another rider, thus forcing that rider to move left in turn. This action and reaction may be repeated any number of times until reaching the rider on the outside of the peloton.
The action of slowing will cause similar reactions and, if the slowing happens suddenly, riders especially those riding along the sides, will often move even further out, provided space to do so is available. Consider a barrel-type spring for a moment - a spring, when under load will be narrower at the center as it stretches out to hold the weight; remove the weight and the spring will contract, widening out at the center until it returns to its non-load bearing shape. The peloton operates much the same, though for a different reason. As the speed of the peloton increases the group tends to become stretched out. One of my few moments of glory came in a local road race when I accelerated fast enough and long enough to look back and see one long line stretched out in my wake. Of course that speed cannot be maintained indefinitely, and as the speed is removed (just as the weight of the spring) the peloton will bunch up and spread out at the middle.
"Sommers, hold your line" is perhaps the most oft quoted line from the most well-known cycling film, Breaking Away. Of course "line" in this case does not refer to an actual line persay, as if the race were proceeding along in nice ordered rows. No, what it refers to is following a predicable course and not making any sudden or unexpected moves necessitating a contrary reaction from other riders. I have often thought that, when viewed from above, the peloton must resemble a single living organism, such as an earthworm, that expands and contracts as it moves along. The problem is that this resemblance is one of appearance only. Since the peloton is composed of many individuals of differing abilities it cannot be expected to operate in an entirely predictable manner. On any given day, on any given group ride, the riders in the peloton will have a wide range of physical ability, practical experience, and what I term "comfort level". These vagaries and differences can have as much effect on the entire group as do physical features encountered along the route. Outsiders looking in will often wonder at how close the riders are to one another. Not infrequently this proximity results in harmless bumping, and yes, even crashing in the middle of the peloton. Newer riders, lacking in experience or the fortitude to ride in the middle of such a seething mass, will often ride to the sides of the group. This can be safer, but is also more difficult and tends to further spread out the group.
Cycling is a competitive activity, and most group training rides effectively simulate race conditions with riders doing what is necessary to succeed, within reason. During any training ride there will thus be occasions when the peloton becomes strung out in a long line due to increased speed, and there will be other times when the speed slows and riders bunch together to conserve energy. Single-file does not happen during a race, unless there is a team time trial taking place, or a smaller group of riders gets away from the larger group and forms a paceline to maximize their efforts. Expecting that a group of riders will follow one another in an orderly single-file line, and confining themselves to a narrow ribbon of asphalt along the margin of a road or street under these conditions is anything from optimistic to delusional, depending upon perspective.
Take relatively minor things in the physical environment - cracks, rocks, glass, nails and other debris - these are things too small to even be noticed by drivers, let alone be of concern, but can be serious obstacles to a rider, capable of knocking a bike off course at the least, and laying it flat at the worst. Obstacles such as these will require an avoidance action on the part of the rider, anything from briefly lifting the front wheel, to bunny-hopping the offending object, to swerving around it. When a rider is pedaling along solo, there is usually little problem; but when riding in a group the reaction is compounded. We are all somewhat familiar with the saying "for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction"; you may have first heard this in high school science class. If one rider in the middle of the peloton moves left to avoid a pothole, for instance, the movement may put him into a space already occupied (which is of course another rule of science, that no two objects can occupy the same space at the same time) by another rider, thus forcing that rider to move left in turn. This action and reaction may be repeated any number of times until reaching the rider on the outside of the peloton.
The action of slowing will cause similar reactions and, if the slowing happens suddenly, riders especially those riding along the sides, will often move even further out, provided space to do so is available. Consider a barrel-type spring for a moment - a spring, when under load will be narrower at the center as it stretches out to hold the weight; remove the weight and the spring will contract, widening out at the center until it returns to its non-load bearing shape. The peloton operates much the same, though for a different reason. As the speed of the peloton increases the group tends to become stretched out. One of my few moments of glory came in a local road race when I accelerated fast enough and long enough to look back and see one long line stretched out in my wake. Of course that speed cannot be maintained indefinitely, and as the speed is removed (just as the weight of the spring) the peloton will bunch up and spread out at the middle.
"Sommers, hold your line" is perhaps the most oft quoted line from the most well-known cycling film, Breaking Away. Of course "line" in this case does not refer to an actual line persay, as if the race were proceeding along in nice ordered rows. No, what it refers to is following a predicable course and not making any sudden or unexpected moves necessitating a contrary reaction from other riders. I have often thought that, when viewed from above, the peloton must resemble a single living organism, such as an earthworm, that expands and contracts as it moves along. The problem is that this resemblance is one of appearance only. Since the peloton is composed of many individuals of differing abilities it cannot be expected to operate in an entirely predictable manner. On any given day, on any given group ride, the riders in the peloton will have a wide range of physical ability, practical experience, and what I term "comfort level". These vagaries and differences can have as much effect on the entire group as do physical features encountered along the route. Outsiders looking in will often wonder at how close the riders are to one another. Not infrequently this proximity results in harmless bumping, and yes, even crashing in the middle of the peloton. Newer riders, lacking in experience or the fortitude to ride in the middle of such a seething mass, will often ride to the sides of the group. This can be safer, but is also more difficult and tends to further spread out the group.
Cycling is a competitive activity, and most group training rides effectively simulate race conditions with riders doing what is necessary to succeed, within reason. During any training ride there will thus be occasions when the peloton becomes strung out in a long line due to increased speed, and there will be other times when the speed slows and riders bunch together to conserve energy. Single-file does not happen during a race, unless there is a team time trial taking place, or a smaller group of riders gets away from the larger group and forms a paceline to maximize their efforts. Expecting that a group of riders will follow one another in an orderly single-file line, and confining themselves to a narrow ribbon of asphalt along the margin of a road or street under these conditions is anything from optimistic to delusional, depending upon perspective.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
