This is really for those who are members of clubs that have fast group rides that have some control over who joins and who rides.

How do you handle new riders? The aim is to be sure that they are not a hazard to the ride and that they (and their equipment) are ready for a 40 - 80 mile fast paced ride (say average of 20+ mph).

TF

When listing rides like the one you describe, we've added the statement: "Those who can't keep up will be dropped." It sounds harsh, but we think it serves the club and the newcomers well.

As to the hazard, some of us holler and cuss a bit more than is really necessary when the newcomer does something stupid, then explain after the ride. ("You're really strong, but . . . .")

None of this works 100%, but at least it's acknowledging the issue and trying to do something about it.

This is a bit of a tricky one. My best shot at it is to have an interval type ride. Spend 15 minutes at that goal pace, then regroup, recover, and see how everyone is doing. It will at least give them some idea of how ready they are for a faster ride, and it will be valuable skills training as well.

This is one reason I always liked training rides on some kind of a loop. Even if it's a 15-20 mile loop, you're never that far from home, and if you want to catch the group after getting dropped you can just turn around until they catch back up with you.

Silas

ride as open to the public. Make riders new to the club do a shorter intro ride first; have these monthly, quarterly or how ever often is appropriate. Stress safety at these intro rides/chats. Go over proper etiquette, hand signals, maybe even try a paceline, etc. New riders really appreciate the mentoring from more experienced cyclists.

Don't let folks that nobody can vouge for come along on the longer club rides.

This is really for those who are members of clubs that have fast group rides that have some control over who joins and who rides.

How do you handle new riders? The aim is to be sure that they are not a hazard to the ride and that they (and their equipment) are ready for a 40 - 80 mile fast paced ride (say average of 20+ mph).

TF

sit at the back, observe, and wait until you're comfortsble with the group, and vice versa, until you go up front to take a turn in the wind.

Our club is going through this problem right now. We are going to start sending out an "A" (cat 3 and up) and a "B" group. We are trying to stay away from a "C" group as we are training to race and dont want it to turn into a pancake ride.

We are going to start sending out an "A" (cat 3 and up) and a "B" group.

We've rarely been able to make this work. Riders self-selected based on hope and aspiration, not reality. Bs hung around until the As left. If the As left early, Bs joined them. Perhaps we should have separated As and Bs not just by time, but also by starting place..

We've rarely been able to make this work. Riders self-selected based on hope and aspiration, not reality. Bs hung around until the As left. If the As left early, Bs joined them. Perhaps we should have separated As and Bs not just by time, but also by starting place..

I think you have to let the rides sort out on their own. Most club rides seem to end up with two groups..call em A and B or whatever. Usually, a newbie will usually start with the B group and if he/she finds them too slow, they then try the A group. Seems like a reasonable way to sort things out. If some "King Kong" newbie comes along and jumps right into the A group, we (in my gang) give him some room until we check his bike handling and pack-savvy and of course, try him out for speed.. If he/she measures up and contributes well, they are welcome. If they are lacking in speed, they get dropped, with a suggestion to ride with the B group (If they actually need that suggestion). If they ride poorly (dumb, dangerous, sitting it without reason, etc) but strongly, they get suggestions from the rest of the group..if they are really bad and not listening after a few "hints"..We just come right out and tell em.."Shape up or get lost" That kinda treatment is almost never needed, but it has happened..
Club rides should be fun, not real structured, in my humble opinion. Most riding groups will soon sort themselves out..If a club ride becomes a race, every time, the A group is soon reduced in size..No one will return week after week to be dropped by the fastest riders. The fastest riders don't want to go "time trialing" every ride, either, so they'd better be willing to moderate their pace to include some others, or ride off the front alone.
The B groups usually have someone who'll 'volunteer', for whatever reason, to "baby-sit" a rider who lags off the back. Depending, of course, on your own B group's evolved customs. Some clubs have a no drop policy, some don't. In our particular B group, when we get someone who is lagging, there is also (usually) someone who'll take pity and stay back with them, or pull them back to the group..just for the extra workout. If nobody wants to babysit, we make sure the slow rider knows the route and then leave em..No big deal, we are all grown-ups..
Communication is the key to having good club rides..Talking it out..keeping everyone's mind on riding together..whatever needs to be said..
Sure is fun, isn't it?
Don Hanson

This is really for those who are members of clubs that have fast group rides that have some control over who joins and who rides.

How do you handle new riders? The aim is to be sure that they are not a hazard to the ride and that they (and their equipment) are ready for a 40 - 80 mile fast paced ride (say average of 20+ mph).

TF

As a long time rider who has never been on a “club” ride, here is what I would do/ask of the club. Allow me to hang off the back and observe. I won’t get in the way and promise to stay off the rear wheel of the last guy by a set distance. If get dropped, I am a big boy, I can find my way home. At the end of the ride some feedback, without an attitude, would be helpful. I can’t see a problem hanging off the back for several weeks until I get the hang of it, right?



TH

I won’t get in the way and promise to stay off the rear wheel of the last guy by a set distance. If get dropped, I am a big boy, I can find my way home. At the end of the ride some feedback, without an attitude, would be helpful. I can’t see a problem hanging off the back for several weeks until I get the hang of it, right?

Staying "a set distance" off the last rider's wheel means that you're not in the draft and you will get dropped immediately unless you're much stronger than everyone else. Once off the back, you'll learn nothing.

Get someone to show you how to sit in the draft of the last rider's wheel, while allowing the rest of the group to do their rotation right in front of you. It's called "sitting in" and is an accepted way to tag along. If you feel up to up to it, go for one or two rotations, then sit back in. As you get more confident, sit in less and rotate on through more.

I understand and respect your sentiment not to upset the group. But hanging a set distance back from the group would be like trying to learn to play the piano by watching someone play the instrument for five minutes or so.

Staying "a set distance" off the last rider's wheel means that you're not in the draft and you will get dropped immediately unless you're much stronger than everyone else. Once off the back, you'll learn nothing.

Get someone to show you how to sit in the draft of the last rider's wheel, while allowing the rest of the group to do their rotation right in front of you. It's called "sitting in" and is an accepted way to tag along. If you feel up to up to it, go for one or two rotations, then sit back in. As you get more confident, sit in less and rotate on through more.

I understand and respect your sentiment not to upset the group. But hanging a set distance back from the group would be like trying to learn to play the piano by watching someone play the instrument for five minutes or so.


At what distance would you consider “sitting in”? Are you comfortable with me three inches from your wheel or would prefer eighteen inches?

TH

three inches from my wheel would be fine with me. If you touch my rear wheel with your front wheel, you go down - not me. But you could still get a good draft up to about 12 inches off a wheel, so theres' no real need to get as close as three inches.

Realize that sitting in means changing from one rider's wheel to another rider's wheel all the time. Here's basically how it works:

Imagine yourself grabbbing the wheel of Jack, the last rider in line. After a minute or so, you see John, who just finished his pulling stint up front, drift back on the left side of the line. Normally, he would slot in behind you.

But you're sitting in. That means you let yourself drift back from Jack and open a space for John. You say "Go in, John!" John will slot in front of you, and you're the last guy in line again - except now you're on John's wheel.

Repeat with next rider, and so on.

Seems to me like some local shops and clubs could offer "peloton class" for new riders interested in learning/honing the skills of paceline training. Might not be a bad way to get new blood into your shop or new riders into your club, if you're looking to expand your customers/membership.

My first club did it about like Jorgy describes. The fast "whens" were announced in the newsletter, but not the wheres. You had to know someone to get in.

Once a month we had a "half-fast" ride on Saturday that was open. Billed as a training ride for those interested in improving pack skills, and a recovery ride for the A riders. Mostly it was fair distance, but a slightly softer pace and looser packs and lines. The folks who showed interest and ability got a phone call for the next A ride.

I was a middle-B, but showed up for a bunch of the half-fasts just to learn. The really competitve A riders - the ones that can seem like jerks to the uninitiated, but are just intense - stayed away from the half-fasts, so they weren't intimidating rides. Made for a good experience all the way around.

If your club prefers group meets, send the A's out first, with the understanding that the B's will pick up drops. Tell the noobs that they have to be willing to go OTB if asked (told). The usual line is something like "How's the pace? You're riding a little uneven. Maybe you should back off for today." The guy on the noob's wheel usually makes the call.
That one's a little more stressful for all involved, but it works, too.

That means you let yourself drift back from Jack and open a space for John. You say "Go in, John!" John will slot in front of you, and you're the last guy in line again - except now you're on John's wheel.

Repeat with next rider, and so on.

I guess that's what I ment by hanging off the back. I think we are in agreement. Now I need to find a club of reasonable people. Thanks for your help.

TH

Interesting thread as I rode with a local bike for the first time two Saturdays ago and again this past Sat. I started riding this August and had been riding solo on mostly 25 mile rides at about 16 mph ave speed each weekend and a 10 miler during the week. So I decided to give it a go with the local club.<p> This time of year the "B" group is down to 40 mile trips. On my first trip it was cold so since not many riders showed up they combined to make a "A/B" ride.There were about 8-10 riders. It was a pretty fast pace (for me) and I rode mostly at the back drafting about 12" behind the last rider whoever that happened to be at the time for the first 10 miles or so.They seemed comfortable with me and I was comfortable drafting at that distance.It was a good opportunity to learn the hand signals and calls when a car was approaching or there was something in the road. After that I moved up a little on occasion. At about 15 miles or so I started having trouble keeping up and I sensed their pace slow down slightly to help me out. At about the 18 mile mark another rider was having knee problems which I didn't know about but the rest of then did and they asked me if I wanted to turn back with him. I was pretty spent at that time and I was glad to turn around for a 36 mile ride. He was nice and I was spent, due to the pace and he let me draft behind him the whole way back. <p>This past weekend I rode again with the club this time a "B" ride and it was a great experience. It turned out to be a 42 mile trip and speed wise and moving within the paceline everything went well for me. Nobody seemed to have a problem with a new comer and everybody was friendly inviting me to join the club. <p> So I guess it depends on the circumstances. Evidently I wasn't a threat, danger wise the first time as they could see I knew how to draft and just drafted off the back. I wasn't a hot shot or someone who would be dangerous. I guess if I would cause potential problems or danger they would of let me know. Overall I am lucky to have met a good group of people.

This is really for those who are members of clubs that have fast group rides that have some control over who joins and who rides.

How do you handle new riders? The aim is to be sure that they are not a hazard to the ride and that they (and their equipment) are ready for a 40 - 80 mile fast paced ride (say average of 20+ mph).

TF

Riders who can't hang usually get dropped and don't show back up until they think they can hang with the group. I was one who would hang for 2/3's of the way and then say see yall next week when I blew up.

This is my first year every riding my road bike and Im pretty strong for just coming in late in the season. I tried a couple of group rides at firts thinking they were an "A" but then found out that they were more of a "A/B". My firsts true "A" group ride many of the guys stayed there distance untill the saw that I could keep up and had some handling skills. After the ride was over I felt like I was apart of the gang now. Everyone came up to me and congratulated on how well I did and offered my some suggestions. For me being a 17 at this time this was great. So finding the right group I think is the most important. O yah this group wouldnt wait up for me if I got dropped thats for sure, when we hooked up in the draft we started rideing at and above 30 mph.

This is really for those who are members of clubs that have fast group rides that have some control over who joins and who rides.

How do you handle new riders? The aim is to be sure that they are not a hazard to the ride and that they (and their equipment) are ready for a 40 - 80 mile fast paced ride (say average of 20+ mph).

TF

Have 2-3 rides. Fast group rides first ( or those who think they can keep up), and 2nd
(slower) group follows up 10 minutes later and will pick up those riders who couldn't
keep up, giving them another chance to ride in a group again.

Over 80 miles, 2nd group might want to start later?.. good luck