Slow Spokes Ride Thurs 6/04/09, 6:00 Sharp, MacGregor Village

RickF · #1 06-01-2009, 10:05 AM

The 2009 Slow Spokes evening continue on Thursday, June 4 promptly at 6:00 PM from MacGregor Village Shopping. We will continue to use and improve on the new format for 2009. For those who prefer the old style rides, the Oh Melo Velo rides will continue at 6:00 on Wednesday evenings, and anyone who would like to continue to participate in those rides is welcome, but the Slow Spokes ride will be a collection of small group rides.

Riders of all abilities are welcome, but this is to be a strictly no-drop ride. We will all ride together for the first three miles. Then, depending on how many riders we have, we will split up into groups of six to nine riders based on ability. Each group will stay together at the fastest pace that the slowest rider in that group can maintain.

This is an out and back ride. The sun sets at 8:28 PM, so we will ride out until 7:14 PM, then turn around and come back. Depending on the pace (which will be determined by the slowest rider), I expect that we will go somewhere between 26 and 39 miles, so do not be alarmed when you see that the cue sheet says 50.4 miles. We will turn around long before we get to the end of the route. This is the same route we have been using since March 19, and it gets us out of traffic as quickly as possible.

This is also a "no big chainring" ride. The biggest mistake most new riders make is trying to push too hard a gear. One of our goals is going to be to keep the group together, and it is far easier to adjust your speed to that of the riders around you when you are pedalling faster in an easier gear.

Please print and bring your own cue sheet
The sun sets at 8:28 PM
Turnaround time is 7:14 PM
RSVP is requested, but not required. RSVP by replying to this post.
Beginners are welcome and encouraged to join this ride. You will not find a better opportunity for a first group ride.
New riders should read Bicycling Hand Signals and Safety Pointers and Ride Preparation - Equipment, Nutrition, Hydration
First time riders with this group should fill out the linked liability waiver and bring it to the ride. NCBC’s insurance company requires one on file each year for each cyclist.
Please arrive in time to prepare your bike to leave promptly at 6:00 PM.
All riders should carry proper equipment in case they have a flat (spare tube, pump or CO2 cartridge).
Helmets are required.
It is strongly recommended that you carry your driver’s license, health insurance card (or a photo copy), emergency contact information or Road I.D. in case of an emergency. You may also want to program your cell phone with an emergency contact number under the name “ICE” In Case of Emergency.

RickF · #2 06-01-2009, 10:06 AM

Here are some of the things that I should tell everyone before we start each week, but I do not like to take this much time away from the ride to go over each of these points.

The purpose of these rides is to get people comfortable riding in a group. This is not about speed, but about learning technique, etiquette, and group riding dynamics.
Do not be embarassed to ask that the group slow down (see the first point).
Each rider is responsible for the safety and well being of the entire group.
Stay between six inches and three feet from the wheel in front of you. The riders in the middle of the line are only working about 60% as hard as the rider in the front, and the rider at the back of the line is only working about 70 to 80% as hard as the rider in front. The farther back from the rider in front of you that you are, the less benefit you get from the draft. Once you get more than about 5 feet behind, you get almost no benefit, and you will have a difficult time catching back up with the group.[/b]
[b]Never overlap your front wheel with the rear wheel of the rider in front of you.
Point out all road hazards to the riders behind you.
Everyone (not just the rider in front) signal all turns and stops.
When coming to a left turn, the rider at the rear should call out when it is clear to change lanes ("clear back").
If you see that the rider behind you has fallen off the group, call out to the rider(s) in front that we have dropped a rider ("riders dropped" or "riders off").
If you are in the lead and riders have fallen off, slow the pace until they have caught back on. Then, increase the pace slowly and gradually, but at a slightly lower effort level than before.
If you have fallen off the group and have caught back up, let the rider(s) in front know that you are back on ("I'm back" or "I'm on"). The riders in front should pass the word up the line ("we're together", "they're on". "gruppo compatto", etc).
When a rider in front of you (or behind you) gives a verbal warning, pass the warning down (or up) the line. Do not assume that because you heard the warning that everyone behind you (or in front of you ) heard it.
Pay attention and be ready to react to what the group is doing. The group should be moving as one unit, and not like an accordian or slinky.
Keep the work level constant. Speed will go up on descents and down on ascents, but the work remains the same.
Changes in speed should be smooth and gradual.
Keep your cadence high and respond quickly to any change in pace of the rider(s) in front of you. If you wait until you are five or six feet behind before you react, it will be difficult to catch back on, not only for you, but for everyone who is behind you. Just as with the car, you cannot accellerate in a high gear. Unless your cadence is already above 80 rpm, accellerate by pedalling faster, and not by shifting to a higher gear.
Do not let a gap of more than five feet grow in front of you. If you cannot keep up with the pace, tell the riders in front to slow down (see the first point), but just as importantly, be sure that you are doing what you can to try to keep up. Do not coast and do not use your brakes when a gap is forming in front of you.
When coming to a stop, shift to a lower gear before you stop. This makes it much easier to get back up to speed when the group restarts.
If you are on the front of the line, do not coast. You are blocking the wind of the riders behind you, so they will coast faster than you do.
Do not slow down without signaling.
Do not slow down unless the rider in front has slowed.
Hold your line. Do not weave and do not cut in and out of the line.
Avoid destractions. Riding safely in a group requires total concentration. Distractions such as mp3 players make it more difficult for riders to concentrat on what they are doing or hear what is going on around them.
Stay relaxed. The hands, arms, shoulders, and neck should be relaxed. Tensing the muscles is not only tiring, it makes it more difficult to maintain control of the bike.
If one rider in the group has a mechanical problem, the entire group stops until the problem is resolved.
If you have aero bars, do not use them unless you are on the front of the line, and even then, it is better not to use aero bars on group rides.
Have fun. Do not worry about how far we have gone or how fast we are going. Do not even look at your computer until we finish the ride.