Frustration...Liverpool Chaingang.

[yenrod]

My cycling fitness aint great but I run and do hills too and walk everywhere so im not bad in fitness but cyclings cycling.

Anyhow, for the 1st day this year (as its rained every tue & thurs) I went down to the circuit thats used by one of the clubs in liverpool (by the airport) and it turned out there was only 3 out inc. me on bloke got quite a low fitness rate but comes out anyhow and another who is fast in the through and off' manouvre...so he's quite fit..

So, as its only 3 its usually going to be on the front for 30(secs) then off etc..etc..

Now, ive been riding with these riders/club for years and on occasion they can kill themselves on the way out (takes me a while to warm up) and on the way back they can crawl.

Back to story. But it turned out it was through and off which was too much for me so after half a bit i upon gettng on the front carried on, and then again, and then 'attacked' again 3 times I tried...it ended very negatively.

The moral is this: If anyone in this club in liverpool (which I wont name) is reading this, and ive wondered about this for years:- why the hell dont you get organised / someone in charge - who can last the distance, ride at a 'testing' level yet not lose sight of the lowest in fitness and those who are ok can ride the front...instead of it being everyman for himself mentality...

Which is a supreme killer for someone who is starting in this godforesakensport...

Its gonna take an absolute seizmic shift to change the attitude in this country to cycling never mind those involved if this attitude exists..unless its only relegated to this area ! - which is hardly surprising.

 

[bonj2]

so to sum it up, you went out for what you were hoping was going to be a nice leisurely ride with like minded people, and it turned into a race.
oh yenners! what are you like?!
why don't you set up your own cycling club in liverpool, then YOU can be the organiser/pace setter?

 

[Dave5N]

I know how you feel, Y. I knw so many clubs who will happily drop and abandon first timers, even kids.

Then they wonder why it's a minority sport and their memberships are dwindling.

 

[Keith Oates]

I've heard of other clubs that take a similar attitude but there are others I have visited in the West Country that were very helpful and considerate to new comers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[yenrod]

so to sum it up, you went out for what you were hoping was going to be a nice leisurely ride with like minded people, and it turned into a race.
oh yenners! what are you like?!
why don't you set up your own cycling club in liverpool, then YOU can be the organiser/pace setter?

No, Bonj' - went for a ride with likeminded riders looking to improve my fitness not do 15mls flat out on my own with 2 hangers on !

I could soo easily do 25mls on my own, testing myself, improving fitness etc.. instead of getting stressed because those on the ride are only thinking of either themselves OR their cliquey mates yet will ride that BIT harder at the front when your going thru'/riding past them...thus making it DIFFICULT to pass

 

[RedBike]

Loads of clubs have this sort of trouble.

The riders in our club vary in ability/fitness quite a lot. Most of the time we manage to stay as a group with the stronger riders doing very long turns on the front and the weaker riders just sitting in.

 

[yenrod]

If there are only 'few' then longer turns are needed - if many then lots can go thru' - no the other way round or a variety of both.

 

[yenrod]

Join The Eagle !

I know that lady that used to or still runs the Prescot..cant recall her name at the mo...

Though they club up with the Mercury + they are a cliquey closed shop esp. as they TOTALLY shun you upon turning up for a ride even if you've been a member !

Someone by the name of PM - a badlad !!! if ever thier was one.

 

[bonj2]

No, Bonj' - went for a ride with likeminded riders looking to improve my fitness not do 15mls flat out on my own with 2 hangers on !

I could soo easily do 25mls on my own, testing myself, improving fitness etc.. instead of getting stressed because those on the ride are only thinking of either themselves OR their cliquey mates yet will ride that BIT harder at the front when your going thru'/riding past them...thus making it DIFFICULT to pass

don't get it, what's "through and off"?

so you're saying they were going too fast at the start, and then getting knackered out later on, and when you tried to overtake them they suddenly put on a burst of speed, so you couldn't, but then going slow again?

or were they just too slow for you altogether?

They obviously weren't that likeminded. I would have just peeled off and left them to it at the first sign of any hostility.

 

[yenrod]

Obviously not a chainy rider Bonj

 

[fossyant]

Through and off - there are a few ways -

Lead rider rides hard then peals off as the rest of the bunch come through on the inside. If there are only 3, then rider peals off the front and has to get back on the back quick.

If there is a big group, you'll get two lines - inside line going quicker than the outside line. Think of it as the riders rotating their road position.

It only works well when the other riders co-operate properly, and pull as a team.

With three, you can also just take turns at the front, and then the next freshest rider will come through to the front - i.e. come round you rather than you peal off.

Chain gangs work better with more riders, but the intention is training, and anyone not up to it will get shelled out the back - bit crap when this happens and there are only three riders - bloody pointless dropping people.

Club runs are generally at a slower pace - chain gangs don't take prisoners....

 

[Dave5N]

It's quite beautiful to watch when done well - on the track sometimes or watching a proper team ride together

 

[bonj2]

Through and off - there are a few ways -

Lead rider rides hard then peals off as the rest of the bunch come through on the inside. If there are only 3, then rider peals off the front and has to get back on the back quick.

If there is a big group, you'll get two lines - inside line going quicker than the outside line. Think of it as the riders rotating their road position.

It only works well when the other riders co-operate properly, and pull as a team.

With three, you can also just take turns at the front, and then the next freshest rider will come through to the front - i.e. come round you rather than you peal off.

Chain gangs work better with more riders, but the intention is training, and anyone not up to it will get shelled out the back - bit crap when this happens and there are only three riders - bloody pointless dropping people.

Club runs are generally at a slower pace - chain gangs don't take prisoners....

Can understand the logic of taking turns at going in front to share the wind/drafting, but surely if you're intending on riding together then you ride at the speed of the slowest, so you can all stay together, otherwise if you ride at the speed of the fastest, then it becomes a race - by definition...

 

[rustychisel]

No bonj, once again you completely miss the point by trying to simplify everything into your world or your experience. Often the faster rider will take the front, whilst slower riders will 'tag on' utilising the well understood principles of slipstreaming to maintain contact and making their effort easier. Such is not the case here, as Yenrod clearly explained.

 

[Dave5N]

Can understand the logic of taking turns at going in front to share the wind/drafting, but surely if you're intending on riding together then you ride at the speed of the slowest, so you can all stay together, otherwise if you ride at the speed of the fastest, then it becomes a race - by definition...

You really haven't thought this through. If you do as you say, then the weakest riders do all the work. The idea in a mixed group is that the stronger riders take a longer turn and do more work, pulling the group along.