- Joined
- Feb 28, 2003
- Messages
- 51,145
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- 8,056
- Location
- Huntsville
- First Name
- Scott
- Last Name
- Friday
The are different kinds of group riding.
For some groups, it is very regimented with Leaders, Sweeps, Captains, Communications people, etc,... This usually only works well with people that ride together on a regular basis or are used to riding with similar style groups. Expectations are high regarding knowing ALL the rules for that group. Some are very detailed, covering things like how to park when pulling into any area.
Other groups are much less formal and rely on common but simple rules. This might include riding staggered in the straights, several seconds of spacing between bikes, no passing on the right side of another bike, and more. I tend to favor this format as it is more accepting of riders not familiar with the group. However, I usually try to go over the basics in a preride lecture that last about two minutes at most. The intent is to tell the people what is expected of them but to keep it simple enough that they will remember.
Lastly, there are the groups that are made up of a bunch of individual riders. They will ride exactly the same as the would if alone. There will be little communication and they may be somewhat unorganized. The leader will often be the leader simply because he is the fast guy and not because he has any clue what he is doing (or she).
A common problem on group rides is riders getting in over their heads and riding beyond their capabilities. This may be caused by a perceived pressure to keep up or to show everyone how good you can ride. It might be the result of a fear of being left behind. The key is that ALL of the riders should be aware of this dynamic and to watch for signs of it happening. Riders should ALWAYS ride a pace they are comfortable with, even if it means they are bringing up the rear. If the lead folks don't like waiting, I would strongly suggest you ride with a different group.
On the rides that lead, I always watch to see how the group dynamic is working. I listen to other riders' comments about the people in front or behind them. Occasionally I have even pulled people aside discretely to talk with them. I may need to ask them to relax, not to goof off, or to point out a behavior that riders around them consider dangerous. I have never had any real problems though. Like I said, I lay out my expectations before the ride.
Another thing I think is important for a group is that everyone in the group knows and BELIEVES they will not be left behind. This is a big fear for a lot of riders. Therefor, I will always stop the entire group at route changes so that we can all regroup. This provides a chance for people to speak up if something is bothering them, if they need to do something with their gear or bike, run off into the woods to take a break... But most importantly, it lets the slower riders relax because they know they won't get left behind.
I used to do group rides geared towards newbies and they were well received. I wish I still had the free time to do this more often. They were different in that the preride meeting was longer and I really went over a lot of the fundamentals of handling the bike, proper throttle control, cornering, etc,... We checked everyone's bike over and got their suspension setup properly, chain slack set, and more. I also usually had some experienced riders that I trusted spread throughout the pack. This let the trailing newbies have someone experienced to watch. It also meant there was someone knowledgeable behind the newbies to observe and offer advice if wanted. Then the ride would be at a relaxed pace, speed limit or lower, frequent stops for discussion if needed, and shorter routes. We have some great roads up around Huntsville that are perfect for new riders.
Part of riding in a group is thinking about the whole group while you are riding. You are responsible for keeping track of the rider behind you. If you go more than a few minutes without seeing the headlight behind you, slow down and see if they catch up. If they don't you might stop and wait a minute or two. If you still don't see them, you should seriously consider turning around as they could have had a problem. This also helps to keep the group from getting too spread out. Eventually, as more people stop seeing the headlight behind them, the entire group should backtrack in the event something has actually happened. This technique is very important and has really helped on some rides!
There are a lot of other general ideas, but I don't have time to write one of my massive posts Here is the basic stuff I try to cover at my preride meetings.
http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1528
For some groups, it is very regimented with Leaders, Sweeps, Captains, Communications people, etc,... This usually only works well with people that ride together on a regular basis or are used to riding with similar style groups. Expectations are high regarding knowing ALL the rules for that group. Some are very detailed, covering things like how to park when pulling into any area.
Other groups are much less formal and rely on common but simple rules. This might include riding staggered in the straights, several seconds of spacing between bikes, no passing on the right side of another bike, and more. I tend to favor this format as it is more accepting of riders not familiar with the group. However, I usually try to go over the basics in a preride lecture that last about two minutes at most. The intent is to tell the people what is expected of them but to keep it simple enough that they will remember.
Lastly, there are the groups that are made up of a bunch of individual riders. They will ride exactly the same as the would if alone. There will be little communication and they may be somewhat unorganized. The leader will often be the leader simply because he is the fast guy and not because he has any clue what he is doing (or she).
A common problem on group rides is riders getting in over their heads and riding beyond their capabilities. This may be caused by a perceived pressure to keep up or to show everyone how good you can ride. It might be the result of a fear of being left behind. The key is that ALL of the riders should be aware of this dynamic and to watch for signs of it happening. Riders should ALWAYS ride a pace they are comfortable with, even if it means they are bringing up the rear. If the lead folks don't like waiting, I would strongly suggest you ride with a different group.
On the rides that lead, I always watch to see how the group dynamic is working. I listen to other riders' comments about the people in front or behind them. Occasionally I have even pulled people aside discretely to talk with them. I may need to ask them to relax, not to goof off, or to point out a behavior that riders around them consider dangerous. I have never had any real problems though. Like I said, I lay out my expectations before the ride.
Another thing I think is important for a group is that everyone in the group knows and BELIEVES they will not be left behind. This is a big fear for a lot of riders. Therefor, I will always stop the entire group at route changes so that we can all regroup. This provides a chance for people to speak up if something is bothering them, if they need to do something with their gear or bike, run off into the woods to take a break... But most importantly, it lets the slower riders relax because they know they won't get left behind.
I used to do group rides geared towards newbies and they were well received. I wish I still had the free time to do this more often. They were different in that the preride meeting was longer and I really went over a lot of the fundamentals of handling the bike, proper throttle control, cornering, etc,... We checked everyone's bike over and got their suspension setup properly, chain slack set, and more. I also usually had some experienced riders that I trusted spread throughout the pack. This let the trailing newbies have someone experienced to watch. It also meant there was someone knowledgeable behind the newbies to observe and offer advice if wanted. Then the ride would be at a relaxed pace, speed limit or lower, frequent stops for discussion if needed, and shorter routes. We have some great roads up around Huntsville that are perfect for new riders.
Part of riding in a group is thinking about the whole group while you are riding. You are responsible for keeping track of the rider behind you. If you go more than a few minutes without seeing the headlight behind you, slow down and see if they catch up. If they don't you might stop and wait a minute or two. If you still don't see them, you should seriously consider turning around as they could have had a problem. This also helps to keep the group from getting too spread out. Eventually, as more people stop seeing the headlight behind them, the entire group should backtrack in the event something has actually happened. This technique is very important and has really helped on some rides!
There are a lot of other general ideas, but I don't have time to write one of my massive posts Here is the basic stuff I try to cover at my preride meetings.
http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1528