C 25's Sunday 25th Nov

Road cycling & upcoming rides
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Dougie
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Location: Dulwich Hill

Postby Dougie » 25 Nov 2012, 11:21

A BIG! turnout this morning. Although no one was prepared to put their hand up and declare themselves a "Fastie", it would appear that all three bunches were super quick today.

The Cruiser 25's ended up with rather high average today of 27.5kph. Sorry about that! The ride out to Waterfall was strong, although not super fast. This was combined with a swift pace line back to Sutherland that tipped us over the edge. I really don't recall anyone having difficulty with the pace. There are a few C25's regulars whom have both the skills and fitness to move up to the 28's if they wish. This will certainly aid in keeping the pace a little slower.

The bunch was quite large this morning. Quite a number of new riders. I think I counted 7or 8. Admittedly these people certainly had plenty of k's in their legs, just low on bunch riding experience.

It was a smooth ride to Waterfall. We stopped and discussed the pace line. I will have to remember that cycling terminology is not universal, as "what's a pace line?" Is only the beginning when then moving on to "chopping wheels", "swapping off", "drafting"and " grabbing a wheel". This challenge is certainly not an issue at all. I would certainly rather explain those terms than have an accident. I congratulate and encourage riders to ask questions. There really is no such thing as a silly question. We have all been there (I'm still there!)

Points of feedback.
Please pass calls up and down the bunch - always
Please call loudly and decisively
Please take care with your spacing and station keeping. Half wheeling is very dangerous.
If you on the front, keep pedalling down hill. Those behind you are in your slip stream and will catch up to you very quickly.

Thanks to Eleri on the back.

Great riding and see you next time.

Cheers. Dougie (or Doggie)

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marc2131
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Postby marc2131 » 25 Nov 2012, 18:27

Although no one was prepared to put their hand up and declare themselves a "Fastie", it would appear that all three bunches were super quick today ..... The Cruiser 25's ended up with rather high average today of 27.5kph.
Assume the variation in pace must be an ever present problem. Isn't it possible to create intermediary groups? Not sure about the 25s or 28s but I know the middies are supposed to be averaging 30kmph but are regularly doing at least 31 or at times 33. Couldn't we create a 'Fast Middies' group?
I think this issue may have been eluded to before by John H/Jonboy - http://dhbc.org.au/forum/viewtopic.php? ... vs+fasties

Doug, loved your little doggie skip at the cafe yesterday :)

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Stuart
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Location: Dulwich Hill

Postby Stuart » 26 Nov 2012, 16:53

The middies doesn't keep to a speed ... the 31kph+ is a guide only. It depends who turns up on the day.

timyone
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Postby timyone » 26 Nov 2012, 18:08

Are there enough people for a new group between mids and fast? The actual fasties are inconsistent, it could be cool to have a new category to keep mids from being too fast

timyone
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Postby timyone » 26 Nov 2012, 18:09

Oops, I second Marc. A group that doesn't just go a heap faster some weeks at race pace!

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paul
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Postby paul » 26 Nov 2012, 19:49

The pace of the bunches is a perpetual source of angst, and posts.

As a regular middie, sometimes I get dropped, and then last week I was told off for pushing the pace through Engadine and splitting the bunch. So it really does depend on the day. One thing I have noticed is that if the middies start slowly, the stronger riders get frustrated and push the pace when on the front, I've been guilty of this. Sometimes riders stay on the front too long in middies, better a short turn to share the work, especially in a big bunch. Also if there is a lot of laughter and chat in the bunch, we are not going fast enough, so go harder or roll off.

The jumps between the bunches are significant. Although probably one of the stronger middies, the fasties is very hard for me, once or twice I have just about hung on, but then I'm shattered for the rest of the day. I have been on fasties rides where the pace has been pushed to drop passengers, not that I'm complaining, cycling is supposed to be hard, and getting dropped is part of it.

IMHO, five bunches is unmanageable.

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Dougie
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Location: Dulwich Hill

Postby Dougie » 26 Nov 2012, 20:34

I really didn't mean this post to get all "inconsistent bunch speedish". I like that the Cruiser 25 & 28's are social and aspirational for the newer or less fitter club members. By having four solid bunches one can move up if one wants a workout or down if one wants a chat. I have always found it hard to talk when my heart is trying to exit my body via my mouth when climbing the Kingsway at 107% of my maximum heart rate

The only time the bride ever laughs at me is when I come home and advise that I got dropped at the cafe on the way out

Johnj
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Postby Johnj » 26 Nov 2012, 23:36

Points of feedback.
Please pass calls up and down the bunch - always
Please call loudly and decisively
Please take care with your spacing and station keeping. Half wheeling is very dangerous.
If you on the front, keep pedalling down hill. Those behind you are in your slip stream and will catch up to you very quickly.
Thanks Doggie, er Dougie... I'd have to agree with that. Passing calls along is essential with such a large bunch. I was towards the front of the bunch a few times and could not hear the "over" calls from the back of the bunch. Karzie and I both found the pace very inconsistent, one minute I'd be on my brakes, the next pedalling flat out to keep station. I also noticed we were only a km or so behind the C28s at Waterfall, as I saw them heading north after we got to the top of Hanrob Hill.

I'm at the point of trying to move up from the C25s and into the C28s. Last trip out with the C28s I blew up just before Waterfall and again on the Grand Parade, so I decided to take it easy this time. Pace is always variable and headwind/tailwind, numbers in the bunch etc make a huge difference. I've found if I'm having trouble on the uphills, the best place to be is on the front of the bunch keeping the pace down a bit.

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Karzie
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Postby Karzie » 27 Nov 2012, 07:49

That's life in the 25s R Us.

I hadn't ridden for 5 weeks and had had the 'flu, so my inexorable progression to fasties was delayed yet again and it was 25s or nothing. I get a bit grouchy when I have to concentrate so much on watching out for the surging, caused by other people not concentrating, talking too much about being somewhere else, and not pedalling consistantly. OK, sure, you have to pedal all the time on the front of the bunch, but really everyone should be trying to pedal all the time anyway. Every second person was randomly freewheeling until they fell out of the slipstream and had to give it another go and then mostly one or even two gears too low for the pace, which made it worse. It's not an issue restricted to the 25s by any means, and because people aren't conscious that it's bad form, it becomes habitual.

Otherwise it was a good ride. The paceline kept falling apart, but would get back together in a very organic way. The faster group kept getting reeled in, and no-one got dropped to my knowledge, so I think it was a bit faster because everyone was pretty strong (I think one person bailed at the top of kingsway) and there was no wind going out. Then a southerly sprang up just as we reached waterfall and it pushed us back to Marrickville just before it swung to the west.

Strawburger
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Joined: 04 Mar 2009, 08:27

Postby Strawburger » 27 Nov 2012, 09:44

The rubber band effect was far more noticeable in the middies bunch on sunday than the fasties group I usually ride with. This could be to do with the larger numbers of the group.

An observation if I may, on almost every occasion the front of the group taking off quickly from any traffic lights and not soft pedaling to allow for the back of the bunch to rejoin. Geoff M had a few words to say, this skill (or etiquette?) may have been forgotten when in larger groups?


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