Cycling in groups

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Paulatic
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Re: Cycling in groups

Post by Paulatic »

I've still memories of the National 400 from Fife a number of years ago. The police got involved and stipulated riders started in groups of four two minutes apart if my memory serves me well. I can't remember the total number of riders that year but for example if there were a hundred imagine how patient those drivers were when they arrived at the 25th group on the road.
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MikeF
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Re: Cycling in groups

Post by MikeF »

LollyKat wrote:It depends on the road, though.

You're right; I don't think you can specify a "formula". One cyclist can be a problem to overtake. Groups can be a much bigger problem.
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easyroller
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Re: Cycling in groups

Post by easyroller »

Crank it out down the road three abreast and four deep!

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:



(not actual advice)
martinn
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Re: Cycling in groups

Post by martinn »

Thank you to all who replied, I will speak to the group and with the suggestions offered, hopefully come to some sort of conscientious.

many thanks

Martin
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Lance Dopestrong
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Re: Cycling in groups

Post by Lance Dopestrong »

2 abreast is fine, but don't ride parallel. Stagger yourselves a bit, else when one comes off all will come off, TdF style. Have great journey.
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Paulatic
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Re: Cycling in groups

Post by Paulatic »

If you are cycling through Cambridgeshire you could follow their police advice. [emoji83]

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arnsider
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Re: Cycling in groups

Post by arnsider »

It strikes me that unless the group is well matched in terms of fitness, trying to stay in a group will be impossible.
CTC and other groups on the road are regulars in group discipline.
I doubt if that is your case.
People unused to long distances and sustained effort will split up and the stragglers will loose heart.
Try holding back the fitter ones and it will lead to impatience and frustration.
Best of luck with that!
Smiles
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Re: Cycling in groups

Post by Smiles »

arnsider wrote:It strikes me that unless the group is well matched in terms of fitness, trying to stay in a group will be impossible.
CTC and other groups on the road are regulars in group discipline.
I doubt if that is your case.
People unused to long distances and sustained effort will split up and the stragglers will loose heart.
Try holding back the fitter ones and it will lead to impatience and frustration.
Best of luck with that!



I am glad to read this last post and want to share my experience as a novice rather than expert. Last year I participated in a group charity ride to Paris with 18 riders of a range of ability, from someone who runs a competitive team to someone who only learned to ride a few months before. I think you might find our experience thought provoking.

We were unable to keep to any discipline about how we organise ourselves on the road. Fitness. riding preferences, willingness to lead and trust to follow varied hugely and meant it was inpractical to enforce "rules."

A working practice of slipstreaming and rotating the lead in small sub groups gradually emerged as we slowly learned each other's riding styles and fitness levels. As we got used to each other and established practice our pace picked up markedly. The first day was far longer than planned and the average on day three was much quicker.

Navigation and communication between the croup members was a big issue. Without knowing if it will work this year I have suggested all riders have a handle bar mounted mobile phone case (big enough to hold phone and backup battery pack )with a standard route map loaded on their phone. Over three days most of us struggled to keep our phones alive during the day. The Garmin equipped riders using different models kept getting DIFFERENT routes between the stops which created confusion and wasted time and effort.

We had several instances of subgroups getting lost. We want everyone to have everyone else's phone numbers this year. If you have a support crew make sure they are very familiar with the satelite Navigation system in the support vehicle - particularly if you are hiring it! Peoples aptitude for reading maps and following directions varies considerably.

We had 9 punctures and our support vehicle got caught up rescuing the stranded. On the second and third day people dropped out for a variety of reasons. Keep in mind it takes an experienced and properly equipped person to successfully fix a puncture by the road side in a rain shower, particularly with the pressure of knowing you are keeping others waiting. One guy had three punctures. As far as possible we are trying to insist people have spare innertubes and a serviceable repair kit.

Sorry if some of this is irrelevant but I hope it saves you some struggles.
Grandad
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Re: Cycling in groups

Post by Grandad »

As far as possible we are trying to insist people have spare innertubes and a serviceable repair kit.


My inclination would be to say that anyone not taking this basic precaution should be abandoned if they get a puncture :D
Smiles
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Re: Cycling in groups

Post by Smiles »

Grandad wrote:
As far as possible we are trying to insist people have spare innertubes and a serviceable repair kit.


My inclination would be to say that anyone not taking this basic precaution should be abandoned if they get a puncture :D


It is one thing to insist people have the correct kit. We found it is quite another for them to be able to successfully use it when they are cold, wet and tired, in the rain, with an audience that wants to get moving, repeatedly....
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Cycling in groups

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Depends on the size and purpose of the group - taking 14 sets of tyre levers isn't necessary on a group expedition...
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
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flatout
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Re: Cycling in groups

Post by flatout »

arnsider wrote:It strikes me that unless the group is well matched in terms of fitness, trying to stay in a group will be impossible.
CTC and other groups on the road are regulars in group discipline.
I doubt if that is your case.
People unused to long distances and sustained effort will split up and the stragglers will loose heart.
Try holding back the fitter ones and it will lead to impatience and frustration.
Best of luck with that!


Agree with that. Even when average speeds and group etiquette are set out in advance; trying to keep the group ethos alive and well on some rides is akin to herding cats through Battersea dogs home! :roll:
martinn
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Re: Cycling in groups

Post by martinn »

Thanks for the replies,

Good point about the different rate and experience. I have now been "volunteered" to be a Chaperone of one of the two groups, So herding cats here we come, mind you that will be the same role as I do at work anyway!

We have thought about tubes and kit the support van will carry most of our spares except two tubes per person, the van is going to carry spare tyres, and also a spare bike or two.

The mismatch in abilities worries me most of all, and keeping those who want to rush off under control, and to keep the enthusiastic from "burning out". Garmins with routes planned in them, good point about different version giving different directions, the route is pre-planned, so only either lead rider, or second rider with have the active route shown to stop confusion.

On the other group riding from Penzance, they have an experience chaperone, who has done the ride across Britain, so she has spoken to us about things we might have to consider, ie persuading some one to get into the support vehicle on day 1/2 other wise they will not be able to make day 2/3

All thoughts gratefully received

Thanks Martin
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mjr
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Re: Cycling in groups

Post by mjr »

arnsider wrote:People unused to long distances and sustained effort will split up and the stragglers will loose heart.
Try holding back the fitter ones and it will lead to impatience and frustration.
Best of luck with that!

It depends how far up their backsides the "fitter ones" have their heads IMO! There's plenty of ways to use that fitness in a group without setting speed records and pulling the legs off the stragglers.

For example, fitter riders can volunteer to be dropped at junctions to show the rest of the group the way, then rejoin after the backmarkers pass, ride back up the group to the route guide and repeat - when the guide runs out of such volunteers, it's a sign that a regroup stop is probably needed. Doing this, the fitter riders will ride the route at a higher speed, albeit with more stops - interval training? :lol:

Riding as a backmarker can also make occasional use of fitter riders - if a toolkit-carrying backmarker stops to help someone, it's useful to have someone nearby who can ride up the group to tell someone in the new back group that they're now backmarker and even advise the guide that someone's stopped. It avoids the guide sending someone back along the route in search or trying to phone the backmarker who may be up to their wrists in bike.

I'm sure there are many other possible uses, too. Or if all else fails, one of the fitter riders can be a second route guide and split the group.
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Cycling in groups

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Paulatic wrote:If you are cycling through Cambridgeshire you could follow their police advice. [emoji83]

Image


Yeah - because if you spread out and all take primary then you're so much easier to overtake,

Why isn't the headline: Police warn motorists not to overtake where it isn't safe?
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
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