Road Bike Racing - First Race, Hooked! But did I do something wrong?

I had my first road race last Sunday, which was fantastic. The start was exciting, riding in a pack of 190 riders going 30mph is something else.

One thing confused me, however.

For some background, I have ridden a lot of miles (3000+ per year) and ride daily in heavy traffic. I know how to handle a bike, ride a line and keep my actions smooth and quiet. I realize the importance of this in the pack. I have never ridden in a paceline, though.

During the race, as the pack started to get strung out into smaller groups I decided that the group I was in was going slower than I liked so I went ahead on my own. This seemed to go well and I hoped that I could catch another pack.

About 10 minutes after leaving the pack, a rider passes me on the left, gives me a glance, and pulls in front of me. I kept my effort the same but I had to coast sometimes to keep from getting too close. I maintained about a foot of distance from his back wheel. After 40-50 seconds, he drops back on my left side, and I assume that it is my turn to start pulling for him. I keep maintaining the speed we are going. After 30 seconds, another rider passes me on the right and says, "If you can't ride a paceline, don't". He is pulling about 3 other riders and the rider who I was originally following. I don't join them and they pull away. I don't know exactly what I did wrong. Perhaps I wasn't aware of the other riders as I was following the original guy?

Later in the race I was working with another rider, pacing each other. He thought that I was riding fine.

For some background, I have ridden a lot of miles (3000+ per year) and ride daily in heavy traffic. I know how to handle a bike, ride a line and keep my actions smooth and quiet. I realize the importance of this in the pack. I have never ridden in a paceline, though.
Riding in a paceline is a lot different from negotiating vehicular traffic. I'm sure you did all kinds of things wrong. Best way to learn is to do some group rides.

You may have done something wrong, but from your description, it's not clear to me what that could have been. You should probably just ask what you're doing wrong.

What kind of race allows 190 riders?

Owasco Flyer (http://www.owascoflyer.com/Owasco-Flyer-Home.html)

A citizen's road race allowing aero bars? Sounds scary.

Ok,
I'm a little confused here. What was this race? Cat 5 USCF races are limited to 50 entrants (75 in combined categories) so I'm curious exactly what this event was.

Also, races are generally ridden in packs, not pacelines. In a race you don't have an obligation to work in a paceline, or take regular pulls. You only have to not be dangerous.

If you're with a group that's trying to sustain a breakaway or catch another group, you may end up working in paceline with other riders, but you're not obligated to do so.

I'm assuming from your post, that the at least some of the other riders around you were trying to organize a paceline with each rider pulling through at regular intervals, and the Guy that yelled at you thought you were disrupting the paceline, perhaps by not rotating off the front at an appropriate interval.

looked at the flyer now. Do they send the whole race off as one pack?

Not USCF. It is a citizen's race. Aerobars are allowed and I did not see any one using them inappropriately, i.e. in pack/paceline. It did seem quite crowded but it went off without a hitch. If you look at the results on the website, 194 riders crossed the finish line. It was a mass start.

Sounds like a huge potential for a cluster**** Take 190 folks of vastly different abilities and experiences, some with aerobars, and set them all off interspersed. You would think the sorting out in the first couple of miles would be very chaotic.

They formed everyone up on a curbed roadway in the park. They motorpaced the first mile.
http://www.owascoflyer.com/2007-Photos_files/31%20race%20line-up%2013.jpg

About 10 minutes after leaving the pack, a rider passes me on the left, gives me a glance, and pulls in front of me. I kept my effort the same but I had to coast sometimes to keep from getting too close. I maintained about a foot of distance from his back wheel. After 40-50 seconds, he drops back on my left side, and I assume that it is my turn to start pulling for him. I keep maintaining the speed we are going. After 30 seconds, another rider passes me on the right and says, "If you can't ride a paceline, don't". He is pulling about 3 other riders and the rider who I was originally following. I don't join them and they pull away. I don't know exactly what I did wrong. Perhaps I wasn't aware of the other riders as I was following the original guy?

Later in the race I was working with another rider, pacing each other. He thought that I was riding fine.

They were trying to organize a circular paceline, where the guy at the front gets off right away and the next guy gets off right in front him and so on. Its the fastest way to ride in a group and you were interfering with their organization.

No big deal, just ride with some guys that know how to ride a circular paceline and you'll catch on real quick.

No offense but people that aren't used to riding in groups often times think they ride smoothly when in fact they're pretty erratic. Of course in the Flyer the most vocal guys typically can't hold a line to save their lives so you might have been doinig nothing wrong.

My suggestion would be to hook up with the Onondaga Cycling Club and talk to some of the local racers.

wayne

ps. The Owasco Flyer can be a huge mess at the start, but typically it gets lined out pretty quick so it's not as dangerous as you might think (assuming you're at the front). Over the last couple of years the field sizes have grown so I think things might have to change in the near future...

http://www.cvcbike.org/club/paceline.html

They were trying to organize a circular paceline, where the guy at the front gets off right away and the next guy gets off right in front him and so on. Its the fastest way to ride in a group and you were interfering with their organization.

No big deal, just ride with some guys that know how to ride a circular paceline and you'll catch on real quick.
Yes I believe this is what was happening. And no offense but you should really do some group riding before you start racing. Nothing else can prepare you for this.

Enough with the "no offense".
I posted looking for constructive criticism, and I appreciate your responses! :beer:

Thanks!

I just joined the OCC and will be doing rides with them.

The guy was a jerk for saying that to you. If it was a race there are lots of reasons why some one in a chase group will intentionally screw it up. It's called breaking the rhythm and you would do it say for example to disrupt the chase because your team leader is off the front or stuck in the pelaton. If how ever you wanted to bridge then it would be advantageous to you to sit in the pace line. If the people in the pace line are going to slow then when you get to the front you will pull hard and if you ride away then so be it.

I just joined the OCC and will be doing rides with them.
Nice move, enjoy!

Must be a pretty good race, I saw a couple of National Champions, and Belov in the first couple of rows.

A citizen's road race allowing aero bars? Sounds scary.

While we were lining up, a guy in full TT kit rolls up and positions himself at the front. Solid disc, aero helmet, the works. I kiddingly say to the guy next to me, "must be he's planning to go off the front and not look back". He did, beat the field by 2min on a pretty hilly 36 mile course. I believe he was caught once (possibly by our boy KP), but he went again. This race had some studs in it, I was thoroughly impressed.