Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Video of my first club ride with a BF member

Today I took my first real group ride (http://www.hammerinwheels.com/events/51658992/?eventId=51658992&action=detail) with The Hammerin' Wheels Road Bike Club. This was a 28 mile ride with a couple of short climbs and descents, but nothing real grueling. It was billed as a ride for "intermediate beginner +" riders. Why did I ride a beginner ride when I'm not technically a beginner, you ask? Well, all their intermediate to advanced rides have average speeds that I know I can't maintain, so I was waiting for a ride that I knew I could keep up on for the entire ride.

I met BF member sinclac. He was wearing the red Bike Forums 50+ jersey you see in the video, and was one of the ride leaders.

On this ride I rode with the leaders for the entire ride. It started in Roseville and wound through Rocklin and Lincoln before returning to Roseville. The two climbs were on Twelve Bridges Drive in Lincoln. I don't think the grades got much over 7%. I did my usual push hard on the climbs and live up to my username thing. :D

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/150650990

I apologize for the bounciness in the video. I adjusted the straps upward on the GoPro chest strap mount, but it made the problem worse instead of better. :mad:

Video is of the two climbs and descents. The rest of the ride was full of loud traffic and flat to slight inclines, so I figured it wasn't as interesting. Video is 100% natural sound. This means female cyclist heavy breathing on the climbs, so be forewarned!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAp7PqiUtPQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAp7PqiUtPQ

Nice freight!

Ive also been tempted to join rides - what was the average speed over the ride?

Thanks magohn. :)

Average moving speed was 14.7 mph, according to the Garmin data I linked to in my OP. There were several stops for regrouping, which lowered the total average speed to 11.1 mph.

That's beginner??????? WOW!!!

I know! :lol: My instincts are never wrong! :D I had a feeling that their idea of "beginner" would be my idea of "freight training uphill". Sure enough, I was right. Max heart rate of 200!

Nice ride Freight. I noticed on the downhills you like to catch and pass whoever you can (good girl). I try to do the same thing (Makes me a Masshole :innocent: ). I pretty much go just about (give or take) the same pace (14.7), but when with others, or catching someone I can do a 16-20 mph pace... So is that your usuall pace, or do you tend to go faster or slower when on your own?

Looks like a good time.

Nice ride Freight. I noticed on the downhills you like to catch and pass whoever you can (good girl). I try to do the same thing (Makes me a Masshole :innocent: ). I pretty much go just about (give or take) the same pace (14.7), but when with others, or catching someone I can do a 16-20 mph pace... So is that your usuall pace, or do you tend to go faster or slower when on your own?
I think riding with others makes me push myself harder. My typical climbing ride average speeds range from 9-something to 12-something, depending on the difficulty of the climbs. I've had a few rides with even lower average speeds, due to ridiculously steep climbs.

I think riding with others makes me push myself harder. My typical climbing ride average speeds range from 9-something to 12-something, depending on the difficulty of the climbs. I've had a few rides with even lower average speeds, due to ridiculously steep climbs.
Riding with others does make one push a bit more. I find that when I'm by myself I have to make sure that I don't lollygag at times.

So true! I will freely admit that I don't push nearly as hard on flat ground on my solo rides. On yesterday's ride I kept the pace higher on flat ground to stay with the ride leaders, especially since they knew where they were going and I didn't. :lol: I didn't want to have to stop and dig my cue sheet out to figure out where to turn next.

Hmm. When I read the subject line I thought you were riding with Mr. Beanz.

I wish! Unfortunately Mr. Beanz is a few hundred miles too far away, so I had to settle for riding with another Sacramentan. :p