Training with friends...

[Aerow]

How do you train with people who average different speeds? I have a group of buddies that ride together sometimes at lunch, but our levels are so different from each other that, if we want to get a good workout in, we usually end up riding our own pace and alone most of the time.

Are there some strategies the bike teams use to help the faster riders grow right along side the slower riders? Yet still work together as a team, and not make anyone feel like they are 'less' of a rider?

Thanks!

[nathank]

well, depends on what type of riding (road or off-road) and how much of a difference...

road: if everyone is relatively experienced and can safely draft and ride closely in a group then the stronger riders can 'pull' the slower riders, of course they have to make sure not to go to fast and 'drop' the slow guys... if there's not too much of a difference this can work OK and everyone get good training... if there's more of a difference of some new riders, then you need to teach how to safely draft, etc. and remember to point out potholes or obstacles or whatever when riding in a paceline

[velocipedio]

Ahhhhhhhh... the group training paradox. Depending on the size of your group, these are some options...

1. Ride in a paceline. The stronger guys pull longer, the weaker guys don't pull at all.

2. Choose known routes with lots of loops and set meeting places. The stronger guys can go off faster and cover and extra loop or two as long as everyone knows where the re-group points are. You can also select regroup points along a linear route, allowing the strong guys to hammer on, and then regroup.

3. Allow attacks. This is the most fun. Make rides competitive. On many of the rides my group does, we have sprint points and attack hills. The stronger guys go all out to win sprints for beer [last wheel pays], or whatever, and then ease up to allow the other guys who opt out to regroup afterwards.

4. Define diferent kinds of rides. Everyone needs LSD recovery rides; turn these into keep-the-group-together at all costs rides. If you have a large group, split into two smaller groups and observe #2 or #3...

Every group faces this dilemma...

[Aerow]

Originally posted by nathank
...and remember to point out potholes or obstacles or whatever when riding in a paceline

This mention of pointing things out interests me. I am new to group riding, and on my first big group ride with much more experienced riders, I noticed the guy up front making some kind of hand signals pointing down at the road.

Is there some sort of commonly used cycling hand signaling for communication? Is there a web site that shows what the signals are?

Thanks!

[bac]

Originally posted by Aerow
How do you train with people who average different speeds?

This is a technique that I've used while mountain biking with people that have a variety of skills and fitness levels. I use a sort of time-based handicap. It works really well in terms of motivation, and EVERYONE gets a great workout.

Here's how it goes. Everyone leaves @ a different time based on their ability. For example, if I generally cover a 10 mile section of single-track in about 1 hour, and Jimmy covers the same section in about 50 minutes - I simply leave 10 minutes before him. Now do this with a bunch of guys, and it gets interesting. Everyone comes together @ the end of the ride for an exciting finish!

This method makes everyone competitive, and the finish is awesome. Also, to discourage sandbagging, handicaps are adjusted after every ride!

I'm not sure how well this translates into the world of road riding, but it has worked out very well in terms of mounting biking. :D

[roadbuzz]

Originally posted by Aerow
Is there some sort of commonly used cycling hand signaling for communication?

There is some discussion here (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9700).