stapfam

This is turning into a Series but I think it will help to get some new riders on the right track. About a month ago- one of my neighbours got interested in bike riding. I Loaned him my old OCR and told him no pressure- Take it out whenever he wants on a local Mup and see how he gets on. Only a few 10 mile rides but 3 weeks ago I suggested he did a Pie ride with me. 20 mile ride to the seafront with a break halfway through it for coffee and Pie. The idea was that the following week we do a hill but it finished up as the same ride but about 5 miles more. So a total of around 75 miles and last weekend we were going to do that hill.

What we call the ZigZags- a series of hairpin bends up a 450 ft slope at about 8%. Problem is that there is a 1 mile drag up to it with a 3% slope so for a newbie you hit the hill tired.

9AM and we left home and several of us on different rides and capabilities and out through the lanes across the marshes to the cafe.



At the cafe it was Pie for all as it was Beverleys ride for Pie and then me and Mick started off on our trip. Two of them turned back as the pace had been a bit high for them and the fit ones were off to play on the offroad hills. Mick-My new rider is in the Orange top and Paul the real newbie is in the Black



So gentle up the 3% and the hill started. First hairpin and Mick was in his lowest gear. 200 yards later and he was breathing hard- too hard so I got him to change two cogs higher to rest the lungs. That worked but 200yards later and he changed down again as the legs were hurting. From here on I was watching him closely and juggling to stop the lungs from bursting ot the legs giving out. Only one point and I thought he was going to stop and that was after the last hairpin. For 50 yards it went to 10% but talking to him and only 200yards to go-Don't give up now- you are nearly there And he got to the top. I told him to get off the bike before he fell off it but he had just done his first hill. His legs were like jelly and he couldn't talk but he had done it. Marvellous.

Gentle ride home and I walked him for about 1/2 mile to give the legs a rest through the shopping precinct. He needed that but back home and he had done 800ft of climbing today in 31 miles. He had climbed a mountain as far as he was concerned and to me he had. Saw him 6 hours later and his butt ached- hes legs were killing him and he had found muscles he never knew he had. But we are out wednesday evening for a Gentle ride without so much as even a slope.

And he is no longer a newbie- He is a Novice rider.

bigbadwullf

That "pie" looks like enough for a 100-miler

Looks like a fun group of guys.

DnvrFox

You are going to have to charge for your valuable training services. And, whatever that is - pie or cake or ??, I want some. Send air mail first class and I will pay the postage.

indycar

+1 what Dnvr said.

TomD77

If the Brits can call cookies biscuits, they can certainly call cake pie. You can't expect them to be as American as Apple Cake.

dahut

Looks like fun. I've never done a social ride like that.

John_V 

Looks like our twice a month, Saturday ride group. We do 12 to 18 miles through downtown and the surrounding islands and stop midway for coffee and pastries (cake and pie is also available). These are nice and easy 12-14 mph rides and very enjoyable. Getting to downtown Tampa, we take residential back streets so we get a chance to chit-chat along the route before we have to ride single file through town. I really look forward to riding them each month.

PS. Some die-hard roadies might not call this group riding, but I fail to understand why a "group ride" has to be determined by how fast you can go while drafting and not getting dropped. Our rides usually have 10 or more riders and that's a group.

Beverly

Those are the type of rides I love..... friends and food

dahut

I fully get the roadies concept of extremism. I just cannot keep up with them for long - well, I don't imagine I could. I live in rural, South Cackalacky.
There are about as many hard core roadies here as there are fun-ride riders. I generally ride alone, if I'm to ride at all.

stapfam

Have to admit that although I enjoy this type of riding with Mick--The differing levels of fitness- competitiveness and bikes amongst a group like this is hard work. At least with Mick I can get a ride with a purpose. All I have to do is get Mick up to a 50 miler with effort and it will be better. And on the Pie side-The rest had apple Pie- but this is a slice of Cream Pie that came from a large slab. May look like Cake and there is some sponge in it- but I enjoyed it.

Next major ride for me will be in August- and hopefully for Mick aswell. 71 miles from London to Hastings and it will pass through my town. Hope for a 5 hour time so I will have to get Mick working by then. Otherwise he might be 30 miles short when he passes near home and drops put. Till then it will be progressive rides for Mick to up milage- Up effort and uphills.

BluesDawg

Who says it does? There is room in the big wonderful world for many different kinds of group rides. The trick is to make sure that your expectations of the ride match those of the other riders.

stapfam

Wednesday evening and Mick came round and asked if I wanted to ride--YES____HE ASKED ME!!!

So took him on a 15 mile ride. Took in a few slopes at around 5% and I pushed him hard--Not really as I was working hard and he stayed with me. Showed him the joy of "Interval Training" 3 to 5% slope and Sprint for the last 200 yards- and I made him sprint. Got to the top and I put him in a low gear and told him to turn the pedals. Took 1/2 mile before he recovered enough to pick up speed but then I would not let him slacken off. No more sprinting but I kept him working at a speed that he was breathing hard enough to make it difficult to talk. Last mile before home and I upped the speed a bit and told him to stay with me. He was on my back wheel as I pulled into the road.

So 15 miles in 58 minutes. He was finished and would not have done another 5 miles at any speed but he enjoyed it. He found out how high he could be pushed and found a new route he can do on his own that has a few slopes on it.

He did ask one question though- "Should he get Bibs or shorts" He now knows what biking is like and will shortly look the part aswell.