dalava

Sometimes if a group looks sketchy, I will go to the front so I don't get caught in any messy stuff.

dalava

If you are looking at joining a club and doing the club ride, start with the group that you think it's just a bit slower than you. You will have a lot more fun, and you can always ride with a faster group if that group turns out to be too slow for you, or you want more training.

aramis

If I couldn't ride in a group and hang out in the back I would have never gotten faster. It really made me push harder if I got my ass dropped on a climb or if I didn't get on the back of the group when they started to really work. If I couldn't sit on the back and observe I wouldn't have been able to learn and get better.

I've seen funny stuff on rides too (group working together to go very, very fast at the beginning to drop riders they didn't like) but I think that's kind of half the fun of group rides, figuring out each groups dynamics and etiquette and all that.

THSdrummer

Personally, I don't ride with others much (yet). The one group ride I tagged along with, it was a fast paced group ride and it was my first one. I was told I could hang in the back, of which I did, until I let another rider convince me to enter the rotation. After several kilometers, I took my first pull - up hill and into the wind - and then dropped back. I had ridden for a while before and just had about 30 minutes to tag along, so I left shortly after that.

Bottom line - I try to do my work even as a newb, but being a newb (and reading all of the "We'll Yell at you" threads) makes it difficult to get to the front. My one pull though really helped me mentally and made me feel strong, although it was very moderate pace at this point. As for people who have ridden for longer than 2 months (how long I had been riding for at the time), I have no excuse for them. Take your pull. It helps the group out and makes you better. I know riding is fun, but I can't imagine not wanting to improve.

That all being said, if I had the time to stick around for when the ride heated up, I would've been out the back and holding on until I bonked. That's exactly what my friend in the group did. He survives pretty well. But for a long while he hardly ever took a pull.

*This was all with some serious local racers*

OldTryGuy

I got dropped today but that was fine. The fun part was keeping up with the pace and being able to take a couple of pulls before I called it quits. My goal was to stay for 10 miles and made it to 13 miles. Part of the challenge regarding riding with faster people is the mental game of making it through the pain until there is no more to give and then going for 100 yards more.

If one wants to improve, riding with faster people sure helps and keeps it fun while doing so.

Somebody always has to be last in line and if it's me I don't mind.

Nachoman

I also agree with this theory of handling a sketchy group. But it's just a lot more work. And if you have to battle with sketchy characters to stay up front, it defeats the goal of staying safe.

bigfred 

I really don't understand how there could be a problem with riders hanging at the back. If you're strong and/or want a workout move forward. If you're not strong, don't feel it today, or for whatever reason don't want to be working that hard, drift to the back and allow room for those who do rotate back to slot in ahead of you. Simple. Easy.

But, as others have mentioned, just don't be the ****** who sucks wheel the entire ride but sprints for the town limit signs.

djski

I hate it. But if I complain too much, my wife will divorce me.