Originally Posted by
chasm54
This isn't pointless. Having a chain gang going through and off, with everyone taking only a very short pull, can maintain a very high speed.
If you're a team or a an experienced group that knows each other, this is the way to do it. However if you are part of a group that doesn't know each other well like a club rider or a bunch of stangers from a century, it's more impromptu and longer in duration