Originally Posted by
pallen
Sounds like a good workout. The surges are what I was talking about. A group that goes a steady 23mph can be easier to hang with than a group that averages 18, but constantly surges, sprints and attacks. The latter will probably make you faster.
While surging can be an issue, in my experience, very few pacelines average 18mph unless that they are a C group. 23mph average is a fair average in a paceline for a decent cyclist.