Originally Posted by
kbarch
Are you saying that knowing your cadence (and more importantly, having a good sense of whether it is changing) keeps your pace lines in order, but it just so happens that you don't need a speedometer? )
No. I never said anything like that.
I said that i have never been in a pace line where Anybody had a computer or maybe two out of 12 or 15 ... and No one said I was Disrespecting the other pace line members by not having a computer.
That specific idea, that a person Not using a computer or speedometer, was Disrespecting his fellow pace line riders ... was raised above. I don't care enough to see who said it but it is as ridiculous as the notion that you cannot ride a good pace line without a speedometer ... or the notion that it is not easier to ride a pace line with a speedometer.
I won't pretend to have a huge amount of experience ... but in my limited experience, riding a steady pace line takes a good deal of practice. One cannot simply maintain a cadence ... when that wind hits, the lead rider has to increase power to match it. and knowing how much to increase so as to not slow the line or stretch it is not natural or easy. A speedometer could make it easier to get the feel at the beginning.
As many have noted, bicycle pace lines predate bicycle speedometers by a good bit ... so speedometers or computers are Not necessary, and not using one is Not disrespectful. I do think using a speedometer could aid a rider to learn how much harder he needed to push to hold a pace, and would also make it easier for a cyclist to know when to pull off.
Hyperbole and absolutism are two great attributes of silly internet arguments. Because I am a spoilsport, and only enjoy life when I am ruining others' fun, I wanted to point out some factually unsupportable notions I saw here----Not using a speedometer is Not disrespectful to fellow pace liners; a speedometer is Not essential to riding a good pace line; and the second rider in line Cannot simply maintain the same cadence and power when he moves to the head of the line.
Maybe there are people who will claim they know their cadence to an eighth of a rev and know their power output to a fraction of a watt at all times ("I dialed up 400 watts .... ") and maybe there are dogs which talk. But I do know that people can learn to ride a pace line with Zero electronic aids---and I imagine that having electronic aids ... well it would be easier because one had aid, right?
That is what i was saying.