I think goals are important. We are either getting better or worse. It's hard to stay in one spot.
I achieved my summer goals (Seattle-to-Portland, hit 144 fpounds or a few seconds) and now need new ones. I'm trying to come up with something I can do, something not out of reach.

Good cyclists:

• Hold their line, don't wobble and worry riders near them
• Hold their speed in a group, don't brake or stand or stop peddling suddenly
• Look comfortable on their bikes because they are
• Don't panic when bad stuff happens
• Know how to ride their ride and enjoy it
• Know how to not screw up someone else's ride

I'll bet when Lance was at a low point with cancr and could hardly ride, but still didi we'd all have reccognized him as a "good cyclist" even though he was short on strength.

That said... in a nutshell, riders slower than me suck, riders faster than me are compulsive over trainers with no life. Riders just like me know teh golden path.