Originally Posted by
Lizzylou
Ok, this may be a dumb question... but for your first group ride, why go with a group that is going to ride in an aggressive fashion?
I think I rode with groups for about 3/4 months before I put myself in a group where the pace was more serious and with an organized paceline being formed. And I didn't stick to the casual groups because of speed concerns, I really had to hold myself back sometimes, but because I'd never ridden in a group before, and wanted to break myself into it slowly.
To me, it makes more sense that the first group ride a person does should be a fairly relaxed one so that you can get used to riding with others and learn how to do it. Afterall, you don't start your cycling career by riding a century.
Granted the casual groups are going to ride slower. But you've gotta crawl before you can walk. That's my 2 cents anyway.
Well, it gives you something to shoot for. I guess for a first group ride, riding with a no-drop group is good. You get a feel for how the line works and the dos and don'ts. But after that, riding with a very aggressive group really gives you motivation.
You get dropped, you feel crushed, you go back the next week, get dropped, be crushed, BUT you managed to hang on longer. So you go back the next week. You get dropped again. But this time, you managed to hang longer.
Also, riding the fast group teaches you why you don't do certain thing. For instance, you don't launch off the front when it's your turn to pull. You drop the group for about 30 seconds, and then they catch you and eject you off the back.
On that note, you learn that you save a little when pulling. You don't go all out at the front because if you do, you don't have the energy to catch that last wheel as it goes by. After that, it's a long, lonely ride back to the start.
That's how I got into group rides and I wouldn't do it any other way.