Chuck Naill

I wouldn't be a candidate for a group ride, but the advice reminds me of when I ran 3K's and 10K's. As I progressed as a runner I new my strategy and it had nothing to do with winning or what others were or were not doing. I stuck to my plan. The really talented colligate runners you never saw after the gun sounded. One piece of wisdom that may apply is being on the outside of wide turns instead of the natural slowing effect of being on the inside. When I ran marathons the crowds spread out to single file after 5 miles.

Nachoman

Riding defensively is always a good idea. And I what I like to do is try and pick out one or two of the most dangerous cyclists and do my best keep far away from them. For example, on the last charity ride I was on, there was one guy that kept swerving around uncontrollably every time he tried to ride with no hands.

CroMo Mike 

Get ready to roll out a little bit early so you can start with a group. At every century I've ridden, a majority of the group started 10 or 20 minutes early. It's easy for 100 or 200 riders to get stretched out on the road to where you might ride alone for miles even though you are making good time. Don't let that discourage you.

rubiksoval

If you can't ride like a pro, the first order of business is to look as much like one as possible!!!

But in all seriousness, OP, don't go in with many expectations except for having a great time and meeting some new people. Tough to say how the fitness aspect will play out, but you could very well surprise yourself. Just be aware and be safe and enjoy.

bmthom.gis

If you find yourself in a paceline, don't overlap wheels, and when it comes time to pull, just pull out and head to the back on the line. Have fun!

rm -rf

Oh yeah, it's good to get there quite early. There can be delays with parking, and with the registration / packet pickup. (But some rides are very efficient at these things: The Redbud Ride -- south central Kentucky, recommended -- had volunteers at each downtown parking lot, and when it got full, they closed the entrance and pointed drivers to the next lot down. Very helpful.)

And it's good to just walk your bike around and see what all the other riders are riding.

I think it's rare to see pacelines at a 15-17 mph average. There will be drafting, but only occasional rotating off the front of the group.

On a real paceline: Yeah, short pulls are fine. The stronger riders would rather you just take a few seconds pull, instead of slowing the group's speed.

berner

The first time I rode 55 miles was near the first time I had done a group ride. I was a charity fund raiser. I made the mistake of starting out way too fast. I got sucked into a faster pace than normal trying to stay with a tandem team. At about mile 45 I paid the price for wisdom as my right calf began to cramp up. Despite the pain, or perhaps because of it, I enjoyed the experience and you will to.

Milton Keynes

I usually ride at an average of 15 MPH, and every group ride I've been on has traveled much slower than that, usually around 10 MPH or so. Not only that, but these no-drop rides often feature a lot of stopping points to let faster riders rest and slower riders catch up and rest a bit, too. But honestly, I've secretly wished that everyone else on these group rides would ride a bit faster at my usual pace. For example, the last group ride I was on was a 35 mile ride which took four hours total, with stops. Now normally I can knock out 10 miles in 45 minutes, and I've ridden 50 miles in 3 1/2 hours, so the pace on that group ride wasn't grueling. But, since it was a no drop ride, several stops were needed to let everyone catch up. And again, it was just for fun, not a race. Sometimes I just have a hard time holding myself back and riding at a slower pace, because I often feel like I need to ride as fast as I possibly can at any given moment. I don't know why, but that's just the way I ride when I'm alone.

So don't worry about being the slow guy, because if you average 15 MPH you'll be leaving a lot of other riders in the dust.

wafflerskillme

Enjoy yourself tomorrow............. :-)

plonz 

I am also riding Pedaling the Prarie tomorrow and have done so for many years. I expect there will be around 1,500 people if the weather stays nice.

The organizers will send the riders off in waves starting with fastest riders first. My biggest piece of advice to a new rider is to start in the wave corresponding to your speed. They will be calling this out at the starting line.

Once you're moving, don't be bashful with your call outs. If your passing, turning, slowing, etc, let the riders around you know your intentions. Many on this ride will even say thank you when you do.

So relax and enjoy the ride!

LawLeet

Just did the ride today and I had a blast! I can't wait to start doing more rides in the future. So excited about getting better in better shape for the future for my new hobby. My time wasn't the fastest, as I ended up averaging only 13 mph, but it is a learning experience for next time to learn to pace myself better!

I want to thank all of y'all for the help! I just discovered bikeforums and am impressed with how supportive and close knit this community is.

10 Wheels

Good Fun Safe Ride...yay

Milton Keynes

You obviously haven't visited the Advocacy & Safety sub-forum yet.

Cyclist0084

^^ This.

I usually average 12 - 14 mph and while there are always people whizzing past me on organized rides, I do pass my fair share of people as well.

Stratocaster

Nice! Glad you enjoyed the ride.
As far as your 2nd paragraph goes...well, hang around. Check out the Roadies section of the forum. You might find a little support, some good-natured comedy, and many that will question you about everything from your grammar to your attitude.

BobbyG

This is why I love bikeforums! Welcome, and safe riding!

faulker479

Since you are in the cypress area, you should check out North West Cycle Club(NWCC). They have a Saturday morning ride that you may enjoy. I've only been out there twice, but enjoyed it both times.


Saturday Morning Rides