LawLeet

I will be doing the 45 mile route at Pedaling the Prairie in Hempstead, TX this weekend. I've been training myself to ride 32-35 miles comfortably. What are some tips for a relatively beginner rider like me doing this ride? It's a non-competitive ride but I have no idea how competitive a bunch of the other riders are there so I am hoping I don't look like an idiot who is way behind the pack, as I can only average about 15 mph, and that's on relatively flat terrain. Also, what important tips do you recommend for my very first organized bike ride and common mistakes to avoid?

Thanks!

indyfabz

If the ride is big, assume someone around you is going to do something stupid and, in response, ride defensively.


And if you are worried about looking like an idiot for being way behind the pack you need a change of mindset.

10 Wheels

Have fun with it. It is not a race.

shafter

You will be surprised at the number of people slower than you. Be friendly! Enjoy yourself and have fun.

Red90

If you can ride 32-35 miles comfortably, 45 miles will not be an issue for you to finish. What will likely happen is you will ride faster than you would normally ride. This is just what happens when your excited with adrenaline rushing. The latter half might be a bit tougher as you will likely burn out your legs on the first half.

The problem I find with large organized rides is that you have such a varying level skill as well as experience that accidents can easily happen. You will have riders darting in and out, braking unexpectedly, not calling out... all of which can easily cause accidents. Key is to be able to spot these people out and avoid them. Be as predictable as you can when you ride in a group. Signal when you move, shoulder check before you make a move and call out hazards and if your coming up on someone.

Oh and most of all, enjoy the ride. It's not a competition, so don't treat it as one. These organized rides are about enjoying cycling with other people that love to do the same.

eja_ bottecchia

Great advice.


And, as someone else already pointed out, is not a race. Enjoy it.

caloso

If the ride is on Saturday morning, then tonight (Thursday) take a good look at your bike and make sure everything is in good working order. That way, if you have to take it into the shop, you can do it tomorrow. Otherwise, don't fiddle with it. Just make sure the tires are pumped and the chain is lubed.

Eat a normal dinner the night before and a normal breakfast the morning of. Don't wear anything new that you've never worn before, especially if it's a contact point. Try to get there early enough so that you can reg and hit the portapotties without stress.

Ride your ride. Have fun.

dcwldct

Have fun and don't worry about looking "pro." 15mph is no problem at all in these kind of rides. There will in all likelihood be people both faster and slower than you.
A few tips for riding safely in a group:
- HOLD YOUR LINE! and otherwise ride predictably
- Don't overlap tires
- communicate slowing, stopping, hazards, etc

10 Wheels

Please carry a spare tube and a method to air it up.

ClydeTim

Worried about looking like an idiot? I will tell you this. At the start of organized rides, you have your riders that will shoot out of the gate and burn themselves out in the first 25% of the ride.

I have done a few local centuries and did well. 5:45 - 6:00 riding solo, I hate packs with people I don't know. And every single ride, at the start I watch people around me take off like bats out of H-E-double hockey sticks and think to myself, wow these people must be fast.

Only to have them fade during the ride. SO you may get that idiot feeling at the start of the ride but don't think too much of it as most riders have no idea how to pace themselves and you will more than likely pass half of them during the ride if you just do your own steady pace.

Maelochs

They Will Yell at You.

TimothyH

Hold your line.

Retro Grouch 

If you can ride 32 to 35 miles at 15 MPH or so, you'll be fine. Try to relax and enjoy the ride.

LawLeet

I really appreciate all the quick responses on here! Thanks for all the great advice and encouragement. I'll let y'all know how it goes, I'm excited!

memebag

There will be some fast people on that ride. You won't see them after the start, so don't worry about them.

There will be a bunch of people getting ready for MS150 after a long break. They will be slow. You will not be alone. You will be faster than some of them.

Tips:

1. Take it easy. Don't wear yourself out.
2. Drink plenty of liquids.
3. Consume some simple sugars to keep glucose available to your muscles.
4. Don't overlap wheels with the person in front of you. If they suddenly move left or right (and they will) you will suffer.
5. Enjoy your first organized ride.

Flip Flop Rider

good chance to practice "on your left"!..kidding

Elvo

Expect chaos at the choke points

JanMM

Some club rides ask at the start if there are any new riders so that an experienced cyclist can ride with them, if desired, as a mentor.

Oh, yeah.........have fun!

dedhed

Interact with other riders at rest stops. You can meet some really nice people that way.

faulker479

Everything above is correct. This ride will start out in waves. The first waves are supposed to be for faster riders that are going longer distances.


Act like the other riders around you don't know what they are doing. Don't get too close to their back tire. you may be able to find a group that goes about the same pace as you, but the 45 mile route is relatively flat so if you have to solo through a lot of it, don't worry about it. You should never really be alone out there. It's going to be a beautiful day.


If you ride YOUR ride, you will have a great time.

wphamilton

You're going to have fun, and there are plenty of people who ride slower than 15 average.

My tip is remember that it's just a bike ride. I've seen people lose sight of that, get upset and flustered, and for no reason. Make a wrong turn, or if you get lost, going slower than you'd hoped, who cares? It's still a bike ride.

caloso

I would also add that if you're not comfortable drafting, your first big organized ride is not a good place to try it out.

jefnvk

You likely won't be at the back of the pack, and you won't look like an idiot. I generally push around that pace on such rides, and I'm solidly middle of the pack finish on such rides. Some people will take off kitted up as a group and be gone before you can see them, some people will likely be straggling along on bikes that hasn't seen a servicing in years pulling a kid trailer. You'll pass folks on much nicer bikes than you have, wondering why they have them, and Fred will overtake you at some point.

Your first few miles are likely going to be a gaggle of people. Keep on the lookout, pick your way safely through traffic, do your best to accommodate folks picking their way through from behind you. Don't try to follow anyone too closely (inevitably, for the first bit you will be in close proximity). If you ride clipless, you may find that you need to leave one foot unclipped, there may be a lot of stopping and going for the first few hundred yards. Don't get mad when three people are riding alongside one another, blocking the lane, and putzing about, it happens. I generally find it takes three to five miles before riding becomes comfortably spaced out. Generally, after the first rest stop it becomes pleasant, with people strung out enough to stop worrying.

Don't try to keep up early and find yourself gassed. People may or may not try to talk to you. I generally end up riding along side whomever else has a vintage bike for a minute or three, chatting it up about whatever we are on. Perfectly fine to do so long as you feel comfortable, perfectly fine to politely acknowledge them and move on too. Having spares and tools to fix your own tire saves you a LOT of time, even if it is SAG supported.

scott967

Looks like this ride has route options of 24-71 miles. That suggests a wide range of riders/goals. For first time maybe start somewhat back so you don't have a bunch of rabbits blasting past. After the first mile or so riders will have sorted themselves out, so those around you will be more matched in general speed. Any corners near the start, plan ahead so you don't get pinned on the inside as some riders will naturally drift towards the inside of the turn. Once the pace gets set around you, keep alert for traffic while passing or adjust your speed to keep more or less in the same position. I don't like hanging out at the aid stations, but that may just be me. Some folks will point out road hazards, but on this kind of ride I don't expect it nor do I generally provide this "service", unless something catches me by surprise.

scott s.
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rm -rf

These event rides can be 100 riders, or 10,000 riders. From the video on the 2016 page, it looks like a few hundred riders. They launch groups of 30-50 riders at a time, instead of a mass start. That helps ease any congestion, and many event rides don't do this.

This looks perfect for a rider new to group rides. It'll be great. I still remember the sound of 40 riders clipping in their pedals and the sound of the tires on the road at the start of my first club ride.

You'll probably be surprised how fast the 45 miles goes by. A solo ride often seems way longer to me. I suppose it's partly just the amount of stuff happening to distract me, and a little internal push to go faster. With your 15 mph average speeds, and 30-35 mile rides, you'll be fine.

Just be predictable, avoid sudden stops, and don't swerve. Assume someone is inches from your back wheel and ride accordingly.

We need a ride report after your ride!

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Going faster
My local Bike Cincinnati ride is on flat roads, and I did it last year. I got in a group of about 30 riders doing 20-23 mph and the draft behind all those riders, riding three wide, was amazing. That's a lot faster than my solo pace.

But that can be sketchy, it only takes one mistake to cause a crash. I was watching the riders to see if they were smooth and predictable.

These big, fast packs can be fun after you get some group riding experience. On your ride, you'll likely be riding with just a handful of riders at a time -- easy.


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Bike club rides
Bike club rides can be a blast. The weekly bike club group rides can be anything from casual, conversational pace with a small group, to larger rides broken into speed groups, to full blast, hard effort rides.

My local club has 25 mile, 12 mph average rides, with stops along the way, and fast 60 mile steep hill rides. But most rides are in the middle of that range.

Contact a local club and email or talk to a ride leader for a ride that interests you. They can fill you in on average speeds (which is affected by hills and stoplights), and also on typical flat road speeds for the ride.

Most club riders can hold the group's pace for the whole ride. Solo riders can get in the habit of pushing hard, then coasting or slowing, which isn't so good in a group. Groups tend to hold a pace. The easier rides often have a water stop along the way.

...

This is a BikeForums inside joke. (Along with "dial it up to 400 watts" and many more.)

No yelling on your ride.