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Originally Posted by RPK79
(Post 18372231)
Nothing funner than powering up series of short steep rolling hills and dropping a group.
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Originally Posted by OldTryGuy
(Post 18372510)
Even better is when you are first to the top, turn around, go back down and ride with the last rider encouraging that person. Have done that many times and always received the most heartfelt thanks from the rider.
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Lower back pain can also be a sign that your bars are too close and that you are not stretching your torso properly, leading to poorer blood flow. Then I replaced the 130 stem on my rather large touring designed commuter with a custom 180. (With the 130 quill stem, the bars were both too far back and too high; I was very good at bending my arms so aero wasn't an issue.) Radical improvement, especially when climbing! Now, all my bikes have long stems, are unusual bikes or custom made. And now, if I buy a new bike, it is almost routine that I call my framebuilder and order the next stem.
With my arms and build, the stock bikes that fit with production stems aren't that common. And until very recently, I had no reliable sources for longer than 130 production. (Nitto Pearl 130s are actually 140s. Nitto measures the Pearl size from HB center to perpendicular to the quill/steerer axis, not center to center as viewed from above. This makes the larger Nitto stems almost exactly a cm longer than the same designated European stem (and the rest of the Nitto line). Ben |
Originally Posted by practical
(Post 18371775)
How important is it to you to compare yourself to others? Do you compete in other areas as well? I really don't understand the need to "keep up". It didn't sound like you had anymore fun riding a group ride compared to riding alone. I like riding with others but why make it a competition?
Because the huge majority of people that say they are not competitive and have issue with other people being competitive are only that way because they realized long ago they themselves lack the ability to be competitive. It's simply a defense mechanism of sorts. Who wants to be one of those people? |
Originally Posted by practical
(Post 18371775)
How important is it to you to compare yourself to others? Do you compete in other areas as well? I really don't understand the need to "keep up". It didn't sound like you had anymore fun riding a group ride compared to riding alone. I like riding with others but why make it a competition?
Originally Posted by PepeM
(Post 18371780)
Because it is a lot of fun.
His "didn't get dropped" comment, though, with thanks to divine providence was something of an eye opener. Just like the so-called "call of shame", what's the big deal getting dropped? I assume he makes his living doing something else, so who cares? Some folks are better, some folks are worse. Makes absolutely no difference in the long run...unless you don't know the way back home. |
Perhaps I should clarify my above comments. After a good part of a lifetime competing through school and career on a daily basis, it is nice to not have to do that on the bike. My life is plenty fulfilling as is without racing for the town line sign.
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Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
(Post 18372698)
His "didn't get dropped" comment, though, with thanks to divine providence was something of an eye opener. Just like the so-called "call of shame", what's the big deal getting dropped? I assume he makes his living doing something else, so who cares? Some folks are better, some folks are worse. Makes absolutely no difference in the long run...unless you don't know the way back home.
Making that one hard kick at the top of a climb to latch back onto a group can save you a lot of energy in the long run compared to letting them go and slogging home into a headwind by yourself. |
Originally Posted by Dan333SP
(Post 18372735)
Personally, I don't ever want to get dropped on a group ride because it's just so much faster getting home if you stay in the group. Even without the competitive instinct, it's as easy riding 23-25 mph in a big group as 19-20 is by yourself.
Making that one hard kick at the top of a climb to latch back onto a group can save you a lot of energy in the long run compared to letting them go and slogging home into a headwind by yourself. |
Originally Posted by bakes1
(Post 18372664)
Duh...
Because the huge majority of people that say they are not competitive and have issue with other people being competitive are only that way because they realized long ago they themselves lack the ability to be competitive. It's simply a defense mechanism of sorts. Who wants to be one of those people? |
Just keep showing up.
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Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
(Post 18372780)
Well there's your mistake. Always go out into the wind and come back with it.
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Originally Posted by Dan333SP
(Post 18372828)
I like the perverse inverse of that. I prefer to go out with a tailwind because it makes me feel strong and encourages me to ride further than I was planning. Sure, going home sucks but I got in a better workout.
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Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
(Post 18372788)
I see you have it all figured out.
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Originally Posted by simot
(Post 18371886)
Loving the replies guys, honestly didn't expect I'd get so many. :D
@woodcraft No, I don't get back pain when I'm alone. That's why I suspected the high speed/attacks to be the culprit rather than bike fit. I don't go that fast, nor do intervals. @TimothyH It really was a great day, I've rode with these guys before, but I was just getting started and usually get dropped. lol Actually finishing with the lead group in sight was quite awesome for me. @rm -rf Thank you for the advice, I'll try to work on pedaling faster rather than harder. :) As for drafting, we ride in two lines and each of us do his turn in the wind. But some of them stay behind. I'm not sure what the technical term is, but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. Spot on the tires as well, I have schwalbe lugano and found a rolling resistance test here about them: Schwalbe Lugano Rolling Resistance Review They gave them a 1/5 :roflmao: @PepeM Thank you! I'm sure once I'm riding with the guys more, I'll figure out their tactics and act accordingly. This was the first time riding with them this long. @practical Main reason is to get better, stronger and of course, faster. I loved every pedal stroke of the ride. I'm fine with the fact that their better, I know they are. They're riding for years and I' didn't even finish my first. They're also the ones that are attacking and raising the pace, I'm just looking to keep up. I'm sure you wouldn't like getting dropped, would you? they asked me to join the local club, so who knows, it might get competitive and I end up racing, which I'd love to try. :) @UnfilteredDregs Ha! We already have a screamer on the group, I don't think he'd like another one. :D Thank you, I'll try to focus on my cadence more and see if that reliefs the back pain. |
Someone actually asked, on a road bike forum, why people want to be competitive and don't like getting dropped? Did I read that right??
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Originally Posted by Lazyass
(Post 18373169)
Someone actually asked, on a road bike forum, why people want to be competitive and don't like getting dropped? Did I read that right??
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Originally Posted by Lazyass
(Post 18373169)
Someone actually asked, on a road bike forum, why people want to be competitive and don't like getting dropped? Did I read that right??
The whole point of mentioning that is so many folks don't seem to know it. There is another way to live. |
Originally Posted by UnfilteredDregs
(Post 18371783)
Practice yelling at people.
:roflmao2: Get really good at always actively scanning your closure on those in front of you in the line using peripheral vision always anticipating changes in speed, etc.. You're primary focus should always be on the road ahead. Get good at moderating your speed via drag, meaning opening/closing your cross section to the wind via tucking or sitting up higher...skew adjacent to the outside of the slipstream as necessary to subtly decelerate, soft pedaling, a very slight bit, literally an imperceptible smidgen, of braking is okay as well. Your back was killing you because your fit isn't right, assuming your conditioning is pretty good and no medical conditions. Get used to the lighter guys outclimbing you, find what you're good at and make up for it there. Spin, higher RPM is your friend. Agreed with this ^^^^ 1. pay attention to gaps, "Always be closing gaps, always be drafting" when you are not pulling. 2. If possible be in first few riders when approaching a hill, this will ensure that you stay in the front group with the pack splinters. 3. Whenever you crest a hill DO NOT stop pedaling, and grab a wheel in front of you. This will help if the pack pushing on. 4. In a group ride... If you are not moving up then you are moving back... assuming that the group is not in a pace line. 5. At the lights move to the front. 6. I love love love pushing the pace on the flats and pushing the smaller guys... because they will push the pace on the hills and punish you in return. 7. I can't repeat this enough.. if you are not pulling then you should be drafting.. in group rides this is essential... NO gaps in front of you. When drafting go in the lowest gear possible to maintain the pace. Save the muscles for when you are pulling. 8. Keep hydrated with electrolytes and snack every 30 minutes. *I didn't spell check so don't kill me. |
Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
(Post 18373192)
That's right. Not a racing forum, a road cycling forum. Big difference...or so it seems to me. Not everybody is out there pretending they're in the TdF.
The whole point of mentioning that is so many folks don't seem to know it. There is another way to live. |
As for the back pain; it's probably fit, and even if fit is pretty good, a low cadence and, I suspect, mashing too hard IN the saddle (as opposed to on the rivet or standing) will aggravate the effects of a less-than-ideal fit.
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I would say that unless you had back pains before, it could just be that you went harder than usual so your body is complaining. Or might be a fit issue, I wouldn't really know but maybe ride a couple more times before making any changes, unless you're sure of what you're doing.
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Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
(Post 18373192)
That's right. Not a racing forum, a road cycling forum. Big difference...or so it seems to me. Not everybody is out there pretending they're in the TdF.
The whole point of mentioning that is so many folks don't seem to know it. There is another way to live. The road forum consists of wide variety of riders, including past and current racers, those just beginning that would like to race and everything in between. I doubt if anyone here is near pro level and pretending that they're in the TDF. But that's not to say there aren't crazy fast riders that like to stretch their legs and challenge their fellow riders. Choose your own ride, but don't put down those that like to do fast group rides and challenge each other. It's fun stuff if you're up to the challenge. And, yeah, I know you were just kidding...... :innocent: |
Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
(Post 18373192)
That's right. Not a racing forum, a road cycling forum. Big difference...or so it seems to me. Not everybody is out there pretending they're in the TdF.
The whole point of mentioning that is so many folks don't seem to know it. There is another way to live. People here on the 41 tend to be competitive... thus the recurrent obsessions that frequent the front pages. People in the 33 tend to be racers. |
Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
(Post 18373192)
The whole point of mentioning that is so many folks don't seem to know it. There is another way to live.
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Originally Posted by jon c.
(Post 18373409)
Would it be fair to call that "other way" a competing philosophy?
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