Group ride pace
 

I'm contemplating joining a club for some group rides. This is posted on their website:

Groups are usually organized by speed and distance.

‘A’ groups are the fastest and longest (approximately 90-110km at an average speed in the low 30’s kph).
‘B’ is the intermediate group (60-80km at an average in the high 20’s kph), followed by
‘C’, the slowest (about 60km at an average in the low 20’s kph).

Within each category of A, B and C we may break the groups down into subgroups (e.g. A1, A2 etc). Our goal is to have groups of 8 to 10 compatible riders (with a maximum of 16).

So I'm curious, when they say average in the low 30's kph, is this the speed they normally maintain on flats, or is it like actual average, entire ride distance/total time?

Obviously, having never ridden in a group I'd start with Group C to learn the ropes, but I'm just wondering

It would very much depend on WHO shows up for the different groups.

Give it a try.

You may make some new riding friends.

The fact that they say average probably indicates an average speed, if you are in a flat area, then an average pace of 30kph sounds fast, but if you are only pulling on front 1/10 of that time, it will take the same energy as averaging 22-25kph by yourself. Still, it's no place for an beginning rider...it probably would include some times reaching up near 40kph on flats.

But as said, if the ride splits, the slower group would be the ones not wanting to push that hard.

Usually the avg speed... How hard that is depends on the route and number of riders. Going with the C would be a good intro. Then maybe ask one of the people who did the other groups after to see what they actually did.

12strings you see that he said Kph not Mph right.. 30kph is only 18.5 avg.. on a flat ride that would be the B group on the club/shop rides in my area.

Ride average


And those are pretty good stratification for training ride

Should be ride average. I suggest you pick a ride pace that is a bit on the easy side first. Move up as you get a sense of the "real" pace.

Don't discount distance either...


I could ride at your describe A speed for about 40 km, but not for 100km, probably not even 60.

Haven't made up my mind about joining. It be something different for me as I always ride solo. I'm just still unsure about trusting myself (and others) to be in such close quarters.

As far as my own pace is concerned I am normally in the high 20's kph riding solo, up to 100 km, on moderately hilly terrain, so I'd probably settle into the B Group after learning the ropes.

It may or may not happen. We'll see. Thanks for your comments.

I don't understand why clubs and ride organizers always assume that those who can't ride as fast are incapable of riding longer miles.

Just because I can't ride 22 MPH average doesn't mean that I want to do a shorter ride.

Is this not a logical assumption? Beginner tend to ride slower and also shorter distances. Sure, one can ride 100 kph at 20 km/h, and one can certainly ride 35 kph for 50 km. But it's uncommon as I imagine not many are interested in doing 20 kph for five hours, or doing a fast ride for an hour unless that's part of the training.

Start slow, work your way up.
Postings like that are notorious for not representing actual speeds.
I would take the intent to be that their average as shown on their bike speedometers is that speed at the end of the ride. And they may go substantially faster at times. And they may go substantially faster uphill into a headwind, for that matter, it just all depends on the riders.

1. Ridiculous nonsense is bolded above. It made me laugh. Disregard.
2. Groups always inflate their advertised avg pace (delusions of grandeur).
3. Clarify that it is a no-drop ride and you'll be fine.
4. Enjoy!

Honestly, if you are reasonably fit, i'd ask about hanging with the B group. Hang at the back if you have to for a bit, but there's little that you can learn from that C group.

I didn't say anything about beginners and have been riding road bikes for 39 years. Beginner is your assumption. You did exactly what mentioned in my previous post.

Just because I can't hold a 22 MPH pace doesn't mean that I can't ride a metric century. The same is true of many people I ride with. Not only am I capable of riding 100km at 17MPH, I and many of the people I ride with are quite happy to do so.

Just because we are not fast doesn't mean we are beginners.


-Tim-

I wasn't assuming that you were a beginner; in fact, I was fairly sure you had quite a bit of wear on your tires. :lol: But generally speaking people who have been riding for a short time are likely going to be going slower and shorter distances. That seems logical and reasonable to me.

FWIW 27+ kph for 100 km is not slow, at least not to me.

it's impossible to be inclusive of every type of rider on the road (or: MUP). but that list as a rule of thumb is very representative - or, as representative as possible - of the main classes of recreational riders out there.

and it sure reflects local observation and my own progression here.

maybe the pace and distance you describe represents some sort of audax/randon-inspired type riding, but those kind of riders arent the ones interested in joining the common local groups, anyway

And since you talk about we, clearly you have already found your group. 'C' rides are geared towards beginners. Once those beginners become more experienced they will move on to other groups, whether faster ones or ones that ride longer. Can't really see the issue here. The club is not 'assum[ing] that those who can't ride as fast are incapable of riding longer miles,' they are simply offering a short easy ride for beginners. What's hard to understand?

Do not co-mingle experienced group riders and beginners unless it is a "beginners" ride.*

*Confucius say

Not true around here. The "C" groups are specifically set up to teach a newbie how to ride in a group, ride in a paceline, etc. And from what I understood the OP has never done a group ride.

I did a couple of rides here with the BikeRoswell group, a pleasant group of folks during the rides but the C ride was slow, short, frequent stops - boring. B group was faster but not really the advertised pace with the regrouping stops, nor was the A bunch in my opinion except on a few flat stretches.

I gather that every riding group puts their own take on this, and [MENTION=381746]mcours2006[/MENTION] basically has to try it and see. i really think that the concern about learning group riding is overblown for anyone with enough solo miles since at least half of the group riders I observed in all of the groups were, to my eye, a little sketchy in handling skills.

Sounds like you have the right idea. Regardless of how fast or skilled you might be, you don't know THEIR rules, so start with the 'beginners.' Unless you want to get yelled at. :)

What's so ridiculous about limiting the size of a group? I've been on plenty of mega group rides, and they're generally OK, but 6-12 riders really is an ideal size for a paceline; if you get too many more, it's too easy to get strung out, or devolve into a mob. When taking a group on busy roads or routes they may not be familiar with, these can be problems. Or were you just laughing at the idea that the leaders would know who's "compatible" with whom, or that such a policy would be enforced? I suspect the groups are actually self-selected.

yep. with 10+, its statistically inevitable for the group skillset to be stretched wide, as evidenced here by the various interpretation of 1 explicit original set of guidelines posted.

usually, the problem sorts itself out after the 1st or 2nd climb, when the group halves.

further, 10+ for causes traffic issue whether single or double-paced

That's not the case here. The C group is mostly seniors riding comfort bikes, and the rides will generally use the local MUPs & residential roads/side streets. The B Group is geared toward performance riders, and uses higher volume roads. It often splits into 2 groups, with the slower group focusing on learning techniques used for safe group rides.

I think it has more to do with time. In general, the club rides try to fit into roughly a 4hr block, then people get lunch after.

The different groups will all try to end at approximately the same time so that people can socialize.

This.