Weeks ago I participated in a race (Deland Stage Cup race, Florida) and quickly discovered that some group ride experience was really needed to be able to stay in the race the whole way (I got dropped on lap 2 out of 5). It was fun, nonetheless to even try!

So over the past couple of weeks I've been trying to do some group rides, and I've been able to do 2. They both started at a hospital in Palm Bay. I took the slow one the first day because I wasn't sure how fast they were going. Well, I was pretty disappointed. We rode in a single file line with a bike and a half length between bikes. That left for a small amount of draft, and made me think that it was pretty pointless to even do a group ride. Once, I got out in front to lead, and they yelled at me to slow down (they made us keep it around 20mph, and my comfortable speed is 25mph). Then, once I decided to let someone else set the pace, I got out of line to drift back to the back, and they yelled at me to get back in line! The real kicker, though, was that it took 2 hours and 30 minutes to do a ride I could have done by myself in 1 hour and 45 minutes. Pretty gay.

So this week I went with the fast group, and they go 25 to 30mph at any given time. THAT was fun as hell. Everybody was really nice and I got into a conversation with a 50 year old lady about bikes and racing and group riding and everything before the pace really whipped up. Once we started up, I was doing well for awhile. I managed to stay with the pack for about 45 minutes but, again, the turns were what wore me down (glide in, accelerate out). I did better than at the race though! I only stayed with the pack for about 20 minutes then. So my goal for next week is to stay with them for an hour before getting dropped. We'll see.

Just thought I'd share.

''Pretty gay?''

Well, then.

Homophobism aside, what ride was it? My friend is on vacation in Florida with her bike and she has nothing to do.

I think he means that in the way Ozzie Guillen called Jay Mariotti a f****** f*g, as in LAME, not *****exual.

I just think it's a lame trend of my generation. Moron-ism at it's best.

You said your comfortable solo speed is 25mph. You should have no problem staying with a group going 28mph if you're drafting. What was the average speed for the race you entered?

--Steve

Wish my comfortable speed was 25.

yeah, I didn't mean it seriously. Just that the ride was a little lame for me.

It was the Palm Bay ride that meets on Malabar Rd. at the hospital. Know it?

I don't remember what the speed of the race was.

You're right, I shouldn't have had a problem, but I'm used to a slower acceleration than the ones normally done out of corners in a group ride. Given this, I was worn down by the corners until I was absolutely exhausted.

I avg. around 16.5 to over 17 mph but I ride in the mountains. I wished I could ride flats for a month and get my avg. Damn flatlanders! Just kidding guys!

I, on the other hand, think you're really lucky for having mountains! I drool over the thought of a tough, 15 mile climb! Just haven't had a chance to find one. There just aren't enough here in Florida.

25 mph? Are you sure you're not talking kph? Is your computer set right?

I call shenanigan!

yeah..."slow" group rides rarely go above 20 mph. as inexperienced as those people sounded, and without much benefit of drafting either, i doubt they were averaging 20mph.

OP's location: Cocoa, FL. I visited there 20 years ago. Unless there's been a major geological upheaval, it's as flat as can be. I don't remember any highway overpasses, either. 25 avg would be doable, even for me - and I'm a 16.5 - 17.5 avg in rolling hills.

Good for you for pushing yourself, OP

B

Yeah, that's about right. Flat as Florida could possibly be. Thanks much!

Flat but also hot and humid but I suppose one could get used to that.

I don't know, seems rather unreal to imagine peeps riding at 32kmh and be considered slow.

Actually, the OP is pretty much confirming what I've been getting from a bunch of *new racer* posts. It's not the speed that is usually the problem, it's the repeated accelerations.

I'm in a pancake flat part of Florida and the local B ride advertises they do 18-20mph, which in reality probably means 20-22mph (group rides always seem to go faster than the listed speed ).

Hell Yeah!! I just went on my first group ride with the GF and we got into the mdium group which is supposedly 14-17 mph...We got dropped after about 4 miles as the first 4 they were doing more like 21-22 mph...I was like WTF!!!