Truthfully, I'd expect a little honesty right up front. If the group had reservations, then state them.

Options:

1) Sorry, our group has decided we are "full". Of course, if you opt to do this, stop advertising your ride.

2) We are sorry, but our group is "invitation only" and then, only after a member rides with you a while to verify your SAFETY practices are sufficient. Nothing against you, but we use advanced techniques and will be trusting you with our safety, like you will be trusting us with yours. We can arrange for a member to join you for a 20 mile ride very soon.

3) First time riders stay at the rear on day 1 unless invited to move up. You don't get dropped, you're in.

4) You need to ride at the back with your left hand on the right brifter and right hand on the left.

I agree with the charity ride idea. my only experience in riding with a group (more than 2) was at a 2 day charity ride and in the begining you see every type of bike known to man, after about 20 miles you are seperated into where you belong and it in turn is really good practice (assuming you can control yourself) for joining pacelines and such with no stings attached.

People initially gave the hybrid i was riding alot of looks, but then all the people with the expensive bikes enjoy the draft you give by being big and upright on a hybrid after about 50 miles of proving you can keep up. I only enjoyed one silghtly derogetory comment about my "mountain bike".

also now is the right time of the year to join. if you wait a few weeks everyone will be fit and trying to catch up in fitness level will be difficult. (this is assuming you live some place with seasons, and the current one is cold)

Can someone condense this thread for me? Or is the same ole' same ole'?

op - someone looked at me funny because i showed up at a local group ride on a bike with fenders, and was out of shape.

the gallery - yada, yada, yada.

Summary:

Show up the first time on a group ride, not looking the part, and expect to be met with suspicion.

Correct

I knew I would miss all the fun. I went shopping with my daughters today. When I came back all the 'yada yada yada' multiplied to 5 pages.

Have any of these been covered?

Don't worry about what bike you have.
Learn to ride in a pack.
All roadies are a-holes.
Quit being a crybaby Fred.
I can hang on with my old mountain bike w/ slicks on the A rides.
Join the C group first.
I ride alone so I don't have those problems.
Troll alert.

i forgot to mention that patentcad posted a pic of patentcadette's date to the prom:

It is a good thing you joined the thread. Somehow we had missed 'Troll Alert'.

What tha hey? I've got to go back and see how this evolved into a squirrel dressed like a mobster.

One thing I know about elitists in my group rides, they do not whine. And our motto is "HTFU"

Well, here's my elitism moment last Saturday. Two new guys joined the group (Me and Fred). Fred was dropped on the first hill. I dropped all but one at the end of the 80 mile hammerfest. Guess who was accepted?

Right! They went back to find Fred at the coffee shop and handed me a Go F-yourself Card for the next ride.

you're not one of those boring as puck hammerheads, who says nothing all day, and accelerates on hills, are you?

No, I talk.

That was my standard accessory when I was riding in NorCal during winter. As for OP, it's also what attitude you bring to the club. Sometimes it can be just in your head.

that's ok then.

group riding is overrated, just ignore those bast4rds.

here in seattle you pretty much MUST HAVE at least a full rear fender (w/ extension flap) to go on any serious group rides, it saves those behind you from being sprayed.

that's awesome.

My best friends on my team are my toughest competitors when we ride together. We had a 70 mile hammerfest last Saturday where we all tore each other to shreds. No race scheduled for this weekend in Oregon meant that we all got to wail on each other for a while after three straight weeks of weekend racing where half the team wanted to take it easy.

Then we sat down afterwards at the coffee shop and laughed at each other's stories of the day.

And when it comes time to race, we know each other's strengths and weaknesses so we can ride effectively as a team.

This is why I ride. For the experience of trying to hold the wheel of a person two Cats above me up a hill or beat them to a town line sprint. For pushing my limits to pull the group at 20 mph into a 25 mph headwind. There is nothing like the end of the ride, talking with friends, exhausted after a hard ride, telling each other stories about the last race or how hard that hill was or how difficult it was to see the group you wanted to stay with ride off without you.

BOO HOO! if your not a racer why do you even need to do group rides?Stick to cycle touring seems it would suit you better.Anyway this strikes me as a troll post.

That poor Trek 1000! Sniff... And by the looks of the bar wrap, that person is riding the heck out that poor bike.

To the OP, from one Fred to another, it's better to gain respect with fenders than to shed them, and your rack, and your large seat bag, and your cut-offs and still get dropped and still no respect.

Was it LeMond who was asked, "How did you do it?" "I ride my bike. Ride my bike. Ride my bike. Ride my bike. Ride my bike. Ride my bike... r..i..d...e... my...bi..ke........."

In defense of the pace group, have you ever rode a line with even one other rider and know the rules, calls and signals? A group at your appropriate level will provide the training with less pressure and danger to learn the etiquette and rules of high-speed group road riding. It's intense and yes, dangerous.

Best of luck.

I don't know if you guys feel the same but if a guy shows up wearing an overcoat with a bike with fenders, I am thinking he may have a bomb. If I suspect that, I ride with my Kevlar vest. I normally feel better if they have a couple of cards clothespinned in their spokes

incorrect.

Showing up with pink handlebar tassels and shaved legs is key to confusing them all. Then you attack.