ricohman

1. Ask a group to slow down?
Or
2. Do as many pulls at the front of the echelon as you can then hang on the back like a parasite until you recover?
The club I joined has weekly rides. This weeks ride was about 30 miles. The speeds on the flats were about 22-25mph with a downhill at 44mph.
I am presently doing #2. I do as many pulls as I can but I need to ride on the rear of the echelon until I can recover.
Or is it better to just drop off and complete the ride alone? I am getter better each week but I don't want to be thought of as a parasite!

JPradun

Definitely don't ask them to slow down.

Do less (or no) pulls, and just hang on the back. It's not bad form unless you actually screw up the paceline, which can be avoided in every situation.

Since it's a training ride, don't drop off and then ride alone. It's not a race, so no one should care if you don't pull your weight. If they ask, just tell them you aren't strong enough yet, so you have to draft.

Joemess

Not a great idea to ask them to slow down.... However, if you are about cooked, just hang out in the back. Just communicate with the other riders what you are doing.

LowCel 

In order to keep the paceline running smoothly just do about a five second pull when you get up front. Everyone in the group should understand that if you do extended pulls you will get dropped so it shouldn't be a problem.

Spring Water

And if they yell at you for not pulling, tell 'em to piss off and find a new group

ricohman

That sounds like a great idea. But what if the next rider takes 30 seconds to advance in front of me? The echelon was two lines of riders rotating, if that makes any sense.
I did find that some guys increase the speed when they get up front and these surges were hard to deal with (for me). I think I will have to communicate better at what I am doing and see what they say.

LowCel 

As soon as the rider that was pulling in front of you is far enough back that you can get over do it. As far as the riders accelerating when they take the pull that is bad form. It doesn't give the previous rider time to recover. There should never be a sudden acceleration when someone takes the lead unless they are trying to drop riders.

spry

Tell them to pull your finger PHFfffffffftttt!

If you're asking this question it must not be a fun group.None of those clowns are pro's or will be.

umd

Depends on the type of group and who you are to them.

umd

Reverse elitist fail.

umd

In MY experience, most groups won't care about anyone that isn't interfering with the dynamics of the rest of the group. If you want to hang out at the back and it is a rotating paceline, make sure everyone knows that you aren't coming to be coming up the advancing line. Often in our groups someone will sit at the back of the rotation and sit just out of the way of the rotation, so that when the last rider looks back at the advancing line they will see the last rotating person moving up and know to take their place. Also that person sitting at the back will sometimes call out "go x", "go y" to remove any ambiguity. Other people who wish to sit out will queue up behind this person. Sometimes on the really fast pacelines (28-30+) there may be less than half the group actually rotating.

recon455

Yes, depends on the group. No shame in asking a few of your buddies to slow down(and that doesn't necessarily make you a weaker cyclist than them). But in the group you describe, I don't think it is appropriate.

Don't take pulls.

DScott

Or, ask at the start of the ride?

45suited

I doubt you are, but it would be bad form to contest any sprints if you are not taking any pulls. Like UMD said, make sure to take away ambiguity from the situation. It is really annoying when you start getting constant gaps cause there is someone hanging on back, and you don't know what they are doing.

datlas 

Random thoughts:

1. Short Pulls as above.
2. Can you find a slightly slower group? In other words, if this is the "A" ride maybe there is a "B" ride??? If there isn't, maybe you can start one!
3. Don't ask them to go more slowly. Not cool, even if they are road nazis.
4. If paceline dynamics prevent #1, then hanging out at the back is probably OK.
5. Do some intervals and soon enough you may be strong enough to render your question moot.

stevegor

Excellent advice, take it.

logdrum

And if you got caught by a group, it is usually best to hang out in the back if you can hang with them. Do not just pull (even if you can) as it may cause nervousness especially if they do not know you or you are NOT a recognizable pro.

I was in a group that caught me and I was happy just resting out in the back. Then they caught this guy and I think his ego was bruised and he started taking pulls that slowed and/or endagered the group. He was clearly cooking himself for nothing. He got spat out after a couple miles. I think it is okay to ask the group top slow down if there is a dead deer on the road or you are their training coach.