aquateen

Oof...This was my first ride with this group and I got dropped a little less than halfway through the ride on a long climb. I could probably have caught up again but I got stuck behind two lights. Any words of encouragement???

A few things I will change next time:

-get there early. I arrived basically right when the ride started

-ride towards the middle/front at the beginning and give myself more room to slow down on the hills

-not ride tired. With the great holiday weekend weather I put on a bunch of miles and I still felt it in my legs today...

mattm

It happens to most at some point.

Just keep it up, and you'll get faster (though things won't feel easier as the saying goes).

aquateen

I was a little worried about starting with a group this late in the season. I guess it's just more motivation to get off the couch and out on the bike...

Walter

If this is your first time getting dropped you haven't been riding for long, or you own a pharmacy.

Seriously, everyone gets dropped. It just happens to some of us more frequently.

zonatandem

Repeat . . . repeat . . .

aquateen

Yeah I've been riding for just a few years now. This is only my second time on a group ride. Last time I hung out, but it was a different group.

squamish5

you haven't really ridden till you've been dropped...............................
I have ridden!

umd

+1 If you aren't ever getting dropped you aren't riding with a fast enough group, or you should be getting your pro contract in the mail soon...

dahut

Humbling, aint it? Humility is a bitter pill.

Sometimes you don't win. Youre doing the right thing, seeking ways to change and improve the situation.

carmonkie

On the flip side, I used to get dropped every weekend and kept going back for more until one day I was able to finish with the group even to the final sprint. That day was great. Its a mild paced group (19 average), but hell yeah I can now finish with the main pack most weekends, some others I still get dropped.

caloso

A tried and true tactic for non-climbers like me is to get to the front on the approach to the climb. That way you can drift through the group on the climb -- and hope that you don't run out of group before the top.

And HTFU.

Seattle Forrest

Hill repeats. Lots of them. Go find a hill that takes five ( or ten ) minutes to climb, and do laps for an hour, every other day. You'll hate me for a while, but eventually the climb will take a lot less out of you.

If you do repeats ( or intervals, or whatever else gets recommended ) get enough protein to keep those leg muscles fresh. I say that, because you could do the hills for months...

fa63

+1

aquateen

a week later and a successful second attempt! i stayed with the pack up the hill with no problems at all. riding on fresh legs really made the difference. only problem was i made the turn off for the B ride and realized that i was the only one doing it! luckily i had a cue sheet and was able to meet up with the rest A riders and finish the ride strong.

the question now is whether to try to the A ride next week. my average speed was about 16.5 and i think the A riders normally do about 19-20...although there definitely were some slower dudes in that group.

umd

Try it... worst case, you get dropped

dahut

Fresh leggs help. If I ride hard day after day I peter out after a few. The answer for me is to take a day off.

ls0725

I did consecutive group rides last Labor Day weekend starting with Friday, Saturday, Sunday...then the final Monday group ride. 10 miles into the ride and I got dropped. I guess I was pushing it. Lonely 10 miles back to starting point.

roadiejorge 

Don't let it discourage you, think of it as a challenge to hang on and you'll notice that with each ride you'll get stronger. My first group ride was pretty embarrassing because I thought I'd try an A ride under the assumption all of the miles I had ridden meant I was fast enough, needless to say I was dropped not too long after we left the parking lot.