tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post172719793008789651..comments2024-03-18T08:41:35.438-04:00Comments on Lovely Bicycle!: Surviving a Paceline Training RideVelouriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-82758450010915216342012-11-01T05:51:39.725-04:002012-11-01T05:51:39.725-04:00Not at all, the bike club is awesome. (This is not...Not at all, the bike club is awesome. (This is not my own club though, I have since joined the Ride Studio Cafe club - but NEBC is awesome in its own way.) Anyhow, I picked up more bike handling skills after 2 of these paceline rides than I had over the previous 2 years of cycling. In the end I joined a different club, but I will always be thankful to these military-style rides for the skills they taught me. Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-90808388534605990602012-06-04T16:17:58.685-04:002012-06-04T16:17:58.685-04:001: sounds like your bikeclub sux! Sorry to say. I ...1: sounds like your bikeclub sux! Sorry to say. I met up with my club today, second time ever. There were a dude on flatbar-hybrid bike, several dudes with low end modern bikes, me with my high end steel bike and last time I even had my 70th steel barendshifterbike. But we know everyone is a beginner in the beginning. And we Talk instead of lousy easy to missunderstand waves. We ofcourse have the pothole-wave and the lets-turn-left/right-in-that-korner-wave and the "railwaytrack"wave (from sweden, many trains) but that's all! Otherwise we watch and talk to say what to do! And what? one paceline? We do atleast two so that you can chat. <br /><br />About your bike, well, you could use your bike - definitely - and barendshifters rock - you just have to install them right! Put the levers so that you can easily reach them, learn to use your shifters with the last two fingers (litle finger and ring finger they´r called here). Also EAT! If you have no carbs in your blod your gonna get tired, clumsy and freaking slow! I so well recognize your feelin and it just screams to little suger! And fuck the weigh, when you work out you have to get suger and the body won't store it anyway. <br /><br />Good luck next week!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-81885734556363541762012-03-21T01:57:56.093-04:002012-03-21T01:57:56.093-04:00Ha! Great story, hilarious!
I ride a bike similar ...Ha! Great story, hilarious!<br />I ride a bike similar to yours, steel, but with downtube shifters and a moustache bar.<br />Bikes like these are plenty fast, you've just got to believe it. Just about everyone I ride with is on carbon and I hang with them just fine. I remember showing up on a lunch time ride where nobody knew me except for the guy who invited me. Someone quietly said to him that they weren't going to wait for "him" meaning waiting for me to catch up. It turned out that I was the second fastest of that day.<br />I've got a jillion stories like this. It is totally true, it's not about the bike!!!<br />GeorgeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-7429719701314031572011-07-08T20:28:59.303-04:002011-07-08T20:28:59.303-04:00You never replied to my question about women's...You never replied to my question about women's group dynamics, but am pretty sure I know the answer. <br /><br />My pet theory is negative social reinforcement exists even at the highest professional cycling levels.Ground Round Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09103163385322185034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-34542262424229431262011-07-08T20:21:11.035-04:002011-07-08T20:21:11.035-04:00Anonymous Captain - I agree with your method of co...Anonymous Captain - I agree with your method of conducting the rides and with how you describe them. The key to training is for the members of the group to improve, which cannot be done if they aren't challenged - i.e. always waiting for the few who are too slow to catch up.<br /><br />I've been going to the training rides that I first described here for over a month now, and am now in the intermediate group (having moved through beginners, then advanced beginners). Although these are advertised as no-drop rides, what happens is that each group usually splits up in two by the middle of the ride, so that the faster people and the slower people can cycle with those closest to their own abilities. It works extremely well, but the thing is to make sure that each group starts out with two captains. <br /><br />Anyhow, I am very happy that I stuck with the rides, and will probably be joining the team soon. If I ever get good enough, I would like to race. <br /><br />Not sure I agree with your comment about jealousy (i.e. that the women dissing roadies are jealous), as it would imply that roadcycling is inherently desirable to everyone. I do not think that it is. More likely, I think that "roadcycling culture" is widely misunderstood, and that the women making negative comments don't really process that it is a *sport* and not a social activity.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-46483909266260391512011-07-08T15:45:52.195-04:002011-07-08T15:45:52.195-04:00Very interesting thread... I am captain of a CAT 3...Very interesting thread... I am captain of a CAT 3/4 women's race team and was looking up on how to conduct training rides because every since I started this it has been a nightmare. We want to welcome everybody that wants to give the ride a shot but cannot wait for every rider or it disrupts the "training" aspect of what the ride is about. I advertise the ride as "intermediate" with average speeds over the entire ride as 18 mph over hilly terrain. Many of the women that get dropped get angry that we don't slow the pace down or regroup every 5 miles. Therefore we get labeled as "roadie snobs" and many never come back. The girls I love are the ones that never give up. They come back week after week wanting and trying to get better because that is what their overall goal is. They are OK if they get dropped. It makes them work harder and they benefit from that in the long run.<br /><br />What I don't understand from reading all these posts is why so many women riders that are more casual recreational in nature have against those of us that want to be faster and want to race. In the back of my head it sounds of pure intimidation and jealousy. I feel I can say that without arrogance because I was in the same boat at one time. I was scared or group rides, going fast, pacelining, racing, and mixing it up. One day I decided what the heck and went out on a bikeshop ride. It was fast and scary but I didn't do too bad. I kept going back and working on speed, riding next to people, pacelining, and whatnot and the next thing I found myself racing. I'm not the greatest racer and usually finish mid-pack to below midpack in road races but it is fun and for these people on here knocking us, until you get out there and try it don't hate on what you do not know.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-69128209908690281552011-05-21T03:39:12.232-04:002011-05-21T03:39:12.232-04:00All the comments are back, excellent!
Phil Miller...All the comments are back, excellent!<br /><br />Phil Miller - My poison would be more along the lines of Peter Mooney or Circle A. Or Seven! <br /><br />Anon - I agree that paceline rides can be done with bar-ends. But it helps if at least some of the others have them too. If every single other person is shifting without moving their hands from the hoods but me, it introduces confusion and also gives me something extra to struggle with. <br /><br />rustygman - If I were ever to pursue cycling as a sport, I would use whatever equipment was necessary to give me an advantage or at least equal footing with my competitors. Otherwise, why do it? So I am not at all against CF for racing. But will I ever pursue cycling as a sport? Very unlikely.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-86217077334441191942011-05-17T06:15:09.485-04:002011-05-17T06:15:09.485-04:00Good on you Velouria for giving paceline riding a ...Good on you Velouria for giving paceline riding a go. I think the point that may be overlooked here is the level of fitness required to be comfortable riding paceline with the racing fraternity. When I used to race the saying was that unless you rode for 8 hours a week you were wasting your time. If you are not committed to riding that sort of amount the paceline just becomes a kind of weekly excercise in humiliation and pain. You have to ask yourself if you have a) the time and b) the desire. If you do, then a quality steel frame from the 80’s onwards with reasonable groupset and quality wheels would not hold you back. A world of warning though, if you get really fit you will want to race and then you will be looking at carbon fibre in no time.<br /><br />Love your blog, keep it up.rustygmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-50597900060856530782011-05-16T23:16:43.541-04:002011-05-16T23:16:43.541-04:00Velouria,
All too many new cyclists, particularly...Velouria,<br /><br />All too many new cyclists, particularly those who have cultivated a cycle chic/ riventwee self-image, indulge themselves in a kind of overly defensive disdain for road cycling culture. You have not, so good on you.<br /><br />You can ride pacelines with bar end shifters, it just takes some practice and skill. That's not to say you shouldn't get a road bike, because everyone needs to get a road bike.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-43299090525247190722011-05-16T16:49:43.240-04:002011-05-16T16:49:43.240-04:00I would think the ideal paceline bike for Velouria...I would think the ideal paceline bike for Velouria would be a Sweetpea 'Little Black Dress'. Not cheap. Not suggesting that you *need* one to satisfy that itch you want to scratch. But if you really decide that you *Like* riding hard in a paceline with other riders, and you want to invest in something that will last a while, but you aren't competitive enough to need to break away and beat the field... that would be it.Phil Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06588332937109449568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-6699429423913001932011-05-16T10:23:51.373-04:002011-05-16T10:23:51.373-04:00Thanks for posting this. I now know for certain I ...Thanks for posting this. I now know for certain I will never have the urge to try it! <br />I am a little perplexed why you were so surprised by what you found, however. You said it was an intro to racing ride. It seems to me that the vast majority of people who would be interested in racing would START by buying $5k worth of kit! Then, and only then, move on to learning how to use it. Likewise your surprise that people drive to ride. Those of us who read this blog are in the very small minority of "lifestyle" bikers - those who ride out of what might be described as an "ideological conviction." To everyone else, biking is a sport. Like going to the gym. Everyone drives to the gym, right?<br />Finally, there is probably no better symbol of rigid conformity in cycling than a paceline. There is reason road racing bikes exist and have evolved the way they have. They are a tool optimized for specific jobs - pacelines being one of them. Not only are you supposed to synchronize your cadences, but this only works if you can be reasonably sure everyone in the paceline has exactly the same gearing. And, as you found, assume also that everyone can shift at the same time to a NEW gear that is the same as the rest of the line.<br />Thanks for being brave enough to try this and share your experience. Many of us have now had the benefit of learning from it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-67883643233258564972011-05-14T23:07:59.702-04:002011-05-14T23:07:59.702-04:00Le bon coup de pedal est plus important, sans dout...Le bon coup de pedal est plus important, sans doute. Si on n'a pas la puissance et souplesse dans le paceline, les brifters son plus importants.Ground Round Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09103163385322185034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-5273146238155909552011-05-14T22:14:07.956-04:002011-05-14T22:14:07.956-04:00Si vous n'avez pas un bon coup de pedal, ces &...Si vous n'avez pas un bon coup de pedal, ces "brifters", ca ne fait rien.<br />Le coup de pedal, c'est tout.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-82837988844694075682011-05-14T20:34:32.218-04:002011-05-14T20:34:32.218-04:00So I googled this phrase and found out now one in ...So I googled this phrase and found out now one in the new millennium uses it. So sad. <br /><br />Say you are laboring on a climb in too high of a gear. Every pedal stroke you’re heaving all you weight onto one leg, then the other. Sure you can get up the climb, but not very fast. The other extreme is spinning like a maniac, kinda like those spin class peeps. Staying on top of the stroke is using just the right gear to balance your lung/heart power to leg power. If you use too low a gear your legs get overtaxed; too high and the lungs & heart get hit hard. Keeping on top of the gear also means you can allow your trailing leg (the one not doing the pushing) to do some pulling-up work. <br /><br />Brifters help immensely in keeping you in exactly the right cadence by allowing you to shift often and rapidly, so it’s no mental or physical effort.<br /><br />I’m sad to not see this term in wide usage because it automatically keeps you pedaling at the right cadence and the rider doesn’t have to remember a lot of things.Ground Round Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09103163385322185034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-86355639278038760842011-05-14T18:14:02.118-04:002011-05-14T18:14:02.118-04:00By the way - could someone explain what it means t...By the way - could someone explain what it means to be on top of the pedal stroke?Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-84209523294716254682011-05-14T17:53:29.611-04:002011-05-14T17:53:29.611-04:00Last year I completed a 25 mile tour (it was my fi...Last year I completed a 25 mile tour (it was my first time) on my single speed all steel bike Princess. I was second to the last (the last person was on a tricycle.) But I probably worked harder than all those people on the fancy bikes. Next week I'll do it again. I'll try to complete the 50 mile one on a much lighter, but still old steel Spalding roadbike. The people that race looked at me like I was crazy. Maybe I am, but I saure enjoyed it.Sr. Helgahttp://incarnatewordpostulant.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-25831988854120827482011-05-14T16:47:15.674-04:002011-05-14T16:47:15.674-04:00Hi,
Am quite new to your blog and it's one of ...Hi,<br />Am quite new to your blog and it's one of my first go to sites when I boot up the computer. Really enjoying it.<br />On to the post. Road racing has always struck me as very image and status conscious. Just curious on your thoughts about mountain biking. I know you already have bikes for off road purposes, but just curious about your interest in that area of cycling. I've always found competitive/serious mountain biking far more inclusive. There is still an obsession with gadgets and gear but snobbery is almost illegal in that world.jathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11446281159619307581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-62786706513038274292011-05-14T16:11:41.042-04:002011-05-14T16:11:41.042-04:00Glad to see we can post again! I hope you are as ...Glad to see we can post again! I hope you are as proud of yourself as you should be. Even if the training didn't go as you might have fantasized, think what an amazing accomplishment it was, particularly in light of the inherent disadvantages of your bike. When you started this blog you often described yourself as not at all athletic and as a person who could NEVER use drop bars (impossible!), foot retention of any kind (lethal!), narrow tires (razors!), ride a fixie (ludicrous!), and certainly would not have entertained the notion of a paceline. You've done it all! We're all very proud of you. : )kiwigemnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-82891545773119377112011-05-14T15:26:59.556-04:002011-05-14T15:26:59.556-04:00I don't know why the internet seems to have th...I don't know why the internet seems to have the idea that rando clubs are full of people tooling along on Rivendells and BQ-approved bikes with lovingly touched-up twine appointments. The vast majority of riders on most brevets are go-fast types on typical racing bikes. Which isn't to say that you won't be welcome turning up with a fancy steel bike, of course.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-25294164873777482832011-05-14T15:14:24.232-04:002011-05-14T15:14:24.232-04:00Congrats for going and surviving it! I hope you k...Congrats for going and surviving it! I hope you keep it up and keep reporting to us about your experiences. :DRonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16096213034605839343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-67942156678160525612011-05-14T14:29:28.238-04:002011-05-14T14:29:28.238-04:00Wow...Thanks for sharing this experience. All the...Wow...Thanks for sharing this experience. All the times you wrote of wanting to go on a group ride I pictured the social group rides I've been on in Austin. Similarly, those can be intimidating and you have to learn how to ride with lots of other bikes in close proximity - however they are super friendly and fun.<br /><br />I love that you want to learn and experience the various sub-cultures within biking, and that you aren't afraid to admit how hard and scary it can be.BikeBelieverhttp://www.bikebeliever.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-43333415587466758182011-05-14T12:06:18.848-04:002011-05-14T12:06:18.848-04:00Have you looked into Randonneuring? It is non comp...Have you looked into Randonneuring? It is non competitive distance cycling and people ride Hillbornes and beautifully equipped fendered (steel!) bicycles. http://www.rusa.org<br /><br />I'm sure since you read Bicycle Quarterly that you've been exposed to it. <br /><br />Thanks for writing about your experience. It sounds like you learned many things and I enjoyed reading about it.<br /><br />Personally, I'm aspiring to participate in Randonneur rides and enjoying reading about people preparing for the famous Paris Brest Paris this year. Maybe you could find some like minded folks in a local Rando group.<br /><br />xoxo,<br />AliceAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09868420766305024247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-24277392682389819742011-05-14T11:30:11.078-04:002011-05-14T11:30:11.078-04:00Velouria I think you are too hard on yourself. Th...Velouria I think you are too hard on yourself. This was your first time and you did not know what to expect. You wanted to try it and you did it. At least now you know. You should try it again maybe with a bike closer to a racing bike geometry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-38863578568060618602011-05-14T10:18:37.207-04:002011-05-14T10:18:37.207-04:00I used to ride a double paceline (two abreast and ...I used to ride a double paceline (two abreast and 10 deep), every Tuesday evening in Providence with the University bike team. I was really hard work but we did manage to do 30 miles in no time.amidnightriderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13961440167635690163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-71146464000833642492011-05-14T08:32:27.118-04:002011-05-14T08:32:27.118-04:00When I was in college, years ago, I wanted to take...When I was in college, years ago, I wanted to take skiing for PE and you had to take this ski fitness class first to strengthen your legs. I lived with these two guys who were good skiers and I was telling them about these workouts and they looked at each other quizzically and then one said to me: "You're doing all this just to get down the bunny hill?"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com