Riding in a group of cyclists can be a real challenge. It’s hard to know what the “rules” are. They tend to vary from group to group and ride to ride. This can be especially challenging for a newer rider. So let’s discuss some of the aspects of doing this in and Audax style environment.
Audax Riding: This is a bit different from most group rides. Many rides tend to become “races without rules.” Audax riding is not about finishing first, but rather about going the distance and finishing together.
On Audax style rides, it is more important to work together than to try for maximum speed. If you are unused to riding in a group, don’t feel intimidated. There is no need to ride extremely close to other riders. Communication is essential. Let other riders know what you are going to do. Call out and point out obstacles. Announce when you are slowing, stopping, or doing something sudden. Expect to come to a full stop at stop signs. Then to proceed in pairs, after each pair has made a full stop. Don’t worry, the ride will slow, and then re-group after each stop sign. Stay inside your comfort zone around others. And be prepared to let them know, politely and early, if you feel crowded. It’s okay.
Pacing is important. This is not truly a “no drop” ride. There is a pace. There is a schedule. There is some flexibility, but it is not unlimited. The spirit of the thing is “One for all, and all for one!” That said, each individual has a responsibility to aid the group in maintaining good progress. Pace line riding is not an essential skill for this kind of ride. More, the Tune Ups are a great place and time to work on those skills.
What we are training for is a rolling average of about 15 miles per hour. That’s a lot faster than a lot of folks might think. Rolling average is what the average speed function on most bicycle computers gives us.
I don’t honestly expect to hold that average on the Tune Ups. It’s a goal.
If a rider is lagging behind the group, I will move that rider to the front of the group, just behnd the lead. This is not punishment. The pace of the group is controlled by the best pace that the slowest rider can manage. More, a slower rider will find that, when drafting behind the group lead, they will have a strong advantage, and overall pace will increase.
There are a couple of places in each of these routes where we relax the “group stays together” rule a bit. Then we re-group and continue with a common purpose.
Spirit of Compromise: Every rider has some “specialty,” some area in which they are stronger than others. Some are climbers, some are great descenders, some can sprint, and some can just diesel along in the flatter terrain. What happens on these rides is that everyone must limit the thing they are best at, and work a bit harder on their weaker areas. The objective is to reach the end without over-taxing any member of the group. It can be a lot of work, but it’s incredibly rewarding.
A word on the routes: The Tune-Ups are deliberately run over terrain that is more demanding than the actual Audax Ride. How can that be? There’s a mountain in the middle of the Audax Ride! The answer is simple. There is more climbing, or elevation gain, per mile in the Tune Up routes, than there is on the Audax Ride.
How the Tune-Ups are ridden: We start out at a very easy pace, to allow warm up on the route. After 15 to 20 minutes, expect the pace to pick up. In order to meet the intended average, it is necessary to ride above that speed for most of the ride. We need to capitalize on every bit of flatter terrain, and every bit of descending. It’s about efficiency, not about racing. These are training rides. We are working on fitness and skills. But they are not intended to be grim. Camaraderie is a big part of this whole experience. It’s fun to ride socially!
Tomorrow: What to expect from the Tune Up routes
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