Advice needed

Dazzza

Now the group i ride with are a good bunch but one is a bit of a problem, he's big and slow and an asthmatic so stops on every decent climb we do.

Now i don't want to throw an ultimatum down but by the same time im really starting to get faster and like to attack hills with a bit of gumpton so this guy is really holding back the group and tbh it's getting on my wick, he's been told to bugger off by another group that the same admin was involved with now he's gone and tagged onto this one!!

What do you folks do when your too fast for a group, i know there's ride on my own option but i find it boring, any suggestions?

Andy

Are you serious?

whyamihere

You should probably sell your bike.

Dazzza

andrew156 wrote:

Are you serious?

Yup this isn't one of those threads im being honest, which i might add makes a change.

Im not trying to blow my own trumpet this isn't what it's about im just wondering what you do if a guy is clearly holding back the group of if you find yourself being held back too much.

It could give me some options i haven't thought of.

The guy has caused problems and ended splitting up the previous group admin was in control of so id rather not go down the him vs me route as it'll cause problems.

Mancunianfightingcat

find yourself a faster group, where you're at the lower end of their fitness/skill league.

I can understand your situation, I was the same with snowboarding, I'd reached a plateau with my regular mates, but I went away for a week with someone who was much better than me. 7 days of chasing him round the Alps brought me on massively.

It's not really fair to simply bin the slow guy off, have you tried encouraging him and maybe giving him some advice on how he could improve?

Andy

Well i'd suggest you contact the company that sponsors you (giant I assume by the bike) and tell them that he simply isnt up to your standard and get them to drop him. If nothing else it is ruining your training and could end up costing you podium places which, lets face it, are what you and giant are ultimately after.

Dazzza

Here we go............Andrew consider yourself ignored.

Mancunianfightingcat wrote:

find yourself a faster group, where you're at the lower end of the fitness/skill league.

That would be nice trouble is the only one i know of is very clique many riders give them a wide berth.

Im all for riders of different abilities but it's really affecting things as everyone else is reasonable whilst this one guy would be quicker if he pushed it around, rather than cause problems within the group i would rather see what alternatives there are that don't cause problems.

Andy

Cliques are created when some riders believe themselves above most others. By singling out this one guy you are basically just creating your own little clique.

Sarnian

Is It possible to help him on he's fitness and riding ability, so he can come into line with the rest of your group

Dazzza

Afraid not, already been tried before, basically he's not willing to hep himself so ends up dragging the group down, a good paced ride tuns into a gentle plod.

They tried suggesting he try a different group more in line with his ability that way he'll have more fun but instead he caused dissertation between the ranks by stirring up problems which ended up in the previous group falling apart.

Admin refuses to do anything about him just in case he ends up splitting this group apart like he did the last one so lets him carry on, leaving many good riders held back.

Hence my dilemma, id sooner leave than cause problems but it's coming to a head imo.

cat_with_no_tail

If the rest of the group seem happy for this guy to tag along, maybe you should go and find a faster group to ride with.
Cant you just attack the hills with this gumption of which you speak, and then wait for the slow wheezy bloke at the top?
Are there lots of you that ride? Why not suggest having 2 groups, a fast group and a slow group.

Oh, and above all, remember, you were probably once that wheezy slow guy, slowing everyone else down. They didnt boot you out did they. Too many club riders seem to be cock-slapping, lycra clad, snobby barstewards. Don't turn into one of them.

Andy

Why not just refuse to wait for him? If the whole group starts leaving him behind he will have to do something about!

blister pus

It's very easy. You go at the pace you want, and need, to go to get the max out of your riding and your enjoyment. Buy a farking tandem if you want company and expect to go at the same pace as everyone else.

BurtonM

your making a mountain out of a molehill.
1) wtf is admin, and why do you have it in a little riding group.
2) just because he cant climb hills doesnt mean you cant. Im not the best at climbing the hills but all my friends would wait for me at the top if they had to, likewise when im at the
bottom of them and theyre coming down.
3) why dont you ring lance and see if you can ride with hhis crew?
joking about number 3 , but if you have his number pass it on 8)

Dazzza

Lol no that would be harsh and cruel, he still turned up for the ride so fair play but still he doesn't seem to care what he's doing despite knowing full well it's causing problems.

Cwnt, we have our share of slow riders, this guy is more than slow, take a typical decent hill, two minutes later and we're still waiting on him, it's unfair on him and unfair on us.

Yes i did struggle on rides but i made sure i got myself to a decent enough level before i turned up more regularly plus i rode with the slower groups anyway and left for this one when i grew out of them.

Well i've tried the whole slow and fast group thing which is a good idea but there's getting people to turn up as people well are people so you always end up wit those who say they'll turn up but never do turning it into a two person slow ride instead, plus the group is still fairly new so numbers aren't that great.

I tried asking admin into splitting the rides but he's more worried about his personal life than the group as a whole, least that's the impression im getting.

So for the time being i tun up but like today ride for two hours after they finish as that seems to be my only alternative so far.

I say admin because i don't want to name names plus it's group of three anyway.

BurtonM

ohhhhhhhhhhhhh. i thought you meant like feckin secretarys.
why dont you let him start ahead of you, and then try and catch him up. It means that you can still get the max out of your ride, set yourself a little challenge, and then this guy can get to the top of the hills, have a suitable rest etc and be ready for the next one

Dazzza

Lol no, trouble is there are a ton of routes plus they are all played by ear on the day anyway, there's so much choice that we tend to go where we fancy.

Andy

Tell him one route then go another

Dazzza

Nearly did today as the others were getting frustrated

I'll leave it go for now and see how things pan out plus i wanted to vent on here a bit anyway, like the guy hell im usually the numpy sat at the back as you always have the fast riders front and back that way it keeps the group together, he's just being a bit inconsiderate that's all.

I mean if i signed up to say a tdf riding group id expect to be laughed out of the group, similar rules apply here that's all.

thekickingmule

Maybe set a route one week that will be a toughy. A real hard slog for you and the others, but warn the other guy that this one may not be for him. He might get the point, if he ends up turning up on the day, make it known to him that you'll have to change the route now as there's no way you'll finish the long hard slog in time.
It's cruel, however it's a fair enough point IMO.

Anonymous

seeing as this is the crudcatcher..............

i think you should let the rest of the group get ahead and you should ride with the slow guy under the pretence that you want to give him some tips or you fancy an easier ride, then, when he is properly blowing hard after a tough bit of the trail, stab him. stab him right in the big fat gut.

then haul his enormous fat frame off the trail and leave him with his head pointing backwards.

LoUiS1985

so why don't you just blat up the hills as hard and fast as you like, then have a rest and wait for him at the top??

either that or just stop being an intolerant d**k

Anonymous

stab him, right in his floppy belly.

Dazzza

Lol you have me worried sheep, i think you've done one afghan operation too many.

He's a nice bloke just incredibly slow, meh i've decided to let admin sort it out it's their problem anyway, if it narks me too much i'll just leave and ride on my own, no fuss that way, i will explain to admin why just so there's no hard feelings.

blister pus

Rather than kill him and whatnot. Why don't you wire his bike up for electric shocks so when he dips on the pace he gets thousands of volts going through him. That'll teach the fat fuck - and make him go faster.

bomberesque

OK, of course we're only hearing your side in this, so I'm simply going to assume that it's all true and reasonable and that said puffy bloke would, if honest, admit to it all. Chances are this isn't the case as we all have our own perspective but there you go.

if you have a majority who feel the same way but a leader who doesn't want to do anything about it then you need to talk to your leader as a group. Your leader says he's worried about the group splitting but by doing nothing that's going to happen anyway it sounds like.

I'm dead set against excluding riders from a group personally (unless they are being complete c*(ks, which happens) but it's not my group it's yours.

Once you have the group on board then you can approach him. You've done it the polite way it sounds like, so you need to push a little harder. If you act as a group (perhaps not approach him as a group, which would be rather confrontational, but atleast act in agreement as one) then this guy won't be able to drive a wedge and you are likely to be able to get him to listen to you and act rather than start being divisive again.

If you think that there's a way (and a will) to keep him within the group then you need to work out ways to help him. Serially dumping him on tough rides is not the right way and is frankly dangerous but suggesting a few training rides (quietly tailored to push him) may be one way, or even getting together as a team to enter a 24hr and give him something to aim for. Some people find it very difficult to raise their fitness and that could be what's going on here.

I don't know how old you are but believe me; this won't be the last time that you have to live/work/spend time with someone that you'd rather not. Get used to it and work to turn it to the advantage of the group as a whole and you'll all learn something (and maybe puffy bloke will learn how to keep up!) Perhaps someday someone will return the favour.

/edit; or you could do what sheepsteeth said which would at least have the advantage of expediency

Mr Wu

Another thing to throw into the pot being a fellow asthmatic, is get him to have a look at his medication.

I take a blue inhaler (reliever) everywhere i ride, but in the mornings i take the brown one (preventer) and if im going on a mammoth ride i take a few puffs of the green one(superdooperer one) before we set off, the green inhaler (seroxat i think its called) is like an in-between of the brown and the blue.

Failing that send him up my way and we can wheeze our way round England together! :-)

Don’t be hard on the bloke, especially if you don’t know him very well, cycling to him could be his only release and you and your girlfriends alienating him isn’t going to help matters. It could put him off for life.

If you spend as much time encouraging him as you do moaning about him his fitness should soon improve ;-) (or even suggest him a fitness plan, set him goals to achieve on his own etc) There are alot of ways around it, help the man, dont just be set on your own goals, to me it would be more rewarding knowing ive helped someone lose a few pounds and got him up and running than sitting round a table at the end of the ride laughing about the fat bloke that used to ride with us.

Im sure I speak for alot of people when i say that weve all been there at some point, its a bit like the whole driving thing, we all learned to drive at some point, yet who irritates you more on the road than women? leaners :-)

Be kind, cause at some point when youve come off your bike at speed and hurt yourself you just might need a fat man to pick you up cause all your mates have shot off infront of you. :-)

supersonic

This is one reason why I like to ride alone - not because I am fast (though I can be ;-)), but because my health problems require me to rest often.

Maybe organise your rides into serious and more leisure based? Can you take a heavier bike maybe?! Sounds like the lad needs some guidance.

BurtonM

I ride with my dad, he waits for me at the top and i wait for him at the bottom, its the way it goes. Plus if he makes a big deal about my fitness etc i can politely tell him to fack off and not lose a friend.

rmj555

I always ride solo. Not everybodys cup of tea but you can do what you want ie speed and routes. Try it and see, if you havnt already.

Lone wolf 8)