Club rides and riders off the back

jerry3571

Hi, I have bee riding with Cycling Clubs since the late eighties but there is a constant issue with riders who get dropped. The last two weeks we've had riders who have blown up half way round (experienced riders) and was wondering if there was a way of towing riders back home. There are always lots of tossers who want to make it hard and push on but I'm the one who ends up wiping the noses of the dropped riders.
I know a towbar can be put on a seat post to tow a Kids bike and I have heard of a retractable dog lead type thing which has been made in New Zealand. Just need a way of aiding ailing riders.
Our Club has failed to have club guidelines on riding etiquette like the CTC and I kicked off about this at the AGM. My request to have these Guidelines was ignored so now the rides are becoming more like a chain gang mentality where even pointing out potholes is a luxury. I spent years shouting at riders to behave and it drives me potty.
Just need a way of helping dropped riders get home. Guess it has to be Highway code legit as well.
Any help please.

cougie

I think attaching yourself to riders is just asking for trouble.

If it's new riders struggling then typically we'd have a rider or two dropping back to get the poor cyclist back to base.

Why are experienced riders blowing up? Why can't they make it home themselves? I don't think the club run can nurse everyone home. As you say it's happened for the last two weeks. It's their look out I think. Id hate to make a whole club run wait for me.

imposter2.0

Think this might be a wind-up..

OnTheRopes

You could organise a slower group ride, maybe even starting at the same time and place, if there is a cafe stop then you could take that group on an easier/shorter route and all meet around the same time. I know of at least one club that does this succesfully

slowbike

Imposter wrote:

Think this might be a wind-up..

I think you may be right ...

experienced riders from the 80's blowing up on a club ride ... then whinging about getting home?

Nah - bolx - experienced riders know their limits and how far they've got to go and if a few hullabaloos want to chaingang then they'll let them go. Even if they do push themselves too far experienced riders know how to plod back ... they've done it before!

jerry3571

I'm afraid I'm not winding people up. We just had one bloke where they got over excited on a flat Road in a tailwind then went South over some big lumps and this guys legs stopped. Think he said he had his hip realigned that week so might have found a load of new muscles being called in to play. The one last week was on his old steel bike and was a bit heavy. He was perplexed about it too.
The first guy I nursed to a train station where he caught a train back.
Think people just want to stay with the group and also group member encourage the rider to continue when they should turn off early. I always keep my legs good until the last five miles and then I'll push a bit on the hills otherwise I'll hold back. Some people do push on too which puts other rides in trouble too early which is just human nature but a pain in the butt as I go back to tidy up. I hate being the rider who shouts to keep things pukka. My mate said trying to look after a club ride us like setting loose a sack of rats.

drlodge

I think the club needs to set a few rules and expectations, then make sure someone is in charge to apply them:
- Club rides need to have a well defined purpose e.g. are they "training" or "social" rides. I would expect the former to be at a higher pace, and possibly shorter in length, no stop. The latter are at the pace of the slowest rider, with a coffee/cake stop, longer and more relaxed
- Someone needs to be in charge of the group, preferably also assign a "sweeper" to make sure no one gets dropped off the back without knowing it. It should be made clear at the start what the likely pace is, to communicate up/down the group and announce other rules/etiquette
- There needs to be protocol set and adhered to for riders who (a) join a group they can't keep up with (b) realise part way round they can't keep up with. Of course if its a social ride then this is irrelevant, since the whole group slows down to accommodate.

It sounds to me though, like you should look for another club!

fenix

You need to get your club runs a Patron.

I think Bernard Hinault is retiring this year ? Hire him ?

jgsi

The club just needs to organise a 20 miler for this lot..
You now, if you join a club and it is not specifically a tourist / CTC club, then you gotta expect that rides will be at a decent clip.. not stupid pace but a decent pace... how else can you get a 60/70 miles ride without it taking all day ??? We all have lives other than fuffin cycling you know.
Tell them to get fitter or just go with the local tuggos.

jerry3571

Fenix wrote:

You need to get your club runs a Patron.

I think Bernard Hinault is retiring this year ? Hire him ?

Many a true word spoken in jest. Totally agree. The Club has been around for about 25 years and need some old boys and old big cheeses to say what's what. Most senior members are fairly new to cycling and headless chicken comes to mind.

Border Cyclist

Probably unfortunately, this does seem to be the way some group rides are going. My theory is that it is a side effect of the increase in popularity of cycling. Given time, clubs will hopefully restructure the rides so it starts working again (like-minded people grouping together and supporting the group) - but it also needs leadership within the club and on the rides.

NeXXus

You're looking for the wrong solution (getting dropped riders home) what you should be looking for is those riders not being dropped at all, which likely means they aren't capable of that ride and shouldn't be on it.

jerry3571

Oops

jerry3571

Had a relative of a rider today who wasn't up for it and I split off from the group on the end and I helped them home. Did the relative help out, nope. Blah! You thought she'd ask her relative whether she was capable but alas no.
The riders in the two weeks previous usually are fine. Just on a bad day.

Garry H

F@*% 'em all. If they're big enough to ride in a club, they're big enough to find their own way home.

jerry3571

Garry H wrote:

F@*% 'em all. If they're big enough to ride in a club, they're big enough to find their own way home.

Think that's the attitude which causes the problems.

Most of the buggers wouldn't find their way out of a cardboard box. Always

kingstonian

Garry H wrote:

F@*% 'em all. If they're big enough to ride in a club, they're big enough to find their own way home.

Yep.

I was blown to bits on a ride a couple of weeks ago, with 15 miles left I told the rest to keep ploughing on and I'd find my way home. They chose to slacken off a bit (think another guy was about to hit the wall too) but I'd have been absolutely fine with them leaving me behind.

mamba80

jerry3571 wrote:

Garry H wrote:

F@*% 'em all. If they're big enough to ride in a club, they're big enough to find their own way home.

Think that's the attitude which causes the problems.

Most of the buggers wouldn't find their way out of a cardboard box. Always

If you mean they ve been riding since the 80's and NOT that they are in their 80's, then they should be able to find their own way home, they r not kids or new inexperienced riders, who should always be assisted.

Drop down a group or form their own slower/shorter one.

Garry H

Serious answer; depends on the type of ride. If it's a typical Sunday club pootle, then there's a responsibility to make sure that nobody gets lost, or left behind, probably. If it's a chaingang, see my previous answer.

jerry3571

Garry H wrote:

Serious answer; depends on the type of ride. If it's a typical Sunday club pootle, then there's a responsibility to make sure that nobody gets lost, or left behind, probably. If it's a chaingang, see my previous answer.

Slow to medium group. We had a Kid with Mother and the woman who got blown out was in her late teens.

Garry H

Losers!

zoomer42

Just sounds like its the guys pushing it at the front that are the inexperienced ones. Its a club run ffs.

jerry3571

zoomer42 wrote:

Just sounds like its the guys pushing it at the front that are the inexperienced ones. Its a club run ffs.

Yep, me thinks you have a point.
One thing I have noticed is that not too many people check behind. With racing on the telly the riders are always looking about and know where one another is. Alas not on club runs in my back yard. I think it's slightly intentional too as if they don't notice then they just ride off and the bunch splinters.
It is annoying as I'm trying to keep it together. :P

jimwalsh

anyone riding off the front on one of my club rides gets moaned at a lot.

repeated offenders will be subjected to a change of direction when they are going up the road.

wishitwasallflat

I haven't joined my local club because they have a policy that no one gets dropped. I'm worried I won't be able to keep up and there's no way I'm going out with them if someone is going to drop off to nursemaid me if Im too slow. Why on earth would any adult need someone to lead them home?

OnTheRopes

zoomer42 wrote:

Just sounds like its the guys pushing it at the front that are the inexperienced ones. Its a club run ffs.

Yes and to a point very true but there is a limit. New riders should be informed of the expected pace, distance and route, I mean this doesn't sound like a one-off it seems to be happening every week? Whilst it is unfair to abandon a new rider in the middle of nowhere I think some new riders have no idea. If the club wishes to cater for them then they should organise an appropriate ride.
Many club runs will ride 70+ miles so if somebody new turns up every week who can only ride 35 miles but don't know it then it kind of spoils it for everybody else

frisbee

wishitwasallflat wrote:

I haven't joined my local club because they have a policy that no one gets dropped. I'm worried I won't be able to keep up and there's no way I'm going out with them if someone is going to drop off to nursemaid me if Im too slow. Why on earth would any adult need someone to lead them home?

If you ask to return by yourself any club will let you, as long as you look strong and alert enough to make it back by yourself.

Some people dig too deep trying to keep up and would really struggle to make it home safely without being lead and paced.

jerry3571

We had someone clock it from a heart attack once so got that on the back of my mind when an older Guy starts struggling. You can get quite delerios sometimes when, as you say, people go too deep to keep up. Bonking too where the world goes tellytubby.
Someone just text me saying a ctc ride today was a survival of the fittest scenario. Hmmm... Changing times.

Mark Alexander

Imposter wrote:

Think this might be a wind-up..

I suspect not. Ive taken rides and been a back marker looking after riders bringing them back onI've seen it too many times. "Experienced riders" mean riding for some time. This doesn't mean that they are competent. My pet hate in a group ride is that too many riders who are struggling don't speak up, are too proud to say something before they drop off. I've never worried about asking for the front guys to ease a touch.

StillGoing

jerry3571 wrote:

zoomer42 wrote:

Just sounds like its the guys pushing it at the front that are the inexperienced ones. Its a club run ffs.

Yep, me thinks you have a point.
One thing I have noticed is that not too many people check behind. With racing on the telly the riders are always looking about and know where one another is. Alas not on club runs in my back yard. I think it's slightly intentional too as if they don't notice then they just ride off and the bunch splinters.
It is annoying as I'm trying to keep it together. :P

Responsibility goes both ways too though. If you're getting dropped, shout up so the message can be passed along.

If a runs distance and pace are advertised before the ride, anyone participating will know what is expected. If they're not going to be able to do it, don't go. The club can add whether or not there will be any dropping for each ride so riders know whether or not, that if they do blow out the back, anybody is going to nurse them home.

I think some riders in groups lose focus of what club runs are. Some riders have the opportunity to train more, some only get out at the weekend. The fitter rider's naturally improve pace and forget those behind. They get cheesed off with the constant yo-yoing of the group waiting for the slower ones to catch up. Eventually resentment sets in with both parties and the group end up fragmenting. It needs sacrifice from all sides. The faster riders need to make sure they're not pushing the noses out of the slower riders by doing the occasional slow ride. The slower riders needs to appreciate their limitations and allow the faster riders to go off and do fast rides without the impediment of catering for slower riders.

slowbike

Kingstonian wrote:

Garry H wrote:

F@*% 'em all. If they're big enough to ride in a club, they're big enough to find their own way home.

Yep.

I was blown to bits on a ride a couple of weeks ago, with 15 miles left I told the rest to keep ploughing on and I'd find my way home. They chose to slacken off a bit (think another guy was about to hit the wall too) but I'd have been absolutely fine with them leaving me behind.

Reminds me of a club ride I went on a while back - a few riders peeled off 1/2way round leaving me as the weakest rider of the remainder - up the last climb of the day I was struggling - just about stayed in contact then as we got to the top I told them to go - it was a bit of flat, a few bumps then a descent - then I was home - they still had another 10 miles to go beyond that - no point me holding them up. They were prepared to wait for me though.