Group ride PANIC! on a descent....
Howdy,
I still consider myself pretty to road cycling, although I am about three years in at this point.
I was out with the local group recently. There was about 20 of us riding in pairs, with me in the lead next to our ex-semi-pro cyclist, Mark. We suddenly came to a descent I really hate. Its a 400-500m sharp descent with a 200-year-old bridge at the bottom. The road is in a poor state on the bridge, and there is a very sharp right on the bridge itself, and then a sharp ascent.
The lead is not where I want to be at this moment, but we had turned the corner and there is the descent, suddenly I am committed, with 20-odd rider behind me picking up speed. I roar SLOWING once or twice to indicate, this is dangerous, take it easy. BUT I am also still wary that I can't brake too sharply, or someone will be into the back of me.
Mark, of course picks up speed, takes off like a bat out of hell and corners like the pro he is. I take the corner as fast as I dared, but still end up cutting across in front of the cyclists to my left.
I survived, but I got a bad fright and am conscious that I could have caused a bad crash. I have no idea how close I came to other riders.
How could I have handled it better?
Comments
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To be fair once you found yourself at the front there was little more you could do. If you signalled others to slow and take it easy then that is about all you can do.
I would concentrate on improving your confidence for future, ride the descent solo to get used to it. Know the road and how best to position yourself so you don't cut anyone up in future.
Also, when you are riding with groups in future, keep to the rear to avoid any risk if you feel you are unable to sit on the front.
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Also, a group of 20 is too many on most types of open road, but particularly narrow ones. You really should have split to 2 groups of 10.
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Just go down at your own pace. No-one's going to go into the back of you unless you're slowing down when you ought not to be. If you're that slow they'll go round, and if not it's fine
Don't panic, is the main thing. Shouting obvious commands like "slowing" when you're heading into a hairpin is a waste of breathe and just riles you up.
Stay nice and relaxed, nice loose body, look up and look at where you want to go.
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"Don't panic, is the main thing. Shouting obvious commands like "slowing" when you're heading into a hairpin is a waste of breathe and just riles you up."
I disagree. Communication is key when riding in a group. Slowing when those behind you are expecting an acceleration (as he said was after the bend) can lead to pile-ups.
The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
I have found a correlation with people who do a lot of command shouting and people who fall over and cause group crashes. Too much focus on everyone else and not just riding sensibly.
YMMV.
I would question why you're slowing when you ought to be accelerating.
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I agree, with the first part.
On the descending, people have differing risk thresholds and they should be spreading out on a descent anyway. I can't stand group rides where absolutely nothing is at stake becoming risky for no good reason.
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Yeah, YMMV.
The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
Just ride the descent at your own pace with a predictable line and let others overtake you if they want to.
Longer term maybe practice descending.
[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
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I'm curious. What is the fastest speed you have attained while cycling?
FYI - Mine since joining Strava is 85.5 kph descending the Valparola. Trust me when I say people react very differently when those speeds are possible, and I'm far from the fastest.
The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
Yeah not that fast. I think I got near 80 down the Tourmalet, though not for want for trying! Lacking kilos.
But fast on a straight open safe road doesn't really get the same juices going, as well you know!
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Right. So you were no doubt on the road at the same time as others on the hairpin sections and they're all going different speeds according to their comfort level? The OP is not comfortable descending at speed and it is best to advise those around him. Those behind should pass but may not be expecting the brakes to go on when they do.
Communication.
The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
I dunno. I really try to avoid group rides with riders who are more pre-occupied with what everyone else is doing and not just focused on what they're doing. Sure, point out potholes etc, but at some point you need to trust the people behind you are sensible. I find those group rides more stressful and more crashy than rides where there is an understanding we're all doing our thing and not trying to crash. They start doing weird things that are unexpected and they think it's ok because they're communicated it.
Not helpful advice for the beginner. I'd say, focus on your own riding. Assume people won't plow into you and if you're really doing unexpected stuff for whatever reason, go down last! If confidence is lacking, focus on the downhill, not on what may or may not be happening behind you.
Bikes are pretty narrow. It's when they're bunched up on the flat that you need to worry about what's happening behind, not on the downhill when it's stretched out.
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Getting to the OP's point. Fine when you trust those around you 100% but what if you don't? Ride solo as the OP clearly doesn't trust those around him. I've ridden with those I'd trust 100% and also those I wouldn't. You only learn that by multiple rides with those people.
The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
I'm actually a pretty good descender, and not averse to some bombing - e.g. 88.7kph on my last ride - but the risks multiply when in close proximity to other riders, because you can't pick your own line or spot hazards.
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Yeah. I guess i've been lucky that when I rode in groups it was with a bunch who I trusted so we had some real fun "racing" downhill - not that there were any winners or a finish line but we definitely pushed it. I'd trust them to give me a bit of space when i was whipping past them and visa versa.
Loved it, miss those club runs a lot.
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Depends on the descent obviously. If it's wide open with time to prep for turns it's one thing. If it's technical and pot holed, quite another.
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It was Surrey so it was pretty much the latter. High hedgerows, water running off the fields etc.
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You did the right thing not braking too hard for others behind. In the future, if I'm not comfortable with a descent, I'll drop to the back of the pack sooner rather than be put in that position.
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The main thing in a group is to ride smoothly, don't do anything erratic and communicate. Everyone has to start somewhere with descending.
Then simply practice descending and even ask your buddy Mark to show you how following his lead, slicing the apex of bends etc.
Much of group riding is about trust and trusting those around you to not ride like d**ks.
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