We've all been there. You know what I am talking about. No, I am not talking about joining a cycling team or your daily/weekly group ride with a friend or two, but that particular group rides where you probably don't know 90% of all the riders, but you see a swarm of them blasting through traffic like no tomorrow on the weekends. I am talking about group rides where if you fall behind, no one is going to wait for you (aka "drop rides"). Here in SoCal, there are quite a few of them. The "Montrose Ride" in Pasadena as well as "Food Park" and "Como Street" in the OC are a few I have personally tried.
Through personal trial and error, I have learned that there are some ground rules that a newbie should follow to avoid being yelled at by other riders ... usually strangers that you are riding with for the first time.
The Pace Line
One thing you will notice about a well organized group ride is how close everyone is packed in together, usually in a single line. This is called a "pace line". The whole purpose is to create an effective draft where the "leader" is "pulling" the peloton. Sooner or later the leader will fall back and the person behind him will be the next leader to pull, thus effectively keeping a relative high speed because everyone is sharing the work by being a leader and pulling the group. When it is your turn as a leader, there is a few things you must keep in mind. First, don't try to look like a macho bad-ass by dramatically increasing the speed. Instead, try to keep the same level of speed as the previous leader. If you want to go faster, do it gradually in 1 mph increments and see if the group behind you are keeping up. If you want to maintain or gain some respect from your newfound group, don't show off. Secondly, if you are feeling tuckered out and want the next guy to pull, slowly move over to the right and signal the next one to take over. Then hop back on the last person in the pace line. Don't feel like you have to pull the same distance like the leaders in front of you. Everyone is different and no one will judge you, even if you pulled for only a minute or two. Sooner or later as you gain fitness, you will be able to pull farther and longer.
Look ahead and mind your own business
Most of the people on these types of rides are serious about training. You don't join these types of rides to make conversation, no matter how nice of a guy/girl you are. You may get a few "nice bike" compliments, but you should just smile and give an honest "thanks" or "likewise" (if they have a nice bike as well). If you start up a conversation, your speed will likely suffer and affect the pace line.
Don't look around and "enjoy the scenery" too much. It is distracting to the other riders behind you and you may end up in an accident if you don't pay attention to the road. If you aren't the leader, you have to depend on the rider in front of you for all road queues as well as following their line to ensure the maximum draft for you and the people behind you. If you are the leader, make sure you look ahead for any obstacles and give hand and vocal signals to the others ahead of time to ensure safety. If you are in the back and the roads are narrow, alert the others in front of you of any vehicles behind you that may want to pass.
Hydrate
In most of these rides, the only thing you got for fuel is liquid fuel. Don't forget to hydrate often, even if you are not thirsty. Every 10-15 min, you should take a few swigs of hydration. I found an electrolyte pill helpful to fight against cramps caused by loss of electrolytes. Do not attempt to hydrate during high-speed steep descents because the only thing you will be drinking is asphalt and blood. Save them for flats and climbs.
Getting dropped
Almost everyone I know got dropped, especially when it is their first time. Even now, I have yet to finish Food Park (in Irvine, CA) with the group. It is difficult, but do not feel discouraged if you see the peloton disappear into the horizon. It is a great misconception that the entire group ahead of you will finish together when, in reality, the initial large group gets staggered and people finish in different, smaller groups. Getting dropped is an important and integral part of training. Your goal is to see how much you can hang with the peloton before getting dropped in subsequent rides. If you keep getting dropped around the same area, week after week, ride more during the week or train harder to gain/maintain speed. Sooner or later, you should be getting dropped farther down the course and, eventually, finish without being dropped from the initial group.
Traffic Laws
In these types of rides, you may find yourself at crossroads when it comes to following traffic laws. Most smart groups will obey all traffic laws including street lights. There will be times when a large group will cross a yellow light turning red and will signal, usually verbally, to the group behind to "go go go" or "let's roll". If you find yourself in this situation and you are in a tight bunch, make a wise decision and stay with the group. Any sudden stops may alarm the group behind you. If you are lagging behind or if there is a sizable gap ahead of you, stop and wait for the light to turn green. If you encounter a vehicle that is a first-responder (police car, ambulance, fire truck, etc) that has an active siren, OBEY THE LAW AND PULL OVER! Failing to stop will not only get you a ticket, but you may be charged with breaking the law.
Final Word
Cycling is a constant learning experience. When you ride a drop group for the first time, you may get yelled at or criticized the first time out, no matter how well you followed these rules. Don't fret ... a lot of us were in the same situation ... me included. Don't let those comments lower or hurt your self-esteem. Instead, learn from it or, if it was just a downright mean or uncalled for, learn to ignore it and go about your way. Try not to make a scene and create conflict because if you want to ride this group week after week, you will most likely meet the person you are having a problem with week after week. Most of these people will probably forget who you are the following week.
A drop ride is a form of training. You will get more fit at the end of it. If you happen to make friends with other cyclists on this ride, then it is a bonus!
- James Lee
