Bham Local Cycling News...May 25, 2016 (Pace Line Skills)

[Dan Watson]

 

Also reminder the old Thursday night that left from the BBC shop will now leave from Starbucks's Montclair  Rd at 5:40. (in front of the Wal-Mart) Lets eat some Mexican after the ride: D'dog

Heads up B group Tuesday Night Botanical Gardens ride. Paceline riding can be a beautiful dance or it can be one ugly dangerous duck. Please read the Do's & Dont's below. Lets work on our skills next week and try to be more consistant in our riding. Communication is so important. New to pacelining we are here to help. I am no longer considered the ride of this group but will speak out and contribute on an as needed basis. Look for these following experienced riders to help you and awnswer any questions you may have. Ride Leaders: Bill & Karen, also knowalgeble, Tim, Sonja, Eddie, Jeff, Margot, Ken. Its' perfectly fine to be a non participant either stay at least 50 yards off the back or go off the front well before the pace line forms. Lets have some fun and be safe, ....got questions or concerns just reply to this message...Dirtdog

Below list put together by the Vulcan Triatheletes

General:

Don't swerve around in the paceline. Failing to hold your line is dangerous. Either be entirely in the paceline or entirely out of it.

Do point out obstacles in the road, such as holes and bumps.

 

Do indicate when you're slowing down or stopping, such as stopping for a stoplight or slowing down because of traffic.

 

Do call out "standing" just before you stand up to climb a hill.

 

Do give each other extra space between cyclists when going down a hill.

 

Don't hug the white line at the edge of the road. Ride approximately one foot from the white line.

 

Don't use headphones while riding in a group. This puts the entire group at danger.

 

For the most part, do not call out "clear" at an intersection. Each rider should make that determination on their own.

 

Don't wave traffic around or signal a car to pass a group of cyclists.

 

When on the front of the paceline:

 

Don't surge when it's your turn to pull. Keep the pace smooth and consistent. If you insist on upping the pace (and it's ok given the context of the group), do so very gradually, or you'll drop the cyclist who just rotated off the front.

 

Don't coast when you're at the front of the paceline, even when going down a hill. Those behind you will be going down the hill faster than you are, so you need to keep pedaling as much as possible to keep the pack from overtaking you.

 

Do keep pedaling as you rotate off the front.

 

Don't increase your speed as you rotate off the front. This can cause a surge in the paceline. Once you've made your move off the front, decrease your speed slightly and drop to the back.

 

Don't take a long pull if you're tired. Otherwise, you could get yourself dropped. It is perfectly acceptable to rotate through or take a very short pull.

 

Do save enough energy to get back onto the back of the paceline once you've completed your pull.

 

Don't hog the front. Take a pull of under two minutes if possible, depending on the group's goals.

 

When in the pacline: 

 

Don't half-wheel the bike in front of you. If they make a sudden movement to the left, you're going down.

 

Don't make any unnecessary sudden moves, such as swerving or braking. Remember that everything you do affects the people behind you, and any unanticipated moves can be dangerous. Be predictable and smooth.

 

Don't leapfrog to the front of the paceline. Wait your turn, even if you aren't happy with the pace. That doesn't mean there's no room for attacking, but if attacking isn't in the game plan for the ride, stay where you are and wait your turn.

 

Do avoid using your brakes while you're in the paceline. If necessary, sit up or move slightly out of the draft to slow yourself down, or feather your rear brake lightly. Do not grab your brakes, as this could cause a pileup.

 

Don't let gaps open in the paceline. If the bunch is working together, this disrupts the effort and causes surges.

 

Do try to avoid coasting, as this disrupts the smoothness.

 

Don't fixate on the wheel in front of you. Look at the middle of the rider's back in front of you and toward the front of the paceline. If you stare at the wheel in front of you, you can't react to things around you.

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I love you, Oh Lord, my strength. Psalm 18:1

Dirtdog     dirt...@bellsouth.net    205-706-5333