How to ride with all levels and types of bikes?

[love2spin]

I am starting a bike group. We are riding one or two times a week together. I am feeling a little anxious. I get going in my own world/pace and look in my mirror. NADA!!! :shock: No one is behind me or even in sight. What to do?

I invited all my classes. So I have a wide variety of riders and bikes. Mountain and hybrids. We are sticking to the bike path right now. I wanted to encourage people to ride outside. Now, I am getting bored. :roll:

I know, my bad. Now I am beating up on myself for thinging this way too. :?

What do you do with good intentions gone wrong? :?:

LOL! Just had a thought or answer for myself. Hit the hills. I am having a little problem with them this year. :wink:

[like2bike]

LOL! I was going to suggest the same thing...Too funny!

Maybe try and select say 5 people in random order, and assign each person to set the pace for maybe the next 15 minutes. You will need to drop back and probably down shift and spin at 110-120 RPMs, but it may give them a sense of importance and may then teach them how to pace it up a little better.

Also, if you are riding a road bike and they are on mountain bikes or hybrids, they will definitely have trouble keeping up with you since your bike (probably) weighs much less (but you probably aren't riding a road bike since you said you're riding mostly on the trails right now).

I think I would tend to look at this as more of a social event. Since there are all types of cyclists and bikes, I don't know that there will be an even distribution, ever, of fitness and experience with your outdoor riders.

Did that help at all?

[megale3]

Take some air out of your tires :P I have had the honor of being a 10//2 cycling coach for the Challenge Series and we take groups based on the ability to go at certain speeds. You may need to stay at speeds for a little while "just staying ahead" until they come up to your speed. It’s kind of a cat and mouse game where you are intentionally making them work to become a better rider and more fit. There are days when you seriously do not be want to be in front. You may feel like you need to be sweep. Either way if you wanted to be in a group you got to ride with a group otherwise why start a group? Hang on they will get better.
Meg

[BFSpin]

Do you have some experienced cyclists you can recruit to help out? Then go out with a few different levels . . . 10-13 avg, 13-15 avg, 15-17 avg, and up. Have someone designated to lead each separate group in no-drop rides.

Our club's evening rides are all structured this way, and it works really well. Mid-summer we do a "move-up" ride. . . gives people a goal to aim for, hitting the faster group.

Or you could just ride, chat, and stop for ice cream - huge value in that kind of ride, too!

Beth

[sandy]

That was going to be my advice, BFspin, time to divide up to A and B riders if you have enough.

[cfoam4me]

Have you asked your group what they think about the rides? Their answers may help you know what to change (or not).