Main Group
No Re- Group.
For members of the main group on Saturday, did you think I was going to let this one go thru to the keeper? We left the fast group at Risely and headed for Freo , I dropped back to see who was with us and how the group would go it looked ok with a couple of new riders that I had not seen before but looked like they would hang in on the ride.
I asked for the group to regroup at the car park on leach h’way at the cemetery. This has been a challenge for the group the last two times we have travelled this route, these are men who actually went to high school, with one rider saying he did not even see the cemetery. I told the new guys that we would regroup near the top of the second hill and not to panic should they fall off the back during these two hills. Three guys did fall back I went back to see how they were going then looked up and see the group ride straight past the car park. We were then 200 meters behind when the lights changed and off went the group with us left there and then had to chase. This one I could take but then online casino’s again near the end of the run along Cottesloe I tried my luck again asking for a stop around the bend at the first street to the left one we have stop at probably thirty times while riding SPR and Bikeforce. Once again two guys had dropped back.
James pulled in to this street and waited for us. I’m at a loss to understand why the group did not stop to regroup or why no one spoke up out of the whole group.
We advertise the Main group as a group that will regroup and of course this will not be needed every time and if riders are too far off the pace we will not regroup. This is a call to be made by someone and if anyone does not want to regroup they only have to say. If a regroup does interfere with your plans then the Fast Group may be the one for you or if working harder is what you want you need to go to the front time and time again that will work everytime. The potential for anyone to work harder is there and is always there it is just not about the sprint at the end.
Even though I spoke about it at the lights I felt it needed to be reinforced because we have all ridden with groups that are full of a bunch of tosser’s, that is not a reputation we would like.
The ride up thru Jutland parade was interesting with some serious position changing, quite exciting really?
Nev
3 thoughts on “Main Group”
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Nev I agree.I failed to hear the regroup call on Leach but did for cottesloe and after being up the front on the last stretch only to watch what appeared as the whole group tear past before the regroup point.Interesting to watch what riders will/won’t do when some poor sole gets stuck up the front on an attempted roll through on Jutland Parade and runs out of gas.Keep up the good work & maybe ask some regulars to re-inforce regroup points on route.
you have to remember that this is our club ride and this is the first impression of spr that some people may get. we advertise that the main group is all about learning group skills and will regroup if necessary. also, if someone is dropped and gets a flat, who will help them???
we pride ourselves on the fact that our group doesn’t have a bunch of big egos and looks out for each other. but it is hard when only a few people are looking out and helping the weaker riders. as nev said, if you have excess energy there are other ways you can expend it. dropping back and drafting weaker riders or even giving them a bit of a push on the hills is a good way to help out.
also, the previous comment mentioned that they failed to hear the call. it is up to the group to pass messages up the line so everyone is aware of what is going on.
i fully support you nev and you have done a great job of stepping up and running the main group. people have to choose their group and ride to the rules under which that group operates. you want fast, ride the fast group. if not then you MUST look after the others in your group.
peter
good on you for speaking up Nev. I didn’t hear the call for the regroup at the cemetry – so sorry! Its a lousy place to regroup as its not quite at the top of the hill. After the lights when the group split, the guys at the front took a while to get teh message to ease up. As a suggestion, maybe we don’t stop to regroup but we MUST cycle easy until we are all on – no exceptions.
A bit of a repeat happened at cot in that you or somebody stopped in a driveway and the rest (me included) cycled easy – freewheeled really but it took to the lights for everybody to get back together – not unreasonable i thought.
And as for Jutland, well its always fast through there. And it good fun but it needs to be safe. You are right when as you say it was interesting and exicting but really you mean, and i agree, it could of been safer. it is a stretch where we have had accidents before.
It would seem to me that if everybody did a couple of things consistently it could be safer for everybody.
So as suggestions:
– everybody hold their line,
– don’t overtake on the inside,
– move left (safely) after you have overtaken so as not to force others even wider
– don’t peel off to the right if you fade, and
– communicate.
Thanks Nev, (and i promise I will listen to El Capatain in the future).