UPDATED: Dayton May 30th ride meeting spot!

[AfroCBR]

thing is I need 2 extra people to watch and make sure you don't sneak up on me and scare the %^$# out of me again....lol....and remember...the sun sets at 7:38...lol not 7:30 or 8:00!!!!

[xtremef4i]

thing is I need 2 extra people to watch and make sure you don't sneak up on me and scare the %^$# out of me again....lol....and remember...the sun sets at 7:38...lol not 7:30 or 8:00!!!!

roflCOPTER. I remember that. We were like "wtf? is this guy a weather expert"

[CBRzach]

I'm actually going to make this. i'm still in Ohio.

[NinjaNick]

thing is I need 2 extra people to watch and make sure you don't sneak up on me and scare the %^$# out of me again....lol....and remember...the sun sets at 7:38...lol not 7:30 or 8:00!!!!

roflCOPTER. I remember that. We were like "wtf? is this guy a weather expert"

I barely remember that you guys. I can't remember exactly what it was about though.

[Uncle Punk]

Nick, not telling you how to run your business but you should have a route posted or have at least two other people from your area that know the route also and are willing to ride in the middle of the pack and sweep. At twenty-five bikes the riding ability will vary by a wide margin so keeping them together will be difficult without help even if you plan on waiting for everyone at every stop. Recounting all the bikes is hard to do at every stop, if you have a sweep rider giving you the thumbs up at stops it helps with keeping things organized and moving along. It is difficult to lead more than ten bikes at a time, twenty-five will be damn near impossible without support. There are a lot of pack issues that need to be taken care of that you can’t see from the front. Saying “Don’t tailgate” is nice but people riding over their heads happens a lot on big group rides, touching the center line is a big indicator of riding over their heads and unless they are called out on such behavior by others in the pack you simple won’t know about it. One accident that can be prevented will make for a much happier experience for all.

[NinjaNick]

True that, but I will say that we've done this before and never had issues. A few showing up know their way around. The route posted though won't help anyone unless they have GPS on their bike. You should be experienced if you want to join a big group ride and not be all over the road. I never posted this is a training course. Hopefully everyone knows how to ride inside the yellow and not like tools above their heads. Also, we will not be running like a pace that me and my personal riding buds do. It should be mellow enough to please. I will post a route for individuals who must know if I have time by Saturday night.

Edited May 28, 2010 by NinjaNick

[SchmuckGirl]

Nick, not telling you how to run your business but you should have a route posted or have at least two other people from your area that know the route also and are willing to ride in the middle of the pack and sweep. At twenty-five bikes the riding ability will vary by a wide margin so keeping them together will be difficult without help even if you plan on waiting for everyone at every stop. Recounting all the bikes is hard to do at every stop, if you have a sweep rider giving you the thumbs up at stops it helps with keeping things organized and moving along. It is difficult to lead more than ten bikes at a time, twenty-five will be damn near impossible without support. There are a lot of pack issues that need to be taken care of that you can’t see from the front. Saying “Don’t tailgate” is nice but people riding over their heads happens a lot on big group rides, touching the center line is a big indicator of riding over their heads and unless they are called out on such behavior by others in the pack you simple won’t know about it. One accident that can be prevented will make for a much happier experience for all.

You know, this is an interesting point and I've wondered about this before.

I noticed a rider going over the yellow line a few times on one of our recent Coshocton rides and he seemed to be in over his head. Surprisingly, after the next stop he had moved even further forward with the faster guys and he crashed soon after. I felt somewhat guilty because I saw the signs and I didn't feel comfortable saying anything.... I mean, who am I? No dude wants to hear that from a chic, plus I would still consider myself somewhat of a beginning rider as I'm only in my 3rd season.

[jarvismb]

any guy that's more worried about hearing from a chick than riding safely in a group has far too much ego than proper Darwinian gene pool selection will allow...

[SchmuckGirl]

any guy that's more worried about hearing from a chick than riding safely in a group has far too much ego than proper Darwinian gene pool selection will allow...

Well from anybody, then. If it was a guy who noticed some warning signs, how should he approach that situation?

[Uncle Punk]

Good point and if you don't want to confront a tool tell one of the ride leaders at a stop or gas stop. This is why you need more than one person with a group of people over ten who haven't all ridden together before. The leader needs to stay up front so the other guys can ride with the tool who says he will calm down and won't.

I can picture what happened on the ride where the guy moved up. He thought you guys were holding him up because others were pulling away so he moved up. The problem with that is they weren't pulling away because they were going fast between curves they weren't slowing down for the curves like he needed to. Estimating corner entry speed is an important skill to have, anyone can go fast in a straight line and group rides aren't the place to do that.

You are a good rider for any group so you have the integrity to confront someone and didn't that accident change the mood of the ride? If it could have been prevented it would have been worth the little drama it might have caused at the time to save the entire groups good time.

[Disclaimer]

any guy that's more worried about hearing from a chick than riding safely in a group has far too much ego than proper Darwinian gene pool selection will allow...

^^^---- this

But to Ananda's point... I dunno, I think I'd want to say something, but IRL I probably would just stay far away from whoever that person is because I don't need to get into an ego match / dick swinging contest with someone. Considering they've already demonstrated they can't be humbled by thinking they're fast enough to move to a faster group.

I think the appropriate course of action would be to discuss it with the group leader or someone riding that the group generally respects as a whole. Then either let them talk to the guy riding over his head, or if multiple people have have seen it and concur -- do it 'intervention'-style so it doesn't become a personal issue.

[SchmuckGirl]

Good point and if you don't want to confront a tool tell one of the ride leaders at a stop or gas stop. This is why you need more than one person with a group of people over ten who haven't all ridden together before. The leader needs to stay up front so the other guys can ride with the tool who says he will calm down and won't.

I can picture what happened on the ride where the guy moved up. He thought you guys were holding him up because others were pulling away so he moved up. The problem with that is they weren't pulling away because they were going fast between curves they weren't slowing down for the curves like he needed to. Estimating corner entry speed is an important skill to have, anyone can go fast in a straight line and group rides aren't the place to do that.

You are a good rider for any group so you have the integrity to confront someone and didn't that accident change the mood of the ride? If it could have been prevented it would have been worth the little drama it might have caused at the time to save the entire groups good time.

You know, I wouldn't say he was a 'tool' for riding that way, just that he might have been inexperienced. I feel like I probably rode like that my first few group rides of my first season. Going to the track really helped me learn to choose a line and a comfortable speed. I'm still learning, so I'm not nearly as smooth and quick as I would like to be! I usually place myself right at mid-pack and move forward or back from there.

I just chaulk his mistake up to inexperience, though, and I guess reading stuff like this on a forum helps people to learn that it's better to ride at your own pace than to feel out of control, screaming up the straights and nervous in the corners.

I thought you brought up a really good point and thank you for the reminder!

[Uncle Punk]

I don't mind confronting said tools so that the group doesn't have to be labeled a bunch of assholes, I can be the only asshole. Going a little slower and not wrecking is a much better time than waiting for a helicopter. Don't get me wrong shit can happen but riding over your head is easy for others to see and can be prevented.

[Radio Flyer]

Count me out. Layed the bike down today and need a brake lever and my fairings fixed.

[MidgetTodd]

I can picture what happened on the ride where the guy moved up. He thought you guys were holding him up because others were pulling away so he moved up. The problem with that is they weren't pulling away because they were going fast between curves they weren't slowing down for the curves like he needed to. Estimating corner entry speed is an important skill to have, anyone can go fast in a straight line and group rides aren't the place to do that.

Yea, sounds about right.

If you've got to hit 100+ between the curves to catch back up with the group......... You're in over your head.

[MidgetTodd]

I'm still learning, so I'm not nearly as smooth and quick as I would like to be! I usually place myself right at mid-pack and move forward or back from there.

Ananda, you are a far better rider than you give yourself credit for.

[Hutch]

Yea, sounds about right.

If you've got to hit 100+ between the curves to catch back up with the group......... You're in over your head.

Damn then I'm over my head because there is a couple of times I went 100+ to stay with you:flag:

[MidgetTodd]

No you didnt

[Fazerlady]

Are you guys planning on having all 40 +/- bikes in one group???

[NinjaNick]

100, shooting guns, terrorizing people, and pillaging every little town we come to.

[Disclaimer]

^---

[SchmuckGirl]

100, shooting guns, terrorizing people, and pillaging every little town we come to.

Love it!!!!!

[NinjaNick]

[Fazerlady]

I guess we better put the route in the GPS because with all the flippin traffic lights this country has, we'll get split up more than once....

What time are we meeting again?

[balaormiga]

You know, I wouldn't say he was a 'tool' for riding that way, just that he might have been inexperienced. I feel like I probably rode like that my first few group rides of my first season. Going to the track really helped me learn to choose a line and a comfortable speed. I'm still learning, so I'm not nearly as smooth and quick as I would like to be! I usually place myself right at mid-pack and move forward or back from there.

I just chaulk his mistake up to inexperience, though, and I guess reading stuff like this on a forum helps people to learn that it's better to ride at your own pace than to feel out of control, screaming up the straights and nervous in the corners.

I thought you brought up a really good point and thank you for the reminder!

This is why I usually like to know where we are going. If I feel I'm getting in over my head I just back off and figure you'll see me when you see me!!! In regards to a girl telling me... "cool". Hey I admire anyone that has the Balls ( sorry) to ride on a track. I prefer to be near the end of the pack so my slow rding doesn't hinder anyone and I don't have to think of how stupid I may look LOL. I know I'm not great.. just enjoy the ride.