Minuteman Road Club

With the weather looking not so great over the next week, this is only a feeler for interest and route suggestions. Once the weather clears up I will post an actually ride.

I think it would be beneficial to have a few rides where the point is to practice group riding skills at an easier pace. For the first of these I would want to set up a rotating paceline on an open flat loop and ride as a group for about an hour. A rotating paceline is simple, but is a skill that most cyclists (even experienced racers like myself) should work on. The goal will to be smooth as a group, riding at an endurance pace.

https://youtu.be/f1rXCcNG1GM

Any suggestions for routes? I have a couple in mind that I will post soon.
Any suggestions for other ride formats would be welcome too, I am thinking either Monday or Thursday evenings would be good for an easier paced group ride. This wouldn't be a weekly thing, but I do think having a few group rides where the focus is group skills instead of having a hammer fest would be good.

Of course MRC Covid-19 protocol will be in place for the ride(s).

Paging Smudger

Years ago we did these types of rides, Smudger was the driving force. Topography is certainly challenging in our area as you really want long flat stretches with wide shoulders. We used rt 70 heading north from 117 which worked well IIRC

In general I find that a “rotating paceline” works better on our narrow roads because it naturally maintains 2 wide A true “double paceline” is trickier because when the front guys peel off the group needs to exceed 2 wide for them to drop back. The trick is keeping a rotating paceline civil because the tendency is for each new front rider to want to accelerate but that’s a good way to ruin the flow and stretch it out back into a single paceline.

I’d be happy to join such an endeavor.

I just watched the video, they’re talking about a rotating paceline which is definitely what I recommend for us.

“Spelling about” hahahaha

Yes, I do mean a rotating pace line.

Focusing on skills is a great idea!

Love to see rides or sessions with:

• contact/bumping and riding shoulder to shoulder especially in corners

• braking

• touching wheels

• how to fall

• wind awareness & changing echelon orientation

• basic race tactics

• etc.

Back in the day, we had several elite/pro riders who'd lead these sessions to make sure the team knew how to ride efficiently and safely.

hjron wrote: ↑Thu Jul 09, 2020 9:50 am Focusing on skills is a great idea!

Love to see rides or sessions with:

• contact/bumping and riding shoulder to shoulder especially in corners

• braking

• touching wheels

• how to fall

• wind awareness & changing echelon orientation

• basic race tactics

• etc.

Back in the day, we had several elite/pro riders who'd lead these sessions to make sure the team knew how to ride efficiently and safely.

Great suggestions! Though contact may have to wait until Covid-19 is over.

Count me in. Thursdays would be best.