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will I struggle

  • 01-01-2014 12:29AM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 966 ✭✭✭


    So thinking of joining the local club Sunday spin. Their website says that they average 30kph for 3-4 hours.

    I have no experience of riding in a group. On my solo spins I average about 26kph for 2-2.5 hours according to strava, so 30kph for an extra hour seems like it will be tough, but I don't know how much help the drafting effect will give.

    Thoughts? (Don't want to be a drag for the rest of the group)


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,427 ✭✭✭07Lapierre


    Go for it!


  • Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 78,483 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    So thinking of joining the local club Sunday spin. Their website says that they average 30kph for 3-4 hours.

    I have no experience of riding in a group. On my solo spins I average about 26kph for 2-2.5 hours according to strava, so 30kph for an extra hour seems like it will be tough, but I don't know how much help the drafting effect will give.

    Thoughts? (Don't want to be a drag for the rest of the group)
    You will be fine on that basis. The drafting benefit should give you that extra 4kph, and riding in a group will encourage you to put that extra effort in if and when required to stay with them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 269 ✭✭Eaglebridie 32


    If your'e near to your limit @ 26km for 2 - 2.5 hours I'd say you would struggle, if on the other hand you are comfortable at that pace, I'd say, yes "have a go! "


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 966 ✭✭✭equivariant


    If your'e near to your limit @ 26km for 2 - 2.5 hours I'd say you would struggle, if on the other hand you are comfortable at that pace, I'd say, yes "have a go! "

    reasonably comfortable at 26kph so maybe I will have a go.

    Of course, I sometimes stop for a nice leisurely break after an hour or so, which presumably won't be happening on a club spin :)


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 23,255 Mod ✭✭✭✭godtabh


    reasonably comfortable at 26kph so maybe I will have a go.

    Of course, I sometimes stop for a nice leisurely break after an hour or so, which presumably won't be happening on a club spin :)

    Simply put its easier cycling in groups. It may take you a week or two to be comfortably but you'll get there


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,272 ✭✭✭Henlars67


    So thinking of joining the local club Sunday spin. Their website says that they average 30kph for 3-4 hours.

    I have no experience of riding in a group. On my solo spins I average about 26kph for 2-2.5 hours according to strava, so 30kph for an extra hour seems like it will be tough, but I don't know how much help the drafting effect will give.

    Thoughts? (Don't want to be a drag for the rest of the group)

    I usually average 26-27kph on my own and have no problem averaging over 30 in a group, so I'd say you'll be fine.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭macbane66


    Henlars67 wrote: »
    I usually average 26-27kph on my own and have no problem averaging over 30 in a group, so I'd say you'll be fine.

    Go for it , in my experience with the usual bravado involved in cycling the group your going out with may rarely hit the 30kph average target, regardless the only way to improve like all sports is to play with a better opponent.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 46 smiggyontour


    So thinking of joining the local club Sunday spin. Their website says that they average 30kph for 3-4 hours.

    I have no experience of riding in a group. On my solo spins I average about 26kph for 2-2.5 hours according to strava, so 30kph for an extra hour seems like it will be tough, but I don't know how much help the drafting effect will give.

    Thoughts? (Don't want to be a drag for the rest of the group)




    I Just joined a club myself a few weeks ago and worried about the same thing but it was sound.


    I found the pace tough for the first 45 minutes or so but then I found it settles down into a good rhythm


    When your turn at the front comes around you can maintain that 30 to 32 kph as you will have been pulled along for the past 15 or 20 minutes or so and will feel fresh its amazing how quick a group moves when everyone keeps nice and tight


    Just let people know you are new to riding in a fast group and enjoy


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16 Stroon


    Even if you're not able, is it not better to go for the club spin and find that out sooner rather than later? Worst that happens is you head home early by yourself and have to put in a bit more training before trying again. Go for it!


  • Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 78,483 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    If the OP can do 26kph solo thay will be absolutely fine on a club spin (unless it's perhaps a specific race training one). They just need to get used to the protocols within the group and learn how to hold a wheel. The only places they may struggle is coming out of corners as it will bunch up approaching and string out coming out of the bend

    They should try and identify a leader within the group and mention if they are inexperienced at group riding and hopefully someone will be asssigned to give some help/tips when required, or the other members of the group will look out for them.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,538 ✭✭✭nak


    macbane66 wrote: »
    Go for it , in my experience with the usual bravado involved in cycling the group your going out with may rarely hit the 30kph average target, regardless the only way to improve like all sports is to play with a better opponent.

    Same here, I found people overestimate the ave speed. Was almost put of by an ave speed that was posted for a club spin; in the end I was totally fine. Give it a go, you might surprise yourself.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 430 ✭✭Craig06


    It really depends on the club. If it's their only group it will generally be a little slower. If it's one of the big clubs and has 3 it 4 groups that'll be their racing group at this time if the year and it will be quick. Also depends how many is in the group as well.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,433 ✭✭✭Dotsie~tmp


    I was kind of thinking about a club in Aug last year about 8 months after I started cycling to lose weight. Stated slogging at 21 stone on a fu*king metric ton 15 year old mountain bike with rusty everything and spongy tyres. Somehow I enjoyed it and bought an actual real road bike a few months after (18 stone now). Started at 15k now doing multi 30ks. First 50k. Then 70k with a hangover 16.5 stone. Avg speed started about 22kph and now its ~28kph in the nice weather. Feel like ****ing batman on wheels.

    Doing a 60k up north road on back leg and get breezed by in a light headwind by a guy and a woman cruising at 35-40kph while I'm at ~28. Not happy, still fat. I'll catch up so. Push to 34 for a bit but they disappear leisurely into the distance while I'm dying. I died a bit that day :(. Batman back to fatman on a bike. That feeling when you realise you are a piss-pot. The day I can stand in front of a mirror and make out most of my bones under my skin I might rethink a club.

    Post crimbo. 17 stone again. Drinking again. What have I done.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,308 ✭✭✭quozl


    Dotsie~tmp wrote: »
    The day I can stand in front of a mirror and make out most of my bones under my skin I might rethink a club.

    Don't wait for that. I may get in trouble with my Orwell club-mates for saying this but there's a lot of us who are far from skinny and it's not an issue. There's groups going slower than you're already cycling solo.

    Except for the guys in the racing training group. Skinny pr*cks!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 340 ✭✭maloner


    Go for it. Whats the worst that can happen. Bring a map or find out what the route is going to be and look up escape options. If you bite off more than you can chew the worst is you'll get dropped and have to make your way home on your own. Go back next week and keep trying or drop down to a slower group if there is one.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,114 ✭✭✭stecleary


    I went for my first club spin a few weeks ago and was very worried I was going to slo the group down, a quick email to someone in the club before hand and I was assured nobody will ever be left behind. A quick intro to the group and a small chat about what to do and I felt comfortable before we even left, I hung around at the back for a bit at the start and was encouraged to move up in the group and see how I felt, before I knew it I was at the front being asked to slow down a little, the longest spin I went for before this was about 40km and was worried I'd run out if gas on a 60km trip, I covered 80 km that day and felt like I had more in me, the difference in group cycling is amazing and really has to be experienced to get it. It was so much easier than I though.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,604 ✭✭✭petethedrummer


    It's not really a training ride if there's no struggle involved.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,121 ✭✭✭ghogie91


    Definately have a go, you wont struggle in a group, and on your first spin im sure they wont slaughter you on the front, if they put you on the front at all


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,457 ✭✭✭ford2600


    Beasty wrote: »

    They should try and identify a leader within the group and mention if they are inexperienced at group riding and hopefully someone will be asssigned to give some help/tips when required, or the other members of the group will look out for them.

    Every good club has a few of these; often with an impressive cv an nice way of delivering advice.

    It might hurt as it should


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