Nervous on group rides..any of you relate?

Arequipa · 10-10-2021 5:35pm #1

Good afternoon,

I hope you are all well.

I have been cycling for years.

I am back in Ireland a few years now and cycling with a cycling club.

We had a nasty enough crash about a year ago....

I am as fit as anyone else in the group,but I am nervous on tight and twisty roads.. when the group seems to go very fast and riders change position very quickly..on often quite narrow roads...doing a stint at the front, then falling back on the left hand side.

I have the power and fitness to stay with the group..but just get really nervous taking corners,roundabouts etc so fast...

So recently I fall back a bit when I feel it is getting uncomfortable for me...

Do any of you relate to this?

Any ideas how to deal with this?

I do feel safer turning tighter and more quickly when cycling solo or in a smaller.. more spread out group..

Thank u!

nilhg · 10-10-2021 6:59pm

It happens, as you get more used to riding with your new club and start to trust them it will get easier, everyone reacts differently to a crash.

billyhead · 10-10-2021 7:09pm

It's all about building up your confidence. Riding in a group also requires full attention because braking too hard or a lack of concentration could result in a wheel rub. Just make sure you keep an adequate distance from the rider in front of you, follow to their line and don't brake suddenly.

Arequipa · 10-10-2021 7:35pm

Thanks for the replies...

I think it Ian very tight and fastball cornering I find nerve wracking...

on my own.. I am happy to lean and turn tightly... but in a group... I tend to slow up and not turn as tightly..

i also find when the roads are wet and dirty.. i worry more of riders in front losing their wheel...

It seems as well that crashes are not regular occurrences.. but deep happen fairly regularly...

I agree.. that cycling more regularly with the group will build my confidence...

dinneenp · 10-10-2021 8:26pm

Is it part of a club & if so do they have different level/speed groups? Maybe join the newbies/slower group as they'll have a leader helping everyone, telling when to change up, it'll all be slower in rotating etc.

If it's not part of a club, I'd suggest look for one that have the above.

Good luck,

Pa.

Macy0161 · 11-10-2021 10:18am

Is it "up and overs"? It'd be rare enough we'd do that on a "social" spin. Just a couple of segments on routes near the end or coffee stop, and not every spin (it'd depend on the route). It'd be common enough for people to sit up to be honest. Is it designated as a social spin, as it sounds more like race training? If your club has other options, perhaps drop back a group for a few weeks?

I'd a bad crash a few years ago racing, and for some reason I was fine back in a group first ride back, and back in club racing (when catches have meant a big enough, and fast paced group), but I've still bottled entering open races. I think it's to do with trusting those around you.

Arequipa · 11-10-2021 10:03pm

Thank you for the reply.. they are club spins...

Generally between 80 - 100kms...

We start fairly steady... Get to the furthest point from home and then when we do the return leg.. I find the pace goes up..on flat, twisty, often quite narrow roads...

On the hills and straighter roads I have no problems..

I also tend to slow down in busier areas, with roundabouts etc.. and as I was saying don't turn quite as sharply or as quickly...

I think that crash did unsettle me a lot...

Another factor is that I mainly cycle solo or with 1/2 mates and then the odd club spin... So I am not cycling in big groups as often.

Seth Brundle · 11-10-2021 10:28pm

I'd recommend going down a group or two so that you can build your confidence up again. Obviously those groups will do shorter and slower spins but I think you need it.

Wishbone Ash · 14-10-2021 5:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118003468#Comment_118003468

Just curious - if you don't rotate on spins do you leave the same person taking a headwind at the front all the way? Seems a bit unfair.

OP - I'm out regularly on group rides but I find myself a bit slower that others cornering in the wet. It's no big deal - I just accelerate again to match my partners speed.

Arequipa · 14-10-2021 9:31pm

Thanks for the reply...

I found that if the whole group goes fast into tight, blind corners, or roundabouts.. if I brake ... And slow.. it can interfere with the flow of the group and even annoy riders behind me...

I ride to work most days and find that I have no problems.. turning tight and quite fast on my own!

Macy0161 · 15-10-2021 9:35am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118020873#Comment_118020873

No, I didn't mean just the normal group rotation. It sounded like they were doing "Up and Overs" which I've always taken as hammer down, constantly rotating. Going as fast as you can hold rather than just a group taking turns at the front every few minutes. Think pro-cycling breakaway or handicapped club race.

Mercian Pro · 18-10-2021 1:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118022501#Comment_118022501

I wasn't really familiar with that interpretation of "up and overs". I would always use it or "roll overs" to describe the normal rotation that takes place every few minutes on our club leisure spins. Occasionally near home and with a tail wind, we might cut loose and do what you describe (pretending we are racers😜) but I can't think of a distinct word for it other than ball-breaking!

billyhead · 18-10-2021 4:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036072#Comment_118036072

Ball breaking😀. As some posters will know the Swords Cc all out gallop from the Airport to Swords.

Nervous on group rides..any of you relate?

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