It is my great pleasure to introduce this guest article, penned by my long time friend @Rob. I’ve know the lad since we were both in short pants. We both discovered cycling as something more serious than transportation at the same impressionable age. For Rob, his discipline gained from martial arts, his fearlessness on the bike and his innate enjoyment of the pain cave made for a potent Pot Belge* of a bike racer. His cycling career progressed up through the categories, high enough to see the rear wheel of Steve Bauer and throw his bike alongside Davis Phinney.
He has taught me many bike handling skills, including the pleasure of riding shoulder against shoulder in a casually deliberate manner, a skill of mine sadly lost through lack of group riding. Some may even have the pleasure of riding with him at the 200 on 100 Cogal this summer.
Yours in Cycling,
Gianni
—
The Worlds are long over, summer up here is a distant memory and now it is that bitter time of year where the life of a seasonal cyclist descends to the third or fourth level of trainer/spinning hell.
While the late fall kilometers are still fresh in the little gray cells, I would like to remonstrate my fellow riding companions. No names will be used. Many I do not know, many deserve no criticism. I am the first to acknowledge that cycling is not intuitive. One can ride for years, be an animal, comfortable at 29kph for many, many kilometers and still do things wrong – like be in such a bad position on your bike you can never go faster than 29kph.
So what am I exorcised about? I speak of good riding habits or put another way, the Art of the Bicycle. I was taught it by others who showed me and sometimes explained to me but more often I saw that this was the way to do it and only later did the reason and logic become apparent.
One is told, “don’t overlap wheels.” It’s simple- you the overlapper, will find yourself face down as the overlapped happily disappears in the distance never having felt a thing, wondering why it got so quiet behind. You can overlap and sometimes I do -but usually on the gutter side of the road and I’m always ready to bail right into the gutter or deal with my wheel connecting and I’m ready to throw my weight left on the disconnect.
If you have any doubt about what I am talking about or if you are not comfortable riding 2 inches from the gutter or edge of the road and are not comfortable looking 2 -3 bike lengths ahead as you keep your line while doing this, then do not try this at home. Do Not Overlap.
I was not a pro. I am not an expert. I have a long history on the bike and these things are just the foundations of good riding. How do you explain, “keep your line,” “stay close,” “be smooth?” These are the things that all my companions in the summer pace lines should know. Most of them are riding strong and well but there are subtleties that a few are missing.
Eddy, Fast Freddie, hell, even Sean in Ireland with no tracks (I don’t think?) would have learned these things before puberty. I do not blame my paceline friends, they have very little reference. There are so few role models, clubs, tracks, and training races, that they are not at fault. In fact most of them deserve huge praise for being out there at all. I had it easy- I was introduced to a 3 time Olympian and he rode morning training rides with me for the better part of two summers. Tuesday and Thursday training races and later group rides with teammates were constant practice.
If I have any point to make here it is that although I was brought along by others, I still trained myself to be smooth, ride close and keep a straight line. So next time you are in an informal paceline and you’re having trouble with those skills, go home and practice them. If you see the kid/adult next to you in a 2 up paceline who isn’t comfortable and is hanging out in the middle of the road, let the rider know they want to get comfortable next to you, shoulder to shoulder. Perhaps you explain as you ride, that if your shoulders and forearms are touching, it’s OK because that way your pedals or handle bars won’t get tangled, which really would suck.
Learn to ride between the white line and the edge of the road (4-6 inches – easy) better yet- learn to ride on the white line – for miles, casually without effort, because if you have to try, you are still not there. Do you really have a round pedal stroke? No, really? Can you stay smooth as you accelerate? Do you know how to look through the legs, under or around those in front, to be aware of the road even before the guy in front of you is? Can you sprint and look down and back between your legs to see who is coming up on you (or if you’re Cav, who you’re dropping) without changing your line so you do not get DQ’ed?
None of this is rocket science but it is, as I said above, the foundation of our sport. Many here are already one with the V. Pass it on to those guys in your Tuesday night rides who don’t yet see it. One last thing- my skills are still being polished and I do not think it ever stops, because riding has a habit of catching you out when you least expect it. To me that means I will always keep learning. Part of having experience is passing it along to those who do not have it so that. as they say, we can keep the rubber down and be safe.
*Again, a disclaimer from the Velominati Legal Department, the term “Pot Belge” is being used here as a descriptive noun only and in no way is a reflection of @Rob’s cycling career.
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View Comments
@G'rilla
True that. Aussies are as casual as people get but we take our sport very fucken seriously.
@sgt
Touche!
@roche kelly
It is true that you have to find the right group but peopel have to go along with the right attitude.
Clearly Rob and others here have done that but some people turn up to the local club 'A' ride and either feel annoyed that they can't keep up or think they are being patronised with advice.
It's not that hard - plenty of websites have a section on ride drill and etiquette, and all you have to do is sit at the back of the group for a while and see how it is done.
I love group riding but you can only really enjoy it when you are with people you trust and who have a similar objective.
A good read indeed!
I am fortunate enough to have started riding road bikes after riding on the track for a year or so. My club is pretty full on and wouldn't let me motorpace or race with the others until significant proving had been done.
I'm by no means a master, but no-one ever really is - you never stop learning.
I think a lot of bunch riding problems stem from the fact that its a lot easier to get fitter than it is to get smarter. Riding by yourself is ace, I love it, but some things you can only learn riding 3cms from 3 other people at 40km/h in the rain.
You can win (some) races with smartness when you don't have the fitness.
@ChrisO agreed. You have to sus out your group, and more importantly let them sus you out first. Trust is earned over time.
@ChrisO
Word.
Amerckx rob: great one
+1 to mcsqueak, big sarge and marko
I was a douche when i began, didn't ride with an ounce of souplesse, hit the chickenbones at the drop of the hat and did stupid stuff unknowingly.
so choose your group wisely, like you choose your roads
here is a deal though, no matter, the overlapping of wheels will occur. Its inevidible on a 100k ride, 150k ride or whatever...you will find yourself if your rotating through, overlapping. The key is if your in a good group, or better, a great group of guys/gals, you can overlap...and be careful...drift back and not go freak everyone out and cause a pile up because of nervous nelly.
flow....
@sgt
Agreed. I was out on a pretty big group ride a month or so back (2-3 different local high power teams involved), and a dude that was interested in joining our team lit up next to me and started talking. And talking, and telling me about his workouts, and his 10 second power output, and max HR (see where I'm going with this?). Point being, say "Hi", then show me, don't tell me.
Great article @Rob. I was taught the same way as you. We would actually take our Bike #3 out to soccer fields and practice leaning on each other, pushing each other, sweeping wheels. If you were at all sketchy in the bunch back then, the very least you'd get is a severe tongue lashing, publicly, but more likely, you'd get a head butt. Teaches you fast.
Great one Rob!
I would like to reply to all of you because as usual the crowd here has nailed much of what I brought up. The only point that most are making that needs attention is my supposed humility. Hey you are not humble if you have nothing to be humble about - Gianni is a totally biased old friend who would get excited if I got 5th and he has the picture to prove it (of the few ever taken it is my favorite). My palmeres were at a very regional level and just because some guys on the way up stopped by to do the little races does not mean I joined them then or later on the podium.
Both on the road and here in this article it is hard not to get preachy about the subject of bike handling and road etiquette . I have found that although I'd love to give commentary often it is always best to wait until some one asks, has a problem or is a complete d-bag and then there is no holding back.
Mc S, Red ranger, Sgt
When you are with a group of mixed talent pick the best wheel if you get stuck behind some one shaky get off as soon as is safe. Group rides are one of the best ways to push yourself and an A ride can be race like training so if you are in the B ride skills wise occasionally try the A ride and just sit in the back until you no longer get dropped!
Steampump
Rule #72 is the nuts! And I have started my routine for Vermont so with a little luck I should finish in under 18 hours... Really looking forward to it more the group and challenge than the actual miles... as to you basking in any aura it will only be of the smelly type.
Eight Z
Soon when we shout out Rule numbers everyone will know exactly what we are saying - the V is coming!
Gphant
You describe the change from years ago when it was just the team to now when in my very rural area I have the choice of 3 difference group rides. It does mean that there is an influx of newbies but as I said above there is no harm in changing wheels.
Kyle - keep on keeping on, it's all about the knowledge.
Marko - you have summed up the cast of characters in every group and "fun to lead out because he gets it and it makes him feel that old spark" is me, the old dog who just wants to be there at the end because it is habit and where else would you try to be even if you end up being passed by just about everybody??
Sam - in those early races try new stuff and or pick the best wheel and pretend to be his Siamese twin, good luck.
Gaswepass - I remember the "conundrum of smoothness" and how do I do that? There may be no secret to pass on but I do know that looking 2 or 3 riders ahead and subconsciously seeing when their legs let up will allow you to also let up and vise versa when it picks up again.
Dr. C - One thing that works (sometimes) is the gentle chat after the ride. "Hey I might be wrong but you looked a little tense out there, you know if you relax your arms and shoulders the bike will steer itself" - etc. and then throw in "and you might try *STFU too?"
* = Shutting The FU
Buck R - I love the rollers and the thing I miss the most from the day was winter roller racing - not on stationary bikes but your own fixed track bike on rollers side by side flat out 1 kilo!
And hey if you even know who Poirot is we are going to have a lot to "chat " about.
Anjin San - Domo arigato gozaimasu!
Roche kelly - sometimes the patience to wait for the right moment pays off and when the connection is made I have found that often the guy/gal is very appreciative.
Rhys - am very jealous of your track start it should be THE requirement for all beginning riders!
Souleur and Scaller experience is the final teacher, like you I too went out to that field and then when shit happened I at least was prepared. The first time I overlapped badly in a race when the disconnect happened I was ready for it from that practice session - to this day I am slightly proud that I did not go down...
and you know the head is a great bike riding tool as any sprinter will tell you!
@All thank you and Merry Christmas.
Thank YOU Rob. As a relative newbie to road cycling (bought my bike in July) there are plenty of articles here teaching me how to look like a pro. Your article gives invaluable advice on techniques I should learn so I can ride like a pro.
Have a very merry (and safe) Christmas.