Does anyone sprint?

[velomanct]

Well, do any of you roadies sprint? I don't live near a track and it seems that NO ONE will sprint. Everyone I ride with declines. I know road cycling is nearly all about endurance, but sprinting is fun! Sprinting alone is just not as great training. I'm a decent rider, I think.

even the roadie sprinters won't sprint against me. (and even a trackie) lol


People are boring. Go ahead, ride steady.

 

[Lonnie Utah]

I know road cycling is nearly all about endurance, but sprinting is fun!

The "group" I ride with, which seems lately to be just 1 or 2 guys, try to add at least 1 "sprint" in each of our group rides (well ok I add 1). Today was particulary fun. It was really hot today, like 97 deg F. After about an hour, I was really feeling 5 days on the bike in a row. As we came to the overpass, our un-offical sprint point, I was looking at the other guy thinking, "OK we're not going to do this today are we?" Just about that time, he takes off. Fighting the urge, I look at him go and think to myself, "Na, not today, I'm too wiped." About that time, the little switch for the "Type A" personality in me clicks in and takes over my brain and muscles. I stand up and take off. He's got 3 bike lengths on me already. No problem, I'm closing the gap. I pull ahead with plenty of time to go. At this point, I thinking "Let's have some fun..." I pause just long enough to let him get 1/2 a wheel glance over and the I drop the hammer a second time. He trys to fight back but this time it's SHOW NO MERCY!!

As we crest the top of the bridge, both gasping for air, I can hear him "yelling" at me "GOSH! You little sucker!!! You were playing with me weren't you?"
"Yup."
"You suck, but that was perfect! Good Job!"

That effort pretty much fried my legs for the rest of the ride. He took off for the stop sign at the end of the ride, but I had already cashed in all my chips for the day.

Six months from now when it's dark and cold outside, when I'm sitting on the trainer longing for warmer weather, what do you think I'm going to remember about this ride, the 60 mins of constant pedling, or the battle for the overpass? You're right, sprinting is fun.

 

[velomanct]

That's what I'm talking about!

I don't think I've ever had a good real sprint with anyone outside of racing. (38k miles)

 

[frenchyge]

Come for a ride out here. I'll sprint ya.

Why not challenge them to a hill-climb instead, if no one will sprint with you? You're not one of those people who only like to do the things they can win at, are you?

 

[ric_stern/RST]

That's what I'm talking about!

I don't think I've ever had a good real sprint with anyone outside of racing. (38k miles)

group rides here (in the UK) have lots of sprinting in them... even i 'take part' (bit of an oxymoron as i can only just reach 840 W)... i just start them at several km out from the sprint point

ric

 

[dm69]

well veloman you need a new group to ride with! I have the same problem around here. 99% of group rides are done at a leisurely pace, I LOVE pain although I prefer pain up a hill compared to pain at 55-65km/h.

I think most people just can't be arsed with intensity

 

[capwater]

We usually have designated sprint zones for established group rides. Yeah, sprinting is important especially when you're racing!

 

[Spunout]

We usually have designated sprint zones for established group rides. Yeah, sprinting is important especially when you're racing!

I use an easy sprint workout as a short recovery/activation day with my teams. After a warm up, we do some legspeed sprints, a few power sprints, trade lead outs.

Good time to speak to your teammates as we're rolling around at 15km/h between sprints 95% of the time.

 

[whoawhoa]

Well, do any of you roadies sprint? I don't live near a track and it seems that NO ONE will sprint. Everyone I ride with declines. I know road cycling is nearly all about endurance, but sprinting is fun! Sprinting alone is just not as great training. I'm a decent rider, I think.

even the roadie sprinters won't sprint against me. (and even a trackie) lol


People are boring. Go ahead, ride steady.

We have a sprint sign at the end of all our group rides. Plus on longer rides we sprint for every county line sign we see (a lot). I usually get smoked because I never remember where the signs are! I've enjoyed it, and it's convinced me that I actually can sprint some, which has made me mix it up in bunch finishes more.

 

[wilmar13]

That's what I'm talking about!

I don't think I've ever had a good real sprint with anyone outside of racing. (38k miles)

You need to seek out some "A" rides near you... Most rides with other racers will have sprint points throughout. Unless you are way out in the boonies there are surely some organized and established rides with well designated sprint points laced throughout, probably a matter of discovering them though... roadies tend to be an elitist and exclusive bunch (with good reason to keep squirrely people away), so ask around as the rides I am talking about will not be listed in any newsletter or website of organized rides, but don't give up, they DO exist for certain.

 

[velomanct]

You need to seek out some "A" rides near you... Most rides with other racers will have sprint points throughout. Unless you are way out in the boonies there are surely some organized and established rides with well designated sprint points laced throughout, probably a matter of discovering them though... roadies tend to be an elitist and exclusive bunch (with good reason to keep squirrely people away), so ask around as the rides I am talking about will not be listed in any newsletter or website of organized rides, but don't give up, they DO exist for certain.

I know all the A riders in the area, and they all know me. I go on the Tuesday group ride, but they don't have any sprints anymore because it had gotten dangerous with such a big group. Now, the ride ends with a half-hearted 'push'. I guess I need to ask around about other smaller group rides.

 

[wilmar13]

I know all the A riders in the area, and they all know me. I go on the Tuesday group ride, but they don't have any sprints anymore because it had gotten dangerous with such a big group. Now, the ride ends with a half-hearted 'push'. I guess I need to ask around about other smaller group rides.

Yeah group dynamics can muck things up... I did a group ride where people got ****** off if you rode off the front before a sprint point, so in effect they were forcing a rehearsed sprint interval... the same thing happened to this group I heard (they stopped doing it because it became too dangerous). I now do other group rides where the sprint points are more like finish lines, so if you can breakaway you won that point. It shakes things up, and keeps the weaker sketchier riders from being in the mix when that happens, but perhaps more importantly it actually emulates what happens in REAL races. Perhaps you could suggest it to your Tuesday ride, unless you are one of the sprinters who gets ****** that someone lifts the pace too high 1 mile from the sprint point

 

[WarrenG]

I know all the A riders in the area, and they all know me. I go on the Tuesday group ride, but they don't have any sprints anymore because it had gotten dangerous with such a big group.

This is a valid concern. Do you really want to be involve in a sprint on roads with cars among people who may, or may not know what they're doing?

I've done lots of sprints in training but all but a few were by myself or with one or two other riders who are very good bike racers. Safer this way. You can practice group sprints on Sundays.

 

[velomanct]

This is a valid concern. Do you really want to be involve in a sprint on roads with cars among people who may, or may not know what they're doing?

I've done lots of sprints in training but all but a few were by myself or with one or two other riders who are very good bike racers. Safer this way. You can practice group sprints on Sundays.

I rather spring with a couple guys, not a group. It can get dangerous in a group. I was stating that there are basically no riders around here that have an interest in sprinting.

 

[Fixey]

I rather spring with a couple guys, not a group. It can get dangerous in a group. I was stating that there are basically no riders around here that have an interest in sprinting.

In my younger days our sunday bunch ride was awsome. We would do a 160km (100mile) block. Where I live there are towns every 20km or so so it was a race to the start of every town, 7 in total as we didnt sprint home. Those days are long gone, boring sods now just hammer at 30 - 35km and hour for the whole ride. I am not sure what we did was the best training but it was great fun

 

[mikesbytes]

The ride I went on this morning consisted of 5 laps of Sydney's Olympic park, not a particually long distance, so the pace was up on the longer rides that I'm use to. Each lap they sprinted up a small hill. I'm good at hills but suck at sprints, so it was an interesting combination. If I was on your ride, I'd sprint at every sprint, cos I'm bad at it, so I should be practicing it.