Getting dropped

[pwarbi]

We do ride in a friendly group so we stay together. If we run into some showboat that latches on then starts clowning around, I will send one of the stronger riders to blow his doors off just to teach him a lesson. So yeah we have fun. Especially when Aimee is in shape we send her ha ha! So it's like a mother ship sending off little fighter planes here and there. The tiderd I'm talking about Pwarbi are the ones who refuse to take the front then sprint around at the end. We had one guy tjst did that like 10 rides in a row. I asked him about it and he said he wanted to show everybody what he had left. I told him if he wanted to prove he was strong he should take the front during the ride. He did after that then endef up getting dropped half wsy through our 40 miler. But the group slowed for him to keep up 2 different times on that ride. He never show boated again after that ha ha!

I know and have ridden with people like your talking about in the past but I don't pay too much attention to be honest and I wouldn't let it annoy me.

In my experience they tend to be the younger riders that don't pay too much attention to the unwritten rules or codes of conduct I'd expect and if they are willing to lead and then fall back in the pack in turn then so be it.

 

[oportosanto]

It's always an insult to the ego being overtaken, but I've come to live with it. When out and about, you might be crossing paths with someone who is deliberately riding fast intervals, while you're coming to the end of a hilly 70 miler. Horse for courses, as they say.....

I really don't care too much about that as I am there to have fun. If I see someone who has more legs than me I might even smile and wish someday I am the one in that position.

 

[pinkride]

I don't really care now, but when I first started cycling I was bothered by it. I just wanted to be the best and having others go faster than me was irritating... now that I only go cycling for fun and not to compete I don't mind it.

 

[oportosanto]

Yeah, it depends a lot on the group we are riding in. If it's a competitive group of course it's annoying because they just keep on going and we cannot keep up, at the same time might work as motivation for us to be better.

 

[doctorold]

Not sure why we feel the need to be embarrassed or "retaliate" if someone passes us. A couple of months ago I had been riding pretty hard and was close to the end of my ride (about 35 miles). I was pedaling at a baseline cadence when all of a sudden a guy passes me and for whatever reason I decided to chase him down and I indeed did pass him on a climb. I am not a racer and I couldn't care less what people think but there is something about another cyclist going past us that flips a switch that says "Hey! Not cool!"

 

[cyberlegend1994]

In most B groups, "no-drop" really means "we'll wait for you at the next stop sign".

That's exactly what they did for me when I threw my chain off the large chainring during my inaugural group ride, one of them came back to me and let me draft him to help me catch back up...

 

[oportosanto]

Not sure why we feel the need to be embarrassed or "retaliate" if someone passes us. A couple of months ago I had been riding pretty hard and was close to the end of my ride (about 35 miles). I was pedaling at a baseline cadence when all of a sudden a guy passes me and for whatever reason I decided to chase him down and I indeed did pass him on a climb. I am not a racer and I couldn't care less what people think but there is something about another cyclist going past us that flips a switch that says "Hey! Not cool!"

It depends, I think the question is not if someone passes by us, it's a matter of going in a group and be left behind, that can be annoying.

 

[Bicycleman]

OK. I took a slightly different route than the group and thought I saw two of them pass by on the cross road just ahead of me. So I kicked it up to 28 mph for three miles and they continued stretching the lead. That's when I knew that it wasn't them. In another case I was accelerating to 28 mph and above trying to catch a group and I kept getting red lights just as I was about to get on. This continued for 5 miles.

If you haven't been dropped you're riding with sissies.

Sissys? Heck, I get dropped by girls. Our group has some strong folks. I can usually stay with them until we get that last road that is so hilly. Hills are my nemesis, and during that last hilly road, it is near the end of the ride when my energy levels are beginning to wane. I still come back for more, each week because it is good training.

 

[oportosanto]

Ha, girls can be stronger than guys in any sport, they can have more practice and that's it. I think no one is a sissy, we all have what we work for.

 

[chrislee99777]

Yep, I have many years of riding, so I can manage effort and I could drop people behind, but that't not really my goal as I love to ride and to enjoy myself with others while doing it.

I think cycling is just for fun for my life, and I was not dropped by our group...and I didn't drop others behind also. We just ride together, and have lots of fun.

 

[An old Guy]

If you are not racing, I'm not sure why there has to be a "dropping" involved? Can't people just ride together? Riding together benefits pretty much everybody!

Pretty much why I avoid clubs. Strong riders pull for the first 30 or 40 miles then the wheel suckers attack on the last mile to show how strong they are...... WTF!

I think I made it clear: If I am not racing there is no dropping involved.

There are certainly more guys who can beat me up hills or on the flat than there used to be, but as long as I don't get paid to beat them I am not going to worry about them. I am certainly not going to train enough to beat them.

I do take pace off of some riders who pass. It makes my ride more interesting and more pleasant. But I am willing to let them go.

 

[Uawadall]

I think I made it clear: If I am not racing there is no dropping involved.

There are certainly more guys who can beat me up hills or on the flat than there used to be, but as long as I don't get paid to beat them I am not going to worry about them. I am certainly not going to train enough to beat them.

I do take pace off of some riders who pass. It makes my ride more interesting and more pleasant. But I am willing to let them go.

I am not a fan of dropping people either and do so only under a few circumstances. If a D rider rides in a B group, he can't expect everyone to wait and stop 50 times for him. Our local bike club had every range of speed and ability. I'm new and if I ride with the A experienced guys, it can be expected to get dropped. The other circumstance is if someones riding and having an off day, i'll ask if they want me to wait for them. If they say they cant keep up, they cant keep up.

A few times either myself or another rider would nearly get dropped after having a mechanical problem. Their is nothing more fun than chasing after a pack at full speed out the saddle. If I see a hill or flat that I can't resist attacking, i'll do so. I will wait for others when its done. Being dropped, ohh well GPS is a good friend of mine. I prefer not to drop others though.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

I was dropped more than I was on a wheel today. I think that's why they call it "training".

The chasing back was good work and fun. Watching the gap shrink or grow is all part of the game.

 

[Uawadall]

I was dropped more than I was on a wheel today. I think that's why they call it "training".

The chasing back was good work and fun. Watching the gap shrink or grow is all part of the game.

I seem to be one of the few I ride with that enjoy "the chase". this winter was ripe with chain falls and many rides were turned into interval sessions. One ride I had it fall of twice in a few minutes. my group left me and all I saw was specs in the distance. A few out of the saddle attacks later and I caught up. It was fun

 

[oportosanto]

We can see it under that perspective too, if we are left behind we can always try to pick up, we can see it as a challenge and a way to improve.