Riding in groups - Some of you have no idea!

[warewolf]

Check your User CP.....
...
Rider In Charge

Well if they are the lead rider, then that's probably not a solution, either.

[AlBundy]

Unfortunately when things go bad it usually ends up in at least three bikes going down! 4 guys i know from around these ways, went down together on a ride a few weeks ago, due to a car cutting them off, all 4 went off the road together 2 are still in intensive !

........

I think i'd much prefer to sit on another guy (or gals) back wheel on the track nowdays!

Sorry to hear but that's a case in point... See, now what I don't get, where is Katman? This shit is just as bad as riding fast.... Or maybe that's why Katman hasn't jumped on it..... Because it goes against his logic that only sportbikes at speed cause accidents?

Agree totally with the track comment.....

[Maha]

Well if they are the lead rider, then that's probably not a solution, either.

Solution to what?
On some group rides....nobody passes the lead rider, technically not RIC granted, but its stated at the begining of the said ride.
I have organised about a dozen ride and never had a problem.
I must attract class!....

[alanzs]

After riding for a few decades, I have come to believe that riding, like many things is best done alone. With a partner can be fun and in a group can be even more fun. The danger rises exponentially.

[warewolf]

Solution to what?

To the problem of not being happy riding in staggered formation.

I must attract class!....

Lucky you! Hopefully not in the sense that opposites attract?

[dipshit]

To the problem of not being happy riding in staggered formation.

I agree. I don't want to be forced into using a single track on the road. Different lines, bumps, traffic, visibility, means I want to use any part of my side of the road as I see fit. Others can get fucked.

Riding with a couple of mates that I trust is fine. We all give each other plenty of space.

However travelling in large packs seems gay to me.

[Katman]

Because it goes against his logic that only sportbikes at speed cause accidents?

Don't know where you got that one from - stupidity comes in all shapes and sizes.

[madbikeboy]

My $0.02.


Depends. If I'm riding in a large group, I want a big buffer around me, more than staggered - normally I'll ride a lane over or something that gives me situational awareness and safety. You can't have situational awareness if you're close to something and you can't see past it, even it's a small object like a bike. I like being TEC amongst Harley Riders, those guys can be really funny to watch.

But, I'm also a cyclist, and we ride for hours at a time with 2 inch gaps between us and the chick in front (my rule is find the hottest chick/ass and follow that), and with bars actually touching occasionally. In sprints, you ride shoulder against shoulder, and hitting speeds like 65-75 depending on the finish slope or lack thereof.

My point is, I ride with much less following distance with my core group of mates, for example ZXRider is an ex-cyclist, and I trust him with his observation since I've ridden literally thousands of K's trusting him. If I can keep up with the old fucker that is.

With newbies or people that I don't know, distance is key.

Also, so long as I have an escape route, I'm okay about less distance. The key is to ride alongside if someone outbrakes you - so long as there is room to the right or left. Look up Keith Code and Quick Steer if you need some guidance on how quickly a bike will actually turn. You need to realise that if there's space to walk past someone, then if even they do something dumb, you've got the ability to ride past, and complete your braking.

MBB.

[sinfull]

Sorry to hear but that's a case in point... See, now what I don't get, where is Katman? This shit is just as bad as riding fast.... Or maybe that's why Katman hasn't jumped on it..... Because it goes against his logic that only sportbikes at speed cause accidents?

Agree totally with the track comment.....

Whats with editing this after i bling ya ? This shit ?
You might be surprised how some may have ridden in the past Al ! But you may also be surprised, that some realise they got away with it back in the bad ol days and now wish to change things !
Perhaps he reads into it what it was meant to portray ?

[Badjelly]

But, I'm also a cyclist, and we ride for hours at a time with 2 inch gaps between us and the chick in front (my rule is find the hottest chick/ass and follow that), and with bars actually touching occasionally. In sprints, you ride shoulder against shoulder, and hitting speeds like 65-75 depending on the finish slope or lack thereof.

And occasionally groups of cyclists riding like that go down like nine pins.

Oh well, each to his own.

[sinfull]

Allthough *EVERYONE* on here is obviously a marvelous person and i wouldn't even think i had the riding ability, to say i'm better than any on here,!

I bet you wouldn't tell that same Master at Arms that you've passed on their pack riding techniques to "a lovely bunch of guys and girls on an internet website that I could give you the address of if you're interested".

where is Katman?

Don't know where you got that one from - stupidity comes in all shapes and sizes.

Or perhaps you missed the subtlety

[AlBundy]

Whats with editing this after i bling ya ? This shit ?
You might be surprised how some may have ridden in the past Al ! But you may also be surprised, that some realise they got away with it back in the bad ol days and now wish to change things !
Perhaps he reads into it what it was meant to portray ?

Sorry dude.

The point I was trying to make, is Katman will find ANY thread to preach the dangers, yet, he's virtually said nothing about that sort of riding. It's more about his double standard than what you said.

[Nagash]

Well that was a big let down.. another straggered formation post.

When I was reading about how shocked your mates from SA were about our group rides, I was expecting a little bit more than just how poorly NZ'ers ride staggered. They do heaps more stupid shit than that when I go on group rides!

- Corner markers getting bored and just taking off, causing half the group to get lost.

- Dragging away from lights

- Passing with no indication what-so-ever, alot of the time in the same lane, either side depending on how much room there is at the time.

- Rarely is a TEC assigned, and most of the time the slowest rider becomes the TEC

- Some people try to stay in formation even round corners, that's always a laugh

- People not staying in staggered formation and it becomes staggered, staggered formation. With some people following directly behind, some people in the right position, and some just sitting in the road

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Following too closely during staggered formation has been done.. move onto something else.

Last years Westpac was an eye opener with people passing people on one wheel through groups of bikes..

[madbikeboy]

And occasionally groups of cyclists riding like that go down like nine pins.

Oh well, each to his own.

Most of the crashes are low speed, with the halo of invincibility that polystyrene hats and lycra affords us, we can normally get back on the back of the bunch fairly quickly. I've ridden with broken bones, but cyclists redefine hard ass. I know a kiwi chick cyclist who peeled her cast off her freshly broken and pinned wrist in order to ride for Olympic selection (the rules say you can't ride with a cast, but there's no rule about riding with broken bones...).

[KiwiKat]

I've only been riding with groups for a few months. Everyone has different skill levels and you need to respect that. I don't like following a set line but if the road allows for it I will stagger. One of the biggest issues seems to be everyone accelerating to catch up with the lead rider / group then slowing down or trying to catch up on straights because you can't keep up on corners.

On the whole riding in groups has helped my skills and confidence immensely and when I did come off there were other riders. Sometimes organisation sucks and other times it's fantastic. (kudos to Manawatu Riders).

Graeme Allardices book has some excellent advice