BRONZ Slow Paced Social Rides 2012

[blackdog]

I shoulda thought earlier. Ratti is welcome to take the K75 anytime for a ride.

[BuckBuck#1]

Was a pleasure to drop in at the Avalon Duckpond tonight and see the BRONZ organisation lead tonight's ride program. A good pre-ride briefing and brief discussion of the route and potential hazards.

I went digging back into my blogg and found the following entry:

A Review The End Of Daylight Saving 2009-2010

Well done BRONZ for your efforts these past three years.

(Since autumn 2010 there have been a few more bikes, and up around 100,000km travelled since 2006.)

Regards
BB#1

[DrDarkMatter]

Great ride last night, I had never been out that far in wianuwi, great fun, great people, cant wait for the next one.

[tristania]

^ Cool pics Was a good ride last night, I usually feel nervous in groups but this was nice and relaxed.

[DrDarkMatter]

lol thanks , it was really good fun aye? I made a boo boo last night about not stopping for riders but its all about learning aye

cant wait for the next one...

it was a tad chilly going home over haywards last night lol

[oneofsix]

^ Cool pics Was a good ride last night, I usually feel nervous in groups but this was nice and relaxed.

Geez that avatar doesn't go with the bike I have to make more of these rides, even for an oldie like me they are great, new roads, new lessons, new faces.

[tristania]

Geez that avatar doesn't go with the bike

LOL It's Iron Maiden which goes with everything!

[oneofsix]

LOL It's Iron Maiden which goes with everything!

I'll concede that point. Just the way you look at I guess.

[DrDarkMatter]

hahahahahaha Ironmaiden, thats a blast from the last, I dont remember most of those concerts but thats another story.

anyway, I am just wondering and thinking out loud.

Maybe we should have more than one stop to regroup, especially for larger groups like we had last night.

so instead of just stopping half way to have a break and regroup, we could have a "rolling stop" some where, where we just all pull over and get regrouped, also what about a radio for the leader and tail end charlie to be able to talk. so if we pulled over for a regroup the leader could contact tail end charlie and make sure everyone was together because I am sure it would be difficult for the leader to see all the way to the back, I know I would find it that way.

[GTRMAN]

hahahahahaha Ironmaiden, thats a blast from the last, I dont remember most of those concerts but thats another story.

anyway, I am just wondering and thinking out loud.

Maybe we should have more than one stop to regroup, especially for larger groups like we had last night.

so instead of just stopping half way to have a break and regroup, we could have a "rolling stop" some where, where we just all pull over and get regrouped, also what about a radio for the leader and tail end charlie to be able to talk. so if we pulled over for a regroup the leader could contact tail end charlie and make sure everyone was together because I am sure it would be difficult for the leader to see all the way to the back, I know I would find it that way.

Not bad ideas at all, though if we all work to the "I can't see the rider behind me, I will pull over and wait for them" methodology then the group doesn't get split up, and no one gets left behind. I'm all for comms etc as anyone who knows me will attest, but generally the simplest method is the best.

[DrDarkMatter]

yip I agree, KISS is best for sure. My concern was that we would all get strung along a long line and pull over at different places and end up all over the place. so if I had pulled over (as I should have) then oneofsix who was in front me might have been watching something in front of him was watching the road and so at some point looked behind and was I was not there and pulled over and so on and so on we potentially would get very strung out over a long stretch of road by the time it reached the leader. then we would all have to turn around and go back to find the stragglers and then turn around again to get back all going the same direction we were traveling in the first place. ya know what I mean?

I am not trying to be difficult or cause problems, I just see some.........issues with the pull over and wait rule, that being we could get strung out over a long stretch and have to potential turn around multiple times on a possibly busy road

I mean I am a new guy here so what do I know, just sayin lol

[oneofsix]

my 2c.
Not being a route I ride, never done the whole thing before especially from the start, OK once on the hill, I was as concerned with retaining sight of where we were going as anything else. Traffic was quite heavy on the Lower Hutt side. I swear when I checked there was another rider between DDM and me as well as a lot of cars. Plenty of cars between me and the Boulie I was following. Next I check and DDM is the rider to my rear and the other bike is behind him, don't know if the other bike was part of the group or not as there were no defined positions except lead and TEC, we all just left as we felt fit and as I was leaving another rider arrived at the venue. Also having to watch for traffic and hazards meant it could be a while before you notice that you can't see the bike behind and then there was the question of was it just traffic between, there were a few times it was just traffic blocking the view and as a senior rider I had more time to look (read study) at the mirrors than an L plater would.

In hind sight I wish I had held up a hand and called a stop once I lost sight of the bike behind DDM but we were on the hill by then and we do have a TEC.

I also saw an issue last night with pulling off in traffic only to have to attempt to rejoin immediately because traffic had temporarily block the view.

For the main group that had managed to get away as a bunch the rear view method would have worked but for those of us that had to filter into the flow the view of the bike ahead and behind was often obstructed until the traffic thinned out and stopping in the early stages would have caused issues in itself, especially for L-platers.

A group pause has worked in the past.

I also see the logic of the rear view thing.

Both together avoids the new rider doubt, the string out etc. Deliberate spreading of seniors who know the routine and with defined hand signals, (fast up = pack stop) through the pack is another possibly for incremental improvement. Balance against going over the top, a hard thing to do.

Like I said, just my 2c worth, as I saw it at the time.

[DrDarkMatter]

my 2c.

In hind sight I wish I had held up a hand and called a stop once I lost sight of the bike behind DDM but we were on the hill by then and we do have a TEC.

Same, cool reply though...

I was thinking along those lines as well.

[Dragon]

Even though we slowed down on the way out last night I backed off the guys more at the front

I was about 3-4 secs behind Nick (Drdarkmatter) I could see him he could see me we then had about a 2-3 second gap between me and the little GN

I was pretty paranoid about keeping the GN within reasonable distance behind me I was still easily able to keep up with the boys in front if I needed to.

Oneofsix you jumping behind the GN seemed a good idea meant it wasn't left to the tec to keep an eye on her.

On the makara run I was 3rd from the back and the two back guys got seperated for alittle from us due to traffic 2-3 carlengths back but because of the set places I wasnt overly worried because tbh sitting on my own at the back doesnt worry me and I knew the 2 behind me would be fine to catch up

Might pay to spend alittle more time and decide who rides where

ie

Group leader
L
R or F
L
F
L
F
Tec

Sort of setup general rule of thumb I thought was go at the slowest riders pace (however I know I get pretty fustrated being stuck behind some people)

So if we are having the slower rider at the back we need someone expirenced or confident for them to follow so they can learn lines better braking etc also means if they drop back the Expirenced rider will slow everyone else down

I could be wrong however this is just my rough take

We should be doing the speed limit or if the conditions arent 100% then 10-15km below that

Ive been finding the slower rides good because it gives me more awareness when riding with other riders in regards to them not riding the same as me.

Nick and myself are starting to realize how each other rides and how much we can push it with each other

Guess it takes time to learn other people in the group

[oneofsix]

you raise a good point, amongst others in there, Dragon. With the late arrival of the little GN, after most of the bikes had in fact left, it was stuck at the back, whereas I am quite confident the rider leader would have preferred it right behind the leader if he had of had the chance, so she set the pace.