I started in & bunch yesterday, but sadly I hit a pothole and cracked my rim on the Blueroute. My father was kind enough to bring my set of training wheels, but dealing with road closures and coming from the northern 'burbs, I lost an hour standing next to the road only 20kms in. By the time I got going, I was riding "with" 2G or there abouts. Worked my way through the bunches solo and came down Landadno with the 2D bunch. The accident with the marshal had just happened as I passed. Horrible sight.. very sad to hear about his passing. I realise what I am about to say will probably sound rude to some, but I feel I need to say it none the less. The racing bunches are always accused of riding dangerously, but this is definitely not the case. I feel a lot safer in the racing bunches than I felt yesterday with the middle groups. Yes, sure, accidents happen, but for the most part at least the racing bunches know how to handle a bicycle and know how to ride in a bunch. It just looks dangerous because it happens so much faster. In the middle bunches (especially in the funride world champs, when everyone is a pro) people swerve all over the place, there is no bunch etiquette what so ever and in fact, most of the time there are no bunches, just groups of 5 trying to ride each other of the wheel, because of course this will make them faster in the long run. Bunch skills and etiquette is , quite frankly, pathetic in the middle bunches. It is something that I feel needs to be focussed on and talked about and taught by PPA or whoever. You wouldn't shove someone who drives once a year into a racing car onto a track full of other cars would you? So why do people who cycle once a year think it's fine to just show up without any regard for other's safety? Anyway, rant over I guess. Was glad to be able to finish in the end.
