working together (Tiletoria west coast express)

[Lucky Luke.]

Isn't that always the "plan" for all of us? Its just the execution that is a bit lacking

 

Practice makes perfect Do even less work than the slackers. Then when the going gets tough attack the hell out of them. Prepare for this by doing some interval training, do 30 and 40k TT training - ride as hard as you can for an hour, do hill intervals, when racing make breaks even when they may be doomed to fail.. eventually you will succeed and it will be easier the next time.

[River Rat]

Man you roadies lead a complicated life!

[andydude]

Man you roadies lead a complicated life!

 

Says a dog with a bow tie called river rat

[River Rat]

Says a dog with a bow tie called river rat

That's not complicated it's sophisticated, well my dog thinks so!

[Niner]

If you had a look at the start you would see that the fine demolition job the PPA did of the seedings last year has worked well. There were almost no riders ahead of G group, and A-F were so small they combined them into one group. Behind G though, the groups looked quite big, in fact there were 40 in G alone, more than the combined A-F

 

Its a fact that unless you are an incredibly strong rider its almost impossible to break away from D/E/F/G/H and make up a seeding position in a PPA race, so that is where you sit until different seeding is used in races like the Argus, 99er etc.

 

A group of Outriders started in G, and yes there was a mixed bunch of strengths in the group (C-G), but we have found that the rides are just so much more fun when an experienced rider like Gerard Genis is there to organise through and offs etc. If riders can hang on and get times much better than they would have in G normally, then had they been in lower seeded groups, they could have hung on just as well.

 

Do I understand correctly, PPA has made it so difficult to go up the seeding ladder on your own or rather impossible?

 

So the only way riders from a group can move up is to get stronger riders to drop down and then assist in the lower groups?

 

But what happens when these assisting rides return to their groups? Will their friends survive, hang on? And how will they fair if they are now in a higher group but riding on their own?

 

What I see here is that riders are being assisted by stronger ones to get better times, higher seeding etc. and then? How do these riders then cope in their higher groups or they don't ?

[Lucky Luke.]

It's not that hard to move up any more, A group is quite big now. We've moved on people. Go ride your bikes!

[Rydogg]

I think if you really want to move up quicker - enter some events with friends that are stronger than you and plan to ride together. That's what the outriders are doing.

[Lucky Luke.]

I think if you really want to move up quicker - enter some events with friends that are stronger than you and plan to ride together. That's what the outriders are doing.

 

Nope, the Outriders are training for the DC

[Lucky Luke.]

What is the point of finding stronger riders to tow your seeding up the alphabet? Then you arrive in A group and fly out the back like an old cabbage off a lorry on the first climb.

 

Don't be an idiot, GRYB. That is how you move up.

[Niner]

What is the point of finding stronger riders to tow your seeding up the alphabet? Then you arrive in A group and fly out the back like an old cabbage off a lorry on the first climb.

 

Don't be an idiot, GRYB. That is how you move up.

 

I also think it is dangerous to do what theoutriders are doing. The guys normally in G is now riding at higher speeds than what they are used to for longer and then loosing concentration.

 

Looking at the falls that were reported here, I am wondering how many were in G, and how many as a result of riders not being experienced enough to ride at those speeds around those corners.

 

If the rest of the G-Groups is going fast and everyone is hanging on, have safe is it? The is a REASON those riders are NOT in C or D yet......

 

Not sure why people want a "tow" like LL said up the ladder....you are either strong enough or not.

[Tiny K]

I also think it is dangerous to do what theoutriders are doing. The guys normally in G is now riding at higher speeds than what they are used to for longer and then loosing concentration.

 

Looking at the falls that were reported here, I am wondering how many were in G, and how many as a result of riders not being experienced enough to ride at those speeds around those corners.

 

If the rest of the G-Groups is going fast and everyone is hanging on, have safe is it? The is a REASON those riders are NOT in C or D yet......

 

Not sure why people want a "tow" like LL said up the ladder....you are either strong enough or not.

 

I think what LL is getting at is that, like myself, the aim of the average cyclist is to move up the seeding ladder.

 

The only way to do that is to reduce the time difference between the winner and your time.

 

Yes it is dangerous to ride at a pace faster than you are capable of, but at the same time, that is how you get stronger.

 

My Orbit race was fast, but just above my capabilities. I pushed hard, did a few turns on the front, sucked wheel when I could and even cramped after the mats. It has made me a stronger rider for the next race.

 

The WCE was dangerous because of the wet roads, man holes and edgy riders.

 

I agree it is difficult to get off the front of the group to post a great time, but if you get a few like minded guys, form a breakaway and drop the wheel-suckers.

[ROCKITRIDEIT]

 

 

Not sure why people want a "tow" like LL said up the ladder....you are either strong enough or not.

 

Luke, is it me or are the other guys missing the point here...the Outriders are training together as a DC team, they are not doing this to "tow" friends up the PPA seeding ladder.

 

The only way to start as a team is to drop down the seeding start groups to the lowest common denominator in your team, that is what the PPA marshals enforce and allow.

 

It is then up to other riders (in G in this case) to know their own ability and limits and whether they get involved with the Outriders working as a team, I sure hope they have the courtesy to ask or even introduce themselves first (seeing as from other threads etiquette appears to be sorely lacking).

 

I rode and worked with them at the Durbanville race and we smashed a 2h32m and I thanked each one of them individually afterwards, as the by-product of their DC training was a good time for me.

 

You can't blame THEM for any group crashes or what happens behind them in the wheelsucking brigade....anyone who watches pro-cycling knows that the best chance you have to avoid crashes is to ride in the top 10 to 15 positions in the bunch. yes it is hard work but it has its benefits, avoiding crashes is one of them.

[stratus5]

I also think it is dangerous to do what theoutriders are doing. The guys normally in G is now riding at higher speeds than what they are used to for longer and then loosing concentration.

 

Looking at the falls that were reported here, I am wondering how many were in G, and how many as a result of riders not being experienced enough to ride at those speeds around those corners.

 

If the rest of the G-Groups is going fast and everyone is hanging on, have safe is it? The is a REASON those riders are NOT in C or D yet......

 

Not sure why people want a "tow" like LL said up the ladder....you are either strong enough or not.

 

Hi Niner,

 

The leading rider in the G group went down on a right hand corner in Atlantis after slipping on diesel on a wet road, he took down the second and third riders behind him. The second quite seriously (torn calf muscle requiring stitches). The rider who went down had a C seeding.

 

I slipped and slid onto the verge, managing to miss the two in front of me and suffering no damage. Our mayhem slowed down everybody behind us even further, who were then able to go round the corner very slowly.

 

I dont think your seeding has any reflection on how well you handle a bike when things go pear shaped. Speeds are also relative. The difference between and average of 36 vs 40 km/h is diddly, especially since you are all going at the same speed relative to one another in a peleton.

 

Where the faster groups make up time is more likely to be on the tougher into wind legs and hill climbs (where the speed is lower), rather than the easier high speed downwind cruise home.

[Niner]

Hi Niner,

 

The leading rider in the G group went down on a right hand corner in Atlantis after slipping on diesel on a wet road, he took down the second and third riders behind him. The second quite seriously (torn calf muscle requiring stitches). The rider who went down had a C seeding.

 

I slipped and slid onto the verge, managing to miss the two in front of me and suffering no damage. Our mayhem slowed down everybody behind us even further, who were then able to go round the corner very slowly.

 

I dont think your seeding has any reflection on how well you handle a bike when things go pear shaped. Speeds are also relative. The difference between and average of 36 vs 40 km/h is diddly, especially since you are all going at the same speed relative to one another in a peleton.

 

Where the faster groups make up time is more likely to be on the tougher into wind legs and hill climbs (where the speed is lower), rather than the easier high speed downwind cruise home.

Thanks for the explanation.

 

Like I said I was wondering.

 

I agree that speed is not a reflection on how well you handle your bike, but more like how well you handle it when you are tired from riding at high speed.

[lamminga]

Isn't cycling wonderful?

 

Throughout the winter you ride with friends / club mates and get strong

Then the season starts, DC creeps closer

You travel together to the 1tonner, Durbanville, Joostenberg, West Coast Express

Greet fellow DC and Club members at the Registration

Line up in your Club kit

Work hard with your mates for 2+ hours

And then afterwards congratulate each other in the spirit of cycling

Make new friends at the finish line

And then have team discussions afterwards, what we've learnt, what we can do better next time

(As an added bonus, your seeding creeps up from race to race)

 

Team riding is purely for enjoyment, fitness, camaraderie, and naturally: a bit of competition ;-)

 

To everyone doing the DC: have fun and remember, the quicker you go, the less time you're in the saddle.