The I-Team

[BarHugger]

Well done to all and a huge well done for effort ...... but if I may .

 

To achieve a target goal with more than two people who don't cycle together regularly a few things need to happen .......... the first of these being honesty versus wild dreams or shall we call them (pipedreams)

 

Often it will be easier said than done ........... does every single person committed know and understand their limit ....... are they honest firstly to themselves knowing what they can or can not achieve and are the honest with the group ?

It can be justifiably easily believable that a goal can be achieved when emotion and excitement is on an all time high ............. but what is the bottom line ........ that good old harsh reality .

 

To make a success out of something like this all involved should understand their ability and limit and then split that group up even further in to smaller groups of people ......... with similar abilities .

The other and possibly easier solution is to follow a simple rule ......... that is where the intention of the ride is to achieve unity with a common goal and that would be to finish as one ......... how can this be achieved ........ by riding at the pace of the slowest person within the group .

 

All of course IMHO .

Nice try guys ....... great thread and much excitement ....... pity it didn't quite all go according to plan .

[Lurch the stalker]

Well done to all and a huge well done for effort ...... but if I may .

 

To achieve a target goal with more than two people who don't cycle together regularly a few things need to happen .......... the first of these being honesty versus wild dreams or shall we call them (pipedreams)

 

Often it will be easier said than done ........... does every single person committed know and understand their limit ....... are they honest firstly to themselves knowing what they can or can not achieve and are the honest with the group ?

It can be justifiably easily believable that a goal can be achieved when emotion and excitement is on an all time high ............. but what is the bottom line ........ that good old harsh reality .

 

To make a success out of something like this all involved should understand their ability and limit and then split that group up even further in to smaller groups of people ......... with similar abilities .

The other and possibly easier solution is to follow a simple rule ......... that is where the intention of the ride is to achieve unity with a common goal and that would be to finish as one ......... how can this be achieved ........ by riding at the pace of the slowest person within the group .

 

All of course IMHO .

Nice try guys ....... great thread and much excitement ....... pity it didn't quite all go according to plan .

 

Maybe we could look at putting together regular rides so people can learn to work with as a team?

[BarHugger]

Maybe we could look at putting together regular rides so people can learn to work with as a team?

Bearing in mind Lurch ........ working together as a team still does not guarantee everyone getting over all the climbs together as a team ........ 

[Frosty]

1st on the left Grant - Aka BMW1za 

Flip dude, you were chatting to Wannebee at circle 6. I saw you but we never met (officially). Next time!

[Lurch the stalker]

Bearing in mind Lurch ........ working together as a team still does not guarantee everyone getting over all the climbs together as a team ........ 

Agree 100%, but, if you know the riders around you and ride regularly together you have that level of trust and know what the others are capable of.

[ahmedbadat]

look we lost our influential captain the day before our big game, in any sport this would create panic, confusion and unsettle the team. can we all blame tombeej rather for the i team performance

[Gen]

I am sure you guys will make this work and soon Evan would want in on the I-team

[BarHugger]

Agree 100%, but, if you know the riders around you and ride regularly together you have that level of trust and know what the others are capable of.

....and that right there is where the issue begins ......... does the group then decide ....... well we know Jan and Koos are not capable of even a sub 3:30 do we then still wait for them ........ and jeopardise the whole group ?

Just an observation ........

[eddy]

....and that right there is where the issue begins ......... does the group then decide ....... well we know Jan and Koos are not capable of even a sub 3:30 do we then still wait for them ........ and jeopardise the whole group ?

Just an observation ........

 

No, but maybe there should be a sub 3 bus starting at the front, a sub 3:15 bus starting a bit further back and a sub 3:30 bus even further back.

 

All groups go out under the control of a strong cyclist who has worked out the pacing.

 

If someone drops off, hop onto the next bus.

[Prince]

....and that right there is where the issue begins ......... does the group then decide ....... well we know Jan and Koos are not capable of even a sub 3:30 do we then still wait for them ........ and jeopardise the whole group ?

Just an observation ........

 I agree. For this to work smoothly there has to be smaller groups with different ride captains. 3, 3.15, 3.30 etc. The ride captains then have the responsibility to set an even pace to achieve the time. The members job is to stick with the pace and to be honest to say "out" and let the bunch go if they can't.

 

So when's the next reload....Fast One?

[Fat Boab]

Well done to all and a huge well done for effort ...... but if I may .

 

To achieve a target goal with more than two people who don't cycle together regularly a few things need to happen .......... the first of these being honesty versus wild dreams or shall we call them (pipedreams)

 

Often it will be easier said than done ........... does every single person committed know and understand their limit ....... are they honest firstly to themselves knowing what they can or can not achieve and are the honest with the group ?

It can be justifiably easily believable that a goal can be achieved when emotion and excitement is on an all time high ............. but what is the bottom line ........ that good old harsh reality .

 

To make a success out of something like this all involved should understand their ability and limit and then split that group up even further in to smaller groups of people ......... with similar abilities .

The other and possibly easier solution is to follow a simple rule ......... that is where the intention of the ride is to achieve unity with a common goal and that would be to finish as one ......... how can this be achieved ........ by riding at the pace of the slowest person within the group .

 

All of course IMHO .

Nice try guys ....... great thread and much excitement ....... pity it didn't quite all go according to plan .

 

 

You make some good points, and I think from chatting to some of the guys in the pen, we were all aware that things on-the-ground would be very different from the intent, as noble as it was. Pooks Hill reinforced this and much improvisation followed as described by others.

 

Now, I'm a bit of an old curmudgeon and prone, on occasion (!), to pragmatism, or cynicism if you prefer, and as much as I was 'proven correct' that we'd have some of the problems that we did, the day taught me something, namely sometimes supporting noble intents pay off! I easily saved 5-10 mins from riding with the Patch/Sheriff group to the end of the M1. I met some very cool okes, of both sexes, many of whom gave their time and energy openly (thanks Patch's bum for the pull back to group on the M1). And I learned some new stuff whilst on the road. If I hadn't joined up with the team, none of this would have happened, so for me the I-team was hugely successful.

 

I quite like the idea of differing buses, or riding at the speed of the slowest person. The latter is probably easier to arrange and manage, if a committed and skilled bus driver can be found of course. But as someone said several days ago, maybe we're over-thinking this and we should just ride our bikes and have a jol, however it works out?

Edited November 16, 2015 by Fat Boab

[BarHugger]

No, but maybe there should be a sub 3 bus starting at the front, a sub 3:15 bus starting a bit further back and a sub 3:30 bus even further back.

 

All groups go out under the control of a strong cyclist who has worked out the pacing.

 

If someone drops off, hop onto the next bus.

I am no racing snake ...... and I tend to be honest with myself and my abilities....... so your post makes the most sense to me .

I am merely pointing out that the impression I get .......... the 3:30 guys think by perhaps just being in the 3:00 group will qualify them achieve that

[hayleyearth]

....and that right there is where the issue begins ......... does the group then decide ....... well we know Jan and Koos are not capable of even a sub 3:30 do we then still wait for them ........ and jeopardise the whole group ?

Just an observation ........

 

I think it is up to each and every rider on the day to know what they are capable of and to honestly communicate it.

 

Yesterday I knew before hand I would not make sub-3 or anything close (obvious reasons). I was just there to meet the people actually and to see how long I can actually hold on (by not making anyone wait/come back)...I guess I started with the 'wrong group' because trying to hold onto Wes's group burnt me within the 1st 22km. It was only then when Sheriff, Patch, Scott and Fat Boab came by and I jumped in, but I told Scott quickly I wont be able to hold on to their pace at that time and pulled out clearly. Then I saw Patch waiting for Fat Boab and I jumped in there (for obvious reasons too  ...  ). After a few kms there with them (where I knew it was Patch's aim to get us back to Sheriff and them on the M1) I almost forgot that FB was behind me and just told Patch to go (I think that was when Patch told/asked me to make sure FB was still there)...I would have head down and just focused on the wheel till we got back to the others, but realised when you are part of a string kinda having to look back and make sure the person behind you is still there AND to keep communicating that to the pacemaker is critical. THAT for me is something VERY important that I noticed in those few kms and it is quite tough. When I bailed there I also made a clear 'I am out', not a 'wait for me' or 'slow down'.

 

I think overall this can work, especially because this was our 1st try and I think we learnt a great deal from it. I do think some of the people need to know one another, at least how they look before the time or even better have ridden together.

 

I will be keen to try and keep this going and maybe some of us can meet up once a month for a "I team" training ride

[ahmedbadat]

with reference to running busses, you have a bus driver who focuses only in getting to the end in the agreed time he is experianced and knows the course, so he knows when to go hard and when to recover he doesnt take into consideration the fitness levels of the participants and they certainly dont wait for anyone during the run.

[eddy]

I am no racing snake ...... and I tend to be honest with myself and my abilities....... so your post makes the most sense to me .

I am merely pointing out that the impression I get .......... the 3:30 guys think by perhaps just being in the 3:00 group will qualify them achieve that

 

 

You are right, and it always tickles me because getting dropped up the first hill is the surest way of ensuring a time slower than your potential.

 

Your best time is in a group where you can (just) stay with the group up the hills and hang in not completely comfortably on the flats. Maybe do one pull just to prove you are not a complete freeloader.

[Dexter-morgan]

I think this was a great Idea maybe we could do something like this for other groups next year and even involve other social media like face-book to get other groups together? comments?