The I-Team

[tombeej]

I see there's the JOC (Joint Ops Centre) at meeting point D. We could meet in front of that.

 

Time suggestion: meet from 6h45 and the group leaves promptly at 07h00 for the start pen.

 

Some of us will have our cable ties and yellow tags on the backs of our helmets already, so it won't be hard to miss us. The rest who need these attached, we'll have extras available there to hand out.

[shaper]

Perfect, meeting point D it is

[Fat Boab]

I see there's the JOC (Joint Ops Centre) at meeting point D. We could meet in front of that.

 

Time suggestion: meet from 6h45 and the group leaves promptly at 07h00 for the start pen.

 

Some of us will have our cable ties and yellow tags on the backs of our helmets already, so it won't be hard to miss us. The rest who need these attached, we'll have extras available there to hand out.

 

Isn't a 0700 depart from circle-D, for a 0705 start time, a bit ambitious, if we want to be near the front of the pen? I recollect a recommendation in the start-pack from last year to be in the pen 45 mins ahead of time? If so, we'll be at the back...

[tombeej]

Oh heck, I thought the I Batch start time was 07h30. 

 

In fact, I see that we start at 07h05!

 

So I suggest meeting at point D from 06h15 and leave promptly for the start pen at 06h30.

 

 

Start+List+2015.pdf

[tombeej]

Isn't a 0700 depart from circle-D, for a 0705 start time, a bit ambitious, if we want to be near the front of the pen? I recollect a recommendation in the start-pack from last year to be in the pen 45 mins ahead of time? If so, we'll be at the back...

 

Corrected my error

[Fat Boab]

Oh heck, I thought the I Batch start time was 07h30. 

 

In fact, I see that we start at 07h05!

 

So I suggest meeting at point D from 06h15 and leave promptly for the start pen at 06h30.

 

Sounds good!

[tombeej]

Sounds good!

 

We could leave for the start a little earlier than 06h30 if you like.

 

Meet at 6am and leave for the start at 06h15...

[Firozfx]

We could leave for the start a little earlier than 06h30 if you like.

 

Meet at 6am and leave for the start at 06h15...

That sounds good. We need to be near the front of the pen

[Lurch the stalker]

06:00 at D sounds good to me.

[tombeej]

Rolling through / Rolling turns ('Swapping off') & Pace lines

 

OK, so let's talk about the techniques of bunch riding and the best way to ride in order to achieve our goals.

 

I'm sure you all know about the terms 'pace line' and 'rolling turns'. In the racing bunches these are well known concepts and the riders there generally know how to roll through correctly.

 

But for the rest of the field, folks are generally used to riding along at their own pace, kinda pottering along in what can very loosely be described as a bunch (more like a long loose stream of individuals doing their own thing), and certainly with no co-ordinated effort.

 

The I-Team will need to run a tight ship if we're going to get as many people as possible across the line in a great time. Some of us know how to move effectively in tight racing bunches, while others have only really seen it on TV. But we'll all need to get involved on race day, so it's time we start to have a look at the technique of rolling turns.

 

If we get it right we are going to absolutely fly. There's nothing more exhilarating than being in a tight bunch that's really motoring and everyone is rolling through properly, lots of communication (yelling ) going on, everyone working together and taking their turn. The kilometres just fly by because you're concentrating the whole time, watching for your turn, making sure you don't create a gap in the line, and so on.

 

If we don't work together, then it will just become another loose string of individuals doing their own thing with a few exasperated strong riders trying to get people onto their wheel and doing their best to pull as long as possible. Things will fall apart very quickly and we may as well just go our own way.

 

We will need to keep our cohesion and our form. There is a way to pull out of a rolling pace line and sit just behind (you'll read about that below), but then once you've had enough of a rest, you then get back into rolling turns up front to help out again. 

 

So let's start with some articles to get you up to speed. I'll then follow up the theory with actual videos.

 

Read these articles and feel free to post any questions you might have. I'll give it a day or two for people to read, and then post the videos.

 

Here's an excellent start (has a video to go with it):

http://www.cycling-secrets.com/category/cycling-training-tips/page/4/

 

Article #2 on Rolling Through:

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2010/11/rolling-through/

 

Article #3:

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2009/02/rolling-turns-pacelining-echeloning/

[StevieL]

Rolling through / Rolling turns ('Swapping off') & Pace lines

 

We don't need to shout *@%#! off, as we come through, do we? Or do we? (as per the video).

[Fat Boab]

Rolling through / Rolling turns ('Swapping off') & Pace lines

 

OK, so let's talk about the techniques of bunch riding and the best way to ride in order to achieve our goals.

 

I'm sure you all know about the terms 'pace line' and 'rolling turns'. In the racing bunches these are well known concepts and the riders there generally know how to roll through correctly.

 

But for the rest of the field, folks are generally used to riding along at their own pace, kinda pottering along in what can very loosely be described as a bunch (more like a long loose stream of individuals doing their own thing), and certainly with no co-ordinated effort.

 

The I-Team will need to run a tight ship if we're going to get as many people as possible across the line in a great time. Some of us know how to move effectively in tight racing bunches, while others have only really seen it on TV. But we'll all need to get involved on race day, so it's time we start to have a look at the technique of rolling turns.

 

If we get it right we are going to absolutely fly. There's nothing more exhilarating than being in a tight bunch that's really motoring and everyone is rolling through properly, lots of communication (yelling ) going on, everyone working together and taking their turn. The kilometres just fly by because you're concentrating the whole time, watching for your turn, making sure you don't create a gap in the line, and so on.

 

If we don't work together, then it will just become another loose string of individuals doing their own thing with a few exasperated strong riders trying to get people onto their wheel and doing their best to pull as long as possible. Things will fall apart very quickly and we may as well just go our own way.

 

We will need to keep our cohesion and our form. There is a way to pull out of a rolling pace line and sit just behind (you'll read about that below), but then once you've had enough of a rest, you then get back into rolling turns up front to help out again. 

 

So let's start with some articles to get you up to speed. I'll then follow up the theory with actual videos.

 

Read these articles and feel free to post any questions you might have. I'll give it a day or two for people to read, and then post the videos.

 

Here's an excellent start (has a video to go with it):

http://www.cycling-secrets.com/category/cycling-training-tips/page/4/

 

Article #2 on Rolling Through:

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2010/11/rolling-through/

 

Article #3:

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2009/02/rolling-turns-pacelining-echeloning/

 

Thanks for these Tombeej. Have to admit, I've only done this stuff in small groups, for short periods, and the thought of +/-20 people of varying ability and experience and it seems daunting. Throw in 'outsiders' jumping in the line unannounced perhaps and it seems to get super-daunting!

 

A couple of questions, if I may:

 

1. How are we going to set the pace on the road, and how will this be modified/updated?

 

2. Setting pace up hills? Seems like there is scope to drop people here, if we don't have a plan and aren't disciplined in sticking to it, or modifying on the fly?

 

3. How many old-hands do we have in the group and can they be identified on the day to keep us in order? It might avoid a lot of well-meaning, but misguided advice being distributed, by A-types and others?

 

Or am I over-complicating it all!?  

[Escapee..]

This really sounds great.

 

We did something similar at the Emperors race last year and also at the 94.7 in 2013.

 

At Emperors the group got split in the first 10km, Some of the guys didn't expect the start to be so fast and they got stuck behind some of the slower riders in the batch. They though they were still in the front of the batch but they were actually in the front of the second batch. 

Making sure all the riders are easily recognizable will help a lot with this.

 

At 94.7, I think we made it to end of the M1. Pace was just too hot for some of the guys and some of the guys felt we had to push harder. If you can get the pace right in the first 20-30km you guys will definitely do it!

 

Good Luck!

[tombeej]

We don't need to shout *@%#! off, as we come through, do we? Or do we? (as per the video).

 

Nah, we're all teammates. So we say, *@%#! off please

[Fat Boab]

This really sounds great.

 

We did something similar at the Emperors race last year and also at the 94.7 in 2013.

 

At Emperors the group got split in the first 10km, Some of the guys didn't expect the start to be so fast and they got stuck behind some of the slower riders in the batch. They though they were still in the front of the batch but they were actually in the front of the second batch. 

Making sure all the riders are easily recognizable will help a lot with this.

 

At 94.7, I think we made it to end of the M1. Pace was just too hot for some of the guys and some of the guys felt we had to push harder. If you can get the pace right in the first 20-30km you guys will definitely do it!

 

Good Luck!

 

As you say, pacing seems critical.

 

How do the Comrades 'buses' do it?

[Prince]

Lets hope the temp drops because yesterdays ride was insanely hot!!