Some help for the bicycle riders that ride in tight packs or groups

[John Rogers]

I was thinking back to my bicycle racing days and some of the things we did to practice riding in a pack of racers, some experienced some raw rookies and other things to help us go fast. Here are several of the exercises:
- On grass, very soft if possible, two riders ride beside each other in a circle with the outer rider getting closer and closer to the inner rider until they both lean towards each other touching shoulders. Keep the circle the same size and don't fall down!
- Practice falling down while on the grass in various ways. This way when starting to crash from some one hitting you or falling right in front, you'll know how to land.
- Practice riding with no hands on the handle bars and eating a banana or something similar. Just lie in the big Tour.
- Practice stopping and balancing the bike both alone and next to people.
- Practice stopping and putting right OR left foot down.
- Practice pedaling with one foot, both right and left to work on getting 360 degree strength to the pedals. Start slow then work up to 180 or so RPMs.

We used to practice these and some others I can't think of right now at the San Diego Velodrome on Friday nights before and after our race sessions which helped immensely.

[Tobra]

I already know how to land, MONKEY ROLL!

I used to do a lot of those drills when I did a lot of cycling. On a mountain bike, so I practiced other stuff too, riding up and down stairs, bunny hopping over stuff, practiced crashing a fair amount, which can be tough when you are clipped in.

[John Rogers]

I stopped racing a couple years after the clips came out, it was always double toe straps on Campy pedals for us!

[look 171]

Rode the track for one season. It was hard coming from road racing (crits were the only local races back then) and all I did was finished. Track stand I can do, but never needed to on the track as the guys I raced against all knew how to beat my ass across the line each and every time.

Both on the road and the track, I can ride straight as an arrow and are completely comfortable riding within inches to the rider next to me (I have to know that they know what they hell they are doing in a group. I can tell by the way they ride after riding beside them for 2-3 minutes) at full song or going into a turn. Never practiced any of what you mentioned. AS far as falling, I was crashing on avg. once a year from training rides and races. I never knew how to monkey roll. I just fell during these pile ups. I busted a collar bone and three rids two years ago when a dumb ass crossed my front wheel in the rain in our Saturday ride. No fun.

I really people should learn how to lean the other way when they cross a wheel. Its like getting on the gas in a 911 and not lift. Riders must lean the other way to prevent kissing the ground. A very difficult task when in panic mode.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by Tobra

I already know how to land, MONKEY ROLL!

That only works if you ride your bike off a 20 foot roof.

[Joe Bob]

Crowds, Diddleyland, bikes, and p-car runs.....doan do them and nothing bad happens......

[greglepore]

Originally Posted by look 171

Rode the track for one season. It was hard coming from road racing (crits were the only local races back then) and all I did was finished. Track stand I can do, but never needed to on the track as the guys I raced against all knew how to beat my ass across the line each and every time.

Both on the road and the track, I can ride straight as an arrow and are completely comfortable riding within inches to the rider next to me (I have to know that they know what they hell they are doing in a group. I can tell by the way they ride after riding beside them for 2-3 minutes) at full song or going into a turn. Never practiced any of what you mentioned. AS far as falling, I was crashing on avg. once a year from training rides and races. I never knew how to monkey roll. I just fell during these pile ups. I busted a collar bone and three rids two years ago when a dumb ass crossed my front wheel in the rain in our Saturday ride. No fun.

I really people should learn how to lean the other way when they cross a wheel. Its like getting on the gas in a 911 and not lift. Riders must lean the other way to prevent kissing the ground. A very difficult task when in panic mode.

That last sentence-drill it into your forebrain. By the "other way" he means into the wheel in front, not away. Avoids certain disaster.

[jyl]

I never thought much about this. But the other day I was riding with a buddy, who raced in his day, is in a 4' wide bike lane, with cars flying by at 50 mph. We were riding side by side, hips almost touching, chatting and thinking nothing of it.

[85eurocarrera]

Make sure your legs are shaved.

[T77911S]

I remember rubbing tires with the guy in front of. because of my confidence in him and ability, I just stopped pedaling and gradually drifted back, no brakes, no panic.
also had one of those little yapper dogs cross under my bike at 30mph, just kept going.
heard the distinct sound of bikes hitting the ground when I a pace line. did not see it. headed for the grass knowing I was going down and hoping I was not going to look stupid for just "running off the road" I was the only one that did not pile on.

i got back on the bike after about 10yrs off.
local group was now mostly tri-ath's. they were a GREAT bunch of guys but know little about bike skills, handling, etiquette ...it was also a large group.

first the speed was kind of limited. that would make everyone bunch up and that would start the yo-yoing. no one new how to drift into the wind when they got too close to the guy in front, it was just hit the brakes. racing you better know how to put your hand on the guy's butt next to you if he starts pulling over or eh will take you down or just be able to reach up and let someone know you are there.

in a pace line, the guy on front would pull off but not slow down because usually the next guy sped up for 1/4 mile then blew up and slowed. then when he FINALLY pulled off same thing again.
if when the guy sped up the pulled off at 1/4 mile and kept the speed up, the yo-yoing would stop, the braking would stop, string the group out. it should have really been 2 groups, an A and a B.


the other bad thing was riding time trial bars in a pace line. that is just a NO NO but some did it.

my last straw was I got *****ed at by some lady because I did not ask if I could take the gap she left open.

they were nice people but just had no clue of riding out side of the group they rode with. nothing against tri-guys but I find that a lot just due to the fact that most, I have been around, tend to ride by themselves and don't develop close riding skills.
I really learned bike handling when I use ride a crit course every week with guys that were much faster than me. I had to learn to corner faster, pedal thru corners when I could and get back on the power sooner because I needed to conserve energy to keep and accelerating out of turns was a killer. needless to say I won my first race because I was SO much faster thru the last turn that it put me next to the guy in the lead and I hung on for the sprint to win. after him and his dad both asked how I did that.

it was also kind of frustrating to see how they trained. they would go out and ride the same pace for hours thinking that was going to make them improve. I would also see them pull out of a pace line and ride arrow bars beside the group, at the same pace to train.

[Racerbvd]