Pack Ride Basics

By

Ben Lindley

We all want the pack rides to be safe, fun, and a great workout.  I know that when I was a junior racer, I had more fun at the pack races than at “real” races.  There was no pressure, just a familiar circuit, riders, and the opportunity to expend as much energy as possible in the 55 minutes we were out there. 

The pack ride gives cyclists who are not “racers” a chance to improve their handling skills, riding techniques, and to push themselves harder than they normally would.  All these things should make your riding better.  We will look at two aspects of our pack race and hopefully this will help all of us become better cyclists.

Safety

This is the more important of the two aspects.  In the past, we have had some crashes.  We cannot control others actions, but we can make sure we all ride responsibly.  No one wants to get hurt, and it’s up to us to make sure we are all alert and safe.

The Course

By far the most heavily traveled road on the course is Hwy 107.  This is not the road to ride in the middle of the road.  We should ride as far to the right as possible, and only ride two abreast when moving to the back of the paceline.  Do not make any sudden changes in direction and when pulling off the front do not swing way over towards centerline. 

When making the right hand turn to go down by the river only swing toward center if you have checked to make sure there is no traffic from behind.  On the river road, watch for slow moving traffic (tractors) and ride to the right through the curves in case of oncoming traffic.

On Taylor Bridge, watch for the little dogs after the crest of the first hill.  They might be small but they could still take a rider down if you are not careful (they have vicious fangs!).  There is one more dog on Taylor Bridge road that likes to give chase.  If a dog is chasing you, please do not out race him just to leave him in the middle of the road surprised when he sees there are 10 other mechanical contraptions headed for him.  Slow down and let him know that you are human and he will probably stop in his tracks.

The finish is fast and we are typically out of our heads trying to sprint to the line.  Do not cross center line in the sprint.  There should be plenty of room and if there is not you should have positioned yourself better beforehand.

General Safety

At intersections, you are responsible to ensure traffic is not coming before making the turn.  Do not take other rider’s word, because sometimes the lead rider does not know how much time is between himself and the last rider in his group.  When riding in close quarters, stay calm, do not make any sudden moves, and communicate if you are passing unexpectedly (“on your right”, “on your left” etc.).  If you are riding in front of another group of riders that are passing, please ride on the right of the road. And you passing riders, let the others riders know that you are passing before swooping down upon them like some bird of prey.

In summary, be alert, courteous toward other riders and motorists, and responsible for your actions.

Fun Times

All of us enjoy riding our bike.  It is a simple pleasure that most of us have enjoyed since we were children (my wife might say I still enjoy it as a child).  The pack ride is more than just riding however, because all of us to a greater or lesser degree are competitive.  This ride allows those competitive juices to flow without paying an entry fee and without the pressure of a “real” race.  We need to be careful that our competitive natures do not completely take over and take the fun out of our ride.

We handicap the race so that we can ride among our peers.  To send a newcomer off to ride with someone who trains 3 times more often could demoralize a rider and not help him improve as is our goal.  Getting dropped on the first lap because someone decided to attack on a hill has a similar effect.  Treat the group you are in as you would a team time trial.  These riders are your “teammates” for the ride and the more you work together the better your chances for not getting caught (or catching the other groups). A rider that you might be able to drop on a hill because he is a big rider might save you 15 seconds by pulling on the flats (I know no one like this personally) To this end, the first 1 and a half laps should be neutral, meaning no attacks but instead using your energy for the benefit of your “team”.  If you are clearly stronger than the rest of those you are riding with, then take longer pulls at the front (but do not increase the intensity to levels that the other riders can’t keep up) or save it for the end.  If you find yourself often in this position it’s probably time to move to another group.

The riders that are more experienced should help those who have not had the benefit of years of training and experience.  If you see someone who you don’t know, please take the time to introduce yourself and help them along.  I hope that the club can implement a training session or two for the riders that have limited experience riding with others in these circumstances.  I think this would ultimately make their experience at the pack ride more enjoyable and safer for all of us.

If we can do these things and make the ride as fun as possible, we will ensure that the pack ride will continue for many years.

Lastly, encourage other cyclists to come out and enjoy the pack race.  There are many cyclists in our area that do not know or are intimidated by the pack race.  Please do what you can to promote the pack race so that other riders can improve and broaden their horizons.