Are group rides making you slower? (Vid)

Why would I care how slow I am ?

Ride your bike and enjoy it.

Some people find progression rewarding 🤷🏻‍♂️

Not sure you were the target demographic for this topic 🤣🤣

I'll watch that now, but my first thought is that they make me faster as I am forced to work on my weakness which is flat roads. Left to my own devices I just pootle between the hills.....mind you I don't use power or heart rate...so I might not be the target audience either.

Yeah that’s a great point 👍🏻

I think I’d rather sacrifice some structure for the social aspect that allows me to want to do more volume.

But the faster group particularly seems to barely change pace all year every year (other than wind/weather). With a touch more structure, maybe they’d break through their plateau 🤔

Ok he bored me after 3mins...it's not for me. I just ride to have fun

🤣 he’s fair-serious is our Dylan

But the faster group particularly seems to barely change pace all year every year (other than wind/weather). With a touch more structure, maybe they’d break through their plateau

That's true, but many of them don't even seem to race, other than virtual. I often wonder what motivates them

…it’s not for me. I just ride to have fun

Reason enough to avoid group rides in my (limited) experience, I enjoy the social aspect but hate the lack of freedom on the road and the old farts at the back constantly bellowing instructions 🙄

he’s fair-serious is our Dylan

😄
I often think there's a serious gap in the market with ewetubers and training plans and GCN etc that all seem to focus training on super serious tedious heart rate this power zone that. I often click on them and then get bored and leave. I'd like a few simple to follow tips that could give me a bit of a focus without having to stress about it. Most of my riding over winter was with the slower group, I'm calling that zone two done and now I can add some faster rides.

Perhaps the health benefits of being ‘fast group ride’ (which I’d say includes the 17 on slower roads) fit maybe. Lets them stay a bit trimmer and have a few more guilt free pints here and there?

Although the staying trimmer thing is lost on me- it does mean I get to eat more 🍰 😋 🤣🤣

Maybe I’ll launch a “Couch to easy-chair” series 🤣

Great ride today by the way!

Thanks! Haven’t been round the full one for ages. 3 pulled off at Aldbourne and Ben, Rich and I went on round.

and the old farts at the back constantly bellowing instructions

99 times out of 100 it's to try and get some young spurter with a million billion strava points to actually ride at pace, *in the group* without maiming somebody.

That one time, it's cos old fred can't keep up and is feeling a bit inadequate.

But the faster group particularly seems to barely change pace all year every year (other than wind/weather).

Yep, our fast group is full gas all year round. Sometimes that's not that quick if it's a strong headwind, but the minute they turn around it's 35mph all the way home. Deep section carbon wheels all year round...

I actually feel it's making me slower, as I'm struggling more and more to stay with them - but I'm getting a absolute kicking each week - which is not really structured training. However, I have no wish to train on my own, so worst case I'll just drop to the less quick middle group.

NB I quite like Dylan's videos, I'm just not interested in training properly as it's too boring.

I get round this problem by riding on my own.