Riding With Roadies
Riding with a group of cyclists (roadies, wheeleheads)
is a great way to improve your cycling ability. I enjoy
riding with them for several reasons:
1. Unlike riding alone, you can get your heart rate to
your anaerobic threshold and above without much perceived
mental effort. I can easily keep my heart rate average above
my AT for as long as an hour and a half of the ride by riding
at the front. Training by myself, I couldn't do this. In
a group, you don't realize how hard you're exerting yourself.
2. You can work on increasing leg speed. When in a draft
of other cyclists, the effort
exerted is less than the leader and you can drop a gear
and spin while continuing at the same pace as the leader.
Drafting is easier than cycling on your own at the same
speed.
3. You can improve your bike handling skills. The peleton,
group, is constantly changing form. Depending on the speed,
the peleton can be bunched up or strung out in a single
file pace line. You must always be aware of your surroundings.
After several rides in a group, your comfort level increases.
Groups are a great way to pass time on the bike because
of this constant change as well as conversations on the
ride.
4. You get miles in quickly for those who record their
distance.
5. You get to corrupt the egotistical minds of some cyclists
who think they are the kings of two wheels. After making
them go totally anaerobic and blowing up, you know they've
got to be thinking "expletive, this guy has already
swum three miles and done a track workout today."
