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Who's riding in groups?
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Wondering about thoughts on group riding these days. With regards to the virus, is it safe or not? What are your protocols?
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [MrB] [ In reply to ]
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I'm back to riding with groups for the last few weeks. No special precautions or anything different than pre-virus rides.

Prior to that I was doing some gravel rides with a few friends (no large groups) and we tried to stay as separate as possible, i.e. no pace lines. That went on for a month or so. The gravel group in our area which pre-virus would have at least 2 rides per weekend, is not yet posting rides although I suspect they will soon.
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [MrB] [ In reply to ]
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I ride with my wife. I've met a friend to do a TT.

No, I wouldn't do a group ride. No, I don't think it's safe.
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [MrB] [ In reply to ]
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Uk rules allow it up to 6 people now. Still distanced.

Ive been out with 1 or 2 friends on the road bike this last week.
Keeping healthy distance tho.
Defo No drafting !
On a quiet road maybe we've been side by side but still well apart laterally - certainly not the 'usual' close riding.
No food sharing.
If you empty or lose bottle... you're going thirsty !

I've also been out on the mtb with 1 buddy. Again well distanced. And steady - still don't want to be the twat that goes to A+E broken.
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [logella] [ In reply to ]
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logella wrote:
I'm back to riding with groups for the last few weeks. No special precautions or anything different than pre-virus rides.

Same here.
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [MrB] [ In reply to ]
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Honestly, i never stopped.
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [MrB] [ In reply to ]
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Been riding solo since this all started. My county in Pennsylvania just went "yellow" which allows groups of up to 25 - local club is verifying this is allowed, but me personally at this point - I would have no problem riding in a group. I would just ask to spit and blow snot....drop to the back.
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [MrB] [ In reply to ]
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I stayed indoors, on the trainer, until a week or so ago. I didn't want to be the dork in the ER surrounded by COVID patients. I popped two weeks ago. first mtb, then road.

I was in a popular area this past weekend. all the usual pace lines were there, some 20 deep. we are back to normal.

to be fair, the weather in Delaware has been great.
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [dsmallwood] [ In reply to ]
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Here in Ontario phase 2 re opening starts on Friday. You can do group activities outdoors with up to 10 people distanced, so that would apply to group rides. I have done zero training with anyone in 14 weeks at this point in any sport. I intend to swim open water with a few people this week and likely ride with a small ground of less than 5 people distanced (so we'll just used WTC drafting rules....take that for what it is worth LOL)
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [MKirk] [ In reply to ]
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MKirk wrote:
Been riding solo since this all started. My county in Pennsylvania just went "yellow" which allows groups of up to 25 - local club is verifying this is allowed, but me personally at this point - I would have no problem riding in a group. I would just ask to spit and blow snot....drop to the back.
Well, if it makes you feel better, but that's not eliminating the risk. You can't ride behind another rider within 20m+ and be confident you're not vulnerable to viable particulate. If you think occasional spitting or snot rockets are the biggest risk, you don't understand the topic.
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [Ai_1] [ In reply to ]
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Ai_1 wrote:
MKirk wrote:
Been riding solo since this all started. My county in Pennsylvania just went "yellow" which allows groups of up to 25 - local club is verifying this is allowed, but me personally at this point -
I would have no problem riding in a group. I would just ask to spit and blow snot....drop to the back.

Well, if it makes you feel better, but that's not eliminating the risk. You can't ride behind another rider within 20m+ and be confident you're not vulnerable to viable particulate. If you think occasional spitting or snot rockets are the biggest risk, you don't understand the topic.


Do you have some solid science showing the odds of catching COVID during a group ride? Remember that so far the following have been retracted as the likely vectors despite the early hysteria:


1. common surfaces
2. asymptomatic patients
3. outdoor exposure in general - the latest I have seen is that it takes 15 mins or more of constant exposure to get sufficient viral load which is not something that can happen during the group ride even with a paceline

Next races on the schedule: none at the moment
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [Ai_1] [ In reply to ]
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Ai_1 wrote:
MKirk wrote:
Been riding solo since this all started. My county in Pennsylvania just went "yellow" which allows groups of up to 25 - local club is verifying this is allowed, but me personally at this point - I would have no problem riding in a group. I would just ask to spit and blow snot....drop to the back.
Well, if it makes you feel better, but that's not eliminating the risk. You can't ride behind another rider within 20m+ and be confident you're not vulnerable to viable particulate. If you think occasional spitting or snot rockets are the biggest risk, you don't understand the topic.

I get it and the risk (which I personally think is very little). It’s something a group would feel better about just coming out of hibernation as people comfort levels are different.
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [MrB] [ In reply to ]
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MrB wrote:
Wondering about thoughts on group riding these days. With regards to the virus, is it safe or not? What are your protocols?


Some people in my area never stopped riding in groups (10 to 15 riders). I've now seen groups a lot larger than that on the road or on Strava.

From what I've read, the biggest concern on group rides is not the riding part, but the pre ride or post ride coffee meet ups, when you aren't moving and close to others.
Last edited by: wetswimmer99: Jun 9, 20 18:17
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [wetswimmer99] [ In reply to ]
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Some groups are back riding not at the pre-covid levels but 10-15 people is not uncommon.
Personally I’m not riding in a group - trainer rides and runs for the past 3 months - finally got back in the pool this past week.
The truth is no-one knows what is truly safe and every time you go outside to exercise you do your own risk analysis (even if this is just an internal sub conscious act).
If I do a group ride that is a minimum of 3 hours in close proximity to a large group of people that I don’t know what they do the rest of the week. I have close family that are old and with poor health, and family that have had recent surgery for cancer - so my risk analysis will be different from someone else’s.
I have noticed more small groups of 2-4 people riding which I think shows people wanting to get out but still shy of the big group rides.
Stay safe, stay healthy, and keep riding - however you choose to do that.
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [Ai_1] [ In reply to ]
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If you are referring to that medium article, I don't think you can infer much from it unless you are riding inside like in a track. It's also not peer reviewed. You need to consider the dilutional affects of wind which is significant.

During phase 2, we were riding in groups of 10. Each week more people show up and we just break up the groups. Two of us are infectious disease specialists. My training partner, who brought me into the group, happens to be overseeing COVID management for medical group of ~500 physicians.

We've been doing this for 3 weeks now. We are all fine.
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [alex_korr] [ In reply to ]
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Quote:
Do you have some solid science showing the odds of catching COVID during a group ride? Remember that so far the following have been retracted as the likely vectors despite the early hysteria:


1. common surfaces
2. asymptomatic patients
3. outdoor exposure in general - the latest I have seen is that it takes 15 mins or more of constant exposure to get sufficient viral load which is not something that can happen during the group ride even with a paceline

Don't forget the early notion that pets could transmit it which has now been retracted.
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [MrB] [ In reply to ]
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I started riding in small groups of 3-4 people a few weeks ago after staying solo for 7 weeks. Last weekend what started as a small group ended up with 9 or 10 riders which felt a little strange, but it was pretty stretched out and definitely not a paceline.

No special protocols other than I carry a mask or buff with me at all times in case I have an issue and need to go into a convenience store, get an emergency ride, etc.

Pretty much all of my friends are riding in groups and many of them never stopped. I think it's safe and I'm 100% comfortable riding with a few friends.
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [MrB] [ In reply to ]
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Did one last week for the first time in a long time.

I was so out of shape I got dropped fast. So I kinda did a group ride - at least the first 20 miles :-)

Dan Kennison

facebook: @triPremierBike
http://www.PremierBike.com
http://www.PositionOneSports.com
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [alex_korr] [ In reply to ]
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alex_korr wrote:
Remember that so far the following have been retracted as the likely vectors despite the early hysteria:


1. common surfaces
2. asymptomatic patients
3. outdoor exposure in general - the latest I have seen is that it takes 15 mins or more of constant exposure to get sufficient viral load which is not something that can happen during the group ride even with a paceline

Wait, what? Common surfaces -- "droplets" -- is still the best known source of transmission. I haven't seen anything to suggest otherwise.

Asymptomatic patients seem very unlikely the shed the virus, but 40%+ of transmission comes from PRE-symptomatic carriers. Those two to three days before you're symptomatic are when you're most contagious.

Outdoor transmission is less likely, but it depends on length of exposure, proximity, and the amount of aerosol someone is producing. A paceline can go on for hours, people are as close as possible, and everyone is breathing hard. If there is scenario for likely outdoor transmission a paceline could well be it.
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [MrB] [ In reply to ]
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Apparently many/most states are intentionally under reporting cases.

Criteria for reopening states were developed, but no one wanted to bother so we just shrugged our shoulders and reopened anyway. (How many states have actually met those criteria? Three?)

So basically, with no reliable guidance or information, do what you feel like.

Me? I touch people for a living. They're often ill, or elderly. My main concern is not killing anyone. Group rides are not worth the risk.
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [jstonebarger] [ In reply to ]
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And we are still getting 20,000 a day and 1000 deaths. At some point the collective interest and will waned as we accepted this.

California on a steady 7 day increase, same for Texas, suppose deaths are down though!
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [MrB] [ In reply to ]
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Our club canned all group rides until further notice.


Pete Githens
Reading, PA
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [Mr. October] [ In reply to ]
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I’ve got a 423 person 200km group ride planned for Sunday. Fingers crossed the weather is good.
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [Cookiebuilder] [ In reply to ]
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Cookiebuilder wrote:
Honestly, i never stopped.

This kind of sums it up for me. I guess it kind of depends on situations. I live in a rural area of the US, so the virus isn't such a hot topic here as it is in say downtown NYC.

- Jordan

My Strava
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Re: Who's riding in groups? [Masnart] [ In reply to ]
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I live in Iowa. As of now there are two projections for state-wide deaths by Sept.1.

What we've been doing, which was never even a full lock down = under 1,000 dead.

Open wide, forget the masks and social distancing = 16,000 dead.

Without real guidance or reliable information, these are the choices we're making.
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