I'll admit I am occasionally guilty of riding off the front in group rides. The time I get to hop on Zwift is determined by my kids' schedules. As I get ready to ride, I'll fire up the companion app and see what group rides are starting in the next few minutes. Sometimes there is a ride starting shortly and no other group rides starting for another 45 minutes. If that is the case, I'm not waiting 45 minutes, so I may join the group ride that is starting shortly. Frankly, I don't don't care what the advertised pace is. I'm joining because its the only ride available at that time. If it happens to be a small group of less than 50 riders, I'll hang with the group. If I wanted to go solo off the front, I'd have just skipped the group.
If it's a 200 person ride; and a small group goes off the front; and I want to work harder, I may hang onto that group off the front. I consider these 10 people my own little group ride. Sometimes, the tables are turned and I end up in a small group off the back of the main pack. I don't care at all where I am at relative the leader. I just want to hang with a few people riding at the same pace.
I've never understood how a group of 10 people off the front of a 200 person ride hurts the 190 people. The best group rides are the special events that Zwift hosts (Tour of Watopia, ToZ, etc.). Those events are well-attended and have no ride leaders at all. Everyone finds their own little groupetto and finishes their workout.
I've heard all the reasons why people hate fliers. I just don't agree with (or believe) those reasons...
-It strings the group out because people want to chase,
-It raises the pace of the main pack,
-It's just bad form,
-etc.
People complain that fliers don't have the discipline to stay with the group. For me, it's not about discipline. It's simply that I don't care what those in the main group think. Selfish? Yes. Sorry?
No.
If it's a 200 person ride; and a small group goes off the front; and I want to work harder, I may hang onto that group off the front. I consider these 10 people my own little group ride. Sometimes, the tables are turned and I end up in a small group off the back of the main pack. I don't care at all where I am at relative the leader. I just want to hang with a few people riding at the same pace.
I've never understood how a group of 10 people off the front of a 200 person ride hurts the 190 people. The best group rides are the special events that Zwift hosts (Tour of Watopia, ToZ, etc.). Those events are well-attended and have no ride leaders at all. Everyone finds their own little groupetto and finishes their workout.
I've heard all the reasons why people hate fliers. I just don't agree with (or believe) those reasons...
-It strings the group out because people want to chase,
-It raises the pace of the main pack,
-It's just bad form,
-etc.
People complain that fliers don't have the discipline to stay with the group. For me, it's not about discipline. It's simply that I don't care what those in the main group think. Selfish? Yes. Sorry?
No.