I have a question that is not exactly tri related but I know that we have some really accomplished roadies about as well. I am sure that part of this is a skills question and partly a strategy question so I welcome all opinions.
Let’s assume you are riding in a single echelon pace line of say ten riders. The pace line is moving along at 28ish mph. And let’s assume that there is a quick rotation and the pace is very steady.
How exactly do you deal with coming off the front in a manner that exposes you to the wind the least amount of time but also allows you to get on the back without wasting serious energy and maximize your recovery time?
Is it better to go to a higher gear and spin for the first 7 or so riders and then match the cadence and speed of the pace line and hop back on or just coast and jump on?
I am finding that finding the balance of recovery and proper energy expenditure while getting back on is eluding me. I totally welcome any tutelage you are willing to share.
don’t slow down so much that you shoot to the back. Wait for the next rider to peel off then your on a wheel and can ease up and work your way towards the back.
In the case that you are rotating pretty quickly (and at that pace, quick can be 10 seconds) you will probably receive some draft a little after you pull off the front. If that’s how it is going, then you can probably quasi-coast (at 28MPH I don’t think you’ll get much chance to fully coast except on downhills) until you have a little help then ease gradually back to pace line pace.
If you aren’t getting any draft on your ‘rest’, then you need to make sure you make absolutely zero abrupt accelerations (i.e: jump in power much above what you’re going to be cruising at). If the acceleration is significant, then you blew your rest and cut yourself down - even if that acceleration pulls you perfectly back into the pace line. Essentially, you need to be as smart and smooth as possible. If you do this, you are doing your best to guarantee that you are blowing as little energy as you can. Thus, coasting and jumping back on is not a good idea…but can get extremely tempting when you’re redlining. Don’t give in, it’ll force you to bonk even sooner.
As for gearing, that is more based on your riding technique and comfort. If the slightly higher torque necessary for the larger gear is not a strain on your legs then that’s fine. But when really trying to conserve, different people have things that set them off. When I’m trying to conserve I am somewhere in the middle: if I start matching the pace line speed and my cadence is 80 I need to be probably 1 gear lower so I’m closer to 90…it’s just more comfortable for me. (clearly I am providing an example, not a “best method”). I guess you have to test it out yourself and get a feel for what is ‘easiest’.
My answer in one word: “smooth”. (Smooth = efficient; efficient = fast. You do the transitive property.)
x2 on smooth. The repated kick to get back up to speed when you get to the end of the line will kill you eventually. I’ll add stay as close and tight to the line of riders as can while you drift back so you’ll be getting as much draft as possible off them.
I like to spin at a pretty high rpm (95-100) but you need to watch out for getting caught at the high end of your cadence range and not having the instant power to quickly match an acceleration. If the pace is changing, I try and remind myself to be in the next higher gear than I might otherwise pick.