-pump your tires up to 180 lbs for “less rolling resistance” and then act surprised when they blow off in a corner (ok, this only happened once and it was more funny than annoying).
-brake on uphill corners
-“spin” at 65rpm for the entire ride while loudly discussing the merits of a 56 front ring
-keep complaining the tempo changes
There has to be more…I’ll update after my next ride with my girlfriend (hope she’s not reading this…)
Alright, i’m coming up with a list of things that you can do to have a little fun with the triathletes at your next group road ride: Show up in your race kit/bike and have the group drop the hammer from the start (30+ mph is good) and along the way, pull ride beside the aforementioned triathlete and mention something about how the ride is usually much harder! Arrange with other roadies to effect a series of interval/attacks - in the proximity to twisty, descending, high speed corners would be good - in which the goal is to get the triathlete to fall off the pace then ease the tempo to allow the triathlete to regain the group, then immediately repeat the attack! During rides in windy conditions, implement a rotating echelon over a winding road course in which the echelon has to constantly change formation with each bend on the road in order to deal with the winds such that the triathlete has no idea where to go next - wait that wont work since most roadies dont even understand this concept! Variation of the previous idea - on a windy day, arrange training ride so that race group will divide into two separate groups during the course of the attack (fast & slow). When the attack comes and the group splits, the second group will attack while the triathlete is left riding in no mans land between the two groups - oh that wont work either since no roadie would agree to be in the second group!
Of course there is always the possibility that we all could try to be open minded, accepting the other into the group so that possibly we could learn from the other. That is the approach that I have taken and I will be the first to admit that I have gained some good insight about the specifics of triathlon racing and a couple of triathletes in my area may even have learned a thing or two about racing a sub 55 minute 40K time trial or what it takes to maintain the tempo when it exceeds 28+ mph!
Alright, i’m coming up with a list of things that you can do to have a little fun with the triathletes at your next group road ride: Show up in your race kit/bike and have the group drop the hammer from the start (30+ mph is good) and along the way, pull ride beside the aforementioned triathlete and mention something about how the ride is usually much harder! Arrange with other roadies to effect a series of interval/attacks - in the proximity to twisty, descending, high speed corners would be good - in which the goal is to get the triathlete to fall off the pace then ease the tempo to allow the triathlete to regain the group, then immediately repeat the attack! During rides in windy conditions, implement a rotating echelon over a winding road course in which the echelon has to constantly change formation with each bend on the road in order to deal with the winds such that the triathlete has no idea where to go next - wait that wont work since most roadies dont even understand this concept! Variation of the previous idea - on a windy day, arrange training ride so that race group will divide into two separate groups during the course of the attack (fast & slow). When the attack comes and the group splits, the second group will attack while the triathlete is left riding in no mans land between the two groups - oh that wont work either since no roadie would agree to be in the second group!
Of course there is always the possibility that we all could try to be open minded, accepting the other into the group so that possibly we could learn from the other. That is the approach that I have taken and I will be the first to admit that I have gained some good insight about the specifics of triathlon racing and a couple of triathletes in my area may even have learned a thing or two about racing a sub 55 minute 40K time trial or what it takes to maintain the tempo when it exceeds 28+ mph!
Michael ----------- Brilliant!!! I have only ridden with roadies a handful of times. What a great experience, fast, aggressive, etc… Most are cool. I usually sit at back and observe and make sure i dont get in anyones way, I try to pull when prudent. I would do it more, but have new daughter so its hard to get out of house. A great way to get some speed training.
1.) make sure you are riding 18mm tires because they must be faster
2.) Ride in the 56-23/ 25 combination as much as possible. You dont want to be a puss and use the little ring
3.) when the group starts to accelerate, let gaps open, dont pull out of line or stand up and sprint to get back on, just get lower and more aero and try to TT your way back to the rapidly dissapearing group, forcing everyone behind to sprint around you and chase like crazy
4.) wear a sleevless jersey and arm warmers, that has a certain “Flashdance look” to it and must leave some awesome tan lines
I like seeing them all out training in their pack when I am out solo and passing them, then dropping them, while yelling I had to do my 100 miles faster than usual to get home to the kids.
Ride in the 56-23/ 25 combination as much as possible. You dont want to be a puss and use the little ring <<
Hey! Watch it! I wrote about this once today already. This is perfectly acceptable under certain circumstances. I ride a 9 speed double, it’s hilly here so I have a 27. So at 52/25 I’m not crossed over, and I cannot get that gear ratio in the 39. But that turns out to be the gear I want to do some of the climbs in. My cadence is 85 and I’m not burning myself out.
I am passing a lot of people, though.
So is this a good reason to get a 10 speed? Will it fix this problem?
On my ride, I just thought of some more: lather yourself in baby oil and try to convince your fellow riders that you read on slowtwitch that this will make you more “aero” because it’s slicker than skin. At the beginning of the ride tell everybody that from now on you’ll be referred to as “The Punisher” Wear your Louis Garneau Prologue helmet. When pulling at the front… Start trashtalking… Possible lines include: “Who’s yer daddy?”, “Does it hurt?” Start bragging that you have two speeds… Fast (start spinning at 100 rpm) and Hyper speed (spin at 150 rpm). Warn everybody that anybody who drops you on the hills will have to answer to you after the ride in the form of an arm wrestle.