we have a problem with the tuesday group ride. it is actually one of the best problems to have. we are too popular. i counted close to 60 riders in the group today and that means we take up a lot of space on the road. there were no reports of bad or dangerous riding and even though the pace was on along burke drive, there were only a handful of riders off the back.
so, what are our options. well, i think we need to split the group. this mostly for safety reasons and not necessarily saying that we are a danger to each other. the bigger group means that we take up more road which means impatient drivers will take stupid risks to save being delayed by 30 secs. most of the busy roads we ride on are double lane and the others are fairly quiet, but this doesn’t stop idiots from trying to squeeze past the group.
the other problem was highlighted this morning. the group will not fit through the light changes. this meant that a whole lot of riders went through a red light. not a little bit of red, but a whole lot of red with plenty of time to stop. this is a big no-no and may see you punished by going under a truck.
no how are we going to split the group??? this is where i need feedback so add to the comments below.
do we split into –
- fast, main, transitional based on the saturday morning hierarchy
- two groups of fast and main (thursday style)
- arbitrarily split in half
- get people to self seed (faster guys line up closer to the bridge and slower closer to the path crossing) then split
- random number selection – odds and evens based on your birthday
- shaved and hairy legs
- those that have read lord of the rings and those that haven’t
- bikes that fit the “euro rules” and those that aren’t so pretentious.
anyway, you see where it is heading. give me a hand here. regardless of which way we split, the rules for the ride are still the same. ride together and regroup at the normal spots.
I don’t think there’s a need for the three groups that we have on Saturday morning, but I definitely think that splitting into Fast and Main is warranted. That way, the Fasties can go hell for leather, and then the Main riders can proceed at the “normal” tuesday pace (approx 31km/h, not the 33’s that it’s tended towards recently – http://app.strava.com/segments/610705).
If the Main group rides with the standard SPR ethos of “No rider left behind”, then people aren’t getting dropped all over the place, and the group can act as a sweeper for the detritus left behind by the fast group.
Of course, that leaves the problem of what happens if no one goes in the Fast group. But I think there’s less of a chance of that seeing as the route is so common, and everyone knows what’s in store.
I reakon the Thursday ride seems to work fairly well where the fast guys go for it and if you get dropped you get scraped up by main.
I’ll be very interested if there was a fast group. I have little time to go out during the week and my only training ride is the thursday morning one if I can make it, having the option of a tuesday morning ride is a great idea.
Also, splitting the group will definitely make it safer.
Could always go on 2 different courses – opposite directions say!
I’m not one for splitting based on hairyness. How else would the hairy dish out the hurt to the folically challenged.
I quite like the idea of Fast and Sweepers group. Although I haven’t been on the weekly rides lately, it seems from the comments that Tuesday is getting to be a bit of an all out. Would help those less inclined to a smashfest if there was a split Fast/Sweepers. Also gives people a chance to try out the fast group on a known course to see if they can really hang on, before a Sat fast group ride.
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Something that also needs to be mentioned regarding the Tuesday/Thursday rides, is the return ride after the regroup at the Raffles. I realise the ride ‘technically’ ends at that point, and it’s a bit of go-your-own-way after that, but we need to be aware of the hazards of getting on to the PSP as a group, especially if we are going to keep growing in size, like we are.
There was apparently an incident yesterday morning on the PSP, around South Terrace, where a young kid was knocked off his bike, reportedly by a group of cyclists heading in the other direction(?). The kid was taken away in an ambulance, hopefully he’s okay and it wasn’t too serious. Now I’m pretty sure it involved no one from our club, as it was a bit later than after our ride, but it certainly shows the lack of care taken by some groups when on the PSP, which still reflects badly on us regardless.
Now, for us, obviously there is two main groups that disperse – one that heads towards Atomic for a coffee, and one that heads towards the city for work. The Atomic group usually hop off at the first overpass, which is good, but still very concerning with a large group, as we all tend to slow down and squeeze right up, while turning across the lane, causing problems for other cyclists heading both ways. Can I throw a suggestion that this group avoids the PSP altogether, and crosses Canning Bridge on the road, turning off a side street after the lights, and making their way to Atomic that way? Could be issues with this too, so suggestions welcome..
With the group that heads towards the city, there isn’t really a better way, but we really need to be aware of other cyclists/walkers on the PSP, and that if we try to ride as a group along there, something is bound to go wrong at some point. My suggestions: single file only (as per SPR rules?), try not to group up and ride at speed, and don’t pass other cyclists/walkers when there’s people coming the other way. Just enjoy the ride and use it to warm down before work..
</soapbox>
Sorry if that seems over the top, but it’s only going to become more of an issue, and as one of the bigger clubs in the area, we should be trying to set an example.. =)
Please be very very safe on the PSP, a number of people have ended up in Shenton Park, and only come out one way
@Michael, well said.
I think it was a bit earlier. I saw flashing lights there from across near the sailing club around 5.30 when I was doing the reverse circuit.
Canning bridge [both cycle path and road] is a messy place. Riding over to Henley st [first set of traffic lights] would seem like a good option, then down Labourshire [can’t spell but you know what I mean] and on to Atomic.
I am normally one who goes up to the city, so can help to regulate this. Maybe also a split at Raffles, small groups going at different times, gaps of a couple of minutes. First ones to Raffles are the first to go and no real need to wait for everyone to turn up, after all the ride has sort of finished.
I’m with Jordan ‘horse head’ Brock, Main and a Fast group.
I think its good to also let people know the average speed of those groups so when im on the front of the Main group doing 50kph I know i should probably be slowing down a bit. This happens often!
I don’t think a Thursday style fast/main group split (based on speed) is the way to go. The reason the Tuesday ride is so popular is that it is not the Thursday ride i.e. more of a steady social ride with a couple of “work hard” sections thrown in. For some it’s a chance to ride with a different bunch of people.
A speed split may not really solve our “problem” if most want a “main” style ride. 10 or 12 takers in a fast group still leaves 50 or so. So I would opt for an even split like main1 and main2 leaving a couple of minutes apart. Strong guys and girls (like annakate) can still work on the front into the wind but keep it to a manageable low 30s.
Those that want to can ride hard on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays if they choose.
Very diplomatically written indeed “hand full of riders off the back” I think it was just me that made 60 cyclists wait on top of Mosman park….Thanks for the helping hand in the end Peter!
+1 for Mike
Yeah, +1 for Mike as well.. as long as everyone is expecting roughly the same ‘main1-ish’ pace, just split it down the middle and leave a minute or two between..
+1 Mike
Mr Roper do we need a poll on this 🙂
+1 to Mike’s
Also, any thoughts about starting somewhere “safer”? Like Bell Tower or Coode St?
That’s a good suggestion Shaw. It’s getting a bit hectic under the bridge. We’re blocking the PSP traffic, and we’re running a risk as we set off. Personally I’d prefer the Bell Tower as Coode St would add a fair bit of extra time to the ride, what with having to come over the Causeway and along the Esplanade.
I agree with keeping the tuesday theme as a ‘club ride’ ( Obviously split the group for safety). I have always thought this ride would work well with a ‘small chainring’ only policy (maybe up until majestic – then bombs away). I have been involved in groups in the past that do this…..it stops the gorillas from mashing big chain and ripping the bunch apart.
Assuming travel around the river in the same ACW direction, I like the idea of starting at the UWA carpark at Hackett Drive. Although it may take an extra few minutes to get there, it avoids the high risk smash fest along Mts Bay Road, which seems to be maintained all the way through Nedlands to Claremont. By starting at UWA, a more restrained start and ride through Nedlands is likely.
PS I like the idea of Tuesdays not being like Thursdays too.
why dont we meet in the same place but just assemble on the grass on the other side of the road off the psp.
once they finish the earthworks in that area it won’t be a problem. also, there is nothing wrong with us starting 20m further along under the bridge so that there is room for more people. it is almost like the group is claustrophobic and needs to be in the open air. there is plenty of room there if we choose to use it.
we originally started on that side of the bridge so we didn’t get mixed up with the squadra barista boys. next week, the first few people to get there need to park under the middle of the bridge.