GPGR — Grizzly Peak Group Ride Series

Interested in learning or refining your pack/paceline riding skills, but not at blistering speeds? Consider trying our new “Grizzly Peak Group Ride Series.”

OBJECTIVE AND FOCUS. Practice riding together in a fairly closely spaced group. Pacelining, drafting, rotation. We will aim to keep the entire group together. It is more social. Also it is a bike skill which can be developed only with practice and which will give a sense of accomplishment. So, let's practice!

PACE. Between TM and M pace, depending on exactly who shows up. Steady pace, no hammering but no dawdling. Just as important, stronger riders are expected to pull more often; less-strong riders are expected to pull less often and to take advantage of the draft; everyone is expected to try to compromise a bit to help keep the group flowing along together.

DISTANCE AND TERRAIN. Typically, about 50 miles over the most gently rolling terrain we can find starting in Berkeley. Insofar as possible around here, we'll minimize hills that would break up the group. For those unavoidable hills, we'll regroup at the top to keep things together. For now, we have two routes in mind. Both start at the intersection of Spruce St and Grizzly Peak Blvd, in Berkeley.

• Danville. To Danville Peet's and back — out via Orinda, Moraga, Alamo; back via Lafayette, Happy Valley, and Wildcat. Snack stop at Peet's. A route map is at http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1026567.
• Grayson. To Grayson Woods Golf Course in Pleasant Hill — out via Wildcat, SPDR, Alhambra Valley Rd, Pig Farm Hill, and then a short loop through Martinez and Pleasant Hill. Snack stop at the golf course, then return via Reliez Valley Rd. A route map is at http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1013164.

SCHEDULE. Typically, one or two Sundays per month. The rides are usually on Sundays, not Saturdays, so that those who want longer or harder workouts on Saturday can get them.

OTHER. Although these rides are not particularly long, the skills we work on can be helpful on longer rides — or any rides — where group dynamics are important. Depending on interest, we can also talk about other handy long-ride techniques such as eating while pedaling, comfortable bike position, and sucking wheel!

At the rides, we will briefly discuss what is needed for pacelining and safe riding when closely spaced. Here are some key points:

• Ride smoothly, at a steady speed and a straight line.
• Do everything gradually, nothing suddenly. Braking and turning especially!
• Just as if you are driving on a fast-moving urban freeway — be fully aware of the vehicles (in this case, bicycles) ahead of and behind you.
• Don't overlap wheels; don't ‘half-wheel’.
• Keep the gap in front of you as small as you comfortably can . . . but let it open up if conditions warrant.
• Rotate off the front before you tire.
• Communicate with the rest of the line. Use hand signals when you can; yell when you must.

Many writeups have been posted on the web about paceline riding, and now an increasing number of YouTube videos. Search on “paceline riding”, “paceline guidelines”, etc. Most of them have long lists of do’s and don’ts — which is fine — but few of them seem to convey just how much fun it all can be, or why it is worth wading through a long list of do's and don'ts. Here are a few.

• R L Geyer paceline writeup #1. My favorite writeup so far.
• R L Geyer paceline writeup #2. This one is also reasonably postive.
• GPC Paceline exposition (monograph) — Scott Steketee.
• Fred Matheny's writeup at roadbikerider.com.
• Ed Burke's writeup at active.com.

The above covers the essentials. But, if you read this far, it probably means you are interested in developing your group skills and making these rides work out. Here is more info, some of it in response to queries or suggestions.

PREREQUISITE. You should be able to ride a ‘straight’ line (parallel to the edge of the road) at a steady speed. To practice your line on your own, ride at the edge of the road, and maintain your front wheel exactly 3 inches (say) to the right of the fog line.

PRACTICE! As with everything, practice makes perfect — or, at least, much better. Of course you are welcome to come to only one ride. But it takes more than one ride to hone your skills . . . that's why this is a series of rides.

FOCUS. Riding in closely spaced groups requires greater focus and attention than riding solo or strung out. After a while such focus becomes second nature, but at first you should feel like you are making yourself concentrate. The analogy (already used above, and which you will hear often from me) is to driving on a fast-moving urban freeway . . . you must always be aware of your position and motion with respect to the surrounding vehicles.

RIDE PACE. Keeping everyone together at the stated TMM pace will likely require some compromises. M riders will need to slow down and pull more often. TM riders may need to work a little harder than normal, and use their ride-smarts to keep in the draft, maintain momentum, etc. Developing those smarts is, of course, one of the purposes of the ride.

If you are a stronger rider, try to do a hard ride on Saturday so that you come on Sunday with slightly tired legs! . . . Conversely, if that's not you, try to come on Sunday with relatively fresh legs.

CLOTHING. It's important to regulate your body temperature — especially on all-day rides when air temperatures can vary by 40 degrees or more (e.g. 50's to 90's). But it's just as important not to hold up the group while doing so. Dress in layers. But there is more . . .

• Arm-warmers and leg-warmers are encouraged. They are easy to roll up and down while pedaling and the group keeps moving — no delay to anyone.
• On days which are not cool enough to require leg-warmers, knee-warmers are even faster to deal with.
• For cold days: a second pair of arm-warmers over the first can work well, and is just as fast to adjust (choose fabrics which don't bind to each other). Similarly, when it's cold enough, a second pair of leg-warmers over the first is worth considering.
• For cold days: skull caps, neck gaiters, and toe-booties all go on and off fairly quickly. I also find that wool hiking socks over my regular bike socks work well: lots of warmth, but they don't overheat as temps rise, so they can stay on all day. Old stretched-out ones fit into my bike shoes better than new thick ones!
• Long tights are very slow on and off. Save them for the coldest days when you're sure they won't need to come off.
• Long-sleeve jackets are also slow on and off (albeit, faster than tights). Again, save them for quite cold days, when you don't think they'll need to come off much.
• Camelbaks are discouraged. They require much more time and fussing to adjust and/or remove. A Camelbak together with a long-sleeve jacket is particularly cumbersome. Too often I have seen a group leave behind a rider who is still fumbling with this combination. Exceptions: (1) Certain small bike frames do not allow two full-size bottles, so a Camelbak may be needed. (2) Very hot rides may benefit from a Camelbak. In either case, practice so you are fast with it!

WHAT ELSE TO CARRY. You should be self-sufficient (club policy). Carry the following:

• Energy food, where you can reach it while pedaling. Bring at least two "bars" (or equivalent), and have at least one of them available at all times for emergency anti-bonk. Energy drink can be just as good — whatever works for you.
• Extra tubes. Two is better than one. And a pump.
• Two water bottles (or similar water capacity) on any day 70 degrees or warmer.
• Tools: Anything you might need for a field repair.