I'll be running 'rotating paceline' training on Sat 18th at Centennial during Sat Slowies. Given the poor state of last weekends effort in the C28's back markers bunch, I think we all need it (myslef included). This will mean we ride as a bunch, at a slow pace and just practise the rotating required to form a safe and smooth paceline. If you're interested, please read up on the basics before the day. Here's something to get you started.
A Rotating Paceline requires more focus and greater skills but is very satisfying to be part of. In a rotating paceline there is an advancing (faster) line of riders and a retreating (slower) line of riders.
The retreating line is on whichever side the wind is coming from. If it is a headwind a tailwind or no wind, usually the retreating line will be on the left side and the advancing line will be on the right. .
The key to a rotating paceline is that when the rider at the front of the advancing line clears the rider who is on the front of the retreating line, the advancing rider moves into the retreating line and softens up their pace. The rider who was behind them continues the pace of the advancing line until that rider switches over. The rider in the advancing line should NEVER surge. The idea is that you ride to the front and float to the back in a constant rotation. You change your speed by "soft-pedaling" as you switch to the retreating line and increasing your pedal pressure as you switch from the retreating line to the advancing line. Smooth switches, and keeping the distance between the riders in the paceline as small as possible will keep the paceline smooth.
Calls can be made such as 'last rider' when you are the last rider in the advancing line and passing the last rider of the retreating line so they know its time to start moving over and get behind you NOW. A common cause of surging and break-up of the advancing line is that riders don't move over fast enough and therefore a gap forms.
Paceline Training - Sat 18th Feb at Slowies/Centennial
Here's a very good little video showing a rotating paceline. We normally do this in the opposite direction, with the right hand line being the advancing line, but the wind direction often dictates which side is which.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S129pCsN-YU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S129pCsN-YU
I was in that now notorious C28 paceline or should we now call it a spaceline. I'll play my newbie excuse card for as long as I can, in the mean time I'd love to get a bit of training and practice. See you there, barring torrential downpours.
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So the paceline should look something like this?
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