The pace of cruisers group for Waterfall ride?

[orphic]

I am thinking of joining the Waterfall ride on Sunday and imagine I would be most suited to the slowest group.

I realise the average speed is 27km/hr however since I have not done the road out to Waterfall nor have I done a ride this long before I am unsure how that translates to ability, especially since drafting would be involved. Even though the policy is no drop, I don't want to be dragging the group down and depending on the responses to this it may be better to wait until I am a more experienced rider.

To give you an example of my current ability, I averaged 25km/hr on a solo 50km ride to La Perouse and surrounds this morning. I've been riding my roadie for nearly 3 weeks.

All comments and thoughts on this appreciated : )

I rode Saturday slowies last week btw, I was the ring-in brought along by Christian.

Cheers
Vic

[othy]

From my experience with the club there are almost always members in the bunch willing to stay with you even if you can't make the full distance or the pace is too fast. Many of them ride on Saturdays, so perhaps talking to some of the slowies on saturday about your concerns may be worthwhile. Lindsay is a good point of contact for finding out who is riding with the slow bunch.

There is a meet point at a service station at Sutherland on the corner of Rawson & Old Princess Hwy - it is possible to wait here for the return of the riders from Waterfall and you can cut out up to 30km of riding.

[weiyun]

The Slowies is a no-drop ride and someone will/should stay with you. Lindsay amongst others have been particularly kind in this regard.

I still remember my first Waterfall ride, I nearly died and it was a significant step up from 50km of La Perouse. Lindsay stayed with me and my friend all the way, guiding. Well, I have moved on. The point is, you are certainly at a stage where you are ready to make that transition and the best way to attain that fitness is to just do it. You'll find major improvements to your strength and endurance after a few rides. After that, it'll be like a cruise in the park.

[orphic]

Thanks Pretty much confirms my suspicions that I should just get over my fears and do it. I was amped up to do it last Sunday had it not rained.

How long ago was that first Waterfall ride Weiyun?

[weiyun]

My first Waterfall ride was in late Sept 2006. I was huffing and puffing and was long dropped off the back of the bunch. Did an early turn around under Lindsay's guidance and struggled back. But bear in mind there weren't 3 bunches in those days. It would be a much nicer transition for you with present day Slowies.

[timyone]

man go for it!! even if your sore by the end it will be easier next week. Just about my first riding experience was riding to waterfall with Al, back then it was pretty much just you turn up and do it, there werent many people, and the odds are that within a few mohs youd be good at it

(by the sounds of it you wont be too hard pressed getting there and back compared to my first time, i hadnt really ridden a bike much)

[park]

Hello Orphic,

I did the ride for the first time last Sunday (lucky you didn't come it was fairly wet and very windy and I spent a lot of time trying not to drink water off the road from the riders infront of me ). My experience was it was a very good ride, the way up is a lot harder than the way back - several hills but nothing too difficult. As others have mentioned there are some places where you can pull back and wait for the pack to return if you need it.

If you do come along I'll warn you that as soon as you get to Waterfall everybody starts peddling like mad without warning . I had no idea what was going on and found out later that it is a free-for-all for that strip along the highway and they weren’t purposely trying to leave me behind. Think at one point I clocked us at a 62km/h. Eventually it slows down and you group up again for the suburb street ride back.

[christian]

Its not usually a free for all on the way back from Waterfall to Sutherland, this may have happened because it was a mixed bunch. The pace back is quicker, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. They wait at the servo in Sutherland if you get dropped on that stretch.

[weiyun]

Yes, it's hard to get lost on the return leg. However, flag yourself as a new rider and someone sure will make sure you are covered.

[shrubb face]

Hello Orphic,

If you do come along I'll warn you that as soon as you get to Waterfall everybody starts peddling like mad without warning . I had no idea what was going on and found out later that it is a free-for-all for that strip along the highway and they weren’t purposely trying to leave me behind. Think at one point I clocked us at a 62km/h. Eventually it slows down and you group up again for the suburb street ride back.

I think the pedaling madly bit was a description of me on the fixie. Im very proud of hiting 62km/h.

Considering it was your first waterfal ride you did really well to stay with us as long as you did, we were going quite a bit faster than the normal slowies pace.

[Rodney]

the slowies pace hasn't been 27kms lately. Overall more like 24 or so. The pace is faster on the way back after stopping at Sutho Servo. At the turn around at Waterfall riders usually do a pace line but all meet up again at the servo.

[Stuart]

Hi Vic - great to have you on board. This particular weekend 26th April a fair few of the cruisers (a much nicer name for the slowies) regulars will be down the coast on the training / racing weekend away but Lindsay will be in Sydney. I say go for it. If you get dropped on the stretch from Sutherland to Waterfall you just turn and stop at the servo and wait, as indicated by all and sundry above. As Weiyun says, just be sure to indicate before the ride starts that you are a newby - say it loud and proud!

Also, be sure to familarise yourself with bunch riding techniques and calls. A good example can also be found here. As the bunch rotates riders towards the front, when it's your turn it's best to either roll straight off if you don't feel confident on the front (just call it out that you're not experienced) or ride on the left so you don't have to do the lane changing calls.

Also, make sure to read our new riders page - enjoy!

[orphic]

Don't know what I was so worried about, that was awesome

Thanks everyone for their help and encouragement!

[jimmy]

Well, I have to say, that if you survived today, then you should find pretty much any cruisers ride to Waterfall easy.

Today was a mongrel. That is one of the hardest day's I've had on the bike in a while.

btw: it was me that screamed "Blind Bastards" at the lead group on their way to Waterfall, I waved, and no one saw me.

James

[Terry]

A hah We were all riding along thinking WTF was that all about, makes more sense now.

Tim & I would have probably been the only ones in that bunch that would have recognised you anyway that was the middies.....Sorry James

[timyone]

lol oops yeah we didnt hear what you said, we sat there talking about it for a bit
were you in a jersy?

[jimmy]

Yes, I was in a DHBC Jersey, I usually wear one on Sunday whenever I go South.

James

[T-Bone]

I saw you as you know, though i had slept in and left 5min late, so i got the fun of slogging it out in the wind by myself. Eventually caught the fast group after taking the last early turn around point before waterfall, and chasing for maybe half the distance to sutherland to close the 70m gap. Then of course i realised the bunch seemed to have slowed a bit, so i went to the front to push the pace up!!