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Which chain gang session would you like?

[b]Option 1 – Keep it together[/b] 1
100%
[b]Option 2 - Handicaps[/b] 0
N/A
[b]Option 3 Last Man Standing[/b] 0
N/A
Total votes : 1
by fatsprinter Mon May 29, 2006 8:26 pm
How was it for you?

Chain gang training is a great way of developing speed and fitness for racing. I would like to know people’s opinions on how they would like their chain gang. After all, it is not a race, but a training session.

Chain gang is there for you, the cyclists, and should be planned according to needs. I would like to know whether anyone is interested in the following possibilities.

[b]Option 1 – Keep it together[/b]
My experience of chain gang is that it is meant to be a hard but controlled session where one doesn’t leave one’s form on the road and one saves going into the red for racing. The chain gangs I have ridding in the past have been fast but have focussed on keeping riders smooth and together and making sure someone is always on your wheel.

Work starts fairly soon and progressively, but steadily increases pace until the last few miles are very very fast with riders who are wanting the extra work out doing longer turns or whatever takes their fancy in the last few miles.

Stronger riders could do longer turns without burning people off their wheel by going through too hard, since the point of chain gang is it is like a break where a group works better together than individuals. Stronger riders could also ride a short distance off the front and communicate this to riders and try to hold the bunch off. This would therefore mean that the bunch must stick together and not chase down the stronger rider riding off the front. This would be very good as the stronger rider would get a workout trying to hold off the bunch for as long as possible.

Weaker riders would be encouraged through by stronger riders by stronger riders riding smoothly to make sure weaker riders are not dropped. Weaker riders who cannot come through could be encouraged to sit on the back without any undue fear of retribution.

This is one model of delivery for the chain gang session. I’m sure there are many others. Perhaps the training sessions could have objectives like training plans are meant to have. Perhaps Clifton could contact a suitable coach to suggest a session.

[b]Option 2 - Handicaps[/b]
Another session could have riders setting off at timed intervals like a handicap. A chain gang session I did in Hull was organised this way and had 3 or 4 groups depending on total numbers of riders.

This would mean that much stronger riders would set off several minutes behind the weakest riders and would have to work hard to catch them, but in comparative terms, they would be working just as hard as all the other groups. That sounds a good session. Then, each group would be grouped according to ability and everyone would be working at a similar level. If a rider is feeling stronger one week, they could go up a group and vice versa. I like the sound of that one.

One could experiment with groupings and time gaps. It would also mean that there are not too many riders on the road at once. Also, the weaker riders would get a workout and would get the excitement of trying to hold off the stronger ones. The stronger ones would get to show how strong they are and would have to prove it by catching the other groups. As the fast ones catch groups, obviously the speed would go up, but the fast riders would have to have worked hard to catch the slower ones and therefore even things up a little.

[b]Option 3 Last Man Standing[/b]
The third session could be “last man standing”, where the fastest rider dictates the pace and calls the shots by riding everyone off his (or hers) wheel until there is only one man left at the end.

I realise that there are a lot of people on the chain gang with varying abilities. What would you like as a chain gang training session? Have you say and don’t be afraid to say. I really don’t mind which session, but I think the riders should make the choice democratically, rather than just the strongest selfishly dictating, even if everyone is still happy to follow the last man standing principle.

Happy chain ganging. :D :?: :D

De tijd gaat snel, gebruik hem wel!
Schaarf!!

by Arthur Tue May 30, 2006 9:42 am
There's a chaingang that leaves on Thursdays from York Cycleworks at 6pm that works on your option a if you want to give it a go.

There's maybe an argument for groups if several really strong riders turn up. Apart from anything else, they'll get a much harder workout that way.


Arthur

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