Topic Title

Well it looks like being a few degrees warmer than last Saturday (not difficult) although forecast gusts of up to 45mph, not to mention hangovers from the previous night's club dinner, should provide challenges. We'll do the "west" route since we passed it by last week on the grounds of ice. 09:00 from the square.

We'll see how many are out but will probably split into two groups - the roads are too narrow for a bunch of twenty like last week - and will attempt this on a "slightly faster / slightly slower" basis. Both groups should be brisk but steady - please just be sensible about which one you choose; the aim will be for each group to stick together and share the work - let's not have dropped riders spread all over West Yorkshire***. For the benefit of newcomers wanting to know roughly where they'll be, it's:- York - Appleton Roebuck - Tadcaster - Bramham - Thorner - Scholes - Aberford - Sherburn - York.

*** For the avoidance of doubt I'll explain what I mean:- Last week's three-up with Darren & Tony was an excellent ride for me largely because I was following Darren's wheel (Tony was doing a good job too, mind you); he was going absolutely as quick as any of us would have wanted, but really smoooooth, and he was aware of me and Tony and where we were. Smoothness and awareness...

Should be out

I should be out, and keen to join the slower group. Perhaps the group's should have target average speeds? Maybe 20mph and 22mph?
Also, I just drew out the route on BikeHike and got 50miles. Is that about right?

I generally avoid using speeds as they usually bear little relation to effort. Wind and other aspects of weather will have an effect, as will the issue of how well a group works together. And we haven't even got on to hills...

I'd be tempted to tape over the bike computer - I rarely look at mine on group rides, and though I'll pick over the data afterwards, my legs usually tell me how hard a ride it's been. Look at the riders in front, not your bars... Everyone needs to develop a "feel" for riding in a group. In general, turns on the front should be at a level of effort that you only want to keep up for a couple of minutes, which means although everyone behind you will be having an easier time, they shouldn't be coasting. If a minute on the front of the outside line and a minute on the front of the inside one is too much, then just take really short turns and encourage the rider behind you to get in front of you once you've pulled across on the front. "Sitting in" at the back is okay but it's often actually harder work than taking really short turns, because you're constantly bridging gaps as riders accelerate into the outside line. If you want to sit in, make sure the riders in front of you know - as per the comments about last week's ride.

In terms of working out which group if there's a choice, my suggestion would be go in the slower group unless (i) you've done a season or two's racing already and/or (ii) you know you've kept in and contributed work in a "faster" group before. It's often possible to get better training from putting in plenty of work in a steadier group than clinging on to a faster and jumpier group.

Last bit of what has turned into one of my trademark rants (sorry Graham, most of this isn't aimed at you!) is just to repeat Darren's comment that "the difference between a good training ride and a bad one is 2mph on the hills". The west route is lumpy in the middle and groups often fall apart there. Keep it steady on the hills. You can do intervals any day or night of the week on a turbo, but you only get one or two chances to ride in a big group. It's especially useful training for any of you planning on doing the local league or EYRRL races - learn to work in a group, or you'll learn all sorts of new words out there.

End of chat, as Kevin would say. (oh, yep - just a bit over 50 miles square to square)

Certainly a classic case of not worrying about speeds today..

Plenty of riders in the square so two groups formed. I set off with the "slower" group of about nine or so (which included Tom on his fixie) and by the time we'd battered our way through the headwind to Thorner, we were down to six. We'd been passed by the "faster" group, then regained the lead due to them having a puncture, only to lose it again when Reuben attacked a hill a bit hard and his chain broke. Thankfully out came the surgical gloves and five minutes later we were rolling again.

There was elation when we turned away from the wind for the wonderful, sweeping run from Scholes through to Aberford, but even the flat chunk heading towards Cawood was hard work with the crosswind. It all reminded me of a video someone sent me a link to during the week - wingsuit jumping in the Alps - about three hours climbing up a b****y great mountain, jumping off the top and having about two minutes of utter exhilaration, and then starting all over again... http://vimeo.com/14177368

Despite being the "slower" group we were still working pretty hard - 220W and just under 19mph average for the out-of-town bit. Good stuff, and well done Tom for keeping his legs moving throughout, often at scarily high speeds...

I plucked up the courage to go out with the quicker group this week.

We lost a couple on the hills but I was feeling great until after about 40 miles when we were smacked with a huge cross wind. I let a gap grow between me and the wheel in front and could do nothing as it got bigger and bigger.

I could see Rich ahead and attempted to catch up. It looked like he was joined by another clifton jersey later (although I may have been seeing double!); however, I missed the left turn after the pub and ended up at Stillingfleet mine (I had already displayed my complete lack of direction to the group).

After swinging round I managed to catch a couple of the back markers and had a nice roll back into town.

What a disaster of a morning! Legs felt a bit sore from my midweek turbo sessions when we set off, but didn't feel too bad, despite the banging head wind. Discovered between Acaster Malbis and Tadcaster that my rear mech had given up the ghost, leaving me with a rather stylish loop of chain swinging from the bike in all but the biggest gears.

Got to the first little rise out of Stutton and was immediately shelled out of the back of the 'slower' group- so much for not feeling too bad- which I then followed, hoping to rejoin them along the way.

Got swept up into the faster group and was able to sit in with them and get my breath back (thanks guys), have a gel and start to feel pretty okay again, planning to rejoin the slower group when we caught them just past Bramham.

Then my bloody chain fell off and wrapped itself twice round the bottom bracket!!

Once I'd sorted the chain I realised where the morning was going and turned round, riding back via Wighill and Healaugh whilst still sporting the rattling loop of chain.

This afternoon I have mostly been fitting a new rear mech

Well, I managed to hang on a bit better this time

Thanks for a good ride, guys+Jess.

Having been spat out of the back at Tadcaster, I quickly checked my wheels for resistance and found plenty - what had sounded like an occasional muttering from the mudguards was actually a big issue, which I fixed, then spun round to Sherburn to catch everyone on the return - I gave up waiting as I got cold and enjoyed a brilliant 18minute/6mile run into Cawood, from where I picked up the familiar backroad-Selby route into York.

Tyres need a bit of pumping, I need to take mudguard rubs more seriously (it took only 10seconds to fix, which I could have done at the traffic lights in Tad) and nutrition, nutrition, nutrition! Steep learning curve, and yes, I did feel bad about surviving less than an hour. Will consider joining Intermediates if the winds are high again next week, but would prefer to bite the bullet and risk a lonely ride home.

Hi All
A good group of about 10 set off in the second group making sure we all knew what we would do if someone had a problem!A pretty strong headwind for the first 1 1.1/2hours with a good turn around of work kept it pretty steady with everybody taking their turn on the front.At the turn round point we were flying home @30+mph at times.Still working well then a few went off back and we were left with 5.I felt ok going through Bishopwood and turning into a strong sidewind and onto the place with the bridge!!! Got to about 6 miles from York and turned into wind again left a gap and decided i still had to get home from York so let them go.ie dropped!!good ride in testing conditions and a testing course. cheers Timj