I joined the Sunday ride on the last day of December 2017 for a ride to Beverley. There were 6 of us and I kinda knew most of the guys by name but don’t ride with them very often, normally opting for one of the Saturday rides where, I’d say, I’m one of the stronger K-Riders but weaker A-Riders.
We’d done a 50 mile ride to Pocklington, in cold, slushy conditions the day before but the Sunday weather forecast was great with bright, sunny conditions and clear roads. There was quite a strong wind which looked like it would assist us on the way out but be a bit of a pain coming back.
We set off at a pace where I felt comfortable but knew I was working, if you know what I mean. The key thing is that the pace is very consistent, with everyone taking regular turns at the front, frequent rotations and staying in tight formation. Being used to the Saturday rides, where the greater numbers mean that the pace is a bit more start/stop, due to the wider range of fitness levels and rider strengths and weaknesses, the constant pedaling did take a bit of getting used to.
The only climb of the day came just after Pocklington and I took it a bit steadier than the rest of the guys but there was never a real gap and Rob kindly rode at my pace. Given the conditions the day before, I’d erred on the side of caution and probably worn too many layers. So I was overheating a bit, and lost the wheel in front, on the main road into Beverley when the guys singled out for safety and the pace increased slightly. They quickly realised they’d dropped me though and we were soon back together as a group.
Velo cafe in Beverley is always pretty decent and we had a good laugh over lunch. I discarded a layer of clothing after the cafe stop and even an immediate puncture didn’t prove much of a hindrance, although there was a bit of “Call that a pump, this is a pump” banter aimed in my direction. I did fear that the strong headwind might make the return leg a bit of a battle but that was where the tight riding formation and consistent pace came into its own and I really enjoyed the ride back.
At the end, we’d done 85 miles and averaged 17 mph in lovely winter conditions with a tailwind on the way out and a headwind on the way back. Apart from being caught out on that one section just before Beverley I felt pretty comfortable with the pace all day. As I mentioned, the riding style is different to the Saturday rides but something we should really all aspire to and if you feel comfortable with the pace and distances on those then you should be fine and don’t be afraid to ask the guys on the front to knock one off if you feel a gap developing, they really are a friendly bunch.