So, how do your group rides pan out? Are they competitive, social, diplomatic? Can it be possible to have all three of these dynamics? Well.....Maybe it depends on how many people are on your ride.
- If it's only you and one other person, it's usually easy. If I'm faster, I stay behind and chat. If I'm slower, I hope the other person takes the diminutive role and just rides socially. But that's not always the case! Two of my occasional riding buddies are faster and once out front (normally in the first few minutes of the ride), they get ahead and never look back. Is that proper?? Why not be social?
- What if it's three people? If I'm the fastest, the same rules apply: let them lead and at least keeps a couple of us together. If I'm mid-speed (not fastest, not slowest), I hope to keep up with the fast person, but feel like I can't leave the slower person behind. So, I end up in no man's land and don't get the talk to anyone! The best solution is to ride with the slower person and let the fast guy just hang out there alone. Hopefully, they'll figure it out and back off. Or perhaps they don't want to talk. (Which leads me to ask - Why bother riding together anyway?)
- Finally, what happens when there are more than three or a small peloton? It's unusual, but fun when you can all stick together, draft and make it a fast(er) ride. But more often than that, it gets individually competitive and many are on our own. But hopefully, we regroup a few times. If you're the slowest (I've been there!), sometimes what happens is that you eventually roll up to the regroup and BOOM!.....the group takes off as soon as you get there! Ugh! The guy who needs a break the most gets none at all.
Bottom line: All rides are good. But group rides? C'est compliqué!
