Well tonight I am heading out on my first group ride with the girls (I've only been out with one other bike so far this year). Don't worry, I won't be trying to keep up if I am not comfortable with the speed.

Any tips or suggestions?

 

definetly keep your own pace, don't push yourself. and keep good distance from the other bikers. Everytime I go on rides that I don't know the other riders, I keep my distance.

 

I have not done a group ride in years, kinda miss them.

As far as keeping up, Keith Code talks about this in Twist of the Wrist 2, The Pace, he calls it. Where riders concentrate on all being in line and executing turns and braking points at the same markers to look very even and uniform.

Never tried it in a group but sounds fun. I would not want to do any fast pace canyon ridding in a close group, it is a disaster waiting to happen.

Have fun and ride safe.

 

Thanks for the advice littledevil and notstock! I'm looking forward to this ride, but then again I am a little nervous too! The girls that I am heading out with all know that I haven't had my license for very long - so they know that I will be going slower than what they normally would go. I have met them a couple of times and they all seem to be pretty level headed. Hopefully this will be a lot of fun!

 

hey bluebird, not much i could add here.. everyone else seemed to cover it all. just go out and have fun.. look out for one another. hand and foot signals are very important to look for. i love group rides, and i think you will too. have fun girl ride safe.... bring us all back something..... lol lol lol

 

WHen I first started riding two guys who lived a few apartments down from me showed me the basics: how to take off, what to do when stopping, etc., a few weeks before i actually took my msf classes. After I felt comfortable I began to ride with them every once in a while, just short trips here and there involving just me and one of the guys with the whole intent being to get me more comfortable with my bike and riding (Derby was coming up and that's when a LOT of bikes and riders come out to play, bike clubs and groups are everywhere so i really wanted to be able to ride and meet other bikers). At first I felt really weird because I didn't want them to think they had to babysit "the GIRL" but it turns out that each time we went out they kept an eye on me and made sure i was riding at my own pace! After I figured out that they weren't going to speed off and leave me, complain later that i was too slow, or not "like" me i relaxed and really started having fun. As for tips just liek everyone else said ride within your pace, and just have fun, it'll be great!

 

Thanks again! I'll have to watch the "Handsignals for Dummies" that notstock posted for a refresher (god that was funny!!!)

It should be fun, I'd take pics for you guys but the battery in my camera died and I haven't bought a new one yet [:@]. If anyone else on the ride takes some, I'll get some copies though.

 

Since you've never rode w/ them I'd stay at the end of the line till you see their pace, and adjust to it.....then after a stop or a few stops (breaks) you can possibly move up and if you don't feel like your keeping up just switch back at the next stop...just don't feel that you HAVE TO keep up....

 

I will more than likely hang towards the back of the pack tonight. The girl that normally leads on these rides knows what I am comfortable with and has already reassured me that I'm in good hands. She straight out told me that if they were going faster than I was comfortable, to just stick at my own pace and not worry about keeping up, they'll adjust to my pace within reason.

 

well it sound like your gonna have a great time.... send some pics of you and all the girls.... on the bike too please[sm=exactly.gif]