It is very rare to find a group of recreational road cyclists who ride at the same pace all the time. These will be runners who are having a good day, those who are having a bad day, and just those (like me most of the time) who are just slower than a lot of their friends. For me it’s because many of them are men and in general male riders are stronger than females.
But I don’t let that spoil my enjoyment of riding with friends and my friends are always very nice to me, waiting for me and encouraging me to improve. Likewise, I sometimes ride with others who are slower than me and I’m always kind and patient too.
Many women have commented to me that they don’t want to join a particular group because they don’t want to be the slowest person and they don’t want to hold the others back. The good news is that there are ways to do this. manage the varying speeds of cyclists.
Riding with a friend or group of varying abilities can be frustrating for everyone. You may share a passion for cycling, but your abilities may not match. Whether you want to ride with a slower partner or join a faster group, here are some tips for getting you on level ground.
Communicate, communicate, communicate
The most important factor in cycling compatibility is communication. If riders know what to expect, they won’t be irritated when they have to wait or feel bad if they delay a group. Before your ride, talk about the distance, speed, route, where you will regroup if you split up on a hill, and whether you feel strong enough to cross the pace line or whether you will be seated in line for the entire journey.
You might be surprised by how other runners react if you tell them about your anxiety about being the slowest runner. Sometimes it just hasn’t occurred to them that you might feel this way, and when you express your fears, they will often say, “I’m happy to drive slower to accommodate you.”
Enter the slipstream
If you are the slower rider, make shorter turns (or no turns) on the front in windy conditions. If you are the faster runner, let the slower runner sit in your slipstream for as long as they need or for the entire ride. The energy savings of the slower rider in the slipstream, combined with the added effort of the faster rider pulling ahead, should help even out the disparity between cyclists. This strategy also works in groups. Just make sure everyone knows if you won’t be taking a ride up front.
My buddy Kev has a camera in his taillight and I often say (joking) that he has a lot of footage of me on that camera. This is because Kev is stronger than me and to account for this disparity, I ride on his wheel rather than the other way around.
Adapt your journeys to others
Try to balance the speed of your movements. If you want to ride faster with a group or someone, ride with them on their slow day when you want to go for a quick ride. Hopefully, since they have to ride slower and you are supposed to ride faster, the riding speed will balance out and satisfy both riders.
I ride with different groups on different days and some days I’m one of the strongest, while others I’m one of the slowest. This means I have to try harder and put in more physical effort when I’m a slower rider, but it seems to balance out for me.
Additional hill repeats or blocks
If you’re still waiting for someone at the top of a hill, stop waiting and start walking back down the hill or just halfway and back up it. You won’t be sitting around waiting and the extra climbing will tire you out more, so you may not have to wait on the last few hills. If you are the one expected, suggest this strategy to the fastest runner. Or maybe you’re following a route where they can add extra miles to their route.
Relax and have fun
Whether you’re the fastest runner or the slowest, remember that everyone has to start somewhere. Don’t worry about having to wait or keep someone waiting. Every runner was a beginner and every runner, regardless of speed, was left behind. Relax and enjoy the ride!