When bike rides get out of control
I got this idea the other day after talking to an ACTC member who said to me, "the reason I don't go on club rides anymore is because they are rated at one pace and end up going much faster than their listing." She lamented, "even at regroups as soon as I arrive everybody takes off again leaving me unrested and exhausted; and I am riding at the listed pace of the ride!" She said, "to me it's not worth it."
I said, "not all rides are that way." She agreed but said, "enough are to make it not fun." She just doesn't go on rides... It reminded me of a conversation I had with a ride leader on the subject over a year ago. This ride leader listed a ride as a 4 LM (LM is 12-14 mph in the flats) when it should have been a 5 MB. (This goat has since been raised to a 6.) I said to the ride leader, "why don't you list the ride at the pace and terrain it actually goes at?" He said, "because if I did people wouldn't come on the ride." I don't know for sure if he was kidding.
My suggestion to the woman who complained about the often inflated pace of ACTC rides was, if you are going the rated pace of the rides and you know there's a regroup at the top of the hill, and you know as soon as you get to the top the ride will take off again, do what I do. I said, "stop several hundred feet short of the summit and do what you need to do: pee, drink, eat and sort out your layers, then when you get to the top you are rested and ready to try to keep up!"
4:49:35 PM 
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