Drop policy

[Charly Tri]

Matt,

Are you sure people were aware this person fell off the back? It would seem odd that people would knowingly let someone fall off and not at least wait up a couple of times and figure things out.

[Bruzer]

Hi Charly

I waited at the top of the hill and there were 3 or 4 people that said "there is still one guy off the back" but the group continued anyway. The guy had ridden with the 15-16 mph group a few times this year and wanted to move up. This wasn't a nice way to welcome a newer guy to the group.

- Matt

[Steve Boyd]

Matt

Sorry, when you said you were waiting I personally thought you were offering to ride with the person that was off. The group road very fast last night. I had an average of 18.6 by the time we finished. Not offering excuses...just stating the facts.

I can't really answer your core question because I don't know the "policy" but I would agree that dropping someone can't very well be perceived as very welcoming.

Are you talking about the gentleman on the road bike or the mountainbike with the drop bars?

Steve

[Bruzer]

Steve.

I was offering to ride with the person who was off the back, and we finished the same route with a 17.0 mph average. We kept the main group in sight almost the entire way so I believe we could have finished with the group if they had stopped at the top of the big hill on 15.

I hesitated to even start this post to alienate any riders or embarrass anyone. So please forgive me if you are reading this. It shouldn't matter what type of bike he was riding. The guy on the road bike was the one falling behind. The guy with the mountain bike (it was his first ride with RASC), had no problems keeping up and came back to help out. The three of us worked together to finish up the ride.

I still think we should discuss the drop policy so everyone knows what to expect. The medium fast group is a bit unorganized at times.

[brogers]

Matt,

I don't know what the official policy is, if there is one, but this shouldn't happen. After regrouping at the top of the hill the group started off again pretty quickly.

Someone did say there was a rider off the back and as we headed to Hwy 30 I looked back a couple of times and didn't see anyone. I assumed the rider must have turned around and realized later that you were not with the group and I thought you must have ridden with the dropped rider. As it turned out we should have waited and discussed a revised plan for the dropped rider.

Maybe this should be mentioned, in our pre ride discussions, before each ride?

Bill

[Steve Boyd]

Apr 1, 2010 11:22:19 GMT -5 Bruzer said:

Steve.

I was offering to ride with the person who was off the back, and we finished the same route with a 17.0 mph average. We kept the main group in sight almost the entire way so I believe we could have finished with the group if they had stopped at the top of the big hill on 15.

I hesitated to even start this post to alienate any riders or embarrass anyone. So please forgive me if you are reading this. It shouldn't matter what type of bike he was riding. The guy on the road bike was the one falling behind. The guy with the mountain bike (it was his first ride with RASC), had no problems keeping up and came back to help out. The three of us worked together to finish up the ride.

I still think we should discuss the drop policy so everyone knows what to expect. The medium fast group is a bit unorganized at times.

Matt

I definitely feel bad. This shouldn't have happened. He shouldn't have been dropped and you shouldn't have had to take the sole responsibility of keeping him company. I contemplated staying back with you and then the testosterone kicked in and I took off.

He...and you....would have had a much better ride if we had regrouped and we could have kept him out of the wind. It's surely the only way in heck I could have done that kind of pace...especially this time of year.

I also agree with Bill that we need to have the discussion before the ride starts.....Monday would be a great time if the weather cooperates for a ride.

Steve

[Bruzer]

Apr 1, 2010 12:25:01 GMT -5 Steve Boyd said:

Matt

I definitely feel bad. This shouldn't have happened. He shouldn't have been dropped and you shouldn't have had to take the sole responsibility of keeping him company. I contemplated staying back with you and then the testosterone kicked in and I took off.

He...and you....would have had a much better ride if we had regrouped and we could have kept him out of the wind. It's surely the only way in heck I could have done that kind of pace...especially this time of year.

I also agree with Bill that we need to have the discussion before the ride starts.....Monday would be a great time if the weather cooperates for a ride.

Steve

Steve,

Don't feel bad for me, it was a great day and a fine ride. I would gladly turn back again for any one of our group who gets dropped. I was embarrassed and disappointed that the group didn't wait but other than that I am OK.

Everyone knows that things can go wrong on a ride, getting lost, flat tire, or worse yet a crash. All those things are not good, but alone they are even harder to deal with.

If no one turns back for a dropped rider, it stops being a "group ride" for that person. Maybe we should clarify the "drop policy" so there is no more confusion.

[Keys]

I was on the Niner and got dropped with another rider coming out of Rock dell. Who ever that guy was on the blue Trek, I owe you a big thank you.
He pulled me all the way to Salem Corners. At which point I sat up and took a breather and watched him try to catch the main group.

I looked back expecting to see the slower group but never saw them. Made me wonder if they took a shorter route. (Matt?)

Personally I don't get too worked up for getting dropped on a group ride. I showed up having already biked with my girlfriend and riding a mountain bike. (that's like showing up to a gun fight with a box cutter)

Anyway, I was surprised I didn't get dropped sooner and went home feeling good for having a great workout.