sabazel

I know all the basics of road riding in an aggressive group i.e. attacks, sprints, etc. but I was wondering what constitutes as "dirty" behavior.

Examaples: Sometimes when I ride, I'm in the paceline up towards the front, going the same speed as everyone else, and someone will pass and try to squeeze ahead of me or the next person. Then someone else will. Before I know it, I'm towards the back. What is the point of this, if I'm going the same speed and not letting a gap occur? It's not like they're attacking and trying to up the pace. Dirty? Normal?

I understand regrouping vs. not letting people get dropped and such. What about when you're with a group at a strong pace and come to a stop sign, the first three/four people dash across when a car is coming, and then don't wait for everyone else to catch up once the cars have gone. Bad luck for those left behind? Bad karma for the guys in front?

I'm just trying to get it all evened out in terms of what's kosher and what's not, generally, for an aggressive RECREATIONAL group ride. Not talking training rides. Even though from what my friends say who race, those rides are actually more organized and better for everyone (i.e. no suddenly accelerating the pace when taking a pull, no sprinting up hills leaving everyone else behind, keeping the integrity of the paceline, not SPITTING in the paceline, etc).

Basil Moss

On our chaingang, strong riders will spot gaps appearing and plug them right away. Maybe you are leaving a bigger gap than everyone else and they are afraid you are going to let the wheel go? And there are those who take every opportunity to get on the front again, it's a training ride after all. They also tend to push a gruesome pace when they get there too...

If it's specifically RECREATIONAL not training... who knows. I don't know anyone who recreationally rides aggressively. Not like that anyway. People who want to ride competitively tend to train for it.

RichinPeoria

When I see a group of riders all dressed up in their Tour d France costumes I do the best I can to make a noisy pass and leave them looking at my back side. Just say'n. That's how I roll

San Rensho 

Guys are always trying each other to see if they can snake a wheel, its not really dirty pool in my book, just aggressive riding. As long as they aren't pushing you its not dirty, but once they get their front wheel ahead of yours and they have a big overlap, theres not much you can do but give them the wheel.

agarose2000

I hate that forced squeeze effect when you're not leaving a gap.

I admit that I've dragged my TT bike to group rides and thus am a generous target. I try and stay in the back on the flats up to the first climb out of courtesy to the roadies who might fear my aerobars, but there are invariably latecomers or socializing folks who fall back a bit. Sure enough, the moment they're done, they literally force their way into my path - it's gotten to the point that I just smile and fall back to let them get their position, which usually leaves me last or 2nd to last.

The ironic part - we'l hit the first climb, and out of 50 riders, I'm invariably in the top 5-7 front group, made up mostly of Cat1-3 competitive roadies. I've ridden with this group often enough that they know I can hold a fast pace, yet week after week, I'll get guys busting in on my line during the slow portion of the ride as if I can't ride. Fortunately, up front with the big boys, it doesn't happen - at all, actually.

botto 

my guess is that you're either squirrely, or not as fast as you think you are.

that's dickish behavior by the people who carried on.

as long as you make sure to direct it away from those next/behind you, spitting isn't a problem.

WHOOOSSHHH...

And your wearing what? A white speedo, pink crocs and farting as you blow by?

chasmm

+1 on this, possibly. I'm not questioning your ability, but if you consistently see people trying to jump your spot, maybe they're not comfortable sucking YOUR wheel. This could be a result of uneven cadence, less than straight-line riding, or some other thing. If it happens in wet weather, it could be your tires kick up more crap than others. Seriously, we've got a guy that rides with us who has tires that seem to rooster-tail more than anyone else. We finally just asked him to either ride the back (for everyone else's sake), or change his tires...heck, we even offered to take up a donation!

If you find this happening on a regular basis, with a group you frequently ride with...the best thing is to ask them in a non-confrontational manner. You might be doing something you're not aware of.

On the other hand, you might just be riding with jerks...it happens

RichinPeoria

Today I rode in...

-Ray-Ban Wayfarers,
-Bank Giro Loterij cycling cap,
-mesh-backed half finger cycling gloves
-blue Exustar cycling shoes,
-black cycling shorts
-a t-shirt that has a cartoon picture of two dogs, one sniffing the others butt and captioned: “I HATE SINGLES BARS”.

ahsposo 

A fashion GOD!

hurley.girl

This is also my guess, especially if they are only doing it to you. Whenever I get on the wheel of someone who can't keep it smooth in a paceline, I try to jump in front as well.

One of my teammates, unfortunately, is a big offender. Constantly surges and then eases up to keep the speed. It's annoying to ride behind this and the entire paceline behind her is a mess unless someone intentionally keeps a bigger gap to avoid getting sucked into the accordian effect that she alone causes.

Walter

Most of my ideas have been covered so I'll agree with the idea that people are probably jumping you either because they can or they think they need to. I'll strongly agree with the jerkyness of people who create gaps by rolling a redlight when there's oncoming traffic. We've got one or two in our Saturday AM and Wed PM groups who do that consistently.

rooftest

No matter how strong you are, if you - as a single rider - pass a paceline, then that's a pretty weak paceline.

FLvector

This can be very annoying. If it is too extreme, I'll do whatever I need to avoid riding behind someone like this.

sabazel

Hmm... I will ask my friends on the Tuesday ride to pay attention to my line to make sure I'm holding it securelym and my pace. It could be the reason, though I don't FEEL all over the place, and can ride in a tight pack pretty confidently. Of course, I'm sure the person who IS all over the place never thinks they are all over the place.

I could be a case in point. I'll let y'all know.

Yaniel

I've been on rides that has people like this. It gets so bad that I've found coming out of the line and going off the front of the group causes my heart rate to drop. and its mostly because people are trying to talk, or ride next to a buddy instead of staying on the wheel in front of them.

rangerdavid

I gotta agree with Walter and Botto on this one, those kinds of guys are really jerks................

been on a ride where 3 guys had a reputation for doing that, and when they did, and sprinted away thinking we'd break our necks to catch up, we just turned right instead of going straight, and went another route...........

patentcad

How about Pcad Etiquette? What about that?

EventServices

Riders who attack through an intersection are idiots.
They do it all the time on the Birmingham Ride (metro-Detroit), and then they treat it like it's a real breakaway.

There's another helpful thread somewhere around here that crops up from time to time. It points out some other infractions.

patentcad

Correct.

RichinPeoria

Its been my experience that "idiots" and "Birmingham" are synonymous

bismillah

This is what we call in the world of cycling a "rotating paceline"

2manybikes

That applies primarily to internet behavior, not riding. But Bailey still loves you anyway.

BarryJo

Huh?
What the OP described happens on our tuesday night ride all the time. A nice paceline gets in motion, the riders at the front understand the nature of a paceline, you do your work, flick off, fall to the back and latch back on.
There is nothing worse than when the paceline has a nice flow to it, everyone is holding close to the wheel in front of them, and some idiot wants to move up a few places on the outside and then decides to point to the spot he wants to squeeze into.
This is what causese the Cat 5 acordian effect because the rider getting cut off has to slow to let Lance in, thuse causing the 10 or 30 riders behind to have to slow and then have to expend more energy to get back to the initial speed of the ride.

Here's a somewhat infamous video (thanks Waterrockets) of a rotating paceline where the inside line pulls through while the lead riders continue to pull off to the left and drift to the back before getting back on again.

pdedes

maybe there's a bigger guy in front of you that the line jumpers want to draft?