chaadster

What kind of tactics have you used for managing fast group rides which are primarily made up of smaller, lighter-weight people?

Crush the downhills and try to stay out front as much as possible?

Are you a diesel which can push a brutal tempo all day on the flats, grinding them to fatigue?

How about conserving as much energy as possible everywhere except climbs, then going for broke up those, trying to minimize OTB time?

Are you resolved to just being off the back, dropped?

Another strategy?

It’s winter home-training time here for me, and while I’m back at it and doing the structured workout thing, it’s likely going to be another weak season for me because my arthritic knees aren’t going away, and the constant, barely sufferable pain really knocks down my activity level and my usable power level; sharp, high-power accelerations are probably a thing of the past, so I’ve been thinking of how I’m going to pull this off. I don’t think substantial weight loss is likely either, so I’ll have to ride smart while looking like a 240lbs sausage in the club kit, or just accept my place as a geezer in the caboose! I am 50 now, but I’m really not emotionally ready to surrender the dream, even though my body might be, so I’m going to put up a fight one more season.

So, what kind of cleverness do you use to stay in touch with the group?