LarrySellerz

I like being just off the back (On the slower days) so I dont have to worry about others and can safely listen to music or a podcast or ride relaxed with one or no hands. Also I dont have to brake as much or stop pedaling because I dont get the full draft. When trying to keep up when the ride is fast, being on the back is harder, the accordion can chew me up.

Broctoon

I've been on some casual group rides with 5 or 10 people, sometimes more. Pace is usually very relaxed, and nobody is trying to draft. In those situations, I move around to see who I can talk to (or sometimes to stay away from the obnoxious oafs).

​​​​​​With my usual Wednesday night group, we typically have 10 to 15 riders. The first four or five miles is kind of treated as a warmup, as we make our way out of the city and traffic. Then we hit the farm roads, and it's ON. Always a nice, tight paceline. I try my best to keep up, and lately I usually can. If I were not interested in staying in the line, there would be little point to joining this group; at about mile five, I'd be left in the dust every time, so I might as well ride alone from the start.

I get the impression some of your rides in Cali are quite long and involve lots of riders. I don't really find any of those here.

To answer the question directly, I ride in last or second to last position, then third to last, then fourth, and so on until I'm out front for a couple minutes. Then I drop back and start the whole rotation over.

LarrySellerz

The ride in question is normally 30-50 riders, the "slow" days (monday wednesday friday) are pretty relaxed and only 26 miles so most people can stick with the pack

tempocyclist

If it's a big bunch I stick within the safety of the front part of the group, where the stronger, more experienced, higher skilled riders usually are!

I'll be up there swapping turns on the front while the wheesuckers hang back...

tomato coupe

Most group rides have a designated section for riders that are riding no-hands while listening to podcasts; it's called "way over there."

koala logs

I have gravel tires on my bike so I move off to the extreme side of the road where there's gravel.

caloso

I try to approach each group ride with a plan. Sometimes I’ll go out and focus on being smooth and comfortable with moving around the group, and stay in the rotation. Sometimes I’ll focus on using as few watts as possible. When I’m fit enough, I’ll go to the front, attack, get caught, go to the back to recover, work my way back, and repeat till I blow up amd get dropped.

One thing I never do in a group ride is have ear buds in.

datlas 

Listen to music on group rides?

bampilot06

Somehow always end up in the front, even when. want to be in the back.

Ghazmh

I like to be leading the breakaway. That way I’m first in line for a cinnamon bun at the mid ride coffee shop rest stop.

koala logs

I use a cheap motorcycle helmet headset (BT17) I modified for bicycle or workout use. I tied a shoelace to it so it can be worn over the head and the ends tied under the chin with or without a bike helmet.

The headphone unit doesn't have a cup so you can still clearly hear traffic and people talk as long as you don't turn up the volume too high. Available in Aliexpress or Walmart (without the shoelace).

The modification also makes it terrific for jogging. It only looks goofy as f---. Music or audio books helps get the mind off from the effort and can improve efficiency.

datlas 

Goofy headphones? Best worn with timtak goofy glasses!

Honestly, I suspect if someone wants to listen to music/podcasts while riding, it makes sense in the modern era to use a bone-conduction device, but I would still be concerned about masking road sounds. Certainly I would discourage this on a group ride, but it's a free country.....and Larry gotta be Larry!

Bogey Speedwell

I ride close to the guy with the growlers.

mstateglfr 

Uses a motorcycle helmet with headphones tied to a shoelace so he can ride with no hands on a group ride.



The shark has been jumped.

LarrySellerz

On Mondays I get on the back and take my 1 PM zoom meeting on the group ride just holding my phone. Obviously off the back not in anyones way

koala logs

It's even goofier-looking if wearing it without a helmet. I suppose it can be a good thing if it forces the user to wear a helmet.

I read the best and quite expensive bone conducting product is still not on par with much cheaper conventional ear piece. The BT17 I use on the other hand, has terrific sounding bass after some tweaking done to my phone's equalizer. Quite surprising for a cheap product.

I do have helmet mirror in case I miss a sound! I regularly scan my back with the mirror.

koala logs

Some of the helmet headsets are already sold with shoelace built into it. But no idea how the user will secure it to the chin without the modification I did to mine.

koala logs

Still dangerous even if you're completely alone.

You're distracted by the meeting and one hand is off the handlebar. It only take a wrinkled road section to throw you off the bike.

GhostRider62

I see riders talking, texting, or watching something on their phone all the time. Even seen a few smoking weed. Crazy world.

cyclezen

would be gone from that group in a hurray. <CR>
<CR>
most group rides start with warmup (usually too short...) <CR>
if it's a day when I want to work on short term power, I let a group go off front (usually happens) and when the gap gets large enough, I try to bridge... If it doesn;t work, the group behind will catch me.<CR>
When terrain allows, I try to bridge again, and again <CR>
If it's a climbing day/ride. I usually hit the climbs somewhere nearr the rear, and see how far forward I can get... <CR>
If it's really social, casual, it's always a ride for non-frequent riders, like the local Ski CLub. I tend to hang back and get as many to come onto my wheel and I work to slowly pull them back forward. <CR>
Don;t do many of these; maybe once every 2mos. <CR>
Ride On <CR>
Yuri

Reflector Guy

I try to hang back towards the rear and ride at the extreme right side of the group. Easiest access to the dumpsters from there.

genejockey 

If it's the Spectrum Ride, ideally on the other side of the road, watching them go by. Second best is on the same side, but stopped well off the road.

I ride alone mostly, except the monthly SF Peninsula C&V Ride, which, having organized it, I feel an obligation to ride it. There, I prefer to ride sweep because I'm a lousy ride leader.

caloso

The main group ride that I do has no formal leaders or rules, but there is one unwritten rule that is strictly enforced by the elder statesmen: Don't be a dumbass. Especially don't be a dangerous dumbass.

tomato coupe

You get credit for group therapy if you zoom it while riding? Cool.

burnthesheep

The only larger group ride I do is weeknight worlds a couple times a summer. In that, definitely in front 1/3 or in the rotation or in the break. The back 2/3 always is dropped by the break of 3 to 6 folks. Then it's either the pro or cat 1/2 guy that "makes it" or a bunch sprint.

Otherwise, I only do group rides with my teammates doing a very nice and tight formation. Either rotating constantly or taking turns or planning a little leadout train for a townline. Max of 6 of us then. In those, everyone pulls but is free to sit out a rotation or few.

I'm not a big fan of the cluster F 18mph critical mass roadie group rides where folks wear headphones or wander all over the place like a flock of chickens.