LarrySellerz

Hey guys, what do you do if you are near the front of a large pack and start blowing up? In the "we're going to yell at you" thread, homeboy claims you have to wait until you are at the front before pulling off to avoid leaving a gap??? but to me this sounds like nonsense. I like trying to get to the sides of the group so I can pull out, but lateral movement isn't great even when signaling. It seems preferable than just slowing down holding your line, forcing people to pass you on both sides, how disruptive is that? This happens to me pretty frequently, the top third of the group is the easiest place to be so I try to get there, but then sometimes there are 50 cyclists behind me and im tired and want an out for everyones safety.

I imagine the answer is "it depends"

mstateglfr 

I have never needed to exit a paceline. Of course all my paceline riding is done shirtless and helmetless while drinking a fifth of vodka during charity rides that I didnt pay to participate in, so my incredibly unique situation may not apply to anyone in realityland.

LarrySellerz

I don't drink and group ride and dangle a helmet on my bars to put on for the group ride, safety first always

msu2001la

I typically just pull off to the left, sit up, pull out a pack of smokes out of my jeans pockets, light one up, then take a long drag while staring down the guy next to me and pointing at the gap that he left in my place.

Mojo31

You forgot to mention the copper pipe aero bars duct taped to the bars of your hybrid.

That's important.

GhostRider62

Pretend you flatted. Raise your hand and act all pissed off.

LarrySellerz

I took them off

burnthesheep

I don't see why the reason matters. Imagine it was a flat or mechanical, so applying the logic from that person's response we ride the flat to the front then pull off. That's bollocks.

njkayaker

I guess that settles it.

Why are you in pacelines you blow up in?

LarrySellerz

blowing up on these rides is expected and common

GhostRider62

To get yelled at.

njkayaker

What did homeboy actually say and in what context? Is it reasonable to just assume LarrySellerz is describing things accurately?

njkayaker

Following the rules is also expected and common.

If it's "expected and common", you should have many examples of what people actually do on that ride in that situation.

Anyway, the point of a paceline is so people don't blow up.

WhyFi

What was said was in reference to pacelines. Larry doesn't seem to understand the difference between a paceline and a group. Shocking, I know.

genejockey 

If you're talking about the Spectrum ride, that's not a paceline, it's an amorphous pack. Paceline implies some kind of organization - like what PenVelo does (or did, anyway) the first 8 miles of their weekend rides, from Canada and 92 to Woodside - double line, both front riders pull off to the left after their pull - and in that sort of situation, if you're blowing up, you gasp out an excuse and pull out of the line and drift back. In a pack? Well what do the other guys who blow up do?

LarrySellerz

Youre right, I definitely misused the word paceline. The packs are a mess and I wonder if trying to proactively make lateral movements to exit the ride is worse than just "sitting up" and forcing others to go around you. Someone thanked me for how I exited spectrum 2 weeks ago, he was trying to pass me on the right so I signaled im going right and boxed him out, then a rider the group was passing appeared so I yelled "rider right" and went into the gravel. He thanked me for doing so, I was on my single speed cross bike and got caught up in the group so I was happy to exit

mstateglfr 

Oh, I thought you put vodka in the bottle cages since you said you do. Apparently that is for all but group rides? Yeah, safety first.**

https://www.bikeforums.net/22359708-post5.html

datlas 

Is this a trick question?

BillyD

I really wish you guys wouldn't drag stuff in from other threads. It's kinda like you're looking for trouble. Kinda like, you know, trolling.

gpburdell

Vertically via the next skyhook.

seypat

Standard operating procedure in your thread. Maybe you should make an announcement in there. It might help the rest of the forum.

Koyote

You're in the wrong group ride.

GhostRider62

Larry is so generous to feed the Trouls on schedule.

Larry, just move off to the side and ease up. Once the pack has passed, you can drift back into oblivion.

popeye

I'm in the wrong thread, you guys are just mean.

WhyFi

There is a thread in Bike Forums, they call the Addict-tion!
And it's been... the ruin... of many a LarrySellerz thread, God knows this is one.