LarrySellerz

Hey guys, yesterday I got dropped 4 times in two separate group rides. One of them dropped me 3 times, they kept dropping me then pulling off of the main road to do a hill or something and then come pass me again. Getting dropped on these rides is normal and not something to be ashamed about, but its kind of disheartening to get wrecked like that. The most egregious was when they passed me on a false flat and I wasn't even able to grab onto the tail of the group, should have saved more to put out an effort when the last guys passed I guess. Some French cat 2 dude also got dropped there and he said lots of people got dropped on that ride and I shouldn't feel bad. Maybe I shouldn't even bother with the groups that I know are faster than I can handle, but its so convenient, they are on my way to and from work. Have any of you experienced getting chronically dropped from faster groups?

Sy Reene

how bizarre. I can't imagine how that could happen.

WhyFi

Weren't you just talking smack in another thread about how great and strong you are as a cyclist?

seypat

You need to find a slower group until you're doing the dropping.

himespau 

I don't suppose you started with them so they knew and trusted you did you?

Chuck M 

Perhaps either that post or this one is satire. I really can’t tell until the OP points it out for us.

fishboat

"Maybe I shouldn't even bother with the groups that I know are faster than I can handle.."

Well, there's an epiphany.

(You get dropped here daily and sadly you keep returning.)

LarrySellerz

As far as I know there are 15 group rides a week near where I live and its the same dudes for the most part (two of the groups are a bit different) just some of the rides are a lot faster while others are "recovery." That being said I know the routes and if im riding in the general vicinity of one of these rides I feel compelled to atleast show up and try.

LarrySellerz

I was talking smack to that Australian dude who rides in dirt, id be impressed if he could keep up here. Im not a great cyclist by any means but im decent

msu2001la

Did you try dialing it up to 400 watts?

N2deep

The problem is not getting dropped, it's not trying!! I had to laugh at myself more than once for jumping out with the young hammer heads only to get dropped within about 5 miles and to recover as the older group caught up and I jumped into the back to finish the ride. Heck, once I was dropped on a 60 mile ride by the hammerheads and the last guy in the fast group was riding and e-bike, too funny. I might be slow but still lapping the guys on the couch!

Seattle Forrest

You need Carbon Wheels Optimized for 28mm Tires!

WhyFi

I'm talking about -

"I don't want to argue with you about who is faster but I cycle a lot too, 300 mile weeks are not uncommon, I ride with cat 1s and former pros all the time, used to cycle delivering food for a living, dont own a car etc etc."

seypat

You either get dropped, or you don't. That's life, learn to deal with it. I'm a slow climber, and overall mediocre endurance athlete. It's really humbling to get smoked by a bent over old geezer with a limp, or a 11 year old kid in a 5-10k run. Several years ago I did a duathlon with a fellow BF member 6 or 7 years older than I. He'd been an elite runner BITD. He hadn't ran in a couple of years and didn't run any before the event. Still smoked me by 2 or 3 minutes on the 5k run. I think I was in next to last place at the first transition in front of an obese person. In March of this year as I was crossing the finish line of a half marathon, the leader of the full marathon that started a few corrals/waves in front came flying by. He collapsed about 50 yards from the finish line and had to receive medical attention. He ran the full in the same time I ran the half.

You either have the talent for a particular endeavor, or you don't. Deal with it.

LarrySellerz

Yeah I was engaged in a stupid pissing contest, all of those things are true but im still getting dropped

genejockey 

So, apparently being bigger than most of them didn't help on the flats?

genejockey 

To be fair, this may still be true, even if it's only very briefly.

Mojo31

Don't you have to be a part of the group to get dropped by said group?

Sounds like ole Lar was just tagging on without an invitation.

LarrySellerz

I gained time on the group chasing them on canada and going down alpine but it wasn't enough to close the gap and catch the draft. On canada I was on the side of the road smoking weed and had to put my stuff away and on alpine they were up the road and I chased a long time, I thought I was going to catch them for a bit there

LarrySellerz

there is no invitation, and yeah they all know me. Sometimes a few of them get salty and try to bully me if I don't have a helmet but I try to bring one so its not often a problem. Its not one of those weird clubs with wavers and rules and freds who come out on the weekend.

popeye

If you keep it up you will find you get dropped less and less and soon you will be able to suck wheel for the entire ride. Then you will find yourself hanging mid pack and contributing to pulls. That is if you want to get faster but we all have our own goals. My other nic is "don't wait for me *** ".

genejockey 

That's life on the road. They might not be riding more than you but their training is a lot more focused, and they're a lot lighter and riding better bikes. I'd guess you're burning matches just to hang with them on the flat, so as soon as there's any incline, you're falling back and as soon as you're even a little OTB, that's all she wrote.

himespau 

You know, maybe if you spent less time smoking a J on the side of the road waiting for them, your lungs will be in better shape to help you get dropped less. Just a thought.

datlas 

Hi! What's the thread about??

genejockey 

They're riding along with the benefit of the draft and you're one guy who can't get very aero. Even if you burned enough matches to catch them, you probably couldn't hang on. You might catch them and immediately get spat out again. BTDT. Back in the early 2000s when I was riding with PenVelo, I was riding with the racer group and got split off on Portola. I chased them all the way to Willowbrook before catching them and instantly blew up. The bastard who'd been drafting me uninvited was able to catch them, though. At least he thanked me.