CHAIN GANG 20 15
PeterT and I have had a chat and agree we need to get three groups going this year if possible. So all turn up. it is great fun.
Average speeds of each group as a guide:
Intro @ 20 mph
Medio @ 22 mph
Fast @ 24 mph+
Start time 7.30pm depart from the Tuns in Ashwell.
Others can congregate just past the junction on the Littlington road at Steeple for a 7.40pm link up.
if you can get out early then set up a 7.00pm start but aim to regroup at Littlington for the 7.40pm off.
TOMORROW PETER T AND I WILL BE AT THE TUNS AT 7.00PM FOR A WARM UP REGROUPING FOR THE 7.30PM START.
YOU MUST HAVE LIGHTS FOR THE FIRST FEW WEEKS. WE MAY GET TWO LAPS IN BUT INITIALLY IT WILL BE GETTING DARK FOR THE SECOND LAP. We can decide tomorrow if two laps is an option. Tomorrow is a bit of a limbering up session, faster training and controlled riding.
Apologies for spelling out the rules but hope these will help new comers or those that might find they are getting shouted at in the line (don't take it personally).
If you find yourself being told to slow down a touch you are going too fast. If you find the pace too slow for you then ride off the front and try a solo effort but don't mess up the chain gang which is a group of riders working together to sustain a decent pace as efficiently as possible. If you really are struggling to keep up then please sit on the back and keep close to the last wheel (in the slip stream). Don't flog yourself doing a turn. You will get dropped. Sit in the back and build up your speed out of the wind, then start joining in the turns the following week if you can.
If the faster line (normally on the right) develops gaps it's because the person ahead is going too fast resulting in a breakdown in the chain gang (that's bad and results in lots of shouting).
It could also be that someone is going too slow or has fallen asleep in the line. Keep attentive as you are riding right on each other's slipstream and gaps result in sprinting to catch up which results in a breaking down of the line. Up hills try to keep a fast/steady line rotating - No heroic sprints at the front.
We have a really good bunch of strong riders this year (diet achievers and pure athletes). You are the fast group but are welcome to ride the middle group. Please don't do the half wheel, windup trick. More shouting will ensue. if fast riders are not out you can still benefit from a smooth middle effort.
The shouting thing is not meant to be ugly and mean. But a chain gang requires awareness of where you are relative to other riders and is a group effort.
For new riders the hardest thing is when you move from the fast line to the front of the marginally slower line. At this point you need to gently ease off (not fly ahead). you need eyes out the back of your head to drift your back wheel just in-front of the front wheel of the rider you have just passed. This really is a skill and it is normal for a rider to let you know when you are doing it right (AND WRONG). Once you are consistently doing it right you won't hear much criticism or encouragement, just the swish or drum of wheels.
I hope this has not put anyone off. Riding a good summer chain gang is a real joy.
Tomorrow looks like a warm one.
Cheers Vince - what you've said will hopefully encourage everyone to have a go. It's not a dark art. Thru-and-off. Simples. When it's working - it's a great feeling.
A couple of things I thought of to add. If you are having a breather at the back and don't want to rotate, shout 'last man' to let the rider in front of you know they need to rotate into the fast lane and keep the chain going.
And Ashwell chains always seem to rotate anti-clockwise - whatever the wind direction. The opposite to this neat graphic we've shown before;
It has been pointed out before: the bad thing on this graphic is that the riders are straddling both traffic lanes! No!!
And finally, be super aware of the left turn in Bassingbourn. The closest I've seen to chain gang smash up is when Declan didn't realise we turn left at the church and carried on - amazingly riding through the chain without touching another rider. Shout that turn out. And shout out everything else.
I hope to see you next week or week after. Still feeling sore after getting knocked off the bike by a badger!
We may want to consider practicing rotating both directions as per general riding practice in the "outside" world. Thus when you end up in a fast moving sportive or training camp chaingang, you've got the skills.
what a brilliantly motivating thread this is....hope you all have loads of fun and pain. Good idea Andy...people need this skill MAINLY to take shelter from the wind....that's why the line alternates inside and outside....the resting line is the one sheltering the faster line from the wind. If riders ride with others in races or other events they will need to switch to fit in with what they are doing...It is a really good idea to practice both ways as I have said many times before. 40 mph winds here today so no such luck for a ride out.
Found this on the net and felt it worth sharing for beginners like me as it appears to offer some good advice on that technique and also reverses the line rotation as Geoffg is suggesting above
How To Ride Through And Off - Chain Gang | Racesmart
Comments
Thanks
PeterT and I have had a chat and agree we need to get three groups going this year if possible. So all turn up. it is great fun.
Average speeds of each group as a guide:
Intro @ 20 mph
Medio @ 22 mph
Fast @ 24 mph+
Start time 7.30pm depart from the Tuns in Ashwell.
Others can congregate just past the junction on the Littlington road at Steeple for a 7.40pm link up.
if you can get out early then set up a 7.00pm start but aim to regroup at Littlington for the 7.40pm off.
TOMORROW PETER T AND I WILL BE AT THE TUNS AT 7.00PM FOR A WARM UP REGROUPING FOR THE 7.30PM START.
YOU MUST HAVE LIGHTS FOR THE FIRST FEW WEEKS. WE MAY GET TWO LAPS IN BUT INITIALLY IT WILL BE GETTING DARK FOR THE SECOND LAP. We can decide tomorrow if two laps is an option. Tomorrow is a bit of a limbering up session, faster training and controlled riding.
If you find yourself being told to slow down a touch you are going too fast. If you find the pace too slow for you then ride off the front and try a solo effort but don't mess up the chain gang which is a group of riders working together to sustain a decent pace as efficiently as possible. If you really are struggling to keep up then please sit on the back and keep close to the last wheel (in the slip stream). Don't flog yourself doing a turn. You will get dropped. Sit in the back and build up your speed out of the wind, then start joining in the turns the following week if you can.
If the faster line (normally on the right) develops gaps it's because the person ahead is going too fast resulting in a breakdown in the chain gang (that's bad and results in lots of shouting).
It could also be that someone is going too slow or has fallen asleep in the line. Keep attentive as you are riding right on each other's slipstream and gaps result in sprinting to catch up which results in a breaking down of the line. Up hills try to keep a fast/steady line rotating - No heroic sprints at the front.
We have a really good bunch of strong riders this year (diet achievers and pure athletes). You are the fast group but are welcome to ride the middle group. Please don't do the half wheel, windup trick. More shouting will ensue. if fast riders are not out you can still benefit from a smooth middle effort.
The shouting thing is not meant to be ugly and mean. But a chain gang requires awareness of where you are relative to other riders and is a group effort.
For new riders the hardest thing is when you move from the fast line to the front of the marginally slower line. At this point you need to gently ease off (not fly ahead). you need eyes out the back of your head to drift your back wheel just in-front of the front wheel of the rider you have just passed. This really is a skill and it is normal for a rider to let you know when you are doing it right (AND WRONG). Once you are consistently doing it right you won't hear much criticism or encouragement, just the swish or drum of wheels.
I hope this has not put anyone off. Riding a good summer chain gang is a real joy.
Tomorrow looks like a warm one.
Lights fitted
Look forward to the shouting
( will need some )
See you at 7pm
James
A couple of things I thought of to add. If you are having a breather at the back and don't want to rotate, shout 'last man' to let the rider in front of you know they need to rotate into the fast lane and keep the chain going.
And Ashwell chains always seem to rotate anti-clockwise - whatever the wind direction. The opposite to this neat graphic we've shown before;
It has been pointed out before: the bad thing on this graphic is that the riders are straddling both traffic lanes! No!!
And finally, be super aware of the left turn in Bassingbourn. The closest I've seen to chain gang smash up is when Declan didn't realise we turn left at the church and carried on - amazingly riding through the chain without touching another rider. Shout that turn out. And shout out everything else.
I hope to see you next week or week after. Still feeling sore after getting knocked off the bike by a badger!
A
Good idea Andy...people need this skill MAINLY to take shelter from the wind....that's why the line alternates inside and
outside....the resting line is the one sheltering the faster line from the wind. If riders ride with others in races or other events they will need to switch to fit in with what they are doing...It is a really good idea to practice both ways as I have said many times before.
40 mph winds here today so no such luck for a ride out.
How To Ride Through And Off - Chain Gang | Racesmart
Just a thought
Pete2