Chasers Ride 291017

[RichardB]

Proposed route for Sunday into the Vale with a coffee stop in Dyffryn Gardens, currently looking mild but with a light wind.

Coychurch - Pencoed - Brynna - Talbot Green - Llantrisant - Beddau - Creigau - St Fagans - Culverhouse Cross - St Lythans Road to the coffee stop in Dyffryn Gardens - up on to the A48 - Bonvilston - Llantrithyd - St Athan - Boverton - Llantwit Major - Marcross - Southerndown - Ogmore by Sea and back into Bridgend and home. Just over 50 miles. I may need some help with the directions through Beddau to get back onto the A473.

https://www.strava.com/routes/11009145

[Andy H]

Hope to join you Rich, have to ride out to Bridgend so I'll ride the loop back to Dyffryn then make my way home.

See you Sunday

[RichardB]

Good one, it will be good to see you Andy

[RichardB]

A much bigger group than expected today with a couple of people stepping up from the Amblers and a few pacers deciding not to go on Harpo's tours. Numbers also helped by a fab day for cycling with very mild conditions for late October. I think there were 20 of us out today, apologies if I forget anyone.
Me
Mark Rosser, recovering from last night's Halloween party
Chris Goodwin
Steve Madeley
Nigel
Terry
Tony
Lee
Nick
Neil
Chris Reed
Hannah
Newbie Mark, friend of Harpo
Patrick
Mike
Graham
Matt
Roy 2
Tom
Richard Lewis
I'm sure I've missed someone.
Followed route as posted managing to navigate our way through Beddau and back onto the A473, this was a busy stretch of the A473 which I may avoid next time by cutting across to the second roundabout directly from Beddau. Good pace out to the coffee stop in Dyffyn Gardens but with the majority of the group deciding to ignore the right turn down to Dyffryn Gardens in the dash to the café which was good for the rest of us getting to the front of the queue in the café, especially given the numbers. Number of people peeled off on the way back and the pace then picked up into the lanes back to Llantwit and then around the coast. We lost a few off the back just after getting on to the Wick Road. I did sit up and wait for a few minutes in Southerndown but no one came back to me so I assume you all went through St Brides, hope you all got home safely. I then missed the benefit of riding in the group around the for the final part of the ride.
We were a bit ragged riding as a group at times which needs addressing in future weeks and given the Cycling Weekly Club Ride at the end of November. I will leave it to some of the more experienced members of the club to comment further. And I think it would be helpful to discuss this in our groups at the start of next week's rides.
Me or Andy will post a route later in the week for next Sunday. See you all next week, Richard.
 

[Tom]

Thanks Richard-excellent ride and better than the one I thought we were doing!

FOUND-as I rode back about 15 mins after the group I found a yellow Brooks rain jacket (in a pouch) in the road between Marcross and Monk Nash.Did an OGGIE drop it-if not claimed I'll post on South Wales Cycling website

[Chris Reed]

For me it's communication. When it works well it's because messages are being passed up the line to the front. An example of this was when Chris was in the pack calling out when there were adjustments to be made.

If we want to ride as a group we also need to rise at a pace everyone can live with. I've seen groups riding up long hills in perfect order because they are riding at the pace of the slowest rider. Those feeling strong taking longer turns on the front.

Just my view. Potentially agree two groups who ride the same route and meet regularly plus at the coffee stop?

[Andy H]

You’ve hit the nail on the head, Chris. Pace of the ride is what keeps it together or blows it apart.
A steady pace for majority of the ride allows for a bit of a ‘burn up’ at the end, if people feel the need. There’s no reason to be riding ‘eyeballs out’ all day.
Sorry I missed today but suffering the dreaded lurgy. Will make every effort to be there next Sunday

[Steven]

Everybody needs to play their part, riding two abreast ( except on busy roads or narrow country lanes ) and closing gaps down.  Cardiff Ajax riding in the opposite direction put us to shame!  It's okay to go for it on the hills or with a few miles to go but we all need to play our part ( and I include myself in that!). 

The single most important thing is to keep safe and look after each other.

[craig m]

is this something that will be discussed in the AGM? or just on the board?

I know the Sunday ride is more of a social than a training ride, but the video below make for good watching:
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/knowledge/skills/article/izn20141117-Road-How-to-ride-through-and-off--chaingang----Racesmart-0

[Andy H]

I think part of the problem is people's unwillingness to ride at the front of the group. Whether this is a lack of confidence or being unwilling to take 'a turn', I don't know. Also as Steven has commented closing gaps down, in the chain, can be an issue. This could be due to lack of concentration, fearing riding too close to the wheel in front or a fitness issue.
I will make a point of discussing how the group should ride, before the start of the club run and try and 'encourage' all riders to keep in formation.
Coaching group riding will help BUT I cannot do this out on the road, while riding with the group. 
The coaching has to be done as a formal coaching session, which I am more than happy to do, maybe on a Saturday afternoon if anybody is interested.
I will be doing a novices ride on November 11th but would be able to fit in a session on any other Saturdays in November