You are reading a single comment by @Fausto and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
@Fausto
I have a question (wrapped up in a monologue) for any of the coaches on here or anyone else who has an opinion on it. As a disclaimer I have only started going to the track this year and have never really ridden in a proper bunch before so don't know too much about track etiquette and bunch riding etc....I'd like to think I am fit enough though to hold my own down there, particularly this week when it might have been a little slower due to some of the strong riders skipping intermediate for racing in the afternoon.
So, on Saturday we were riding in one long pace line and as you'd take a turn off the front you'd pull off and go to the back. Quite rightly the coaches emphasise the need to drop in and fill gaps but also that if you want to "test yourself" then to leave a gap and take on more wind. What I find happening quite often though is that some (I guess "strong" riders) would pull off the front and almost fight to get back in the pace line quite quickly and just about push in where there was no gap. Throughout the session I noticed that there would be a reaction to this from the riders in the line to "defend" their place and there'd be quite a deal of overlapping of wheels and coming higher to ensure that the person who just pulled off wouldn't drop in in front of them - i was guilty of it myself and (stupidly) rubbed wheels with another fella.
My instinct is to say that it is rude as everyone wants to have a go on the front at some point and if folks keep dropping in early you'll never work your way up. Alternatively after my wheel rubbing I realised it was silly to "care" so much about it as I was actually pretty lucky to stay upright.
So I'd be happy to hear what the deal is with this or if anyone has any opinion on it and also be happy to be corrected on my feeling of it being rude. One way or another though I do think there is a risk issue here - either from the silly "defence" of position in the line or the silly dropping in when there is no gap - bearing in mind that this is just training and not racing or even race training.