
Sometimes, going it alone has great value. Sometimes, being part of a group has a certain appeal. According to those involved with
AthletiCamps -- home to cycling camps designed to help riders enhance their performance -- one of the most splendid attractions of road cycling is the feel of rolling down the road in a big collective pack.
What do you think -- ride with the group or go it alone? Before deciding, you may want to better understand the anatomy of a group ride.
A typical group ride consists of any number of riders -- maybe three, maybe 150 -- and typically lasts between two and four hours. Common to group rides is a psychological factor. There's usually at least one person in the group more aggressive than the others, a person who either inhibits or inspires riders.
There are two types of rides, neither of which are races, both of which prepare riders for races. There are training rides, where riders work together on a skill. And there are club rides, where it's not clear who will show up and where a lack of focus can present a challenge.
There's so much more to consider about group rides, and you can
learn more here. But the bottom line is this: each athlete's fitness level and goals are unique. For those new to race preparation, it may be wise to avoid unstructured group rides. For those with a little training under their belts, the group ride may be in order. If you're up for it, give it a go -- see how you feel when you're rolling the down the road in that collective pack. I can only imagine it must feel exhilarating.