Ok I took the bait.
For an echelon or double paceline, you want to always pull off into the
wind. This is hard at PIR with the slow corners. It would be easier
safer on like a 4 mile square with 90 deg corners. I haven't been out
there yet for the handicap. Probably just need to pick rotating
direction that helps the most with the wind and Not try to switch the
direction of rotation twice a lap. The race is won and lost in the
corners (for pacelines...). but anyway...
Cat 3 and 4s can do echelons and double pacelines. I've done a 100+
mile race in well under 4 hours (1990 casper classic) in the 3 field and
it was really quite an easy ride. But We had perfect echelons (yes
plural). we got them going and no one saw any reason not to keep them
going. And we were only minutes off the Pro field pace... But really I
recieved great training from my club in Michigan and just from riding
hard and long with my brother and friends. When I first started riding
in earnest in 88, I remember getting yelled at and it drilled into me to
only slowly accelerate when you get to the front, always smooth, no
sudden moves, etc.. we never weren't doing pacelines .. Its still like
a breath of fresh air every time I ride with my brother. But its hard
for people to learn here. Lots more climbing, lots more cars on the
biking roads... And to a large extent even I have lost the skill and
instinct of doing a proper paceline..
What kills pacelines is any surging or slowing down. Typically its the
slowing down that causes the surging. People think they have to be
heros and do long pulls and don't even realize the speed decrease as
they start dying. The guy behind is as much to blame because he is
waiting for some Sign. NO Nooooo!! WRONG ! Your sign is when you are
recovered enough to go around or when you sense the speed dropping.
Thats your sign! DO NOT LET THE SPEED DROP! ( this is describing a
racing paceline, not a "casual" paceline or a "hard century" paceline,
but works there too...) Of course if people don't know whats up then
the elbow shrug or head nod or moving over or if yu can move your ear
are necessary.
So for a small group, Say less then 6 or so.
-You initially must do quick pulls to establish relative strength of
riders ! (and to quickly open a gap on the pack if its a break you are
trying..) In other words if you are really strong, you will immediately
come through and pull (and start pulling longer). You will not let the
guy hang out there more then a couple seconds then BOOM ! you go around.
Don't wait for a sign. Your sign is you are in the Aerobic region.
Everyone has to take like under 10 seconds pulls initially. But then
lets say you are going 30 mph. Well Adam is maxing out, and can only
hold it for 4 seconds. But Bev senses Adam going anerobic, the pace is
just starting to drop, she comes around (but don't you dare jump because
you will lose Adam, and you need Adam). So Bev is strong, she slowing
increases the speed to 31 she is holding it there for 15 seconds and
then her pace starts dropping, So Charlie senses it and IMMEDIATLY
pulls through. And then Dan, etc.. Once you get settled in, you could
have one person doing just a couple seconds, and another pulling for 30
seconds plus...
-Never ever let the speed drop if you can help it. Pull through
immediately when you sense it. Now of course if you are all dying then
you will have to settle in.
-If you are weaker rider don't worry you are still very very valuable.
Even just a 2 second respite behind you is very significant for the
stronger riders ! It is MUCH much MUCH more important to maintain speed
then the length of your pull!
-drink / stand / stretch in the last spot.
-Leave room on the road to your protected side for the whole group. So
yes always pull off into the wind.
-Leave room for the guy behind you to come around. Rememeber he she
may come around at anytime maybe in mere seconds.
-If you are really dying, don't pull through at all, move over to the
wheel of the guy (gal) coming back (BEFORE they start looking for a
spot! they shouldn't even see you ! ) When you feel better you can jump
back in the mix. The point is to stay together, Not get dropped !
Don't keep pulling only to get dropped! that's stupid. Don't ever let a
gap develop.
-When you sense the person coming around, For GOD's Sake don't fight !
Why have two people in the wind?? IMMEDIATELY let up and get into some
draft. If you are really strong simply move into the line and pull
through immediately again and maybe pick the pace up slowly too while
you are at it (since you so strong).
Big group echelons and rotating double pacelines:
- You have two pulls. One in the going forward line. Two is on the go
back line, while waiting for the guy/ gal to come over. You MUST wait
for that wheel before going backwards. You "owe" the whole line behind
you, Your draft. Your only salvation is to wait for that wheel.
Hopefully he or she is not super strong or doing a huge acceleration.
Because then you have too, too! So two Pulls. So leave something for
that second pull.
-NO gaps.
-No sudden accelerations. But of course you have to get up to speed.
(Sometimes I will let a gap grow a little to act like a buffer to a
sudden acceleration. that is, accelerate slowly so people behind me
aren't blown off the back. But I only do this if I am strong enough too
close the gap back up !!)
-But no sitting at the front and slowly-slowing down. THERE IS NOTHING
WORSE. Get the hell over, theres plenty of stronger people
rarin-at-the-bit behind you.
-At above 25 mph you MUST always be well protected (except for your 5-10
second pull). If you aren't, if you have a side wind hitting you, You
will die a quick death. Well unless you are mister or missus Time
trial.. If there is no road room left, You must form another echelon.
This is easy if others know whats going on. If not, you will have to
have a loud and convincing voice and do a In-Race training session (yes
I did this once with stranglers after getting dropped in a race in
Illinios, wicked side wind), AND we did catch back up to the front pack
(well only part of the pack was left), even though it was out of sight
and seemed impossible...
-With big groups, the two line rotating paceline (echelon) is necessary.
If you tried to slip back all by yourself, you want to get into
protection quickly but its a long way back there with a big group. So
if you go backwards too quickly then its hell to accelerate and latch
back on. But if you try to go back slowly, its hell out there for so
long all by yourself.
-If you want to go faster, Rotate through faster. 5 second pulls! Keep
the speed up. Don't let it drop, get over, or come through before it
does.
-If there is a strong side wind, You have to overlap wheels to some
extent. Feel the wind on you face. position yourself where it is the
least.
-So ALWAYS ALWAYS assume there is someone overlapped beside you in a
bike race. Thus alway move to the side slowly.
Its been so long since I have done this properly, though, I have
forgotten some , the details may be wrong.
But really looking at it from the most basic level, you are trying to
conserve energy and use the group power most efficiently (which means
maxing everyone out but not blowing anyone). So Its simple. Nice tight
drafting and No slowing down / speeding up. No dropping anyone, the
stonger people pull longer. have fun be safe.
.David.Auker. wrote:
David Hart wrote:
One thing that keeps it smooth is when you pull off the front into the
wind to retire, you don't overshoot the rider behind you, many were
pulling off 2 bike lengths ahead and that created a surge from the
retiring side. I do agree that the faster riders were pulling through
faster than the rider behind them and that created a gap.
One way to look at this, is you "owe" your rear wheel to the rider
that's waiting in the "go-back" line (of a double pace-line).
Well, I think that is racing
It is, IF you are in a regular race, where you can psyche out other
riders, make 'em feel weak, by surging, giving extra work for the rider
that needs your shelter as you pull off...well, this ISN'T a "regular"
race...it's more like a team time trial, as you all are (should be)
working to catch/stay away. Save the hero stuff for the last couple of
laps. No nasty, just brotherhood/sisterhood/teamie.
and myself and a few others knew we had to keep the pace above 27mph.
Some guys were slowing in the retiring field instead of keeping thier
speed. There is a lot of skill involved and I felt that it contributed
to your crash Mike. A lot of guys got sloppy for 2 seconds and it was
over. Don't overlap wheels! I saw that quite a few times.
It helps to yell 'Clear' and let the guy move off right in front of
you when he is done with his pull. Miscommunication make you work
harder.
Yeah, when you pull off, and you're waiting for the next rider to do
likewise, you want him not to dally. As soon as he can safely swing
over from the "go-line" to give you shelter, you say anything..."Clear,"
"OK," whatever...then it's up to you to nestle into his draft w/o
crashing, since you invited him to pull over on you.
What was up with the attacking before we caught the 4's???
I urge for any advise to help everyone out, myself included. Just
don't share with the 1/2 field!
Shhhh! :-)
fyi: Back in the distant galaxy of the '70s, '80s, when downtubes had
friction shift-levers, PIR (called "Delta Park Racing Series") used to
be a handicap format, with the scratch race only occasionally. Fun to
have some variety. Thanks, Steve, Jeff!
David