Chain gang
It will soon be time to recommence the thursday night's entertainment of riding to Bakewell and back. I would like to take this opportunity to invite all riders to make suggestions on how this ride could be changed in order to perhaps improve the organisation and safety.
Last year's ride began with a weekly turnout of around 18 riders and ended with around 5. The reduction was without a doubt due to the over enthusiatic pace and attacks on some of the blobs going to ashford. Therefore it is perhaps ironic that one such rider responsible for this style of riding is suggesting that we should discuss a better method of conducting the ride to encourage a better turnout through the long dark months of winter.
Furthermore there are some junior and youth riders in the club who have shown interest in the chain gang and would benefit greatly from this style of riding.
First of I think we should ban that lunatic The Stig, I will tell the sucker the rides on a monday from now on.
I'd say it needs to be decided whether it's a proper 'through and off' chaingang, or an unofficial race.
I'd go for the former and stick with it. It makes for a smoother ride with more chance of everyone staying together, and gives those who are stuggling the chance to miss a couple of turns without being dropped. It'd also benefit the less experienced riders as they'd have more practice of riding in a proper bunch instead of hanging on for dear life when somebody fires off the front. There's nothing wrong with a sprint for the 'finish' line but that should be it.
Perhaps rotate clockwise up to Bakwell and anti-clockwise back (or vice versa) to get used to it.
And I've said this before, but I'll say it again - If you want to demonstrate how strong you are in the winter, wait until the weekend and put a number on your back.
I'm all for it, would love to ride the club chaingang and i support your ideas for making it a little more accessible, without losing the actual esence of what the chaingang is for.
Surely it basically needs to be a balance between the speed not excluding allcomers but also needs to be consistent enough to give a beneficial workout to all?
I've not taken part in the club chaingangs before so i'm not qualified to comment on whatever has gone before, but i would love to take part in some. If however i got blown out the back door in the first few miles of my first one then i'm not likely to want to take part again and it sounds like that is what your wanting to prevent.
Cheers
Neil
I'm all for it too. I hope you were not referring to me Leigh?? Joking aside, it's a great workout but no fun riding back on your own for 50% of the ride. That only happened to me once, may I point out.
Also, Chris Green and a couple of others mentioned moving it to Wednesday evenings?
Hi there is a vid on you tube on chaingang riding
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPU2-qZuOnY
or will give those who have not done it before an idear what is involved.
the vid show one complete rotation then falls to bits as they go round some bends and the pace hots up
It's difficult to stop riders being dropped as the pace will always be too hot for someone, but at least keeping it smooth (which includes not upping the pace dramatically as you go onto the front, making sure you go 'off' when you come 'through', etc) makes it a bit more controlled.
It's a winter chaingang, not a midsummer 'race practice' one. As such, in my opinion, it should be all about riding at a hard, out-of-comfort-zone pace and bunch riding practice.
It was certainly a much better training session when stig was out though......
I've ridden with the rutland chaingang over the summer and theirs seems to stay together more, the slower riders would set off first and the fitter the riders would chase after a while, so it's all together at the end. Theirs is much longer as well, so maybe that helps control the pace more?
deffinately works better with more people, and a few have said wed is a better day because it fits in with cx...perhaps change it if it's not a problem?
Hi all, i did alot of the chain gangs and found them to be really good for training.
But from talking to people i know alot have been put off due to the high pace.
I think for the first couple we need to see who turns up and then decide wether we need two or three groups.
Also if anyones got a problem with the run that night go to the club room after or put a post on the forum so we can sort it out.
And finally to all riders who have considered coming to the chain gang please come and give it ago am sure we can sort it out between us to make it work for everone.
Let's make it 2 groups:
Moderate pace &
Fast pace
Being fast and smooth, slightly out of your comfort zone or threshold power are the benefits of chaingang.
Having The Stig is definitely good fun
The Chain Gang would not be complete with out the Stig sat on the front doing some big turns making everone hang on for dear life.
I was thinking about this in the spring and was wondering about having a second group where the aim is to stay together for riders who are not up for being ripped appart by the stig, Tom, Josh and Emily who ride at the track are up for this but wouldn't stand a chance with the seniors group but want to train over the winter and learn how to ride chain gang.
I would be interested in participating, but equally nervous about expectations. I go out most Tuesday evenings that I can with the 'social' ride. I guess Thursday Chaingang fits in better in that respect. I also plan on doing as many of the NDCXL league races as I can get to, so would be keen for this kind of harder training. Two groups sounds wise to me (if enough people turn up), with inexperienced riders starting in the 'slower' group and then 'promoting' if it's not hard enough?
PS - I thought The Stig lived in Bristol?
When is it planned to start?
Cheers
Hi Martin it starts next Thursday.
Does anybody think a early start time would be better 6.30?? or just keep it at 7.00
Another vote for 6:30 if possible
6.30 vote 2
7 was originally chosen as start time so ride could finish at club for tea at 8 when it opens. if you start earlier then no finish at club unless you make the ride longer or musc slower...........Hmm slower, I like the sound of that
Plus some of us don't finish work as early as teachers Steve ;-) anything before 7 is too much of a rush for me.
Being a teacher, as well as finishing early I also only have to work a few weeks a year.
If it's popular we could have a 6:30 and a 7 group - or if delayed to 7:30 then the first group could do two laps......
I quite fancy 6.30pm too.
7 too early for me too coming back from Nottingham - I would be just walking through the door at 6.30. If you do switch to 6.30 I will go out on tuesday rides instead though.
6.30 too early for me too, i have to travel from work at Rotherham and its touch and go to make it.
6.45 could be a compromise...??
7.00 pm please, I have to ride from Loughborough so 6.30 would be pushing it....... even for the Stig!
Another vote for 7.00pm, riding from Nottingham to Matlock in 1h20m is hard enough in winter, doing it in 50m requires an engine!
There seems to be some good ideas.
Inclusion for all abilties is essential in order to ensure maximum participation.
I think that the two group idea sounds great, if the first group left with enough of a head start so that they are caught coming out of bakewell on the return leg it will give everyone a chance to get in the mix.
It may be an advantage to work on making the pace much smoother, and avoid riders 'jumping' through when they hit the front. Last year saw the pace go from 22 mph up to 27mph as different riders pulled through. There seemed to be a large speed difference between the two lines.
Having named riders to try and control the first rides may help the organisation, it would be good to get sorted before it gets really dark.
I would vote for a 7pm start on a wednesday night for all the cross men who race on saturdays. Stopping at the club house after is not a good option when one has a little perspiration on the brow.
7pm is ideal for me.
"Stopping at the club house after is not a good option when one has a little perspiration on the brow" ?
I'm up for a crack at this again now I've got a road bike, or at least I will be if I can shake off the curse of injury that seems to be on me this year :)
Is the chain gang defo Thursday 7pm and not on the Wednesday?
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