Just been out for a ride on the ICC Chain Gang, my first experience of a CG. I set out from my house a bit nervous and returned a couple of minutes later to get my helmet which I'd forgotten! Good start.
There were about 14 riders that met up at 8:30 at the Old Bridge for it. Thankfully Jonathan who I was talking to gave me the low down on how it worked, but started off by saying there's a lot of fast guys here and not many slow ones! Well I made up the numbers in the latter camp.
Basically the CG works like this. There are two lines of riders, left and right - right is constantly overtaking left so that when you arrive at the front of the right line having overtaken everyone on the left you pull to the left in front of the lead left rider. As more riders from the right overtake and pull in to the left one by one, it has the effect of spitting you to the end of the left line - at this point you pull to the right line behind the last guy (put a bit of power down to catch up) and start working your way up on the right past the left line again until you reach the front and pull in to the left. So the effect looks like a chain going round basically - when one rider from the front of the right pulls over to the front of the slower left line, another rider pulls from the back of the left to join the back of the faster right and it just goes on like that.
The idea is that you just keep going like this as the pace quickens and the fast guys put the hammer down! While you're drafting it's not too bad but when you come off the back it's a struggle to get back on the faster right hand line if the pace is hot.
I was very grateful for this crash course in CG'ing as I thought it worked the opposite way round (L faster than R).
The route was A65 to Otley, past Stephen Smiths garden centre to Pool bank, straight on to Harewood then left onto the road to Harrogate, left at the next roundabout to Pool Bank, right to Otley and home on the A65. A fast relatively flat route although I really noticed the slight change in gradients.
Out to Otley was quick with a tailwind but not stupid and we all kept together, but once we passed Stephen Smith's garden centre in Otley the pace heated up. I managed to stay with it for a short while along that road until my legs just couldn't keep up then four of us were spat off the back and formed our own mini CG to Pool. I was pleased that it was my legs that seemed to give way before my lungs, ex-smoker and all that. I can work on the legs.
I could still see the faster group ahead at this point. We continued to the Harewood junction in our four and turned left by which time the faster group were out of sight. I didn't know there was a hill there but I do now - it's just gradual but it's tough after the outward pace and it split the four of us up, me and a guy working together for a bit with two further behind. The whole group regrouped in the lay-by just after the left hand turn at the Harrogate Road roundabout and we set off again.
I stayed with the group to Otley, doing some turns in the chain and stealing a few breathers at the back, and out of Otley back to Ilkley on the A65. The pace heated up again and I was dropped just before the Burley bypass. I made my way back to Ilkley and picked up other dropees Jonathan, Sebastian and another chap with powerful looking legs en route.
One of the things I was warned about was when pulling in to the left at the front make sure you've cleared the front wheel of the rider you're overtaking. I was being really careful about this but between Harrogate and Pool Bank someone cut in too quick in front of me and buzzed my front wheel making me wobble to the left but I kept control thankfully. At 30mph on an A road with 12 people behind me the consequences of a crash don't bear thinking about.
A few of us went to the Stazione for a coffee at the end and it was at this point I noticed that I was in the minority with my hairy legs, indicating that I was amongst racers. I don't think it's time to shave mine just yet!
Strava shows an average of 19.9 mph for the 32 miles (shame I didn't get the round 20) which is a circular route average I could only dream of if I was out on my own in this windy weather.
That was a good introduction to a new type of riding and I will try and give it another go soon. It's got to be a good way to quickly improve speed.
There were about 14 riders that met up at 8:30 at the Old Bridge for it. Thankfully Jonathan who I was talking to gave me the low down on how it worked, but started off by saying there's a lot of fast guys here and not many slow ones! Well I made up the numbers in the latter camp.
Basically the CG works like this. There are two lines of riders, left and right - right is constantly overtaking left so that when you arrive at the front of the right line having overtaken everyone on the left you pull to the left in front of the lead left rider. As more riders from the right overtake and pull in to the left one by one, it has the effect of spitting you to the end of the left line - at this point you pull to the right line behind the last guy (put a bit of power down to catch up) and start working your way up on the right past the left line again until you reach the front and pull in to the left. So the effect looks like a chain going round basically - when one rider from the front of the right pulls over to the front of the slower left line, another rider pulls from the back of the left to join the back of the faster right and it just goes on like that.
The idea is that you just keep going like this as the pace quickens and the fast guys put the hammer down! While you're drafting it's not too bad but when you come off the back it's a struggle to get back on the faster right hand line if the pace is hot.
I was very grateful for this crash course in CG'ing as I thought it worked the opposite way round (L faster than R).
The route was A65 to Otley, past Stephen Smiths garden centre to Pool bank, straight on to Harewood then left onto the road to Harrogate, left at the next roundabout to Pool Bank, right to Otley and home on the A65. A fast relatively flat route although I really noticed the slight change in gradients.
Out to Otley was quick with a tailwind but not stupid and we all kept together, but once we passed Stephen Smith's garden centre in Otley the pace heated up. I managed to stay with it for a short while along that road until my legs just couldn't keep up then four of us were spat off the back and formed our own mini CG to Pool. I was pleased that it was my legs that seemed to give way before my lungs, ex-smoker and all that. I can work on the legs.
I could still see the faster group ahead at this point. We continued to the Harewood junction in our four and turned left by which time the faster group were out of sight. I didn't know there was a hill there but I do now - it's just gradual but it's tough after the outward pace and it split the four of us up, me and a guy working together for a bit with two further behind. The whole group regrouped in the lay-by just after the left hand turn at the Harrogate Road roundabout and we set off again.
I stayed with the group to Otley, doing some turns in the chain and stealing a few breathers at the back, and out of Otley back to Ilkley on the A65. The pace heated up again and I was dropped just before the Burley bypass. I made my way back to Ilkley and picked up other dropees Jonathan, Sebastian and another chap with powerful looking legs en route.
One of the things I was warned about was when pulling in to the left at the front make sure you've cleared the front wheel of the rider you're overtaking. I was being really careful about this but between Harrogate and Pool Bank someone cut in too quick in front of me and buzzed my front wheel making me wobble to the left but I kept control thankfully. At 30mph on an A road with 12 people behind me the consequences of a crash don't bear thinking about.
A few of us went to the Stazione for a coffee at the end and it was at this point I noticed that I was in the minority with my hairy legs, indicating that I was amongst racers. I don't think it's time to shave mine just yet!
Strava shows an average of 19.9 mph for the 32 miles (shame I didn't get the round 20) which is a circular route average I could only dream of if I was out on my own in this windy weather.
That was a good introduction to a new type of riding and I will try and give it another go soon. It's got to be a good way to quickly improve speed.
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