Do... ride in a group
Do... ride in a group
For many riders preparing for their first sportive, the majority of their riding may have been on their own, or with two or three friends, and so the prospect of riding in a large group, barreling down country lanes, can be terrifying.
The benefit of riding in a group is significant, however, and you can save approximately 20 per cent in energy by sharing the workload, particularly on a windy day or on a course with long, flat sections where it’s ‘easy’ to ride fast in a group but dispiriting to trudge along on your own.
You need to find the right group, however, as there’s no use sprinting onto the back of a group which will then be riding at a pace which puts you in the read. If you see a handful of cyclists riding at a similar (or slightly faster) pace then join them (they shouldn’t mind providing you do a turn on the front).
If you haven’t ridden in a group before then consider joining a club. Not only will the club run teach you how to ride comfortably in close proximity to others, but you’ll also be bagging valuable training miles.
If you need further convincing, here are Stephen Roche’s tips on how to ride safely in a group, and five tips for your first club run.