Advice for riding in a paceline

[wardie]

A group I have started riding with break into riding in a paceline which if I join in leaves me shattered for the rest of the ride.

Is it OK to 'sit out' of the paceline and just hang at the back? If so, is there some universal communication to tell the last-but-one ride (the one in front of me) that they're the next to go?

Is it better to sit it out from the start rather than joining it then pulling out midway so the rest of the group know the order from the outset?

Thanks

[vander]

A group I have started riding with break into riding in a paceline which if I join in leaves me shattered for the rest of the ride.

Is it OK to 'sit out' of the paceline and just hang at the back? If so, is there some universal communication to tell the last-but-one ride (the one in front of me) that they're the next to go?

Is it better to sit it out from the start rather than joining it then pulling out midway so the rest of the group know the order from the outset?

Thanks

When pulling out you float the wheels at the back so when you see the slower rider coming up you move across and jump on his wheel and follow him moving across to the faster line then jump off him and onto the next guy in the slower line. Done properly it is not too tough. Done poorly its harder then just doing your turns, as I have found out.

[Rocketrod]

Go to cyclingtips.com.au and there is a heap of info on all that sort of stuff, with some good diagrams/pictures to make it easier to understand

Rod

[Nikolai]

Is it OK to 'sit out' of the paceline and just hang at the back? If so, is there some universal communication to tell the last-but-one ride (the one in front of me) that they're the next to go?

Of course it's OK to sit up, you're free to do whatever you want. Yell "last wheel" to let the guy in front of you know that you're not coming through and he needs to take the wheel. After a few yells, everyone will know you're not coming through so you can relax.

Mind you, it only makes sense to sit up behind the paceline if you have room to be on the wheel. If there's no room or not enough of it, you're not sitting in the draft and therefore not resting. If that's the case, get into the paceline where you'll spend most of the time on the wheel.

[Xplora]

In fairness to the OP, if you aren't up to it, paceline work can be absolutely brutal. Do a turn or two, stay in touch as long as you can, and fall off the back like the tenderised mince you are... we've all done it. I'm still doing it... I'm just staying in touch with the big boys a bit longer than the rest of the group before getting killed

Use of your voice to let people know. Ask your group what you are supposed to do before starting the paceline. If you really lack the confidence to cope with it all, stay out back. Better to get dropped than drop the group. Everyone will respect you over coffee to value safety over machismo.

[RonK]

Take short turns, miss alternate turns or sit on the back. Up to you really.

But maybe they are feeling it just as much as you - why don't you ask them.

[toolonglegs]

Depends on the group, the group I ride with rides so close that you often rubbing each other .
If you are feeling good do a rotation or two, then drop back and sit a meter or so off the back, call to each rider that they are up until they know you are hanging back. Alternate turns IMO is a bad idea, no one knows what you are going to do and it stuffs up the pace line and gets dangerous.
But like I say it always depends on the group.

[mjd]

Keep doing turns, everyone's hurting not just you. Get dropped & fight on next time. Giving up can become a habit so don't start giving up before you have started. Each week you will get further & further till eventually you don't get dropped. The further you get each ride will make you more determined next time but the hurt will still be there every time you will just be faster on the bike

[wardie]

Go to cyclingtips.com.au and there is a heap of info on all that sort of stuff, with some good diagrams/pictures to make it easier to understand

Rod

Thanks. I found the following which is a good read.

http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2010/11/rolling-through/

[wardie]

Thanks you everyone for your insight.

[doggatas]

Keep doing turns, everyone's hurting not just you. Get dropped & fight on next time. Giving up can become a habit so don't start giving up before you have started. Each week you will get further & further till eventually you don't get dropped. The further you get each ride will make you more determined next time but the hurt will still be there every time you will just be faster on the bike

Spot on.