Does what it says on the tin.

[Brian Nolan]

Nice one Dave ! how true ...

[Paul H]

I think Alan M has the best idea. It is impossible to guarantee a speed and there was a tailwind last Saturday which increased the average.

I cant see a problem if people get dropped its happened to me before and probably did me some good. Getting beaten up is part of growing up.

I have also noticed some of the slower groups seem to be more dangerous with people swerving around and braking suddenly. Working a bit harder closer to your limit tends to reduce this. I guess not everybody wants to do this though which is fair enough.

[Steve B]

When I joined the club 4 years ago there were 3 groups, 15, 17 & 19mph and on occasions the racing boys would turn up and go in a 21 group. Then the speeds were quite close to that stated and I used to have the view that this should be so.

However the club has moved on a mile since then. Now there are at least 5 large groups each week but to be honest, I dont think the numbers mean much any more. I agree with Alan in that the groups should be called A, B ,C, D, E or 1,2,3,4,5 etc.

I think that unless you are a newbie, everybody knows the ability of most of the riders in the club and whichever group you ride in, you know if you are comfortable, working hard or struggling. So making a decision whether to move up a group, or not, is quite simply an assesment of your fitness or willingness to push yourself.

Obviously over the last couple of years, by the size of the 18 & 19 groups, lots of people have pushed themselves and now ride in a 'faster' group than before. Brilliant!. If they hadn't tried it they would still be where they were. Ok, there may be times when a faster group guy jumps down a group and highjacks it, blowing it apart, but that is quite rare. As Alan says, there are too many variables to keeping a certain speed, so dont even bother starting with one.

Sean, well done for going with the '19' group. Stick it out , cos eventually you will get there. And don't be mad with everyone else going too fast, be mad with yourself for not hanging on for another 200m, and then the next week another 200m, and before you know it, you'll be leading out the sprint to the Charlwood sign

On a personal note, I was quite happy riding with the '19' group, doing 21mph rides, and they were hard rides. But since I've started to race at Crystal Palace and have found it extreemly hard to hang on to the group, dropping off each week and watching the rest of the Addiscombe boys go away from me, I've come to the conclusion that I need to ride in the training group. This decision was very difficult as I know how hard they go, and that I'll get dropped. I knew it was going to hurt - alot, but not finishing the races hurts more. So I'm in for lots of pain if Saturdays ride is anything to go by

So anyway, ditch the group speeds, push yourselves (if you want to), ride hard, don't moan , ride safe and above all, enjoy

Steve