Around South Mountain 2/5/2011

Good Morning Ladies
The ride this saturday will be Around South Mountain meeting at the Bagel nosh on 48th street and Warner meeting at 7:15 am ready to ride at 7:30 am. .
This is the perfect ride to learn and practice pace lines. Please dress warm, We will have SAG with supplies and support if needed.
What is a Pace line? A pace line is a way to travel in a head wind or in a race. Riding in a pace line is like driving behind a diesel truck. The truck will burn up its fuel while you are tucked behind them, being suck down the road while saving your fuel.( sweet). The same theory applies on the bike.
There are 3 different pace line formations. Single pace line, the right and left angle pace line, and the double pace line.
1. The one everyone knows is the single pace line - Each cyclist is directly behind the next. preferable 6" to a half wheel. This type of pace line is good for picking up speed and riding in a head wind.
2. The right angle and the left angle pace line work in the same way.. accept these pace line formations are used in a side wind situation. You will angle the pace line in the opposite direction of the wind, in order to stay in the pocket and protected from the wind.
3. The Double pace line. This is mainly used with a very large group of cyclist. It is very fast and a lot of fun.

Each rider will have their chance to pull (lead the line). How long should I stay in the front? This time varies, It could be between a min. to 30 seconds. I suggest the longest time to be 30 seconds. My reason - in 30 sec you have not reach your burn out yet and as you drift back you can recover and catch back on the back of the pace line... If you stay to long your speed will start to drop and you will have little to nothing left to hook back in and hold on. At first you may not be able to pull for 30 seconds, just stay for 4 paddle strokes and come off the front.. One day you will be able to stay there for the full time.

Ok, Ok, how do I come off the front? In this type of pace line you will move to your left and begin to soft paddle, which will allow you to drift back. The next rider will maintain the pace/speed...It is a tendency for the next rider up, to pick up the pace because all of a sudden they can feel the wind pushing back on them. Ladies, fight this tendency and maintain your speed. Otherwise the speeding up will cause a yoyo effect through out the line, and make the line ineffective.

what is a pocket - The pocket is when you are in the suck zone of the rider in front of you.. you will know that you are in the pocket because you will not hear the wind or feel the strain to hold on. The best way I can describe it is, gliding along. you are paddling just with little afford.
Yes, there are some windy days that you just have to put your head down and plow through them. but, If there are 5+ riders you can make a pocket. The rotation is very different but it works.
I will go over the hand signals that make the pace line work on saturday.

Have a great week
LaVerne
602-565-1839



Charlies' Sunday ride will be leaving from Javelina Cycles (S.W. corner of 48th St. & Chandler Blvd. behind CVS) Start time is 7:30 a.m. We will be riding around South Mountain with a short route & a longer route that will go to San Jaun in S. Mtn. park. Sue will be along to SAG the ride with the regular supplies & support if needed