Controlled Rideout Sunday 2nd September

Had a good days riding, thanks everybody for the company and thanks Indy for organising! Sorry to rush off but I had said I would be home mid-late afternoon based on the estimated 4:30 finish time and I just felt I'd left Sandrine long enough.

The controlled bit didn't really work well for me either. It's good to see Northy posting what he thought, and not because I happen to agree, but because today was a bit of an experiment, so it's good to share the results. What did everybody else think?

It may well have worked for others and made them feel comfortable and confident and enjoy the rideout as a result. One very noticeable positive for today was a great turnout, 14 bikes! Is that the best this year?

Its the pace and more importantly the flow that didn't work for me, because if you reverse the normal roles (ie: quicker more confident riders at the front, less confident at the back) it only takes one car at 45 mph to reduce the whole rideout to 35 mph as the pile up effect takes place and the back of the group piles into the front.

As a result the riders at the back drop off in frustration, just in order to get a bit of clear road. This is not necessarily because we wanted to break any speed limits, it's just because we want a clear run. It's about flow. Ever in the car, jumped into the slow lane on the motorway in frustration? The slow lane was running only slightly slower, but had half the number of cars in it and you were fed up of having to brake every two seconds? In the slow lane you could flow along uninterrupted. Same problem today.

We ended up splitting into groups of similar riders, just like we always do, only today the normal groups were back to front, so we got split up much more than we normally would. Jim got lost and dropped his bike on the U-turn, Kitty and son must have ridden solo for miles. Tony, Northy, Stuarty, Jimmy, Grant and I ended up in a completely different group after Northy backtracking because he thought somebody had crashed 'cos we were so far behind.

I'm sure most who stuck with the main group however enjoyed it, otherwise they wouldn't have stayed there.

So in summary my question is: How do we maintain todays great turnout, and keep everybody happy and wanting to come to rideouts?

I think we should run with two separate groups, one a fast flowing free for all, and one group following todays speed and overtaking rules, but with the faster one at the front. That way we have everyone turning out for rideouts feeling comfortable that they will have a good day riding under conditions they are comfortable with. We can then use the marker system Northy suggested within these two distinct groups.

sorry ralph but i disagree. I think the slower riders should be up the front. you have to ride faster at the back to keep up. those who want to play, do as they did today. I followed the front group quite a lot of the day but after lunch decided to play a bit and enjoyed it. then followed jim into the woods oooerr. I then rode for ages on my own - which didnt bother me as I knew where I was going? sort of. then rode home myself. others would have been going my way but I was enjoying myself and getting used to the bike. good to see abby with a smile on her face at a rideout.

'lost' is used rather loosely here ,,more of a 'took a turning pointed out by someone ,ended up in somebodys back garden and dropped it whilst u-turning on the gravel path ',but overall a good day out ...as ralph and northy commented it was a bit slow in places but some bits were ok (when i was in front with k.k following ),,i think the 2 groups idea would work best ,as its not fair holding the faster riders up (thatll b me then).just meet up at pre-arranged stops ..btw got a mirror in the garage its put on already

Originally Posted by kitkat

sorry ralph but i disagree

God help us the day everyone agrees with me!

Originally Posted by kitkat

I think the slower riders should be up the front

On reflection I'm not bothered either way, I'll go with whatever the majority thinks. I'm not sure that it matters whether the faster group waits an extra five minutes to leave and catches the slower group up, or leaves at the same time and wait the same 5 minutes at next stop. Either way they smoke more cigarettes!

Originally Posted by kitkat

you have to ride faster at the back to keep up

Thats the whole point of splitting into two groups. You don't have to ride any faster because your not trying to keep up with the front of the rideout, your only aim in the controlled group is to stick with your own group. Doesn't matter if your group is 3 or 4 miles behind, you arrive at the next stop in your own good time.


Controlled group - how far behind did the faster group tend to be today? ie: how long had you been in Lanark or waiting at Cardrona for before we arrived?

Good day out guys, gal's.. and wee wifey
Pace was a bit slow on the first part.. Traffic wise and bunching up, but I didn't mind it for the rest of the run.. was the point of the run today not just for a social bimble anyway?
The cheese an pickle toasties were good, but the steak pie looked better

Congrats to Quedos on the first witnessed blistering overtake

Well that was a good day out and nice to finally meet you Cam73 or whatever your name is
oh and nice to see you again Rab not seen you for ages

Thought the section from Hamilton to Biggar was dangerously slow, we had cars trying to overtake me at the back cause I was doing 20-25 in a 40 so as not to overtake

As the day went on it got better but I think it was because we were not sticking to the rules.

I agree with the not overtaking within the group but that means splitting into smaller groups.

Slower group should leave first with slowest/less confident to the front of the group with the faster group leaving a few minutes later.

We need to mark junctions with a change of direction which I'm sure Jim55 will agree after all he took a wrong turn then dropped his bike trying to do a uturn on gravel and had no-one to help him pick the bike up again. Also I left McD in hamilton and was surprised to find everyone going onto the M74 to Clyde Valley (no mention of it on the route posted earlier)

But that aside it was a good day out and I'm sure those lacking in confidence got a good boost today

Originally Posted by SVTONYB

Thought the section from Hamilton to Biggar was dangerously slow, we had cars trying to overtake me at the back cause I was doing 20-25 in a 40 so as not to overtake

Bloody Hell! That's nasty. Were you trying not to overtake us lot or not to overtake other cars? I was stuck at 22 behind the Honda and Volvo. Absolutely crackers mate ("Fluff" voice on!) I was thinking that when we finally got up the lovely hill to Lanark, the Honda was going to be overtaken by the old guy on a mobility "Scooter". The move was most definaterly "on" if you ask me. Gave him a sarcy wave when he pulled in B.T.W.

Garry

Originally Posted by suicidesam

Congrats to Quedos on the first witnessed blistering overtake

("Fluff" voice again) Not arf mate!

You should have been there. Bugger me- it was quite close for me getting back in again and starting the turn, CAM73 must have been emitting adrenaline!

And Yes the steak pie was lovely.

Garry

Not forgetting Connor the Club Mascot who Suicidesam held up for his photo

Originally Posted by SVTONYB

Not forgetting Connor the Club Mascot who Suicidesam held up for his photo

And whom Jimmy and Garry help UPSIDE DOWN for the rest of the time.....