btw, you seem to be wishing that the descents weren’t neutralized.
I understand it must be frustrating but just to level set, i would not recommend joining a group ride where the descents are NOT neutralized. There is so much that is out of your control when flying down open roads with cars and other traffic on them in a group of people of varying skill (and more importantly, judgment) levels, not all of whom you even know that well. Like, i’ve seen so many bad crashes happen in races where the roads are closed, let alone normal sunday morning when they’re not.
Obv everyone can make their own choices and risk assessments but for me, no thanks. I’ve gotta get up on Monday and start my normal life and it’s just not worth it.
I might be misusing the term neutralized. People are not going HAM on the descents but everyone is still pedaling and not just coasting. Due to my weight, I have to ride my brakes to avoid ending up on someone’s rear wheel. When the road tips up again, I have no momentum from the descent while the other riders didn’t touch their brakes and have generally preserved their momentum.
When I first started riding with the group I would try to coast through the group on descents but was told that the descents are neutralized and I’m being unsafe. I’m starting to get the feeling that this is not what a neutralized descent means?
Either way, I know this and have to fight to get to the front of the group before we hit the climbs. I’m thankful for the descent (neutralized or not) and do use it to recover, but I feel like if I had the momentum from the previous descent I wouldn’t feel so knackered when I hit that second climb and get dropped.
I fully agree with you. There is one descent in particular that is extremely windy with blind curves and ends up at a “T” intersection, this descent is absolutely neutralized and people get called out all the time for passing the double yellow Lins and going too hard. What’s strange to me (and it’s something I need to ask the ride leaders about) is why the flat section leading up to the descent is also neutralized. Personally I’d rather be able to get to the front of the group during the flat section and be able to coast down the descent as I can coast faster than the group can pedal and it’s safer.
Try to improve your riding skill which will save you more watt than you can image. Check how to ride in the crosswind: What are Echelons? | How To Deal With a Crosswind | Eurosport Explainers - YouTube, practice riding at drop, closing to the wheel in front of you but safe enough for you and the rider at front, saving as much energy as possible while you are in the draft. When it is your turn to pull, making sure you are doing within your ability, if you prepare to pull 2 minutes, then push the power you can sustain for 2 mins but not burn out in one pull because you may need to hit the hills or pull multiple times. You need to calculate these efforts, and understand the training course before you heading out. Eat Eat Eat, drink drink drink, nutrition is also another key especially if you are in a non-stop flying group, taking time to refuel on the bike. Ex: take a bar/gel every 40~50 minutes, drink constantly etc. Hope those will help.