Where do you put the slower rider?
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Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
From: Chicago NW suburbs, Illinois
This whole issue came up because the last rider likes that spot and leave a sizable gap and doesnt care about staying with the group. At times he says he just doesnt care about lagging behind but then I get from another rider that I, as the lead, should keep slowing down to allow him to stay with the group for safety reasons. like someone said earlier, mechanical reasons, health, whatever it may be. With that said as the lead I also feel that if we are to stay together then there is some responsibility of the other riders to keep up with the group and be seen from my vantage point. My issue arose because I was told that since the last guy at times might not feel like keeping up then it falls on me as the lead to determine what speed the last guy is doing and keep slowing down. I understand and can see the point about meeting up later down the road but the other riders don't want the group split up, so there in lies is my quandary. And we have talked to him in the past about keeping up and not lagging behind and he understands but does his own thing. This only really comes up when we are doing our guys week trip. I just find that looking in my rear view mirror to constantly see where he is to be distracting.
So it sounds like the second to last or middle is the best placement for him when he wants to ride with us
So it sounds like the second to last or middle is the best placement for him when he wants to ride with us
Last edited by roadcapt; Jul 1, 2012 at 06:26 PM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,241
Likes: 7
From: Daytona, Fla.
I don't know your friend, if that is what he is, but you should be prepared. If it were me & you "put" me in a specific spot so I rode the way you wanted, I'd take a left at your first right. If I valued the friendship at all I would make my way to the days destination on my own. The conversation at that destination would determine the future of the friendship.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 302
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our lead rider sets the pace with any new or less experienced riders toward the back but our best rider ,always takes up the last position to keep an eye on us all.he will push when necessary to keep the group tight but never force a rider to ride outside his comfort zone.it will only cause trouble and an usafe and unhappy rider.ride safe
Novice
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 16
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From: New Jersey
Agree with everyone who said not riding the slowest in the back for safety reasons.
you have to keep an eye out for everybody, not just tell him to "meet us here if you lose us"
This happened to my cousin being at the back riding with a pack of a$$holes. My cousin has a '42 Flattie, he went on a ride down the shore not with his club, but with some guys he went to school with he hadn't seen in awhile. He was in the back as the Flattie didn't keep up with the newer, faster bikes his "buddies" had. They were riding late at night on a long road leading up to the Parkway. He managed to get a half mile back or so and a lady ran a stop sign, broadsided him and took off. He was in a deserted area of town and laid there for quite a while with his severely busted leg, luckily someone heard the engine running and came out to see. His first phone call from the hospital to home was to tell me to get hubbie and his truck down to the tow yard and get the flattie home. His friends?? Well, they never looked back, didn't even notice he wasn't with them when they got on the Parkway. Got all the way home before they saw he wasnt there. Thought nothing of it and went on their way. Needless to say they found it hard to ride for a bit.
Always watch out for everyone on a trip.
you have to keep an eye out for everybody, not just tell him to "meet us here if you lose us"
This happened to my cousin being at the back riding with a pack of a$$holes. My cousin has a '42 Flattie, he went on a ride down the shore not with his club, but with some guys he went to school with he hadn't seen in awhile. He was in the back as the Flattie didn't keep up with the newer, faster bikes his "buddies" had. They were riding late at night on a long road leading up to the Parkway. He managed to get a half mile back or so and a lady ran a stop sign, broadsided him and took off. He was in a deserted area of town and laid there for quite a while with his severely busted leg, luckily someone heard the engine running and came out to see. His first phone call from the hospital to home was to tell me to get hubbie and his truck down to the tow yard and get the flattie home. His friends?? Well, they never looked back, didn't even notice he wasn't with them when they got on the Parkway. Got all the way home before they saw he wasnt there. Thought nothing of it and went on their way. Needless to say they found it hard to ride for a bit.
Always watch out for everyone on a trip.
Last edited by Panhead_Chick; Jul 2, 2012 at 01:22 AM.
I know it's a big difference between 5 riders and 20+ riders, But perhaps one of the remaining 4 will offer, or take turns being the last in line, with slow dudse riding #4 spot. He may improve with time, he might not. Egging him on may push him into riding beyond his capabilities, and if something happened to him, it would be human nature to have guilt about "did we make him wreck?".
Sometimes it might be best not to bring them if it becomes too much of an issue...I wont ride with a buddy of mine because he is all over the road, tailgates, and general asshattery...I asked him once to pay attention when riding, he still doesn't....he's already clipped another bike, and sideswiped a car, but doesn't feel that it'll happen again :/
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 68
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From: Syracuse, NY
Least experienced goes in the middle.
Slowest goes in the back.
There's a difference obviously.
It's the same when I'm on the sled. I ride quick on the bike but slow on the sled. Ride your own ride, if you make a turn, wait for him, he'll catch up at his own pace.
In the woods, my riding buddy always rides like a maniac. I lose him in about 3 miles every time. He knows I'll just keep on going straight until I see him waiting for me. It works out great for us.
What's the point of forcing the group together if you're not all enjoying it.
When I ride with my father I prefer to lead - he rides too slow for me. WHen I'm with my sport bike buddys...well, I get there when I get there...noone ever has any issues with it.
Slowest goes in the back.
There's a difference obviously.
It's the same when I'm on the sled. I ride quick on the bike but slow on the sled. Ride your own ride, if you make a turn, wait for him, he'll catch up at his own pace.
In the woods, my riding buddy always rides like a maniac. I lose him in about 3 miles every time. He knows I'll just keep on going straight until I see him waiting for me. It works out great for us.
What's the point of forcing the group together if you're not all enjoying it.
When I ride with my father I prefer to lead - he rides too slow for me. WHen I'm with my sport bike buddys...well, I get there when I get there...noone ever has any issues with it.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,351
Likes: 461
From: Illinois
To the OP,
I understand that you aren't asking this question to solve a safety issue. It is about having a good time with your buds. I have been in the same situation many times. I usually lead on the rare occasions I group ride and it's always with good friends who are good riders, but like your bud, some of mine choose to ride slower than some of us like.
I ask everyone up front how fast they want to ride, and try to set the pace at a happy medium. I insist that nobody rides any faster than they are comfortable with. I always insist that they slow down if they feel like it and we will adjust.
If that doesn't work out, it never causes a problem for us when we just decide to break the group up for us to do our own thing and meet up somewhere later.
We just make it a point that we all know if we are riding as a group or as individuals. If one rider has chosen to lag behind and not ride with the group, it is his choice as a free man. As long as he is ok with it and tells us to go ahead without him, I don't have a problem, but I would never let the tail rider get completly out of my sight (if I could help it) if we hadn't agreed to split up at our own pace.
There isn't a rider in our group who isn't extremely experienced. We pick our leader by who knows the best route to the next stop and everyone else falls in whatever order we leave the parking lot, inclucing sweeper.
What I have learned about group rides is they are only fun for me if I am with friends I know and trust. When I have that, we don't need a pecking order or any rulebooks.
Dennis
I understand that you aren't asking this question to solve a safety issue. It is about having a good time with your buds. I have been in the same situation many times. I usually lead on the rare occasions I group ride and it's always with good friends who are good riders, but like your bud, some of mine choose to ride slower than some of us like.
I ask everyone up front how fast they want to ride, and try to set the pace at a happy medium. I insist that nobody rides any faster than they are comfortable with. I always insist that they slow down if they feel like it and we will adjust.
If that doesn't work out, it never causes a problem for us when we just decide to break the group up for us to do our own thing and meet up somewhere later.
We just make it a point that we all know if we are riding as a group or as individuals. If one rider has chosen to lag behind and not ride with the group, it is his choice as a free man. As long as he is ok with it and tells us to go ahead without him, I don't have a problem, but I would never let the tail rider get completly out of my sight (if I could help it) if we hadn't agreed to split up at our own pace.
There isn't a rider in our group who isn't extremely experienced. We pick our leader by who knows the best route to the next stop and everyone else falls in whatever order we leave the parking lot, inclucing sweeper.
What I have learned about group rides is they are only fun for me if I am with friends I know and trust. When I have that, we don't need a pecking order or any rulebooks.
Dennis
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
From: Syracuse, NY
The more people I have riding with me, the more I have to worry about.
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Joe Kucinski
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2009
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i always ride lead and i have a great sweeper we all know how each other rides. when we have a new rider we tell him befor the ride where were going and how to get there. everyone has each others cell phones in case a split up so far everyone who joins us for our group rides has done very well we have all got to our destination and home every time. i believe anyone joining u for a ride thats never rode with u befor should be informed as to how we ride how fast we will ride in certain areas so far its worked for us great.