Rules

Hello and welcome, Newbie.

S___ has suggested that you might like to come along with The Irregulars cycling crew for a ride or two or "permanently".  I refer to the crew as The Irregulars because almost no one shows up often enough to count as "regular".

Every person that has been added to the list has been told a few basic rules which go something like this:

1. Must be a decent human being.  There is room for only one jerk in the group, and I will fill that role.
2. Must absolutely be a SAFE rider.
3. No dropping the ride leader.  Especially if we are operating without a cue sheet.
4. If the women show, no unnecessary displays of testosterone.

If it turns out that you fail on rule # 1, #2, or #4, you and your sponsor will pay dearly.
If you fail on rule # 3, on your own head be it.


The above is the bit on the rules. The following is gibberish about the rules, pace and other protocols and expectations.

It has been suggested that the order of rules #1 and #2 should be switched.  SAFE.  Dammit.  I have quietly mentioned to a rider that they were making me nervous because of something they were doing on the ride (e.g., riding wrong side of double yellow while going up a hill).  I have also been known to shout loudly and angrily, but that was probably because Frank had scared the bleep out of me because he almost hit me.

If I do something unsafe, I fully expect to hear about it.  Immediately.  Probably loudly.  As I am only human, I may get defensive for a bit, but I hope I would get over it.

If you are a reasonable human being, we can help you become safer and more comfortable on your bicycle.  If you are not a reasonable human being, ... go away.

The ride is "invitation only."  You must be invited by an existing Irregular.  There is a "probationary test period" during which your sponsor must invite you and be present when you are.  Also, during the undefined probationary period, your sponsor is completely responsible for you.  If you cannot keep the pace for the distance, that is a problem for you and your sponsor -- not for me or anyone else.  If, during the "probationary period", you determine that we are not for you -- no hard feelings.  Similarly, if we determine you are not for us, I expect no hard feelings to be exhibited.

The ride is semi-no-drop.  If you have a problem during the probationary period, see above.  However, if a "regular" Irregular is having a bad day, I expect one or more other Irregulars to stick with the struggling rider and help them "get home".  If it turns out that repeatedly I am the only one helping struggling riders home, expect to hear about it.  Almost everyone has had a day where they had to be helped.  I expect that everyone will eventually be there to help someone else get home.  (However, if someone has repeatedly shown complete indifference and unwillingness to help any other get home, ... I have a long memory.)

We generally do not ride tight pace lines, but do ride loose pace lines (or what I sometimes refer to as "follow-the-rotating-leader") and definitely ride social formations where the road and traffic and pace allow.  The reason we don't do tight pace lines is that some of us are triathletes who should not become dependent upon following, and also because I like to see the sights as I ride and not have to concentrate on the tire in front of me.  Since we do not ride tight pace lines, we likely are a bit slower than we could be if we did.

As a group, we are not all that fast, usually avg between 16 and 17 mph for the ride.  That said, the leader usually starts slower than that in order to warm up his right leg really well before naturally rounding into a faster pace for the remainder of the ride.  Sometimes the leader rides faster from the get-go, not because he is trying to go fast, but because on some days the body and the right leg seemed to be warmed-up even before mounting the bike.

The courses all tend to be typical of the north of Raleigh riding, which means they go down-and-up, down-and-up. A lot.  I am the second slowest climber among the "group", and if everyone were in shape and intending to ride the same distance, I am very likely the slowest on the flat.  So, rule # 3 is very important.

If you are unfamiliar with riding north of Raleigh, the repeated rollers north of Raleigh (and in north Raleigh) means that the avg pace of a ride will be slower for the same effort than if we were a group riding south out of Garner or Clayton.

Sometimes there are cue sheets; sometimes not.  Most of the time, even if cue sheets have been prepared and e-mailed to everyone, it seems that no one remembers to bring one to the ride.  This has often led to the leader wondering “what was the point, anyway?”

The leader never brings a cue sheet; he knows where he is going; don't count on him to have a spare to give you -- he won't have one.

Sometimes we do familiar routes; sometimes not.  If it is an unfamiliar route and there is no cue sheet and you don't know where you are, see rule # 3 above.  (If it is an unfamiliar route, and you see me with a cue sheet, beware:  normal expectations regarding getting lost and/or knowing alternative routes may not apply.)

The crew sometimes has mini-crews, by which I mean some are going long (e.g., 100 k) and some are going short (e.g., 40 miles).  In those cases, it is my intent that the entire ride be at a pace appropriate for the longer crew since it is not good to get wiped out early on a long ride.  The short crew can always pick up the pace after they turn off.

Finally, you may wonder why I am the "leader".

Two reasons: 

1.  I do not get lost.  And I can usually figure a short cut if mechanicals have cut into the allotted ride time.  Ditto if someone is having a bad day and unexpectedly needs to go short. 
2.  This was (and still sometimes is) my solo Saturday ride.
 

Ride safely,
Martin