Build your pace line and group riding skills

The club's long-running Tuesday Night Ride runs the same route (by group) each week - though we occasionally counter-rotate.

This ride is for beginners to advanced. We break into groups - typically two or three groups depending on how many come and what skill level we're at.

The Four Ts - what to expect

Please refer to the Ride Classification: the 4 Ts page

Tempo: B, C, D depending on group
Topography: A
Traffic: D
Terrain: A

If you are new to groups or pace lines

If you are brand-new to pace-lines and group riding, and would like to learn, please register for the ride. We'll make sure someone is there to orient you and get you prepared. The goal is to train you up to the moderate group, and if you happen to be faster, then the fast group.

Scroll down and look for the "New Rider Signup" button.

Groups

More experienced and somewhat faster riders (14 - 18 mph) will ride together. Beginners who can maintain that pace may also join this group.

Experienced and fastest riders will ride together at 19+ on a very vigorous ride. If you are new to the club, you will need to complete a ride with the moderate tempo group before riding with this fast group so we can vet your skill and experience. This maintains safety and consistency and lowers risk for us all.

Regular attendance for the win!

You don't need to come every week, or even all season. But we highly recommend that you don't miss more than a week or two here and there, as the other riders will be gaining skill and fitness, as well as learning each other's riding style.

The regular riders will generally get faster over the season, and some will move into the next faster group.

If you join late in the season (July and on) and you haven't been riding much, it is likely you may have difficulty keeping up. The low-tempo group may have all moved up to the mid-tempo crowd by then.

But don't despair!

Please get in touch with us and just see how things are and where you can plug in. We can often accommodate riders if we have advance notice, and we can work with you to get you in the paceline!

Socializing?

Sure, we can carry on a conversation in the mid-tempo and low-tempo groups, and we're often riding a double pace line. But this isn't primarily a social ride or a casual ride. More a sporting ride. If you are pulling out front, you should be pulling hard enough that conversation is not easy.

I don't have a fancy fast bike!

Not all of us do either. It has been observed that Women's World Champ Lotte Kopecky would flatten us all riding a rusty tricycle, so as long as your legs and lungs work pretty well and you're interested in building skill and stamina, we have place for you.

But please do oil your chain and air up the tires. We expect your equipment to be safe and sound. Most folks on this ride are on road bikes. It's been ridden on sporty commuter bikes. The fast group rides road bikes, but if you can keep up, no one cares about your bike.

Some kind of accurate speedometer is incredibly useful so when you take your turn at the front, you can easily maintain a constant pace.

I do have an eBike!

Yes, you can ride an eBike. But you must pedal it. No throttle-only eBikes. All eBike riders have to observe the speed and safety of the group you're riding with.