DROPPING OUT OF GROUP CYCLING

Other than occasionally riding with my cycling club’s Intermediate and Experienced groups, I have decided to no longer ride in group settings. This is a decision that I've been pondering for quite some time, with safety and group fragmentation being the uppermost issues!

For as long as I've been cycling, which has been approximately two years, it appears that biker hitting biker is the number one reason for road bike accidents. I frequently hear of one cyclist hitting another cyclist, resulting in injuries and even death. Tailgating at 15 to 25 mph, I’m surprised there aren't more accidents.

And as everyone now knows, I detest groups that do not remain together. Maybe that’s the United States military in me – leave no one behind. Or maybe I just believe in sticking together as one. Actually, it is both!

As long as I've ridden with our weekday group, seldom do they remain in a disciplined pace-line from start to finish. Peloton fragmentation has become the norm rather than the exception. From what I've witnessed, swollen egos and distasteful competitiveness is alive and well in group cycling.

I’m also remembering when three people in our cycling group passed us by the day one of us had a flat tire prior to cornering. Because of the rear flat tire, that particular individual almost crashed his bike when cornering. The others that passed us by didn't even have the good manners to slow down and ask if everything was okay. I have them on video passing by without even glancing at us while we were standing on the side of the road.

In the place of weekday group rides, I plan on biking in county and state parks, both near and far. My wife has agreed to join me mornings and days when she isn't working. We make a great cycling team as well as a great couple!

I also have plans of doing intervals to build up my leg strength, something I’m sorely lacking. In time, I’ll build up to a 100+ miler, which is something that has been on my cycling wish list for quite some time.

Anyway, whenever I do decide to ride with the cycling club, I’ll remain at the rear of the pack mainly because I do not trust most of the riders in those groups or any group. It’s a shame that everyone cannot be like my friend, Sandy S, and me, safety conscience cyclists.

One last item! I’m not one to tolerate sarcasm. At 71 years of age and retired, I no longer need to endure mockery and insolence. It appears that my rant in regards to being rudely dropped at a traffic signal this past Wednesday has generated just that.

I am a peace-loving individual that now has choices as to whomever I wish to associate with. That is just one of many reasons why I love retirement.