The Draft

Just returned from riding my bike with some good friends. I've always enjoyed group rides. Group rides give the riders a chance to mix it up a little, ride at faster speeds and talk trash to one another. It really is a good time! The group rides I really enjoy are the ones where we slow down and enjoy each others company. Not worrying about the pace or how far we have ridden. We will stop at a local eatery and get a snack, take a much needed break, visit the potty and we are off again. Nobody is trying to "crush the soul" of another rider by riding to fast, or pulling out of a stop light in a full sprint. Those are the rides I enjoy. Riders who aren't feeling it for that particular day and be assured that they will not be left behind if they slow down a little bit. Riders who encounter mechanical difficulty can rest assured that one of us has a tool to fix their problem and get them back on the road as the group waits for them as the repairs are completed. Group rides build confidence in ones ability to ride as one unit. Maintaining a certain speed and when fatigue starts to rear it's ugly head, one just moves over and the next guy or gal in line resumes the wind breaking duties that enables the rest of us to ride the "draft" as they call it. The draft is a beautiful thing. It's a place where you can relax, rest and get a much needed drink from your water bottle. The draft affords one the opportunity to ride the jet stream of the person in front of you. The more riders you have the better the draft can be. I've heard it said that riding the draft enables a rider to ride 1-2 mph faster that he would normally ride by himself. Over the course of a long ride this is a big advantage if you are one of those who worry about average speed. Riders who have experienced the "draft" get quickly addicted to it and don't like it when they see it's about to end as the line is getting shorter up front. You are fast approaching your place in line when you will not be able to take advantage of someone breaking the wind for you. You are now in a place of pain and suffering. Leading the group you are now the "lead sled dog", breaking the wind for everyone else. Looking back behind you a long line of riders are depending on you to stay the course. Keep the pace, don't accelerate up the hills, maintain a constant cadence so your speed remains the same. Stronger riders can stay up front for several minutes, weaker riders bail pretty quickly as their heart rates rise and their lungs begin to scream for more oxygen. They feel the lactic acid begin to build in their thighs to the point they can't go any further and suddenly it happens. You swallow your pride, move over and let the next rider assume the duties of breaking wind. But it's not over yet, you see you've stayed out front too long. You thought you could endure just as long as that club rider was pulling earlier. He made it look so easy. Now you find yourself in no mans land. It's a place of utter despair. Everyone is moving up on your right as they pass you by, you keep looking for a spot to get back in line but nobody is giving you that opportunity, the line seems endless. Meanwhile your legs are still screaming "I can't go on" and then you hear those magic words, "last man." The last man is the end of the line, all you have to do is get behind them and the pain and suffering you've endured for the last few miles will come to an end. However, the last man goes by you and you start to see the riders ahead begin to move away from you. Your heart quickly sinks as you realize whats is about to happen. Your mind is telling your legs peddle faster but they have quickly lost interest. Your lungs are screaming for more air but you can't take in anymore. You are spent. I've been dropped! The group begins to pull ahead as you begin your descent into the lower gears. Cadence drops, your speed has dropped like the temperature on a cold winter night. The group is getting smaller in your sights, but as soon as you think all is lost you hear that familiar voice, "hey get on my wheel let's catch the group they are slowing for us." Your hero has returned to bring you back to the pack where you belong. After all a group is a group. If one member is missing you no longer have a group, but a pack who leaves those behind who don't measure up. I've experienced being dropped on a group ride. It's not a pleasant feeling, because you feel you've let the group down. You couldn't hang as long as everyone else but you felt it your duty to contribute to the duties of breaking the wind. You didn't want to let anyone in the group down. You wanted to do your share. You just tried to do too much. The draft is the sweet spot of a group ride. Don't be so quick to leave the nest and try to fly on your own. Staying in the draft is an art form. It's an experience to remember and your time will come when you return to someone who has lost the draft and encourage them "to get back on your wheel."