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After twenty-two years of cycling and having ridden several thousand kilometres, I would like to share my observations, likes and dislikes regarding group rides.
Let me start with the advantages and observed
facts. In a future article I shall deal with the disadvantages.
What’s a group-ride?
This has nothing to do with groupies of pop bands.
Group-rides happen when cyclists form a short beeline or a large peloton
(French for group, pack). Usually, two is company and three is a crowd but some
cyclists just cannot ride without either being part of a crowd or leading one
During early summer mornings—usually on Sundays—I witness private
or corporate group rides composed of 20-200 cyclists. Usually bike shop-owners organise
such events by renting bikes at Rs 1500 ($5) per day.
All that bike-power of ‘social’ rides looks impressive on
the roads mainly due to the protection provided by police patrol cars to the privileged
amateur cyclists. If having dreadfully slow ladies and children on tricycles
trailing behind is your thing, by all means, join the fun.
Serious cyclists usually ride in groups. Some even train to compete
as teams in races. Their clothing and lighter carbon bikes inspire amateur
riders to emulate them.
If you wish to be inspired, the world’s most famous race, Tour de France, is taking
place these days (05-27 July, 2025). Do watch the stages on cable TV or download the app
.
This is not the draft-dodging the governments face during wars. Drafting or slipstreaming simply means riding right behind another
cyclist to save up to 30% energy. That helps one go faster because of lesser
drag (air resistance due to the rider’s physical body). Furthermore,
body-hugging clothing and an aggressive posture on the bike enhance performance.
When strong riders take turns leading the group to keep up
the pace, the entire group benefits from going faster but with lesser energy
spent. However, always letting one rider lead the group only satisfies team captains with inflated egos.
Funnily enough, I have seen riders with very expensive bikes—costing as much as $10,000 or PKR 2,850,000—sneak behind passing vehicles to falsely log higher power and average speed figures on their Strava app running on cycling computers. Sharp-eyed folks on the internet have already caught several dishonest cyclists with their cycling shorts down.
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Impressive look
Riders wearing impressive cycling club jerseys usually have other commuters respectfully give way on the roads. Passer-by’s rarely engage with groups but freely interact with lone cyclists from whom they invariably ‘wish to know the price of the bike’.
I have some standard responses:
“I got this bike as a gift.”
““Do you wish to buy one? It may cost anywhere from $300 to $10,000.”
“I can't get into a discussion while riding. Visit the nearest
bike shop and find out for yourself.”
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Given the kinds of criminals zooming about on motorbikes,
one never knows who is who, hence giving correct details could attract trouble.
It is quite common for riders to stop mid-ride or at the
conclusion of it for coffee, sugary fruit-juices or greasy snacks. The arrival
of several riders at restaurants makes the owners happily ignore the sweating
bodies ruining the upholstery fabric.
Some fun-loving souls indulge in sugar-loading and
belly-filling junk food and then announce: “Hell, I burned 1500 calories
today!”
If you wish to give the impression that you are working hard
on losing weight but secretly cannot stay away from unhealthy or excessive food consumption, joining a casual cycling group is
best.
Get togethers
FAITH-ful riding
Accustomed to running to the mosque for congregational prayers, riders with religious minds have also joined the race for better health. There is no harm imagining one is atop a camel in the desert while riding a bicycle.
Two years ago, I remember seeing a long-bearded track-cyclist preparing for the Asian games scheduled to be held in India. The aerodynamic drag induced by the beard is measureable. Although every cyclist need not shave his legs for better aerodynamics, having a clean-shaven face certainly helps during intense summer rides when sweat and dust become unbearable.
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Then we have the hijabi ladies who do not fear their
headscarves getting entangled in the wheels, the chains or the pedals. Having very limited peripheral vision with this bit of clothing is less important to them than the group activity, the gup shup.
Competitive teams
When I started riding in the early 2000s, I never saw ordinary riders on the road except teams belonging to the Pakistan army, WAPDA or Pakistan Railways.
During the past few years, and especially when the COVID
pandemic erupted, droves of people bought bicycles, formed groups of all kinds,
and created teams and clubs whose members occasionally competed in organised
races for cash awards. Cycling allowed one to get out of confined germ-infested
spaces and into the open.
Peer-pressure
Cyclists who join a group are expected to come up to higher
standards of stamina and speed—if at all the group is progressive and somewhat
competitive. Hence, slower riders improve their performance if the social pressure is used positively.
Within a group, one quickly learns about routine
maintenance, riding techniques and equipment. It might come as a surprise to
pilots—it did to me, being a veteran commercial aviator—that the handlebar area
of a bicycle is also called a COCKPIT, except that no cocks are found in any
pit.
What else is out there?
Now compared with golf, cycling is cheap—unless you are
fixated on rubbing shoulders ('networking') with the elites.
A set of golf clubs could cost as much as a
decent mountain or road bike but the membership of a
prestigious golf club could set you back by millions of rupees. Walking a
kilometre or two and swinging at balls burns far fewer calories
than a ride. My average ride is 60-70 km, done in 02:30 to 03:00 hours and which helps burn 1500-2000
KCal.
If you go to a gym to lift weights, how are you using all that power,
muscular strength and abdominal 6-pack doing an office job?
If you swim, are you comfortable being in pools filled with other people’s
germs, sputum and urine?
If you prefer jogging beyond the age of fifty, do you want your
knees and other joints to suffer due to all that bouncing on paved surfaces?
Let it sink in: nothing truly compares with cycling as additionally it brings
back one’s childhood in adulthood and beyond.
Finally, if you are the social kind who loves to party on two wheels, then join a group. If you are a lone wolf, then read my upcoming article: The Disadvantages Of Group Rides.
BONUS: Pro Cycling Calendar 2025.
