Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday Chaingang

[AlanStrang]

With the Herne Hill Wednesday evening road bike sessions coming to an end on February 26th the mid-week chaingang is the place to get your evening training kick. If you're new to the chaingang hopefully the Wednesday Herne Hill sessions have given you a good base in terms of etiquette, skills and fitness.

As a reminder - the Wednesday gang is focussed on group riding skills and technique so the pace is steady. If you want to rip it up a bit then go to the Tue/Thu gang. Originally Wednesday was the women's chaingang so if the women's team decide to do this they'll be in charge!

Tuesday/Thursday Chaingang

Meet 7:00pm (7:15 departure) at Elmer's End roundabout by the bus stop. Note, that these rides are quite quick, and used by both our riders and other clubs' riders for some fairly serious training.

The custom is to do a few laps around Badgers Mount roundabout to let dropped riders catch up from Polhill and the group also waits at the lights at Farnborough on the return leg for a minute or two but that's it as far as waiting goes. On the summer route the chaingang also waits for a minute or two at the top of Layhams Lane.

If you are new to group riding, and the etiquette of chaingangs, echelons, and riding 'through and off' then please chat to other riders before the start, especially anyone in a Dulwich jersey. The group can often appear quite intimidating, as many participants are quite focussed on getting some good training out of it, but if they are aware that this is something you are not completely familiar with, they will gladly give you all the pointers you need.

Wednesday Chaingang

Meet 7:00pm (7:15 departure) at Elmer's End roundabout by the bus stop. What started out on Wednesday evenings as the women's chaingang has metamorphosed into a sporting ride but one that is still sociable and takes time to re-group (as opposed to the fast chaingang, where this is not guaranteed!).

The Wednesday chaingang is focused on giving riders new to chaingangs a steady paced ride where they can learn the techniques to ride 'through and off'. Some of the more experienced riders from the club will be along on a regular basis to help with advice and tips. This ride is the first step for new riders before moving on to the faster Tuesday and Thursday chaingangs, or simply for those wanting a steady paced ride mid-week.

These rides run throughout the winter and aim at an 18mph average speed. You'll need good lights, most of the roads are main roads and quite well lit with street lights. Don't forget spare tubes etc.

Winter Chaingang route

There's more info on these on the website: Menu>Club Rides>Wednesday Chaingang.

Last few Herne Hill Wed night schedule:

Weds Feb 5 - Introductory / Beginners / Easy
Weds Feb 12 - Intermediate
Weds Feb 19 - Intermediate
Weds Feb 26 (Final session) - Advanced / Fast

If you have anything to add or questions - post away!

[AlanStrang]

Added a few more things worth remembering:



* If there's more than 16 or so riders it's best to split the group into 2. Talk at Elmers End before you depart to decide this. In the Summer it may be necessary to split into 3 or even 4 groups. Groups should set off at a 3-5 min gap. The more experienced club riders should assist the organisation.

* Don't block the pavement at Elmer's End when waiting to set off.

* Make sure you have rear lights that aren't going to dazzle those behind. Switch off flashing mode and put on to a lower setting.

* It's usual to go into single file until the road widens close to Locksbottom.

* Particularly pertinent for the Wednesday gang - if you are on the front of the group and no-one else is pulling through (or only 1 or 2) YOU are doing it wrong! There is re-grouping but the scenario should be that the group stays AND works together.

* Have a read of this - cyclingtips.com.au/2011/09/the-lost-art-of-the-group-ride-2/

* If you're racing this season and doing the Wednesday gang you should be there to get the group working smoothly and properly. NO hurting of legs. Man/Woman up and do Tue/Thu!

* Gaps - There should never be any gaps in the group, you should ride directly behind the riders in front of you. If a gap appears, simply close it gradually, there is no need to accelerate quickly and then apply the brakes, this again upsets the flow of the group & leaves gaps behind you for others to close.

* Moving as a group - It is important to always move gradually as a group. Please do not do anything with a sudden movement, this can scare the rider beside and behind you and can cause accidents. If you need to move out to avoid something, do it slowly, and the rider beside you will naturally move across with you.

* Signalling potholes/hazards - It is the responsibility of the two front riders to indicate by simply pointing out potholes/rocks etc. There is not need to point out every small crack, leaf or manhole cover. We assume you are skilled enough to handle such obstacles! So only significant dangers please.

* Real pet hate of mine: SHOUTING - Not quite sure when shouting “Caaaarrr” “Holllle” at the top of your voice became acceptable, but this is another BIG NO in pro group riding. Most of the riders within the group can’t hear what’s being shouted anyway. Shouting causes unnecessary panic & confusion in the group, not to mention spoiling the peacefulness of the ride, so please don’t do it except in urgent situations like a massive pothole that can only be bunnyhopped to avoid.

* SHOUTING part 2 - there is ABSOLUTELY NO NEED for people to shout SLOWING when they apply brakes! Again, this just creates panic. If you need to brake in formation you should do so in a manner that the person behind would almost no know you've applied the brakes - ie micro adjustment. Even better - come slightly, briefly and smoothly out of line and allow the wind to slow you.

* Stopping at intersections, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings etc - When coming up to any of the above, the group should stay in the same formation and the group leaders should only cross when it is safe for the entire group. This keeps the group tight and compact.

* The Chaingang may not necessarily stop for punctures so come prepared.

* Communicate if you’re unable to go through and intend to sit at the back of the group to recover, then inform the other riders. A shout of 'Up' to the rider in front on the retreating line is customary. If you wish to re-join after a period of sitting on, call "coming through" before the last rider moving down the line has been passed by the rider moving up.

* A call of "last rider" when you are moving up into the working line past the last rider moving down retreating line helps considerably. When the rider moving down the line hears this call a quick check behind to see if anyone else is moving back into the line is all that is required before moving across and joining the line moving forward.

* Riders should always check over the shoulder when rejoining the 'working line' and to make sure it's clear to join the retreating line. However, avoid the common mistake of slowing down as you check if it's clear to leave the working line.

* If there is a large gap in the working line and if it is completely safe to do so, riders in the retreating line can fill in the gap in the working line.

How it works:

[Deleted]

If there are any new riders wanting to do the chaingangs; can I recommend them for setting you up during the Winter months. They are great and they are what got me into racing. Highly recommended!

[Deleted]

That picture is rotating the wrong way for most chaingangs I have ridden (unless I'm missing something, entirely poss I've had a few drinks...)

[Serge Bouschet]

Its the continental way isn't it?

[rhys keepence]

You are correct Matt, it's safer on narrow British roads to move up on the right hand side as you are not moving out into the lane.
We also don't take the whole road and rotate around the broken centre line, unlike that gif. The gap between handlebars should be a few inches, although sometimes it's hard to achieve this.

One downside of always rotating the same way is that (at least the races I've done locally) it's rare in races to cooperate and get the right rotation going for the wind direction. For example that gif is the right way of rotating if the wind was coming mostly from the right, as the slower riders are sheltering the faster riders.

[AlanStrang]

Don't think Double pace line would go down well in on the winter chaingang.



Echelons
Heading up towards the finish line at Cyclopark your group should be rotating this way but switching coming down if the wind is doing the usual.

[Deleted]

Hello - I can't seem to find a more recent thread about the weekday winter chaingangs so hopefully this is a suitable place to post!

I was wondering if anyone will be going to the Eimers end Chaingang this evening and also where does it finish? I saw the overview which mentioned South London around 9pm. My base is Clapham so I am just looking at the logistics of getting back.

Usually I go to HHV but I found the last couple of times when I was at the front of the group and a new rider drafted up and ahead, the pace quickened instead of easing off and I struggled to keep up so I throught maybe a smaller group would be better for a while,

Thanks!

[Deleted]

Winter chaingang may be a bit of a shock Hannah, the chaingang is very much reduced over winter, especially with the HHV sessions currently on. This leaves a few of the "hardcore" turning up to the Wednesday chaingangs, so the pace may be unsuitable for you if you're struggling with some of the HHV sessions.

I would recommended keeping at it with the intermediate HHV sessions if you can.

[Kathryn Elizabeth Innes]

Hi Hannah,
I dont think the Wednesday chaingang is very active in the winter as the majority of people go to HHV. I would probably recommend perservering with HHV as chaingang there is much easier than on the open road with traffic. At HHV the drill for the chaingang is usually that the inside line is slightly faster and then the outer line eases off a touch to drop back. I.e. like the third diagram above, but the paceline is on the left, not the right as shown in the pic. If people continue to 'push off the front', when they get to the front, it is probably because they are not very experienced at doing chaingang and have not realised that they are leaving the rest behind. Often the best tactic is to shout at them to ease off a touch, and if they dont, then just let them go ahead alone. They will soon realise that the chaingang is continuing without them behind them. It may also be that the group needs to split into two more evenly paced groups, but basically the chaingang gets broken apart if people quicken the pace as they are in the lead.
Kathryn

[Deleted]

Thank you Álvaro and Kathryn for the feedback - that's good to know so I will stick with HHV. I just got quite disheartened last time because though I've been around 6 times and generally kept up well, last time I was being shouted at to close the gap when the outer front cycling was pushing off which gave me no chance for me to recoup at all after a stint at the inside front and it was a struggle to then have to go even faster, it felt like a race more than a focus on the technique. I was in the slower of the two groups but I'll persevere and hope the super speedy people choose the faster of the two groups or ease off at the outer front.
Thanks!
Hannah

[David Wadsworth]

Hi Hannah,
You should have come to the HHV session this evening. Although the group profile for the last session before Christmas and tonight might seem quicker than the earlier sessions (or maybe I have just lost fitness!) we split into various groups for all paces. You would have been fine and, for example, enjoyed the smallish group I was in with Clara and other paragonettes at the end. Although we were meant to split into three groups for the final part I think we were four, before the chains all disintegrated at the end, so do persevere!
David

[Deleted]

Thanks David, I've pencilled in again for next Wednesday's session. See you all then!

[Sara Barman]

I think we need to start disciplining the guys (it usually is) who shoot off the front!
I think the "Ho!" we learnt in race training could be suitable Kathryn...

[Deleted]

Just thougt I'd post up to see if the chaingangs will be gaining popularity now HHV has finished on a Wednesday and if so when are they likely to start again?

Cheers
Adam