It is very rare to find a group of recreational road cyclists who ride at the same pace all the time. They’ll be riders who are having a good day, those who are having a bad day, and just those (like me a lot of the time) who are just slower than many of their friends. For me, this is because many of them are men, and in general male riders are stronger than women.
But I don’t let that spoil my enjoyment of riding with friends and my pals are always very kind to me, and wait for me, and encourage me to improve. Likewise, I sometimes ride with others who are slower than me and I’m always kind and patient too.
Many women have commented to me that they don’t want to join a particular group ride because they don’t wish to be the slowest person, and they don’t want to hold others up. The good news is that there are ways to handle the variable speeds of bike riders.
Riding with a friend or a group with varying abilities can be frustrating for everyone. You might share a passion for cycling but your abilities might be mismatched. Whether you want to ride with a slower partner or join a faster group, here are some tips to get you on level ground.
