The Chaingang(s)
The Cycling Club chaingang starts sometime around the middle of April. So 14th sounds a pretty good bet.
The Triathlon Club chaingang ‘officially’ starts the following week, on 21st. As ever, the ride is open to anyone.
As the chaingangs become more popular the number of newcomers and less experienced riders increases each year. Please remember the hackneyed and oft quoted maxim: the chaingang is not a race. If you can help those in your group do it better please help them rather than try to get rid of them. If you’re not a novice any more you were when you started, remember?
If you are new please take the trouble to learn how to do it properly: there’s a write up here and I’ll be running tutorial groups on the first two Tri Club chaingangs (21st and 28th).
If your group splits up over the ‘Chapelberg’ please regroup after the left turn in Barrington. Which brings me on to waiting and regrouping…
If your group splits due to traffic, junctions, hold ups, level crossings etc. or over Chapel Hill you should regroup completely before picking up speed. It is not acceptable that anyone should have to make a dangerous manoeuvre to avoid getting left behind.
You must also stop if anyone in your group has an accident or mechanical failure. However there is no need to wait if someone simply cannot keep up or if someone gets a puncture.
Please bring lights for the first few weeks. There is enough light to get round, but you still have to ride home.
How big should the group be?
Five is enough. Twenty is too many. Most weeks I’ll be there and will attempt to set everyone off in reasonably sized groups. For the last few years there have typically been two groups at the Cycling Club chaingang and five or six at the Triathlon Club chaingang.
How good do you have to be?
It’s a simple question but there is no simple answer. If you’re used to riding with the Medium group on Saturdays or the Intermediate group on Sundays you should be fine.
The worst that can happen is that you get left behind and end up riding on your own. The route never goes far from Cambridge so it’s not as though you’ll be on your own, lost, and miles away from home. However, the chaingang is supposed to be hard work and you have to be prepared to make the effort to stay with other people who are working hard. It might not be a race, but it’s not a social ride either.
Start times:
Triathlon Club: 6:30 at the junction of Wilberforce and Adams Roads.
Cycing Club: 6:45 at the junction of Newnham and Barton Roads.
Finally: If you ‘drop down a group for a slightly easier ride’ please leave your ego at home …or better still, see my comment about ‘helping’ at the top of the page :-)
Tim.
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