not so much a dilemma

In yesterday's post, I made reference to a dilemma, which I now realize I've been overthinking (as is my wont). After giving it a day to percolate, and chatting with a few riders more sensible than I (and their names are legion), I've come to a sweeping decision... well, not so much a sweeping decision as a decision about sweeping.

Most of the time, I take on the responsibility of sweeping, even though nobody asks me to do so. I don't have to do that, especially if it interferes with the ride. And the times when it interferes with the ride include times when either someone tells me not to wait for them, or when there's a rider who clearly can't keep up with the ride.

In the former case, it's clear, although I'd hate to have something happen to someone when they were off the back, and alone, and needed help. In the latter, it may be clear to the others in the group, but not to the rider who can't keep up.

In that case, I don't think I'm doing the slower riders a service by suggesting they really can ride at a pace they clearly can't. In fact, by staying back with them, I may be sending a message that I think they are stronger than they are. It may be better for them, and the stronger riders on the ride, to let them fall back, and perhaps see that this pace, or this specific ride or leader, is not for them.

The Princeton Freewheelers Ride Guidelines page includes the following (it's also in every copy of the paper newsletter):

6. Do not BIKE OFF more than you can do. Go on rides within your ability and experience. If in doubt, phone the ride leader before the ride.

There is also text in the ride leader guidelines that states that a suggestion can be made to riders who are too fast or too slow that they go off on their own or return to the starting point. Now, I'm not a ride leader, so it's not my place to do this. But I also realize today that it's not my place to try to suggest to riders that they really can do something they can't. It's a disservice to the slow rider, and it also may be to the others on the ride who are keeping up.

(It's probably not an issue on B+ or faster rides, where there is not the expectation that the group will wait for stragglers.)

This is not to say that every last-in-the-group rider should be dropped. I can think of several reasons where slower riders will be welcomed:

1. The ride is a social one, and riders who are close to the ride class are welcomed, and/or the individual abilities are well-tolerated.
2. The ride is fast-in-its-class, and riders who are capable of the class, but not fast, are coming along.
3. The ride is a hilly one. It's my experience that the average on many hilly rides is slower than the posted average for the ride class, and riders who are in the class on flat rides are often slower on hilly rides. On many hilly rides this allowance is not only tolerated, but expected.
4. A normally-strong rider is having a bad day or unusually bad luck with the bike.

There are probably others.

I expect three reactions to this post: there will be folks with whom I ride frequently (or would like to ride frequently) who will apologize for their pace (most of those fit into bullet one, above; don't worry); other folks who will say (troll-like) something on the order of, "Who asked you, anyway?", and some who will say, "If you don't like to sweep, don't." And I guess that last is what I'm saying, too. I'll sweep when I'm asked, or when it seems to be the right thing to do. I'll probably sweep the riders who can't keep up, so that they aren't hurt, exhausted, or abandoned. But I'm not going to try to encourage riders where I don't think the encouragement is warranted.

And when I get to the point that it's clear that I can't keep up, I hope I will notice, or that one of youse will break it to me, gently, but inescapably.