We’ve all been there for that Saturday morning group or club ride. The energy in the air is palpable and some everyday cyclists are ready to “let off some steam” and “strut their fitness.”
The proverbial, HAMMERFEST. A maelstrom of ego, testosterone, and potential ability. Other times…not so much. (AKA Knucklehead rides)
Some of us revel in them, others of us are either turned off, OR simply turned away–upset with our inability to perform at the same “Hammerfest” level.
The QUESTION I ask YOU is…
“Do your local group and club rides and potential hammerfests motivate you in your training?”
PLEASE POST YOUR THOUGHTS…
Or, you can post on my FACEBOOK PAGE
I love em, I love to ride/race with others more fit and race ready
I am a clydesdale. When I was a more active rider, I stopped doing group rides because each one turned into a hammerfest. I am all for them, but one if it is part of the group schedule.
I like Hammerfests, when it’s known that going harder is the objective and people are doing it in a safe and SMART way. When people are deciding to do stupid things and put others in danger, then I’m out. Tough to draw the line between I guess. I use group rides as motivation to push harder and always love to have someone push me beyond what I can handle. To me, the whole point of a strong group ride.
I like hammerfest’s in my group rides, I find it helps me to improve my fitness, the only problem is if I am not fit enough, it’s a tough go especially if you get dropped. and left behind.
I think as long as the group ride is planned and people are aware of what the goal is then you can go or not.
Not really. Most guys don’t know a lick about racing on those “hammerfests” so it can be quite frustrating. I prefer to train alone most of the time.
Absolutely. The group rides in my area consist of racers, some of them Cat 3 and occasionally Cat 2. I had been involved in the group rides for years and sometimes hung in decently and sometimes just got pummeled. The last few years I was concentrating on mtn biking so I quit going to all the group rides. Last year I was training for the Horribly Hilly Hundreds in WI using Cyclo-Core and HIT sessions from Graeme. About 2 weeks before the event I decided to go and do a group ride. Hadn’t been in the mix for a couple years. I was able to hang with the fast guys and actually pulled a hill with a racer hitting almost 600 watts ,according to him, for a pretty decent distance. Another rider said, “You haven’t missed a step.” so it was nice to see the work pay off. This year I am using the Cyclo90 workouts and this spring I’m going to hit a few of the group rides and hopefully I’ll be able to really put the hurt on. My main focus right now is losing the LBs. Right now with the HIT90 it’s going good. If I can drop the amount of weight I want to I should be in good standing. We shall see.
I love my group ride. My group is composed of strong tri- guys/girls and swimmers. They are in great shape year round so if I don’t train I don’t keep up. we don’t race on these rides BUT when they are ready to hammer they hammer. My group has a no drop rule BUT you never want to be the one everyone is waiting for on every ride .
Yes sir! It forces me to push myself beyond what I do on my own.
I think that group rides and hammerfests can be great motivation and let’s face it, part of what drives us to train is ego and being able to put it to the group when you are having a good day. The down side is when every ride is like that and when you really don’t need to push yourself that hard because of where you are in your training phase, it can do more harm than good to your fitness.
Could not agree more with your points, which is why I suggest using group rides strategically, instead of every time they are available.
Oh yea, hamerfests are probably my biggest motivator. Most rides are no-drop rides, where the group will get back together at the next intersection, or the top of the next climb, but, there is at least one ride a week where you have to bring your a-game, or you get dropped and then you are on your own. I find that these rides will push me to my maximum potential. This is where I sometimes have to pull out every little trick in the book just to stay on the wheel in front.
Much prefer to be in a very fast paceline, than have to intentionally hold back for weeker riders.
Cyclo club has definately made it a lot easier to stay on the wheel.
Thanks Greame.
Not at all. I use group rides for recovery days, win I train I ride alone or with my trainer. In this way I get the most out of my time. I have found I don’t wast time waiting for the one hit wonders I entered 12 TT last year and got 12 first place finishes in my cat. So it is working for me.
i used to enjoy club rides and hard training but then got a bit too fit and too strong for their liking. they even tried to “govern” me but instating a speed limit of 25km/h. so the first climb of their morning (i had been out for a hour already before meeting up with the club) i powered all the way to the top. i never went over 25km/h but also never dropped below it. this was the norm for that ride. needless to say at the next club meeting it was made pretty clear that i was no longer welcome. put a bit of a damper on my training but eventually adopted the attitude of if they cant keep up why must i suffer.
since then i have been on training rides with a lot other clubs and have found a few that they are more suited to my pace of riding. some days i struggle to keep up especially when we start hiting 10km stretches and hold a pace of about 40km/h on a false flat but that is just more motivation
A hammerfest is a little less enjoyable than a quick paced group ride where you can still get in a few laughs while riding. My motivation isn’t usually speed but distance with a touch of speed mixed in. Either way, if it’s just a “workout” and I’m not enjoying it to its full potential, then I would rather just be riding by myself.
You bet, and sometimes I am the instigator in the casual pace turning into a hammerfest. It’s all fun and great motivation.
I always get motivated when I do a group mtb ride that includes Rusty “Big Ring” Wallace like we had last nite. He will pass you on any hill spinning the big ring at 90 rmp like it’s nothing. I’m not gonna lie to ya. Here’s to being able to spin, not hammer, the big ring!!
Yes, I train all week so I can keep up on the Saturday 50mi ShopRide. We are 50′s guys, and some climb event riders and marathoners. I now take the point on hills so the elite climbers have to chase me up. I tell them your techniques are working for me, they are astonished at my improved climbing abilities, and ability to surge in pacelines when they turn into sprints!
Hammerfest is all good and fun I just wish they would wait until we have warmed up properly.
And for me safety is a factor as I just can not afford to get injured.
No! Although, these type of group rides serve a purpose, I don’t make it a habbit to train just so i can show up for them ready and fit. I have a pretty long race season…March – Sept. If I spent my energy at these club rides on a regular basis “throw’n down,” I probably wouldn’t make it through the season, not healthy anyway. That said, I still think they have benefit, especially when utalized properly. A good example is when I have an important race just ahead of me. Adding 2 – 3 of these a couple of weeks before my event, can really sharpen those needed skills.
Hammering is fun when you feel like you can hang on. But when you crack and get dropped over and over again it can be hugely discouraging. Because you feel there is a such a large gap of talent between you and who dropped you.
Graeme I like my Monday night rides it makes me push more then when i ride alone and i like this group better then other group ride we have a no drop rule
Wow ,
How much was Jeff Toliver paid to post this comment!
Yes, absolutely. It’s one of my motivation to train during the week. I don’t like to do them all the time, but they are definitely a training tool.
I generally like a good spirited hammerfest ride if I am expecting it. I don’t like being surprised, but like planninig out and deciding what type of ride the group is setting out to do. I also don’t like riding with others who do not know what they’re doing or ones that are squirly or jerky. I’m instantly off if people are not riding smooth and staying disciplined.
John F.
Most hammerfests that I have seen are a mess as people start off way too fast, blow up, speed up…etc. They lack skill and technique. I prefer to ride very fast with very good riders so that we are not all over the map, speeding, slowing, dying..crying…etc. I have done so with a very good strong group of semi professionals…we rode about 100 miles at a very fast pace…about 34km´and hour, which is fast. That was a thrill and it was all I could do was to hang on in the group.
A hammerfest is only as good as the quality of the riders and needs really to be in a peleton to be effective in training.
When I ride in a group, it is only in a peleton unless I am touring.
So hammerfests can be thrilling but choose wisely
I already commented on this but after todays HIT#16 + HIT#8 session, it really reminded me of just how much some of the group rides hurt. That climbing attack workout, done correctly, really puts the hurt on. The attacks really reminded me that even when YOU think you’re in shape, on the fast group rides, there are ALWAYS riders that can smoke you. It kind of put me in the mindset that I actually have quite a ways to go to get to the point I want to be. I’ve made some great progress since January when I started CYLCO90 but I was reminded today that there’s always room for improvement and that mentally, you have to be willing to suffer. That’s basically the bottom line on it for me.
Just suffered through a hammer fest last night and it was awesome. Mostly because when I got dropped (numerous times) I fought to get back on (helped the group let up a bit). I’ve found cyclo-club has helped me know how to push myself better. Also the pods have helped with knowing how to conserve energy in a group better. But wow was it tough. Average a zone 5 heart rate for 1:50.