A Cycling Stroll With a Group

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There is a subconscious desire for a lot of cyclists, especially on group rides, to speed up and challenge each other. There is the urge to go as fast as possible on every ride, to leave people in the dust. There is the urge to light up Strava with personal records. For weeks, or even months, I had the desire to go in the opposite direction, to slow down and be more inclusive of people who ride less.

Just Three People

Yesterday I went for a group ride. We were just three people. One person was on a salvaged bike, I think. A second was on an affordable bike. Two people had normal shoes. This ride had the goal of being a stroll on a bike, rather than a group ride.

For me, the pleasure of a bike ride is to talk, and enjoy cycling, and to converse with people, and to avoid riding on noisy, busy roads. We rode on the "routes à 3 grammes" as a slang term would call them. They’re rural roads for farm vehicles, not cars. This means that as a group we could ride three abreast, and talk. We could also stop to take pictures.

A Stroll and Coffee in Divonne

We stopped and walked in the market of Divonne, and went for a coffee. I got to present people with a new cycling route, and a relaxed approach to cycling. I created the group ride, that I desired. I found a niche.

This isn’t meant to be as a bike touring group, but rather as a hike on bikes. We are accompanying each other, rather than racing. It’s nice, it’s relaxed.

Feeling the Cold

During this ride there are one or two moments when I felt especially cold. I suspect that it’s because of the high humidity. When I felt the air from an open velux before the ride I noticed dew on the roof and elsewhere. Humidity was high, and the temperature was cool. Both combined to make the air especially cold yesterday. Today it will rain nonstop and for the rest of the week it should rain daily.

If you ride fast, it makes sense to dress as a cyclist, to be warm, without overheating. For a ride like yesterday’s, it makes sense to dress to be warm. It’s possible that I was cold because I was trying a different thermal layer. I suspect pace, and humidity.

Looking forward

I would like to have this bike ride become a weekly activity, to meet other people who enjoy cycling, but don’t feel the overwhelming desire to race. I want it to be a convivial, inclusive event for people who like to cycle with others. I need to find inspiration for the next route.