Latern Rouge

[roadie7]

As most of you know the Latern Rouge is the last rider to finish the Tour and it is an "honorable" place in the peloton. However...

During the last two years I've been going on an organized ride with a mix of slow, medium and fast riders. I started out as a "medium" speed rider which meant I rode with others sometimes and sometimes by myself. During the last year the "slow" and the "medium" riders have stopped participating which means I'm the "slow" one now; I'm the Latern Rouge. Fortunately it is "no drop" ride and the ride leaders are very good about waiting for me and being pleasant about it. By the way I've know the ride leaders for the two years.

This is supposed to be a group ride but it has turned into a group start with the other shooting off and I'm riding the entire ride solo (between 20 and 25 miles). I'm getting to the point where I don't want to participate anymore since I'm riding by my myself and the hassle of getting home from work and getting to the ride.

Have others had this experience and how did you react?

[weisan]

Find another local group where you are either the front or middle pack rider.

[numbskull]

If you have 28,000 miles in your legs, and didn't grow up watching Rin Tin Tin, then I'd think there is hope in which case I'd drop out, train seriously over the winter, and retry in the spring.

[oldpotatoe]

As most of you know the Latern Rouge is the last rider to finish the Tour and it is an "honorable" place in the peloton. However...

During the last two years I've been going on an organized ride with a mix of slow, medium and fast riders. I started out as a "medium" speed rider which meant I rode with others sometimes and sometimes by myself. During the last year the "slow" and the "medium" riders have stopped participating which means I'm the "slow" one now; I'm the Latern Rouge. Fortunately it is "no drop" ride and the ride leaders are very good about waiting for me and being pleasant about it. By the way I've know the ride leaders for the two years.

This is supposed to be a group ride but it has turned into a group start with the other shooting off and I'm riding the entire ride solo (between 20 and 25 miles). I'm getting to the point where I don't want to participate anymore since I'm riding by my myself and the hassle of getting home from work and getting to the ride.

Have others had this experience and how did you react?

Ride solo. No hassles about when/where/how fast/how long/how far stuff.

[Llewellyn]

Solo rides......for all the reasons Old Potato says

[shovelhd]

It's a poorly organized group ride. It's not just you, either. All but the fastest riders have bailed on it. What it needs are multiple groups with multiple leaders. A,B,C. If they're not willing to do that, then kill yourself training, find another ride, or ride solo.

[OtayBW]

It's a poorly organized group ride. It's not just you, either. All but the fastest riders have bailed on it. What it needs are multiple groups with multiple leaders. A,B,C. If they're not willing to do that, then kill yourself training, find another ride, or ride solo.
Ding ding ding! Yes, IMO...

[Fatty]

Round up all the "slow' and "medium" riders.
Start a new ride.

[Peter P.]

The OP probably wants to participate in the social aspect of the group ride as well as get a challenging workout. I could be wrong on the latter part because it's possible he was satisfied riding with the slower groups even if he wasn't challenged physically.

It's possible the other groups dissolved because individual riders were tired of experiencing the same thing as the OP.

If it's the social aspect of the rider wants, then creating a new medium or slow group would be a great idea.

If the rider is looking to become faster but is tired of being dumped by the faster group even if it is a no drop ride, then suggestions to continue to train to aspire to fast group speeds, is a good answer. This will require patience and discipline.

How would I react; for sure I'd be downtrodden at getting dropped and riding by myself so much. With hindsight available to me, I now know enough to create a training program to aspire to fast group speeds, and probably ride the group ride less often say, every 2-4 weeks as a way to measure my improvement. It would psychologically be easier to get dropped every 2-4 weeks rather than every week, and to go into those group rides ready to expect to get dropped and at the same time knowing I would be entering them as an experiment to test my fitness.

[rwsaunders]

Ride solo or pick a riding bud or two...remember "he who travels swiftest, travels alone".

Good book btw about the history of the Lanterne Rougue...http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/lanterne-rouge-the-last-man-in-the-tour-de-france-by-max-leonard-book-review-why-finishing-last-can-9290990.html