Bicycling 101 #4:
Being a Self Sufficient Rider
Every now and then in the description for an A/B ride,
we see the phrase, "Self-sufficient B riders welcome." Who
is a self-sufficient B rider? In a nutshell, it's someone is who may
not be able to ride at the stated mph pace of a ride, but who has the
skills and abilities to do the ride without leader assistance. Actually,
self-sufficient B riders are welcome on any A or A/B ride - even those
rides where it is not specifically stated in the ride description -
as long as they are willing to go without leader assistance. Becoming
a self-sufficient B rider can open up a wider variety of rides for you
to choose from on the schedule, and allow you to take on greater challenges
in terms of longer distance rides or hillier rides.
So what does it take to become a self-sufficient B rider? The two crucial
skills are knowing how to change a flat tire, and being able to read
a map and find your way on the route. It can be difficult to develop
tire-changing skills if you normally ride with a well-meaning spouse
or friend who does it for you, because they can do it quicker and you'll
be back on the road faster. My suggestion is the next time you need
to put new tires on your bike, do it yourself (maybe with that spouse's
or friend's direction and supervision, but you must do the entire job
yourself!). For many folks the entire process goes just fine until they
come to getting that last little bit of tire over the rim. You need
to work through that frustration and achieve success, in order to have
the confidence that you'll be able to do it if you have a flat tire
when you're out alone on the road. Another alternative is to attend
a flat tire clinic at a local bike shop like REI or Erik's.
Map reading skill can be more difficult to develop. Folks either seem
to have it or they don't. If you are among the ranks of the 'geographically
impaired' there are a few things you can do to compensate:
Show up a little earlier than usual at the ride to give yourself time
to study the map. Be sure you understand it and if anything seems unclear,
ask the ride leader about it.
Pay attention during the ride leader briefing. A good leader will go
over any possible pitfalls in the route, like turns that are easy to
miss, or unmarked intersections.
Get a map clip or map holder so that the map is visible at all times
and you don't have to fumble for it in your jersey pocket. Pay attention
to the map during the ride, even if you are riding with a group. People
often depend on the rest of the group to navigate. Then if they later
end up on their own, they pull out their map and don't even know where
they are on the map.
Try to do rides in areas that you are already somewhat familiar with.
Self knowledge: The self-sufficient B rider knows how much food and
liquid they need to take in to maintain energy during warm or cold weather,
what pace they can maintain over longer distances (often a slower pace
than what they can sustain on a shorter ride), how much clothing they
need to wear to stay warm on a cool or wet ride, etc. All of these are
different for each individual and are learned through experience.
Attitude: The self-sufficient B rider is able to enjoy a bike ride
even if they are riding on their own - some may even enjoy the solitude
and the chance to be alone with their thoughts. He or she has enough
'mental toughness' to deal with possible challenges such as hills, wind,
or rain on their own.
A safety net: The size of your safety net depends on your level of
confidence and mental toughness. Maybe you want to recruit a fellow
self-sufficient B rider to do the ride with you. That way, if one of
you has a severe mechanical problem, the other one can ride back to
the finish and come back with a car. Another option is carrying a cell
phone and knowing that a friend is going to be home during the time
of the ride to receive a rescue call. You shouldn't have to resort to
that very often (if ever) but it's reassuring to know it's an option.
It can be very empowering to be a self-reliant cyclist. Talk to your
ride leader or the many experienced cyclists in the club if you're looking
for more advice on developing your skills.
- Liz Sands
Copyright © 2003 Liz Sands. All rights reserved.
(article posted 5-17-03)
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