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Ride Classifications

    Class

    1Average
    Speed
    (mph)

    2Max.
    Cruising
    (mph)

    Description
    AA 22+ No Limit 3Paceline rides with no upper speed limit. Cue sheets or GPS Route are recommended but not required. No requirement to wait for dropped riders. These rides should only be attempted by the strongest fully self-sufficient riders. A Sweep is not required.
    A+ 21 - 22 24 - 26 3Paceline rides with infrequent stops. Cue sheets or GPS Route are recommended but not required. No requirement to wait for dropped riders provided the ride is within the A pace. Riders are expected to be self-sufficient. Bring a friend if you are concerned about having someone to ride with at the slower pace. A Sweep is not required.
    A 20 - 21 22 - 25
    A- 19 - 20 21 - 24
    B+/A- 18 - 19 20 - 23
    B+ 17 - 18 19 - 21 3Paceline rides unless otherwise indicated in the ride description. Cue sheets or GPS Route are recommended but not required. No one gets dropped, however if riders fall behind "Wait-ups" must be provided and all riders accounted for. Rest stops are approximately half way through the ride. Riders are expected to be self-sufficient. A Sweep is not required.
    B/B+ 16 - 17 18 - 20 This is where Pace line Practice Begins. This is Not a Paceline ride unless indicated in the ride description. Cue sheets or GPS Route are recommended but NOT required. No one gets dropped, and wait ups must be provided at points during the ride and all riders accounted for. Rest stops are approximately half way through the ride. Riders are expected to be self-sufficient. A Sweep is not required.
    B 15 - 16 17 - 19 Cue sheets or GPS Route are recommended but not required. No one gets dropped, however if riders fall behind "Wait-ups" must be provided and all riders accounted for. Rest stops are approximately half way through the ride. Riders are expected to be self-sufficient.
    4A Ride Sweep is required.
    B- 14 - 15 15 - 17
    C+/B- 13 - 14 14 - 16 Stops are frequent. Ride leaders will wait at turns for riders. Cue sheets or GPS Route are recommended. A Ride Sweep is required.
    C+ 12 - 13 13 - 15
    C 11 - 12 11 - 13
    C- 10 - 11 10 - 11
    D+/C-
    9.5 - 10.5 9.5 - 10.5 Stops are frequent. Cue sheets or GPS Route are recommended. Ride lengths are short. A good ride for beginners. A Ride Sweep is required.
    D
    6 - 10 6 - 10 Stops are frequent. Cue sheets or GPS Route are recommended. Ride lengths are short. A good ride for beginners. A Ride Sweep is required.
    SRS
    ** ** The SRS “Special Ride Series” is a new ride class designed to better assist people who wish to ride with SBRA. At this time, there are three (3) different workshops being offered: “Beginner,” “More experienced rider, but new to SBRA & Group Riding” and “Paceline.” All of these workshops are being given as 1-day sessions, which may be repeated on different weekend days and/or at different times of the year, and are authorized by the Ride Director. SRS workshops are planned and posted on the website in advance and a phone number is included in the description text for people to sign up for the series, although pre-registration is not required. Both the “Beginner” and the “More experienced rider, but new to SBRA & Group Riding” workshops will emphasize rider safety, SBRA club rules, basic bike mechanics and how to read a cue sheet.
    A cue sheet and ride sweep are required for all SRS rides.
    **Actual Speed may vary based on the specific type of ride series posted (ex: Paceline ride may be faster).
    Multi No single designated Ride Leader. Usually listed class for bigger events, where different groups for certain abilities form at the ride start.
    M: Mountain Biking/Trail riding Approximately 1/2 the cruising road speed. The ride classification will denote the effort required not the Average Speed due to the different terrain on these rides."No one gets dropped in the woods."

    1Ride Average is based on the average speed of the ride over the entire ride. This includes decelerating and accelerating, slow peddling, hills, riding against the wind and traffic conditions.

    2Max Cruising – NO ride maintains the exact Ride Average speed throughout the whole ride. To achieve the Ride Average at times the speed may be several mph faster for several miles. The Max Cruising column is an estimation of what a rider can expect from each ride level.

    3Paceline Rides – All AA, A+, A, B+/A- ride are Paceline rides. B+ Rides are also Paceline rides unless indicated otherwise in the ride description. Riders stepping up to these ride classes should be proficient in Paceline riding before doing so. No Ride Sweeps are required on Paceline rides.

    4Ride Sweep – On all rides from D through B a Ride Sweep is required. A Ride Sweep is responsible for ensuring no riders are dropped from the ride. The Ride Sweep shall be the last rider in the group for safety purposes. They will call out alerts from behind such as "car back" to alert riders in front of them that a car is approaching the group. All riders are then responsible to safely and quickly move as far to the right as possible (in single file order) to allow the car to pass the group. All riders are responsible for quickly pass forward the "car back" alert so all riders in the group are informed of the approaching car. Should any rider begin to have difficulty keeping up with the group they are to inform the Ride Sweep. The Ride Sweep will try to help the slowing rider by coaching them on how to ride more effectively. If the slowing rider still cannot keep up with the group the Ride Sweep must ask the group to stop so they can discuss the issue with the Ride Leader. At that point the Ride Leader and Ride Sweep will determine if the Ride Sweep will stay back with the slowing rider, the whole group will slow down, or if the slowing rider will be able to return safely to the ride start on their own (based on past riding experience as an SBRA member).

    ** Rides are classified by distance, speed, terrain and structure:
    Terrain: H = Hilly, R = Rolling, F = Flat

    Grouping:
    S = Structured - Structured rides are more formally controlled rides in what is expected of the Ride Leader, Ride Sweep and the riders.  The posted ride speed should be enforced.  Cue sheets or GPS Route are recommended and the posted route should be followed.  Water and rest stops should be provided.  All riders should stay together as a group and no one should be dropped.  A Ride Sweep is assigned. Riders are discouraged from riding ahead of the group.  Riders who do are considered off the ride.

    T = Team (Paceline of team, team stays together) - Paceline cycling is group riding, single file, as close to each other as possible, usually between 1 to 2 feet apart.  This allows the group to ride faster, with less effort, than they could if they were more spread out.  However this requires all riders constant attention to be done safely.  The front rider does most of the work by cutting through the air and “pulls” the other riders who benefit from the reduced wind resistance.  The front rider tires quickly so doesn’t stay up front for long, usually 20 seconds to a minute or 2.  The front rider then moves over and drifts to the back, while the group maintains speed and the next rider “pulls” the group.  This exchange is repeated allowing the group to continue at a fast pace.

    SBRA is a member of bicyclelongisland.org.


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