How to get over your fear of getting dropped on group rides

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Do you avoid group rides because you fear getting dropped? Do you think you can’t keep up with other cyclists in the group?

No matter your skill level, all cyclists have gotten dropped at some point.

Though it’s tempting to swear off riding forever, group rides have several benefits – it’s social, you’ll ride harder, and you’ll learn new tips from more experienced cyclists.

Before you get dropped on your next group ride, here you’ll learn mental strategies you can use to get over your fear of getting dropped.

Whether you’re a runner looking for running tips or a cyclist searching for cycling advice, this site is here to help you elevate your fitness game.

How to get over your fear of getting dropped: What to do before your ride

Before your ride, you can mentally prepare in several ways to get rid of small annoyances and arrive at your group ride calm, confident, and ready for anything that comes your way.

Map out the route and get familiar with the terrain. Once you’ve done this, you can plot your riding strategy. For example, if the route is hilly, you might climb at your own pace and rejoin the group after the hill. It’s mentally easier to handle hills when you know where they are and how long they’ll last.

Check the duration of the ride. If you plan to be out for several hours, you’ll want to pack bars or gels to consume and keep your energy high to avoid bonking. Don’t forget to pack filled water bottles.

Weather. It’s hard to keep your spirits up when you’re not dressed for the weather. A quick weather check will tell you whether you’ll need to stay dry with rain gear, or pack sunscreen and sunglasses for a hot, sunny day.

Brush up on group riding etiquette. Stay safe and have an enjoyable ride by watching this video on How to Ride in A Group by GCN.

Get your bike ready. Fill tires, oil chain, and gather your essentials – multi-tool, patch kit, spare tube, bike pump or CO2 cartridge.

Finally, no matter what happens, decide that it will be a good ride.

What to do during your ride to avoid getting dropped

1| Watch your words

Do you sink into a pit of negativity when you’re riding hard and feeling the burn?

You might repeat statements such as, ‘I’m so slow’, or ‘I’m not cut out for this’. It’s destructive because these become self-fulfilling statements.

And, your negative internal dialogue can slow your pace and consume valuable energy. Meaning, this can slow your pace enough for you to fall behind in group rides.

So when you catch yourself in a spiral of negativity, here’s what you need to do to turn it around.

Note your negative thought, ‘this hurts’ and change it to a positive statement such as, ‘I have energy to keep up.’

Climbing a hill and thinking, ‘everyone else is stronger’? Try changing it to, ‘ I can.’.

Your mind can make you slower with negativity or faster with positive, empowering statements.

2| Learn to draft

You can save as much as 30% of your energy by drafting. Drafting means cycling behind another rider who blocks wind for you. When you’re drafting, you’ll be pulled along and can ride faster than you do alone.

But, because you’ll be riding close to another rider, this requires practice, skill, and awareness.

Find out how you can hone your drafting skills here.

3| You can go longer than you think you can

Even though you don’t think you can pedal any faster or hang on any longer, you still have more in the tank.

Your brain signals your muscles and tells them they’re exhausted and fatigued, but that’s a lie. Fuel your body into going longer by drinking or eating carbs to keep your efforts high.

Then, take it one minute at a time. Focus on pedaling and staying with the pack for the next minute. Once that time’s up, keep repeating for another minute, and so on.

4| Gap is widening and you can’t catch up

Sometimes, good cyclists have bad rides. If it’s not your day and you’re watching the group pull farther away, and it’s now turned into a solo ride… all isn’t lost.

It’s important to remember that riding solo has tremendous benefits.

You can…

Pedal at your own pace. You don’t have to struggle to keep up. And, you have the freedom to go easy or push the pace.

Go on a mini-adventure. Take in the scenery, stop for coffee, and have fun.

Strengthen your mental toughness. Since no one else is cheering you on, you must motivate yourself to keep pedaling.

What to do after your ride

After your ride, take a few minutes jot your thoughts about it. This review is crucial if you want to stay with the group, reach cycling goals, and improve as a cyclist.

What went well? Did you feel relaxed and confident descending? Felt strong climbing hills?

What could have been better? Did you need more fuel? Do you need to work on group riding skills?

You can set yourself up to have an enjoyable group ride. With the right gear, skills, and positive words, group rides encourage you to cycle faster, farther, and gain new tips from experienced cyclists.