Group 1 - Race Practice

Group 1 ride culture is meant to bridge group riding to elite-level road racing. The focus is on building both skills and fitness relevant to racing. Currently, only the Tuesday HIIT and Thursday Threshold rides adhere to this culture.

What to expect in group 1:

• A hard group ride (typical average speeds of this group approach 40 km/h) used as practice for racing: there may be attacks, breakaways and chases.

• Limited social aspect (we’re here to ride bikes, not talk about riding bikes)

• Sign/mailbox sprints with an extended windup beforehand (if you need to know where they are, ask your ride leader beforehand, or sit in your first time and watch/observe!)

• Limited but not non existent recovery periods following these

Expectations for riders in group 1:

• Comfort with all pacelines/formations (rotation in either direction, two up, single file)

• Ability to maintain communication in the group under duress

• Ability to read the pace of the group and maintain it when taking a pull

• Comfort with potentially getting dropped

• Familiarity and/or interest in race tactics (attacks, breakaways, chases, sprints etc.)

• Fitness (again, typical average speeds of this group approach 40 km/h)

Group 2 - Flying Dogs

Flying Dogs is an homage to WCC’s history as a racing club and to a former sponsor that was key to the clubs growth after the millennium.

The “Group 2 Fast” road group is meant to provide training and camaraderie for seasoned & balanced riders. The guidelines for this group are as follows:

• All cyclists joining the Group 2 Fast ride including regular participants of the “Last Person Standing” rides MUST ride according to the ethics and expectations of the group.

• Group rides are interval based to build VO2max, threshold power and muscular endurance.

• Pace is high, speed is fast and riders can be dropped from the group.

• You are a contributing member of the group who is comfortable riding in a tight group formation with a rotating paceline.

What to Expect on a Flying Dogs Ride

Spirited, steady pace often including sign or hill sprints when traffic allows. It is “hard fun”!

• Flying Dogs rides use rotating pace lines, two abreast formations and sometimes switch between the two. Average pace has a lot to do with weather, route and riding style, but generally you can expect to finish with an average moving group pace of 35+ km/h.

• There will be one Flying Dogs group formed at the beginning of a ride unless numbers exceed the maximum 14 riders at which time the ride leader will determine if a second group is required.

• Our Tuesday ride is High Intensity Intervals to build VO2 Max, 

• Our Thursday ride is Threshold based to improve your power, 

• Our Saturday Fondo is designed to build muscular endurance. The Fondo rides are 100km+ and almost always include a coffee stop.

What the Flying Dogs Group Expects of You

You are a contributing member of the group and are comfortable riding in a tight group formation with a rotating paceline. 

• You take a regular turn pulling at the front because Flying Dogs group members don't sit in. 

• You don’t try to break the group and if you aren’t able to contribute you are expected to leave the sprint for those who put in the work.

Group 3 - Train of Pain

Train of Pain is an homage to a group of WCC cyclists that helped grow our club to a broader audience of road riders and was the origin of our Saturday Fondo ride.

The “Group 3 Fast” road group is focused on camaraderie and our love for being in the group. The guidelines for this group are as follows:

• Safety and communication are a premium. We help each other maximize our enjoyment of riding together

• Pace is strong and there are always sprint sections, but our goal is not to drop riders.

• You are a contributing member of the group who is comfortable riding in a tight group formation with a rotating paceline.

What to Expect on a Train of Pain Ride

Spirited, steady pace often including sign or hill sprints when traffic allows. 

• Train of Pain rides use rotating pace lines, two abreast formations and sometimes switch between the two. Average pace has a lot to do with weather, route and riding style, but generally you can expect to finish with an average moving group pace of 31-35 km/h.

• There will be one Train of Pain group formed at the beginning of a ride unless numbers exceed the maximum 14 riders at which time the ride leader will determine if a second group is required.

• Our Tuesday ride is High Intensity Intervals to build VO2 Max, 

• Our Thursday ride is Threshold based to improve your power, 

• Our Saturday Fondo is designed to build muscular endurance. The Fondo rides are 100km+ and almost always include a coffee stop.

What the Train of Pain Group Expects of You

You are a contributing member of the group and are comfortable riding in a tight group formation:

• You take a regular turn pulling at the front. The Train of Pain group does understand you might need to skip a turn and expects you will communicate this to keep the group moving smoothly.

• You take an active role in the wellbeing of the group, you communicate with other riders, point out safety concerns and give advice where appropriate. 

Group 4 - Intermediate

Intermediate pace rides have traditionally been a place for newer riders to test the group riding waters, especially after graduating from the Learn To Group Ride (LTGR) sessions. And where old Fast riders ‘retire’ to. Intermediate has also been a place for improving riders to graduate from, moving on to the Fast groups. Intermediate rides have been a place where we try to go as hard and fast as we can without blowing up, and where we try (and sometimes succeed/sometimes fail) to be as fast as the slower end of the Fast group. But the Intermediate group always maintains a group dynamic, and the slowest rider dictates the ultimate group pace. So we try to push the pace but Intermediate is always a no drop ride.

What to Expect on an Intermediate Ride

In between the Recreational and Fast group pace.

• This is the place where new riders can come to after their LTGR schooling and put new techniques and skills to use at a faster pace but not overly demanding group setting. 

• Our target pace averages 28 to 31 KM/Hr but of course this varies since staying together as a group is the goal. We typically ride in a rotating 2 abreast formation, sharing the load and providing places of refuge for those with cooked legs.

• It is a no drop ride

What the Intermediate group expects of you.

• Honesty in your level of fitness and speed. If you are too fast for us then either show some restraint or move up a group. If you are too slow then move to the Recreational group to relax or improve before coming back to Intermediate. You may be asked to slow down if you’re too fast, or we may ask you to detach from the group if you can’t hold the group pace consistently.

• Safety on the road is a huge priority, and communication is an important part of safety. Talk to others in the group. Point out hazards. Pass updates quickly up the line (“ease up!”, “one off the back”, “car back”, etc) . The Highway Traffic Act MUST be followed, including one foot down at all signed stops. Provide friendly advice to those who can use it.

• Comfortable riding in a tight group, 2 abreast, being one foot from the wheel in front of you, and able to ride smoothly in a group setting. No surges or sudden movements unless absolutely necessary for safety.

• Being self sufficient. Tools, spare tubes, pump, cell phone. Drinks, food, money, sunscreen. You may need to return home by yourself if keeping the group together is impossible

• A sense of fun and adventure! We ride for the joy of riding, following new routes, and traveling to new coffee shops and destinations. We do not try to ride each other into the ground, and are not trying to simulate races. Sign sprints are uncommon, and always optional.

Group 5 - Recreational

Recreational rides are a place for riders to test the group riding waters, work on fitness and enjoy our awesome countryside. We strongly recommend taking part in the Learn To Group Ride (LTGR) program prior to joining group rides, but Recreational rides are intended as a safe place to learn.

What to expect on Recreational Road Rides

These rides are meant to introduce riders to the world of group cycling.

• The rides will be “no-drop” rides meaning we will slow down and/or break into smaller groups if feasible to accommodate the slowest riders.

• The pace will be more relaxed but we still anticipate trying to stay above 20 km/h average moving speed but at or under 28 km/h average moving speed.

• Distances of 30-50 km should be expected with longer rides possibly up to 70km by late season.

• Most rides will be between 2-3 hours in length.

• We may do pacelines on occasion if riders are comfortable but it won’t need to be a tight formation.

• If the group splits apart we will stop and re-group at stop signs or at the ride leader’s discretion.

• We will introduce riders to safe cycling habits and follow all HTA laws.

• Ride leaders will do their best to maintain the group but if that is not possible we may shorten the route to return in time or,

  • If there is more than one ride leader available then breaking into multiple groups at different paces with different routes is a potential.

  • If no other ride leader is available and some riders choose not to return early then it will be considered that they abandoned the ride.

• Every effort will be made to see everyone back to the start safely.

What the Recreational Group expects of you

• Although it is a no-drop ride riders are still expected to be self-sufficient, i.e. cell phone, repair kit/tools, food, and water as needed.

• Riders need to know the route and be comfortable getting home on their own in case a situation arises where they have to abandon a ride.

• Riders are expected to understand how their bikes operate and be able to maintain a pace of around 20 km/h at minimum.

• If you are a faster rider you are expected to keep the pace down, the intent of these rides is to make cycling more accessible.