Under Pressure: Teaching a New Cyclist Group Riding Skills

[@rodneytroberts]

This could be a good series for a newbie rider like me. Thank you for the content

[@thegoodwheel]

Thanks for watching! 👍🏾

[@PACOJO_NAZOSLOSMIOS]

Yes please keep it coming. I used to ride in high school mostly track in Venezuela but I got to college. And lost myself between classes, parties and then immigrating in early 2000s to Georgia 🇺🇸 but now on my early 40s trying to get back at it

[@Shende9689]

I can’t wait to see Brenda’s post group ride update to see how she implemented what she learned. How she felt riding with a group etc

[@V-Rides]

Please make more in this series. I'm a new cyclist too since this year. She is pretty impressive pushing 22mph out the blocks.... wow. More vids like this training video, also great commentary

[@PrettyFlaccaFit]

Loved this episode Lu! Yes, please do a follow up 🙏🏼 I’d love to see the growth in the cycling abilities after your help! 🚴🏻‍♀️

[@thegoodwheel]

I agree! Thanks for watching!

[@salva.]

Yep, I want a few follow up. It will be interesting how her confidence develops. Kudos for this content.

[@williamcurtis8827]

It is always nice to see someone teach a fellow cyclists the ways of riding in a group!!

[@thegoodwheel]

Thanks for watching! 🙏🏾

[@claytonjones5857]

Just stumbled across your videos. Back on a bike after 40 years at 63 and found this really helpful and inspired to finally join a club in the new year. Calm tuition very impressed. Happy Christmas from the New Forest Uk Clay

[@jkay5lx5]

The amount of stress adults can have when learning a new skill like cycling or skiing is off the charts. Your clam approach is so reassuring. My personal preference is solo riding. A few hours on the bike, at whatever pace I can achieve is enough for me but you do make group rides appealing.

[@emoretech]

Great Job, Luis. Happy Holidays 💪🏾😊

[@thegoodwheel]

Thank you, Merry Christmas!👍🏾

[@antsmands]

Noticeable difference when you refit her. I could the difference in position immediately. This is good to watch. Yes, make this a series!

[@1a2b3c4.]

Yes, do a follow up and include an interview with her so we know what she says and what she wants to learn. Excellent topic.

[@thegoodwheel]

Thanks. Definitely wll do!

[@bengt_axle]

Here are two tips for riding with cleats. 1) Push off with the arch of the foot, to get up to speed safely: Glue (using 2-sided carpet tape or rubber cement) a piece of inner tube or cork handlebar tape to the outsole of the shoe, at the arch of the foot, between the cleat and the heel plate. When starting from a stop, put your arch on the backside of the pedal (cylindrical surface) and start pedaling with your arch. The rubber will prevent the shoe from slipping (and protect the sole) so that you can pedal away safely without being clipped in. When you are rolling fast enough, then you can clip in, keeping your eye on traffic. If you ride with MTB shoes, the arch probably has rubber in that area, so you can push off with your arch and clip in once you get rolling. 2) Spin not push: Make sure your saddle is not too high, so that you can learn to spin as opposed to push down on the pedals. Try to do a few rides not pushing down on the pedals but just pulling back and moving pedal forwards, so as to get the hang of it. The pedaling circle should feel something like an elipse or watermelon on its side. You did a good job of reminding this cyclist to unclip early before a stop, Luis. It is important to be able to do so automatically, while keeping pressure on the pedal so that your foot stays ready to clip back in, if needed. Please do a video on proper hand signals and how to ride safely in traffic!

[@thegoodwheel]

Thanks for sharing these tips. They are great!

[@JohnnyD365XBL]

It's funny when I saw the title of the segment I thought oh boy this is not for me but after watching I can say well done. I've been riding in group rides for some time and are pretty comfortable in them. I have forgotten what it's like to just just start out riding. Awesome segment and would love to see a follow up vid on the her first group ride. Keep up the great work on the channel.

[@denisspratt926]

Great to see how you help new riders. Cause it can be quite terrifying for newcomers to get into it. And traffic and the fast pace of a group ride can scare them off.

[@thegoodwheel]

Absolutely! Thanks for watching 👍🏾

[@davehollingworth5537]

Yes, glad that's Part I. It will be very interesting to see how she fares in an actual group ride scenario. Good luck.

[@itsok2023]

6:42 phenomenal video and enjoy your content. Beginners were always taught by master riders in clubs city wide. Until master riders got so jacked on racing master stuff, they forgot about the “giving back” culture of cycling. Thank you for continuing the good service.

[@daviddjerassi]

A Real tutorial no BS how to corner moving the center of gravity how to look behind encouraging a rider you keep up with a pace line all this equals a good and patient teacher Wishing you Luis and your Family a very happy Christmas and a safe new year love all your videos thank you David.

[@prince3121]

This was a great video. It explained alot about the clipping in and out situation. When I started riding with clip pedals, I did not practice enough, so ended up injuring myself on my first ride. Tore my right ankle ligaments, without even knowing it, because I did not push off while clipping in. Learnt a very valuable lesson! So, your advice about not panicking when not clipping in first attempt is really good advice. As soon as you panic it will end up badly!

[@yisraels4555]

Good work looking out for a new rider! I think it is important to learn how to clip in and out on both feet. Sometimes just no choice... But also important to reminder any new rider that we all have fallen it just happens and you just get up and keep going. I have been riding with a newish group were our experience ranges from oldies like me (40 years on road bikes) to just bought a bike 3 months ago and a 2 guys on electric assisted bikes. Hey if that's what they need to get up the hills, good for them getting out on the road and doing most of the work. By the way my local bike shop had a few loaners for people just getting started. Two of our riders were using loaners and when they decided to commit guess who got the sale. Good business.

[@newoldsteel]

oh yea that pedal strike aint no joke if no one teaches you that! Also, coaching to unclip leading up to a stop and not forgetting about it until it's too late is another thing that I'm happy you were teaching because tipping in the middle of the road is scary! ultimately riding along and working on bike fit is an amazing idea with a newer rider because getting a bike fit to me, never worked because being out on the road felt different and no bike fitter is riding along with you. Yes follow up is needed!

[@CourtBowman]

This is the first video I’ve seen from your channel, and I really enjoyed it! I wish I had someone to force me to push my pace, may be a good reason for me to try a group ride.

[@fionaslife]

She did really well. Yes pls follow up. I remember when I first started cycling and the lorries and buses passing by was a bit scary. But you're right, remain calm and confident

[@mvp_kryptonite]

Ah nice! Good on her! 2:22 I would recommend to lower the saddle, shorter cranks and shorter reach as her legs look extended! This is where ‘bike fit James’ comes in although she already has the bike 1st Follow-up would be great!

[@coffeytnmilk]

Great commentary and helps for new cyclists. Also very encouraging coaching Luis. Nice work

[@thegoodwheel]

Thank you very much!

[@RuffdraftVisuals]

Wonderful video here!!

[@MalcomJones]

Really like this kind of video. I’m 6 months into cycling and I haven’t joined a group ride yet. In NYC so just been doing my own thing around the city. Will need to join a group ride in the new year though because I signed up for Gran Fondo 😅😬

[@thegoodwheel]

Oh nice! Gran Fondo is definitely a great undertaking. Best of luck to you 👍🏾

[@MalcomJones]

@@thegoodwheel it’s the world championship here in NYC so a good bit of climbs. I’m a bigger rider, so it’s going to be a nice challenge. Thanks!

[@bb-r5710]

Totally awesome. Love the sharing and tips❤ Merry Christmas 🎊🎁. Yes, a follow up would be great 😊

[@theunfinishedarticle]

Lovely episode. Tough love, but from the heart! 🙂 She’s lucky to have a generous guide… & to have decent weather to cycle in… 35-45F here atm! 🥶🤧

[@anthonycattouse1841]

Happy holidays my friend

[@evsta100]

Awesome trainingn bro great stuff all day long....................

[@godofgreen7807]

Nice vid Lu! My only suggestions would be to gear up when coming to a stop light/sign to make it easier to pedal off and maybe she could half/quarter unclip before a full unclip just to make sure she doesn’t forget. Also let her know that’s it’s a 99% chance she’s going to forget to unclip and go down 😂

[@thegoodwheel]

Wise words! Thanks, Kofi... wait till you see part 2

[@lenkomsa1399]

Love to see follow up video

[@savagepro9060]

New series: Training Wheels!

[@chriswarlin6758]

Another GREAT informative video Bro! Would love to see a follow-up. Happy Holidays.

[@benzojay903]

This is great, thanks for sharing! I ride for fun, but my main goal for 2025 is to join a group ride. I currently have a Surly Midnight Special and plan to make a few minor modifications to it to make it more “road-ready” (if that’s the right term). As a newbie, I’ll definitely be seeking some help to prepare for group rides.

[@andrerodriguez7603]

The thing all new riders do that I always forget about is; they for some reason all do brake checks out of the blue. Just always scares the crap out of me, because I’m usually right behind them to check what gears they are in and give them advice on the proper gears to be in. They always tend to be in gears that are to big, especially when they start up from a red light. There is so much to learn as a new rider. May I suggest when she asked you about standing up and pedaling. I would have said not to stand up in a pack when going up slight hills, or to increase speed. Only going up very steep hills, there it’s kind of expected. As we know in a tight pack, standing up to pedal shifts the bike backwards about half a wheel length. This can cause a crash if a rider is not drafting behind you correctly. I always see new riders doing this, even stop pedaling after standing up, and coasting, before they sit back down. 😮 This is a disaster and gets you yelled at. Another big issue is grabbing on the brakes. This is probably the hardest thing to not do in a pack, but is a skill that must be mastered. I can think of so many little things I’ve learned over decades of riding. It takes time. Everything should be done smoothly. Anyway keep up the good work, in my day I helped allot of new riders. I taught them what I learned from others. I’m still learning, and I’m 68 years old. I started bike racing when I was twenty, back in 1976. 😮 After watching the video again. When she was in front of you, it looks like her hips are moving to much. Looks like her seat is just a little to high. I would adjust it a little lower. The bike looks a little to large also, never mind that. It looks fine. At the end she was going slower because I feel she was in to big of a gear. Yes, definitely a follow up video on her experience with her first group ride. This will benefit a lot of new riders watching. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@charlesgray1627]

Love to see follow up

[@rigotamayo4476]

Excelente, muy bueno, me tomo ideas de Luis y su enseñanza, nunca hice bici en Grupo, pero no sería mala idea, divertimento a full!!!

[@thegoodwheel]

Gracias Rigo. Estoy agradesido🙏🏾

[@marianaranjo8156]

Very good tutorial

[@savagepro9060]

Digestible 15-minutes videos, which some other people, no names, would present in over an hour! Wow!

[@joergniermann7600]

Love the video and how you help her becoming a better cyclist. Regarding the bike fit, I agree that her saddle is too high - her knee is literally flicking at BDC. At the same time you might want to suggest shorter cranks.

[@hoshaiYAH18]

Would love to hear more about how she felt about clipping in. As a person who just started ridding 6 months ago myself I'm thinking about buying clipless pedals but like most I have my concerns. By the way your videos on starting on clipless peals was very helpful.

[@chris2ao]

great training ride coach.

[@Whoadayson]

One day your gonna be weezing as she out paces you, but thats a good feeling as a teacher, I imagine!

[@Mykelridesbykes]

Please do a follow up. She did great. And yes her saddle needs to come down

[@dariusvick1636]

Would love to see a follow-up post group ride.

[@chinaskibukowski7747]

It may be just me but the length of her stem looks a little long for her, her arms look fully straight when riding in the saddle making her weight a little more forward-centric. You always want a little slack in the arms to alleviate pressure on the ulnar nerve, shift the weight more towards the saddle and a more manageable steering experience. Has she had a fitting? If not 100% should. Just my 2 cents for what it's worth. Great video!

[@Omnis2]

Probably would look at shorter cranks or moving the seat down a cm. Pedal's dragging the foot into plantar flexion at the bottom of the stroke, but her knees look quite high at the top too.

[@jayobannon5359]

I always do 4 to 5 miles before I meet up for the group ride, because of that balls to the wall from the start.

[@dengar1313]

MBO...like all quality cycling apparel, is expensive. Not as bad as MAAP though.

[@thegoodwheel]

Yes! It is just the way the industry is right now. Thanks for watching 👍🏾

[@LouieBaLLz]

Maybe it's camera angle or me, but her saddle seems a tad high. She appears to be tip toe peddling and her hips sway from side to side a bit.

[@bigjell4784]

Blessings to you. If you could so kindly, can you tell me what size the tires are on your bike please? 32s maybe?

[@shinobusensui9395]

should i be able to backpedal on a bike? a few times my chain fell off the crank.

[@05ALT]

Pinarello must be a very popular brand in your area?

[@cjfetters]

thinking about getting an MBO kit now! Great video and channel. I watch every video

[@rabbmorgan5322]

Is 19 - 21 mph really a C ride?

[@thegoodwheel]

A bit of a recent trend here in South Florida. The C groups move.

[@hutchy_4297]

remember there's no climbs there, so if you're in a place like me with rolling hills the same group might be 16-17mph

[@Omnis2]

For that Saturday ride he's talking about, it's more like 18-24. Same speed as B-group but less surging out of corners.

[@1a2b3c4.]

Oops I forgot. Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad.

[@thegoodwheel]

Haha. Merry Christmas!

[@barryw9473]

Nice bike for a newbie.

[@thegoodwheel]

Yeah, I was impressed when I first met her.👍🏾

[@shinobusensui9395]

that bike is too nice not to have a cadence/speed sensor and bike computer. Its like having a corvette with some kumho tires

[@bonbonflippers4298]

Thats your definition of a newbie? Shes pushing 19-22mph and rides a pinarello lol😮

[@thegoodwheel]

Brenda is definitely unusual. She is strong out the gate😂😂

[@andypopolo2415]

Here is Chicago with our Saturday group, we always help new riders that show up. We keep them with the group, or one of us will stay behind and pull them back or ride with them to the halfway point. I'm coming to Florida tomorrow for two weeks over the holidays. I ride with the Sunset riders when I'm down there and hopefully get a chance to meet you or see you on the road. Keep up the good work.👍

[@cesarrodriguez2043]

Welcome to South Florida, we are different lol

[@54andBored]

Groups 😵‍💫

[@Nanajo3ana]

Great video ,i have a question,i just started clipping in ,is it ok to look down at the pedals when clipoing in ?

[@starwilkinson8020]

One thing that I always stress to do by example is hand signals. Nothing is more frustrating than hitting a pothole/ hazard at speed that wasn't pointed out. I find that type of behavior selfish and irresponsible at best.

[@lMcFlyyl]

If you don’t want to unclip just trackstand

[@HunterAtheist]

I'm looking at your cadence compared to hers. Spin to win!

[@thegoodwheel]

Thanks for watching 👍🏾

[@roxic1212]

Follow up please!

[@Whoadayson]

If only they made long stretches of road that were cyclists only. I just cant trust drivers esp now we are throroughly in the era of the smartphone and ppls inability to detach. I love the Varia and vibrating watch or head unit but still...

[@irvingabbott6]

if its not on strava it didn't happen.

[@bennyvargas539]

She needs a proper bike fit. Shes overextending her pedal stroke.