RR Thurs Tweener Ride– What's the Goal?

Tweener isn't necessarily a slower ride. It's an opportunity to ride UP with stronger riders, challenge yourself, and get stronger!

Tweener is optional! If you'd prefer to ride with your regular Group 2 or 3, that's perfectly fine. For those who want to give Tweener a try, we'll organize mixed groups with 2–4 Group 1 riders in each to lead and share the pulls, depending on turnout.

The goal of the Tweener ride is to mix our riding groups rather than have Group 1, 2, and 3 ride separately.

Tweener serves two different purposes:

• For Group 1: A recovery-oriented ride with controlled, steady efforts while helping other riders get stronger.

• For Group 2 & 3: An opportunity to push yourself, ride with stronger cyclists, and benefit from drafting at higher speeds.

The goal is to ride faster and more efficiently as a group.

The Role of Group 1 – Pull Smooth!

Group 1 riders do the pulling, rotating at the front and sharing the workload. The goal isn't to show how strong you are. It's to keep the group together while maintaining a smooth, efficient pace.

Smooth is fast!

• Flats and slight downhills: This is where you can increase speed. Riders behind benefit the most from drafting.

• Short climbs: Do NOT surge or spike your power. Try to maintain roughly the same watts as on the flats, or increase just slightly. Surging on hills creates gaps and burns unnecessary energy.

• Over the crest: Keep pedaling and smoothly increase power as the road flattens or descends. Don't hammer up the hill and then coast or wait at the top. Do the opposite!

• Share the work: Rotate pulls with other Group 1s, so no one rider does all the work.

For Group 1, this should be a relatively easy, controlled ride. You don't need to push big watts to make the group go fast. In fact, the smoother you ride, the faster and more efficiently the entire group can move.

The Role of Group 2 & 3 – Challenge Yourself!

Tweener is your opportunity to ride with stronger cyclists and push yourself.

By sitting in the draft behind Group 1, you may be able to average 1.5–2 mph faster while using less power than you would riding with your usual group and taking your own pulls.

This doesn't mean the ride will feel easy! It should be a challenging effort, but the drafting advantage allows you to maintain speeds you might not otherwise be able to sustain.

That's how you get stronger!

Communication Is Everyone's Responsibility

The riders pulling at the front can't always see what's happening behind them.

If you're struggling or a gap starts opening, yell "GAP!" Riders should pass that message up the paceline immediately so the leaders can adjust.

Don't quietly fall off the back and expect the pullers to notice. Once you lose the draft, you'll have to work significantly harder to maintain the same speed or catch back on, burning unnecessary energy and making the rest of the ride more difficult for you. Communicate early, before a small gap becomes a big one! Keeping the group together is everyone's responsibility.

A Faster Average Speed Means Tweener Is Working!

Group 2 and 3 riders will finish a Tweener ride with a faster average speed than usual... and that's exactly the point!

Tweener isn't defined by a particular average speed. It's defined by how we ride together. When riders achieve higher speeds through smooth Group 1 pulls and efficient drafting, that's a successful Tweener ride!

The Bottom Line

Tweener is about teamwork, efficiency, and helping each other become stronger riders. It's a recovery-oriented ride for Group 1, a challenging ride for Group 2 and 3, and an opportunity for everyone to ride together.

Ride together. Pull smooth. Communicate. Get stronger.