This is not GStwin specific in any way.  This is a general question. 

I personally am OK up to about 4 bikes, but after that I just don't care for it.  Too much groupthink going on, too many different styles of riding, too many personalities.  This is my list of group riders I have had to deal with before I gave up on them:

The Ball and Chain:  The rider that laggs way back no matter how slow the group rides -even if the group is going 50 in a 75 that person still hangs 1/4 mile back making the other riders watch their mirrors to make sure he doesn't drop out of site.

The Squid:  The show off who has to show the group that he/she has mad skills by snapping wheelies at every opportunity, thus making the whole group more cop attractive.

The Speed demon:  The person who shows the group that he/she is fearless by going 120 in school zones.

The "I don't care about the group:"  The rider who passes right before curves so the rest of the group is forced to try to pass on corners or fall way behind.

The Inexperienced Chick:  The poser chick who has a nice bike and can't take a corner without going 5 mph -forcing anybody behind her to try not to run into her when diving into a turn. (can be a male)

The Gas Stopper:  The person who has to stop at every gas station along the ride to tip off the tank and pee.  This rider turns a 3 hour ride into an 8 hour ride.

The Yellow Runner:  The rider who anticipates the yellow and speeds up to beat it while leaving the rest of the group behind.

The Lane Sharer:  No matter what you do he/she wants to share the lane with you -leaving you with only one out instead of two.  Even after asking the rider to not share the lane they keep doing it.

The Cheapo:  The rider who is too cheap to maintain his/her bike.  You are always wondering when the bike will break down and you're constantly checking your mirrors waiting for a big plume of smoke and the bike pulling over.

The Knee Dragger Wanabe:  The guy who takes the most screwed up lines on the corners while leaning way off the bike trying to touch his knee on the pavement.  This rider throws off your timing horribly.

The FTP:  The rider who gives the finger to every cop car that passes by the other way.  He thinks he's tough, but usually ends up getting you in trouble and a speeding ticket.

The Unlicensed:  The rider who never says he doesn't have a license (or insurance) until the group gets pulled over, thus making the cop pissed off and more willing to ticket the whole group.

The Racer:  The rider who club races and knows he is more skilled than the group.  This rider makes sure that the rest know that he's fast by setting a pace far over the group level -this rider is the first to remind those who crash that they rode over their level and offers cornering tips after the crash.

The Human Map:  The rider who always tries to tell the group he knows "the way" or a "short cut."  This person ends up getting the group lost at every opportunity.

The Alcoholic:  The rider who quietly shoots down beers at every gas stop (see the gas stopper).  Half the group doesn't even notice.  This rider ends up weaving in the lane while trying to share it with you (see lane sharer) or becomes a ball and chain.

NEW ADDITIONS FROM MEMBERS:

The Wooble & Weebles: A rider who as soon as the road gets straight, they're gone at mach 2. But, let the curves, off-cambers and decreasing radii begin and they wooble, weave, and often have to put their foot down. They give new meaning to the term "hot shoe." You can sometimes reel them in with a bike half their displacement.

The Non-staggerer: This is the rider that, in a group, will ride directly behind the bike in front of them instead of staggering. Which would, of course, allow them greater visibility of the road in front of them, thus more reaction time. This forces you to constantly perform gymnastics to keep track of them in your mirror.
---------
Well that's my list.  I have ridden with every type I described.  I bet this list will make it's way through the web and nobody will know I made it

QuoteThe Gas Stopper:  The person who has to stop at every gas station along the ride to tip off the tank and pee.  This rider turns a 3 hour ride into an 8 hour ride.

But...     I have a small bladder... 

QuoteThe Lane Sharer:  No matter what you do he/she wants to share the lane with you -leaving you with only one out instead of two.  Even after asking the rider to not share the lane they keep doing it.

Hey... I stop when people ask.     Ok...  I don't share much, but I tend to get too close to doing it.

when i start riding i hope to never be any type of rider on that list.

i'm a loner, seldom ever ride in groups partly because of that list

Quote from: john on February 16, 2006, 02:54:38 PM
The Inexperienced Chick:  The poser chick who has a nice bike and can't take a corner without going 5 mph -forcing anybody behind her to try not to run into her when diving into a turn. (can be a male)

I take corners at 10MPH, dammit!    But I do have a nice bike, and a *$ card for when it's time to go pose!   


(And we seldom ride in groups bigger than 6 or 7....)

I usually ride in groups of 3~4 bikes...if I'm group riding.

I never navigate, I don't like being the one leading the group.  The person in front of me I always refer to as teh navigator.

There's a guy that we ride with every year that is basically your definition of a tag-a-long, but he doesn't hold us up.  He's a good rider and hangs close enough that we can see him, but tries to hang back to give himself plenty of reaction time.

How 'bout "wooble & weebles"?
You've seen these guyz. As soon as the road gets straight, they're gone at mach 2. But, let the curves, off-cambers and decreasing radii begin and they wooble, weave and sometimes even put their foot down through the corners. They give new meaning to the term "hot shoe" If there's enough twisty bits, you can sometimes reel them in with a bike half their displacement.

How 'bout "wooble & weebles"?
You've seen these guyz. As soon as the road gets straight, they're gone at mach 2. But, let the curves, off-cambers and decreasing radii begin and they wooble, weave and sometimes even put their foot down through the corners. They give new meaning to the term "hot shoe" If there's enough twisty bits, you can sometimes reel them in with a bike half their displacement.

I'm just the new guy.  I've only been on one group ride, and I've already been guilty of a couple of these, and ridden with a couple of these.  We had the club racer leading the group, and a ball and chain behind us.  Except the ball and chain didn't go any slower, he just hung back, which was good for me, since I was always behind the main group, but in front of him.  It was nice to have someone who's "got my back."  And for sure I was the guy going too slow through the corners and then gunning it on the straight away.  But that's only 'cause I'm not super comfortable on the bike in corners yet, so I needed to speed up through the straightaways just to make up for distance lost in the corners.

Here's a suggestion from a Phoenix rider forum..

The non-staggerer: This is the rider that, in a group, will ride directly behind the bike in front of them instead of staggering. Which would, of course, allow them greater visibility of the road in front of them, thus more reaction time.  This forces you to constantly perform gymnastics to keep track of them in your mirror.

Quote from: john on February 16, 2006, 04:15:16 PM
Here's a suggestion from a Phoenix rider forum..
The non-staggerer: This is the rider that, in a group, will ride directly behind the bike in front of them instead of staggering. Which would, of course, allow them greater visibility of the road in front of them, thus more reaction time.  This forces you to constantly perform gymnastics to keep track of them in your mirror.

Ugh.....good addition...I've ridden behind the non-staggerer....left...right...left...right...try following this one! 

Another addition from another board I frequent:

The Old Skooler - This rider loves to bring his vintage bike on rides but feels he has to prove his bike's worth, dragging hard parts in the corners and making excuses for not keeping up on the straights.

Quote from: john on February 16, 2006, 05:02:06 PM
Another addition from another board I frequent:

The Old Skooler - This rider loves to bring his vintage bike on rides but feels he has to prove his bike's worth, dragging hard parts in the corners and making excuses for not keeping up on the straights.

That's me . I don't drag hard parts, but I can keep up in most of the corners. I just get passed up in the straights and my exuse usually involves the phrase "40 horsepower" when people ask me why I can't keep up when they hit the highways.

I thought this was you, Alpha:

Quote from: john on February 16, 2006, 02:54:38 PM
The Knee Dragger Wanabe:  The guy who takes the most screwed up lines on the corners while leaning way off the bike trying to touch his knee on the pavement.  This rider throws off your timing horribly.

Quote from: aaronstj on February 16, 2006, 07:06:50 PM
I thought this was you, Alpha:

Quote from: john on February 16, 2006, 02:54:38 PM
The Knee Dragger Wanabe:  The guy who takes the most screwed up lines on the corners while leaning way off the bike trying to touch his knee on the pavement.  This rider throws off your timing horribly.

Only when I sneeze.

Another one:

The Non-Shower-upper: Claims to enjoy riding but has a readily available excuse why he/she couldn't make the ride. Rain, fog, sun, heat, bugs, laundry, bike failure, hungover, "woman problems."

How could I have forgotten this one!

QuoteThe Non-Shower-upper: Claims to enjoy riding but has a readily available excuse why he/she couldn't make the ride. Rain, fog, sun, heat, bugs, laundry, bike failure, hungover, "woman problems", "mommy said I couldn't go", etc.

Just trying to help Alpha fit in a little more

Unfortunately I've never been on a group ride.  Not counting my dad, I only know three people who ride, and one of them is too young to be mature enough.  I don't think I even wanna ride with him.

Hahahaha. Ouch. First it was "Imitate Alpha Week", now it's "Take a Stab at Alpha Week". What's next, "Lay Vicious Spider Eggs In Alpha's Brain Week"?

  It was an open door...

By the way...spider eggs aren't vicious.  It's when they hatch...