Hi,
I just checked the NYCC site for the chart--I've seen it on the site before, perhaps around the start of SIG season--that gives three-lap times and group (A,B, or C) suggestions/recommendations (so one doesn't aim too high or too low when jumping into a SIG). The instructions were, basically, to do three laps of Central Park at a good pace and then compare your recorded time for this distance to the times on the chart to discern with which group you'd fit properly into.
Would someone please e-mail a link or the chart to me at [email protected]?
Many thanks,
Nige
Three-Central-Park-lap times and SIGs
Thu, 05/05/2005 - 7:11am
Thu, 05/05/2005 - 7:14am
#1
Click on the rides section (nm)
Thu, 05/05/2005 - 7:45am
#2
Nigel, it's 4 laps.
Thu, 05/05/2005 - 9:24am
#3
Thanks.
"Cheers, you two. Got it now. I hadn't checked the ""Rides"" section since I figured it'd have ride listings or the ride library. Good find.
Now, of course, I've gotta head out and do one more lap so I can add it to the three I've already done! Hahaha. I know, it doesn't quite work like that. :)"
Wed, 05/11/2005 - 12:32pm
#4
times per class?
What are the MPH bands for A, B, C riders in Central Park? In other words, A riders average what speed; b riders what speed; c riders what speed?
Wed, 05/11/2005 - 12:49pm
#5
Mmm, it might be in the rides section.
"http://www.nycc.org/rides_day.shtml
A >20
B 16-20
C <16"
Wed, 05/11/2005 - 1:13pm
#6
Speed on Flats, Not Average
Note that the following speeds reflect not average speed over the course of a day's ride, but the typical speed on the flats.
A >20
B 16-20
C <16
Generally, one's average speed for a total ride of say 50 or 60 miles will be about 3 mph less than the listed speed.
For example, people on a B-17 ride that sticks to its advertised pace will have average speeds about 14 mph at the end of the day.
Wed, 05/11/2005 - 1:30pm
#7
Not sure I agree here, David. He specifically asked about the averages in Central Park.
My day rides, I usually come back with a 14.5-15.0 mph average, but I have no problem beating that by 2-3 mph in the park. No stoplights, and no proper hills and all that. [Edit: I consider myself a B18 rider]
- Christian
Wed, 05/11/2005 - 1:56pm
#8
Park Alone
Ah, the park alone...I didn't pick up on that, Christian.
For sure...in Pro Park on a lazy day, it's easy for me to average 16 mph or more...and I'm no A-19 rider.
Probably that no-stoplight-no-proper-hills condition is why the times for 4 Central Park laps help a new member find his/her niche more than the average speed, per se.
Wed, 05/11/2005 - 2:32pm
#9
If one figures an average should't it be based on RIDING TIME?
I have seen cyclometers that do just that, so breaks, stops and pitstops do not count only wheel motion versus time.
Rob
Wed, 05/11/2005 - 3:44pm
#10
Yes, pretty much all computers do that. However, there are a number of external factors that make riding in Central Park much faster than riding in the real world:
1) Climbs slow you down. A total lack of hills in CP increases the average significantly. (Note: I don't count anything that can be crested anaerobically as a climb.)
2) You don't instantly go from a stoplight to cruising pace, nor from from cruising pace to a stop. This drags down your average on a group ride, but there are no stoplights in CP.
3) On a regular ride, you might slow down to take a 90 degree right hand turn. None of those exist on the Central Park loop.
- Christian
Wed, 05/11/2005 - 3:55pm
#11
Noted
Thu, 05/12/2005 - 8:09am
#12
There are a lot of stop lights in CP
And you should be stopping at them!! It's the rules and the law - See Richard's post for info.
Thu, 05/12/2005 - 8:21am
#13
Bonjour, mon troll ami! Don't forget to adhere to the 15mph speed limit. Mon dieu! Wait, that must mean that we can't use the park self-test at all, lest we all be classified as C riders. Whatever shall we do?
Mysterious D, your brilliant guidance is sought, svp!
- Christian
Thu, 05/12/2005 - 12:05pm
#14
Um, I don't read French
"So I'm a little unclear what ""mon troll ami"" and ""mon dieu"" mean, but I think you're mocking me. Excellent put-downs, I'm sure.
I was attempting to point out the 'spillover' effect of carrying out Mr. Rosenthal's admonition ""all should adhere to the system in place"". I apologize if my gentle nudge was perhaps a little too subtle for some.
And yes, I missed the 15mph rule, which clearly prevents the test from being taken. Again, following Richard's recommendation for us all to adhere to the rules as they are, the club should cease advocating using this test and perhaps work out a self test elsewhere.
You want my guidance? Stay out of the park if you can't follow the rules. And follow another of Richard's suggestions and call 311 to advocate a change of the rules. Hope that helps."
Thu, 05/12/2005 - 12:43pm
#15
"> I was attempting to point out the 'spillover' effect of
> carrying out Mr. Rosenthal's admonition ""all should
> adhere to the system in place"". I apologize if my
> gentle nudge was perhaps a little too subtle for some.
No, no, your admonition and exclamation points were entirely clear.
Nevertheless and despite your admonition, I think I'll continue to ride in the Park, on weekdays only, guided solely by my common sense, sense of communal decency, and Kant's second formulation of the categorical imperative.
And my point was really that it was unnecessary to sully this thread with the offal from the other one. It added nothing helpful to the description of the administration or assessment of the Central Park self-test. That's why I applied the ""troll"" moniker.
- Christian
"
Thu, 05/12/2005 - 2:42pm
#16
you under-rate CP course, particularly for new classifications
1. Have ridden 800 laps in CP the last couple years, mostly on weekday afternoons, and can count on my fingers the times I didn't have to slow down for something. Also, riding full pace in the SE corner, with one lane containing runners, walkers, bikes, etc. going both directions, and cars in the other lanes, is foolhardy.
2. CP doesn't have any real hills to require substantial climbing ability, but the course doesn't have any real flats either; i.e., it is almost all either up or down. Strong riders may not have to shift down, but most riders do anyway to save the knees.
3. Don't think I've ever done four laps in less than 1:31 (16 mph) and I'm a solid B rider on any club ride. I've completed both C-SIG and B-SIG courses--and I wasn't a B16, or a slow C group before that. (I heard that classification rides of 1:36 and faster were assigned to B18 this past SIG-- by your measure most of the B-SIG should be C riders.)
4. As for your classification breaks, haven't seen a B20 ride listed, but have seen many A18 (there is an A19 SIG after all). On the other end, there are many B15 rides, but a lot less C15.
Thu, 05/12/2005 - 2:59pm
#17
Re: 4) As I pointed out in the message above, the average speed assessments were not to be applied to club ride classifications, just to provide a reasonable grouping for Central Park 4-lap averages. As to your other points, we'll just have agree to disagree.
But I would discourage riders who are new to the club to join an A ride if they can't comfortably do 4 20 minute laps or a B ride if they can't comfortably do 4 24 minute laps. Better to start out in a slower group ride and have an easy and fun time than being shot out the back or slowing the whole group down.
I think SIGs are a different matter, since it is understood that the pace will be significantly slower in the beginning. For instance, the March 13 B18 SIG groups aim for a 16mph pace on the flats, and roughly a 13mph rolling average. The same expectation does not hold true for a July B18 ride.
- Christian
