Here is an article I wrote last year for this group. When the
day of the double came, I was amazed at how fast the group
formed a pace line. We kept that line for most of the ride,
and it really helped keep a fast pace, and saved a bunch of
energy.

Average Speed

When trying to figure out who to ride with on the double
century, it is important to know what pace and average speed
the other riders will be keeping. The double century is by
it's very nature, an individual event. You have to pace
yourself so you can complete it. The pace has to be fast
enough that you complete it, yet not too fast that you burn
yourself out too early.

The best indicator of whether you can ride with someone or
not, is your average speed, or pace. I compute average speed
while riding, or in other words, how fast are you traveling
while on the bike. Most cycling computers now give your
average speed while riding. This figure does not include
stops. Depending on the computer, it may not include time
waiting at traffic lights. It certainly does not include food
stops or even bathroom stops along the way.

Don't confuse average speed with a cruising speed on flat
terrain. A strong group of riders maybe averaging 18 mph, but
on the flats, you can be sure they are well above that pace,
and probably riding 23-25 mph for short stretches, or 20+ mph
for long distances. The average speed of the riders is pulled
down by hills and regrouping if they get separated.

It is also important to realize, that small differences in
average pace, like the difference between 18.3 and 18.0, means
the slower rider will be almost 3 minutes back after 50 miles.
Since we have our first stop at 60 miles, the chances are you
will not be riding with someone who is just a bit slower or
faster than you are, unless you make an effort to stay
together and ride at the same pace.

To figure out your average speed you can complete a double
century at, you should take into account your average speeds
for recent rides you have completed. You always end up
starting out fast and slowing down as the ride wears on.
Terrain also makes a big difference in the average speed of a
ride. For this double century, I thing a good guess of what
pace you will be able to keep for the entire ride would be 2
mph below the fastest pace you have ever ridden for a 50 or 60
mile ride.

Drafting

It has been shown that drafting reduces the amount of effort
required keep a specific speed by about 30%. The faster you
go, the more drafting helps. Air resistance is not linear, but
rather it becomes progressively harder the faster you go. This
is why it takes more effort to go from an average speed of 18
to 20 miles per hour, than from 10 to 12 mph.

Drafting is an easy thing to do, and can be learned quickly.
The most important thing in effective drafting is to be
between 6 to 12 inches behind the wheel in front of you. Pick
a gear that allows you to keep pedaling at comfortable
cadence. If you find yourself coasting a lot, then shift to a
lower gear and continue to pedal. If you are pedaling too
fast, shift to a higher gear. This will become more important
in when you are in a pace line.

While you are 6-12 inches behind the wheel in front of you,
keep an eye out for signals and clues from the rider in front
of you for changes in speed. A up shift (to a higher and
harder gear) means they are speeding up, while a down shift
means they are slowing down. Also notice the rear brake.
Braking indicates slowing down. The rider in front of you may
also give you hand signals and vocal signals. Try to pass
these on to the riders behind you.

When you first start drafting, you will want to keep a close
eye on the tire in front of you. To avoid monotony, try
alternating looking at the tire, rear cogs and the rear brake.
When you get more experience drafting, then you can start to
look at the road coming up. The pros actually can judge the
distance to the next wheel by looking at the jersey of the
rider in front of them.

Do not hit the tire in front of you, or you will stand a good
chance of being thrown from your bike. The rider in front of
you will be fine, but you will probably be on the ground. This
is not to say touching wheels happens a lot, but it can and
you should make sure you avoid it. If you find yourself coming
up too quickly on the wheel, stop pedaling, hit your brakes
lightly, or simply move to one side to catch more wind. The
best way to avoid hitting the wheel in front of you is too
always stay behind it. It is often tempting to overlap wheels
on one side or the other, especially if you end up coasting a
lot. The problem with overlapping wheels, is you can never be
too sure that rider in front will not swerve or pull over to
one side quickly. If this happens, and you are overlapping the
wheel, you may hit the wheel and end up on the pavement.

If someone is drafting you, you have several responsibilities.
The first one is to keep a consistent pace. Do not slow down,
or accelerate quickly. Choose a good line and steer clear of
holes and road obstructions. Point out holes and bumps in the
road that other riders have a chance of hitting. My favorite
technique is to point to them with your hand. Announce when
you plan to stop or turn as soon as you know. I generally
announce a stop, signal with my hand, then change to an
upright position, and then finally start to coast. If a faster
stop is required, I also look around before I hit the brakes.
In an emergency stop, it is best to yell as loud as you can
what the problem is, and that you are stopping, for example
"STOPPING, CAR DOOR UP." At that point, it is every person for
themselves.

Pace Lines

Pace lines are simply a way to share the work of breaking the
wind while everyone is drafting in one line. Double pace lines
require 10-12+ people, and are not in the scope of this
discussion. While you are drafting people, the person who is
doing most of the work is in the front. In order to let that
person rest, you need to form a pace line. This involved 3 or
more people drafting each other. The person in the front is
setting the pace and deciding where to go. They should try to
keep a consistent pace, with gradual acceleration if needed,
and should choose a line in the road that avoids holes, bumps
and other obstructions.

After 30 seconds or so, depending on the speed of the group,
terrain and other factors, the person in front of the line
rotates to the back of the line. Pace lines generally rotate
to the left. That means the person in front falls back to the
left side of the line. Before you fall back, look around to
make sure the person behind you is in the correct position and
not overlapping your wheel. Sit up and pull to the left and
coast. The rider in back will then know not to follow your
wheel, and will become the new line leader.

While falling back, keep pedaling, but not as fast. As the end
of the line approaches, speed up your pedaling so you can slip
in behind the last person. If you pulled for too long, you may
be too tired to catch the wheel of the line and be dropped. It
is important to regain the draft of the line and to take a
rest before it is your time to be in front and pull.

If you are the second person in line, make sure you know when
the front rider is done pulling and don't follow them, as you
would for a road correction, like to avoid a pothole. Let the
rider fall back and you take the lead. Try to continue at the
same pace. You will now have to work harder, but don't just
jump out, or the rider behind you will lose your wheel and the
advantages of the draft. Ride at the front of the line for a
reasonable time. Do not hog the front of the line. If you
notice it is becoming harder to keep the same speed, and you
have been at the front for 20 to 30 seconds, it is time to
pull off and let someone else pull for a while. Generally, the
longer the line, the shorter the pull, the faster the speed.