[ExtraJ]

When I ride I usually like to be in the front of the pack. In the twisties it helps me focus more on the road and my lines as opposed to what the rider in front of me is doing, and around town it lets me set the pace, where I think I have a good idea of where you can go fast and where you can't.

I usually just ride with one other person, and we take turns leading depending on who knows the road, what mood we're in, etc.
Whenever we ride with an inexperienced/slower rider we usually take up the front and rear and let the slower riders ride in the middle. This lets us get a good feel for their pace and skill level, and they can learn off the rider in front and get tips from the rider behind them.

Where do yall like to ride in the group?

 

[CasterTroy]

Generally, I don't ride with folks I don't know.....if I HAPPEN to do so, I stay WAY in the back to observe who the idiots of the group are, but never lead or try to be anywhere near the front.

With riders I know well and trust however:

On aggressive rides thru hard core twisties.......If I'm the fastest in the group....I end up "pushing" those in front of me....especially when I get that tunnel vision and into a set groove....so I end up passing everyone and in my own world where I end up BEING the leader.

If I'm NOT the fastest, I try to set myself up behind someone who's either a little better, or knows the road a little more and stay behind them.


Generally though I ride on roads I know, and end UP leading on group rides by default....not because I HAVE to, or because I insist......quite the contrary I'd RATHER follow mindlessly and not have to set a pace. Everyone just generally waits for someone to GO...and I ain't one to sit around with my thumb up my ass waiting for a decision to be made.


If it's just a leisure ride, I make Brian lead so I don't have to "Think" and can just "follow" enjoying the ride and views of the blue ridge :banana

 

[hozhead]

I've been leading lately because I've been the one to initiate some of the rides and its generally on a road I've ridden recently and the others haven't.

I PREFER to be in the back. I like to have some space between myself and other riders for several reasons:
1) The person in front of me needs room to slow down for obstacles without worrying about me riding up his tail pipe.
2) I need room to slow down without worrying about someone riding up my tail pipe.
3) I'm new enough that just don't feel comfortable with only 5' to 10' between riders unless we're putting around town.

If I don't ride in the back, I just don't get the space I want.
It also sucks to lead the pack and be trying to leave space behind cagers on the road and to then have riders pass me (thinking I'm too slow) just as we got to a place where I would have passed anyway.

 

[ThumpDaddy]

I like to be in the middle or back. It seems to be that I'm always the guy with the least amount of riding experience, so I like to ride either in the middle so later on the more experienced guys can give me some tips on what I need to do or the back so I don't have to try and push myself to go over my limits if that situation happens. I usually keep up alright as long as I know the road. But if I don't know the road then I tend to drift a little farther back, but not too far as to I can't see the guys in front of me. I'll probably get in front one day as my riding gets better, but right now, I like the middle or the back.

 

[Swarol]

I don't really make a conscious decision about it, unless I'm leading people somewhere only I know how to get to. The rest of the time I ride at my pace and people either follow me, or end up in front of me.

 

[21 natas]

depends on who I am riding with, but I prefer in the front or the back and really don't care for the middle.

 

[Rascus]

I prefer the back. I can watch the group from back there...i can easily back off and give myself a gap if I need be. I don't want the front or middle because I don't like having someone on my tail and feel of being "forced" to go faster.

 

[Truck]

Back, I can set my own pace and feel like I won't dampen anyone else's ride. I ride with some crazy fuckers sometimes, and I'm not crazy.

 

[yellowsv1]

i like to be in the middle when riding in groups because you can see how the person in front of you is riding which may help give you some ideas that could improve your riding and the people behind you can see how you are riding and maybe them watching you could give them some pointers and make them a better rider, but another advantage of riding in the middle is that with people behind you they can see mistakes that you may be making and after you are done riding they can tell you so that you will not make those mistakes nearly as often in the future when you are ridning.

 

[PJFZ1]

It varies so much with the group, roads, situation... I tend to lead, but if I don't check out on the group, I keep one eye on the mirrors and watch for people riding over thier heads, which will either make me slow and wave them past, or just slow the pace till I can see that they're comfortable.
If there are jackasses in the group, I'll sometimes go to trailing (but I hate it) or I'll just leave the group politely.