You don’t Have to Be the Fastest Rider to Lead the Group

When people picture a group ride, they usually imagine the leader pulling at the front. Setting the pace. Cutting the wind. Hammering away while everyone else hangs on for dear life. 

But the longer you ride, and the longer you lead, you realize that’s not always where the real leadership is happening. 

Some of the best ride leaders I’ve seen weren’t the fastest. They weren’t even at the front most of the time. They were mid-pack, floating. Or sweeping the back, making sure no one got dropped. Calling out potholes. Offering a spare tube. Saying, “You good?” when someone looked like they were about to blow.

That’s leadership, too

There’s a myth in both sport and work that the leader is supposed to be the strongest. The fastest. The most dominant force. And yeah, sure, sometimes the situation calls for someone to pull. But other times, leadership means watching the group and adjusting. Slowing down when someone’s hurting. Speaking up when someone’s too gassed to advocate for themselves. Setting a tone that says, “We’re doing this together.”

I’ve ridden with people who could crush me without breaking a sweat, but they couldn’t lead a group to save their lives. No awareness. No communication. Just tunnel vision and watts. And I’ve led rides where I was out of shape, fighting just to stay on, but still managed to guide the group because I knew what people needed. 

It’s not about being in front.
It’s about being in tune.

If you coach athletes, train workers, GM players, or even just try to keep your family calendar from collapsing under its own weight, you’ve felt this. Leadership isn’t about outperforming everyone. It’s about knowing when to push, when to wait, and when to say, “Let’s stop for a second and make sure we’re all still here.” 

The best ride leaders know this.
The best coaches live it.
And the best leaders don’t always look like leaders from the outside. 

But ask anyone who was on that ride, who didn’t get dropped, who found their rhythm, who felt like they belonged, and they’ll tell you who was really in charge.