Why do you push harder in a group?
Most of us tend to dig deeper when riding with others, and it’s actually a natural thing to do. It’s social psychology in action. Research shows that when we train alongside others, even virtually, we automatically increase our effort. This isn’t just about competition; it’s about not wanting to let the group down.
A study on the Köhler effect found that when people exercise with a slightly stronger partner, they persist 24% longer than when training alone. The reason? We’re wired to match the pace of those around us, especially when we perceive them as slightly better. Translated to cycling speech: nobody wants to be the first person to be dropped. And it’s also why platforms such as Zwift or Rouvy gained so much popularity.
Speaking from personal experience, the Köhler effect can backfire, especially if the training partner or group you join is much better than you. You push yourself into the red too often and for too long, and you can end up injured, ill or burnt out. The sweet spot is a partner or group that challenges you without overwhelming you.
How drafting reduces mental fatigue
A big part of riding in a group is drafting. Research shows that drafting isn’t just about saving watts; it’s a psychobiological hack that makes hard efforts feel easier. A recent meta-analysis of 22 studies found that drafting reduces physical strain, and also the mental burden of cycling.
Here’s what the research reveals:
Perceived exertion drops by 10,4%: Drafting makes the effort feel less gruelling. This is critical for endurance sports, where mental fatigue often limits performance before the body does.
Blood lactate levels decrease by 24,2%: Lower lactate means less discomfort and a delayed sense of fatigue, helping you stay focused and motivated.
Heart rate and VO₂ decrease: While these physiological benefits are well-known, their psychological impact is often overlooked. When your body isn’t working as hard, your brain registers the effort as more manageable, allowing you to push longer and recover faster.
Yes, the key benefit of drafting is that you need to push fewer watts to maintain the same speed, but the downstream effects on your mental state, motivation, and focus are often overlooked. It reduces the mental strain of maintaining high speeds, and it can make a given intensity feel less daunting.
Avoiding the pitfalls
The Köhler effect and drafting work together. When you’re riding with someone slightly stronger, the psychological boost of not wanting to fall behind combines with the reduced perceived effort and mental load that comes with drafting, allowing you to perform way above what you would be able to do alone.
But, as I hinted earlier, group training isn’t without risks. Here are a few to watch out for:
Over-arousal: If the group is too fast, competitive, or the ride is too intense, anxiety can hurt performance rather than help it.
Fitness mismatches: Riding with someone much stronger can lead to too much intensity in your training that you may not be able to recover from in the mid to long term.
Social inhibition and lack of skills: Some riders feel intimidated and unsafe in large groups. If this is you, start with smaller, supportive groups.
Riding with others isn’t just about camaraderie; it’s a way to improve as a cyclist if you do it right. By leveraging the psychological push of social facilitation and the physiological benefits of drafting, you can train longer and harder than you would alone.