Hank heads north to catch up with an old friend and former teammate, Russ Downing. Russ takes him through the legendary Donny ChainGang group rideโAKA one of the most famous bunch rides in the worldโand explains how the group began. With Ineos Grenadiers riders like Connor Swift joining in, Hank knows the pace will be intense. But is this truly the fastest group ride in the world? And, most importantly, can Hank keep up, or will he get dropped? ๐ฎโ๐จ
โฑ๏ธ Timestamps: โฑ๏ธ
00:00 Is this the world’s fastest group ride?
00:31 The Donny ChainGang
02:52 Atmosphere before the ride
04:30 Here we go! ๐ดโโ๏ธ
05:05 How did you keep the Donny ChainGang going during Covid?
06:00 What makes this group ride so special
09:58 Phase 2 of the ride
11:02 Getting closer to the finish line!
12:43 Catching up with Russ
14:12 How did the Donny ChainGang start?
15:10 How many World Tour riders turn up?
16:00 Russ’ time as a pro
17:34 How important are club rides for cycling?
18:50 What’s the future of Donny ChainGang?
19:33 Is Donny ChainGang the hardest group ride in the world?
20:41 Conclusion
Useful Links:
Join this channel to get access to perks ๐
https://gcn.eu/JoinYTmemberships
Subscribe so you donโt miss a thing! ๐ https://gcn.eu/subscribe
Insurance: Viewers in the USA and UK can explore GCN Insurance products ๐ https://gcn.eu/GCNinsurance
Sign Up To The GCN Newsletter ๐ https://gcn.eu/Newsletter
GCN Uploader ๐ https://gcn.eu/gcnuploader
Visit the GCN Shop ๐ https://gcn.eu/gcnshop
GCN WhatsApp Channel ๐ https://gcn.eu/GCNwhatsapp
GCN Instagram Broadcast Channel ๐ https://gcn.eu/instagrambroadcast
Join the GCN Club on Zwift and ride with us! ๐ https://gcn.eu/GCNClubRides
Would you love to ride with Donny ChainGang? ๐
Watch more on GCN…
๐น How I Got To 5W/kg | Ollieโs Cycling Performance Secrets! ๐ https://youtu.be/NDY8-lcEIHI?si=bFB0eHRXaX-3_oAU
๐น Watch our Editorโs Choice Playlist ๐ https://gcn.eu/editorschoice
๐น Or why not check out our Features Playlist ๐ โโhttps://gcn.eu/gcnfeatures
๐ต Music – licensed by Epidemic Sound ๐ต
Time Is Fading – Squiid
Dusty Pink – Twelwe
Torpedo – Tigerblood Jewel
San Pedro – Sugoi
#gcn #cycling #roadcycling #roadbike #bike #bikes #bikelife #clubride #cyclingclub #donnychaingang #bunchride #groupride
๐ธ Photos – ยฉ Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images & ยฉ Sirotti Images
The Global Cycling Network (GCN) is the largest online cycling channel in the world, bringing together a global community of road cyclists to celebrate everything thatโs great about the world of cycling.
Our videos bring fans compelling daily content including expert tutorials, techniques, training, racing, cutting-edge bike tech, unparalleled behind the scenes event coverage, humour, entertainment, and more.
Presented by ex-pro riders, GCN offers a uniquely qualified insight into the world of cycling, and most importantly itโs fuelled by our passionate and enthusiastic fans โ everyone who makes up the GCN community. We also bring the latest and greatest tech to your attention, showcase the best places in the world to ride and get exclusive access to events and races.
Welcome to the Global Cycling Network | Inside Cycling
Thanks to our sponsors:
Pinarello Bikes: https://gcn.eu/Pinarello
Topeak Tools: http://gcn.eu/Topeak
Canyon Bikes: http://gcn.eu/-Canyon
CamelBak: https://gcn.eu/Camelbak
Pirelli Tyres: https://gcn.eu/Pirelli
Orbea Bikes: http://gcn.eu/Orbea
Vision Wheels: http://gcn.eu/Vision
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles: https://gcn.eu/VW
Wahoo Fitness: http://gcn.eu/Wahoo-Fitness
Park Tool: http://gcn.eu/-parktool
Selle Italia: https://gcn.eu/SelleItalia
Zwift: https://gcn.eu/Zwift
Silca: https://gcn.eu/Silca
MET Helmets: https://gcn.eu/methelmets
Strava: https://gcn.eu/strava
Precision Fuel & Hydration: https://gcn.eu/precisionhydration
AGU: https://gcn.eu/AGUxGCN
Elitewheels: https://gcn.eu/Elitewheels
Watch our sister channels:
GCN Tech – https://www.youtube.com/@gcntech
GCN Racing – https://www.youtube.com/@gcnracing
Global Triathlon Network – https://www.youtube.com/@gtn
GCN Italia – https://www.youtube.com/@gcnitalia
GCN en Espaรฑol – https://www.youtube.com/@gcnenespanol
GCN auf Deutsch – https://www.youtube.com/@gcnaufdeutsch
GCN en Franรงais – https://www.youtube.com/@gcnenfrancais
GCN Training – https://www.youtube.com/@gcntraining
Global Mountain Bike Network – https://youtube.com/@gmbn
GMBN Tech – https://www.youtube.com/@gmbntech
Electric Mountain Bike Network – https://www.youtube.com/@embn
41 Comments
Would you love to ride with Donny ChainGang? ๐
Try the Girona Wednesday Worlds in the summer. 75km, 3 climbs of 5-10mins each, you need over 6Wkg for each hill to get round. Plenty of pros turn up and they are another level.
I would say the papa's ride in Perth in Aus would give any group a good run for there money current pro ride when there back from Europe.
Worked with a lad who rode this and told me about a Downing who rode from Lincolnshire did this and then back, I assumed he was talking nonsense until this video. Well done Hank itโs one of those legendary groupsโฆand Iโm sure will benefit from your promotion
Great video enjoyed it very much. Thank you GCN. We also have a similar (no pro attending though!) ride in Toronto Canada on Thursdays called The B1 Hammer ride Forza! ๐
So nice to have an episode about an aspect of cycling culture that is more than just an advert for a product. Cheers Hank!
Anyone know who the young Ineos rider is?
Check out the NOW in LA. They seem faster with huge climbs in CA going to Pepperdine
This looks like a great ride for summer for the whole GCN crew to find out who's fastest, fill the new team bus
Fastest EGO group ride.
๐๐
Some of the interactions with other road users in this video were questionable to say the least. ๐. I ride with a group like this on a Tuesday night. All pricks. ๐๐
Remember the days when groups could apply brakes and it didn't sound like a herd were being slaughtered?? Oh how far we've come with our overpriced bike tech!๐คฃ
Sanremo local here. Love the one-upmanship, but the truth is that very big group rides are dangerous. Itโs all fun and jokes until someone hits the deck.
10:34 whats that on the down tube ?? aero ? toolkit ?
( i dont usually scrutinize this stuff ๐ )
Our groupโs motto โnon potes bonum, vide bonum!โ If you canโt be fast look good. ๐
The real donny chain gang was dinnington rc era , randle, tanner, the Harvey brothers etc on Tuesday and Thursday evening will always be good memories
Iโve heard the Leeds chain gang is as step up from this
Sharing time between MANOR and GCN?
Too large and too chaotic for me. Prefer a team time trial method where you have 8 people max riding single file and each rider takes 30 second turns on the front and rotate each person through.
Iโm 59 left upper loab lung damage, a bit of heart disease,courtesy of Covid,and vaccinesโฆon my spin bike 4 Days ago,did 5.1 miles in 7 minutes 15 seconds,..c147 rpmโฆ10 milesโฆ15 minutes,and Iโm damagedโฆnearly diedโฆSo whatโs the big deal,and thatโs just on salt water,I admittedly was a very fast sprinter as a teen,but,didnโt follow throughโฆ..life.i know itโs not on the road,admittedlyโฆ..but you have a train,itโs a piece of pissโฆ..I used to love bit,N bitโฆI obviously canโt push massive power now,donโt want to start coughing bloodโฆ๐คช..keep your power down go for cadence,otherwise you may blow up,people go on about power how many watts they can pushโฆhow many vane club riders out there,are taking SomethingโฆโฆCome on Tell the Truthโฆ.ulrich pushed a big gear Armstrong pushed a smaller gearโฆ.and they all took loads of Sweets,one thing I absolutely despise is a cocky rider,โฆlearn to be Humble and Enjoy the Rideโฆ.its all about VO2 Max..lung capacity a little bit nutrition,and a desire to win.Some people are just better,genetically,hunger,and grit your teeth determination โฆ.Every one has a Limitโฆ.donโt eat or drink enough your going to Bonk,hit the wall,seize up,you will just come to a Standstill,the lovely lactic Acid,the thorn in the side of Every un doped riderโฆ.๐๐คช๐คโฆcycling has become way too Complicatedโฆ..no Fun,like 70-80sโฆ.The days before,bloody power metersโฆ.l
Peace..๐๐ผ๐
Why does Hank's bike look like an e-bike and there is no mention of it?
Chain gang rides are definitely a great way to introduce anyone interested in racing road to the team side of things with racing ๐
Only negative to group rides is that one person in a large vehicle who can't wait a minute
Amazing ๐
I just ate after my Shootout/ChainGang.. they ride there, we ride here, we all find our limits together.
Should we now refer to Hank as My Lord or Lord Hank?
Love GCN but advertising it as Worlds Fastest group ride? Not. Rather watch SAFA vids for fast riders in SoCal. Watch Tom P go downhill in Malibu or 2022 group ride with Phil G and Sean Quinn lead a superior group ride in WLA with stats metrics 866 wts. Now thatโs a fun video
Always enjoy your posts Hank. Hope you didnโt get a nose bleed here up north.
Nowhere near as fast as Wednesday Worlds in Girona. Come to that, you'll be dropped in minutes ๐
But is it fun?
Is it Sir Hank, or Lord Hank now? ๐ค๐๐ป
Loved this and interesting to hear from Russ Downing about his career . Thanks GCN and Hank โค
Nope. Never heard of any of them.
This is the first GCN video I've seen where there is focus on cycling clubs. If you look at all other GCN videos it looks like the cycling clubs in the UK are all dead.
About 30 years ago I was a member of Bristol South Cycling Club and the only reason I joined was to be able to do RTTC events. But Bristol South CC has some good Sunday rides that were always fun.
I'll always remember the club meeting when I joined and they used this funny wooden hammer in the meeting, it was a very old school club.
That makes absolutely no sense……….no gloves and no booties, and no head warmer thingie, but fully covered with gear 3x thicker than what I'd wear. And I live near Washington DC.
We have probably one of the fastest peloton here in Paris that can reach 47 km/h of average speed and 60 km/h top speeds !
We have an oval circuit called "Longchamp", it's approximately 3 km long and mostly flat.
Specially in summer a super fast peloton forms every Tuesday and Thursday from 6pm, everybody can jump in to that peloton and try to survive as long as they can and take relays.
I know hank is gonna be busy but I expect him to be on both channels regularly ๐
would love to do this one day. all big up to the rider at 3:30 in white socks and white s-phyres on what clearly is a rainy road lol respect.
Hank should come over to North America to try the Donut Ride in Toronto or Don Pan in Miami. Then talk about fastest ITW.
no gloves… may be bra though
9:30 Funeral services โฆ ๐
10:53 Boardman rim brake guy smashing it! ๐