Riding in a Group
With longer and warmer days on the horizon we’ll experience more riders on groups rides. Here are some tips on how successful bunch riding.
Communication
Successful group riding is all about good communication. Along with verbal calls, e.g. calling out perceived hazards such as “hole”, “car front” & “car back”, there are various hand signals such as pointing at a pot hole and saying “Hole”!
Hand and verbal signals should be passed all the way through the group so that those at the back are also made of hazard which could otherwise be unsighted as the view is restricted by the rider in front. LWCC will complete a glossary of the recommend hand signals for the next edition of the newsletter. In the meantime, if you are unsure what a signal means, just ask those around you.
Look Through the Group
Don’t just stare at the wheel or backside in front. Look through the group at the road ahead and try to anticipate how the riders ahead will react.
Easy on the Brakes
Avoid grabbing handfuls of brakes. Freewheel, sit more upright or use light braking to adjust your speed gradually. This is one of the reasons why looking through the group and anticipating the actions of the riders in front is so important.
Relax
Even pro riders experience bad days and that thought to happen when riders are increasingly anxious in the first week. It can be a bit nerve wracking in a group but staying relaxed certainly eases any tension.
Don’t Half Wheel
If you find yourself on the front, avoid pushing the pace and constantly moving ahead of the riding next to you. That is known as half-wheeling, and it’ll push up the speed of the group, which is considered bad form.
Don’t Overlap
It’s fine leaving a bit of a gap from your front wheel to the back wheel of the rider ahead and it’s even okay to ride slightly to one side of it. However, always avoid overlapping your front wheel with the wheel in front, as if they have to swerve to avoid a hazard or suffer a lapse in concentration, your front wheel will be clipped!
Avoid Kick Back
Have you noticed that when getting out of the saddle to ride to power up a hill, your bike can go backwards? How far your bike moves backwards depends on how hard you tug on the handlebars! This can catch out the rider behind you. Wheel kick back can be overcome by correct gear selection and smoothly rising out of the saddle.
Don’t Surge or Slow
When you find yourself at the front, aim to keep the pace/intensity of the group constant i.e. avoid surging even if feeling strong and conversely, if struggling, avoid slowing the group. To keep the pace/intensity consistent, if you’re on a good day, consider doing a longer turn. If not, just put in a few pedal strokes before pulling off and settling back in the wheels.
Mudguards On, Tribars Off
In the winter, those riding behind you will appreciate your bike having mudguards. Also, clip-on Tribars, should be taken off for group rides.
Ask
Let the other riders know you are fairly new to group riding and that you’d appreciate their patience, advice and tips. Make sure you ask if they say or do something you don’t understand and remember, everyone was new to group riding once.
More Info – Group Riding Videos
British Cycling and GCN (Global Cycling Network) set up the Ride Smart initiative to help us ride safer. Here are some videos about group riding: