CAMBRIDGECC.org.uk
A Guide to Club Riding in a Group
This guide is a list of explanations, hints, tips - a riding etiquette. It has been written to help keep you and your
fellow cyclists riding efficiently and safely and to help minimise the inconvenience
to other road users. Mainly the advice will refer to the clubrun activities,
but it will also apply to other rides that you may do. The guide is in two
sections: general advice to all riders and specific advice for clubrun
leaders.. This guide is not comprehensive, so please also use your common
road sense and also obey the rules of the road.
General Tips and Advice
- Prepare.
Make sure your bike is in good working order before each ride.
- Prepare.
On each ride take at least: a puncture repair kit, pump, a spare tube,
basic tools and some money for the café stop.
- Dress
Sensibly. It is best to wear sports type clothing; cycling specific
clothing is not necessary. In the winter it is generally better to be too
warm than too cold. A wind proof top can make a large difference in
keeping you warm.
- Think.
The close proximity of other riders in the group makes sudden change on
speed or direction undesirable. (dangerous!). So please do not make any
sudden movements when riding in a group. Try to think about where
other riders might be and how your actions may affect them. An occurrence that is becoming more regular is a
mobile phone ringing; do not stop suddenly to answer it.
- Riding
Style. Ride no more than two-abreast and stay in neat lines, this will
help the aerodynamic efficiency of the group. Change to single file as
necessary to help cars overtake. See an article written for triathletes by
Tim Williams at http://www.perfectcondition.ltd.uk/Articles/Drafting2.htm
which gives a more technical description of group riding.
- Good Manners. When changing position in the
group, do so relatively slowly. Particularly if overtaking, do this at about
1/2 to 1 mph faster than the other riders; this allows
them to take your wheel and benefit from the aerodynamic drag that
you produce. Then and only then slowly increase your speed to that required.
- Road
Manners. Keep to the left of the left side of the road, this will
enable cyclists (tail-end Charlie for instance) to overtake if needed and
also help motorists in overtaking.
- Wheel
positioning. Do not ride with your front wheel overlapping the rear of
the person in front. If the person in-front makes a sudden move, your
front wheel could be knocked from under you and you will crash.
- Communicate.
If you have a puncture (or mechanical problem) shout PUNCTURE and slowly
pull over to the roadside.
- Communicate.If you see another rider that is having problems, alert others in the group to this.
- Don't overtake(and in particular ride well ahead of the Clubrun leader unless you are willing to take responsibility for your own navigation. The clubrun leader is not obliged to chase after people who miss a turning in this way.
Ride Leaders
- Prepare.
Work a route out in advance and take a map.
- Prepare.
Get to the start-point in good time.
- Prepare.
Try to appoint a “tail-end Charlie” who will ride at the back and look
after any potential stragglers or mechanical/puncture victims. Should you
need to you can confirm everybody is together if the Charlie is in the
group. The Charlie should be a strong and experienced rider.
- Welcome.
Welcome any new looking people that are in attendance and explain to them
what they should expect of the ride(s). Introduce them to other riders.
- Communicate.
Before starting a ride or continuing after a stop, make sure everybody
knows that your group is about to leave so they can prepare to move out.
Be clear about which ride is moving off and when. Remember, less
experienced riders may be slow to get started and if a gap opens up they
will be playing catch-up from the start.
- Starting.
Start relatively slowly to enable the group to get organised behind you
and allow any gaps to be closed up. This is particularly important when
riding through the town where traffic lights may conspire to split the
group. This applies to the Addenbrooke’s start and to other stops.
- Look
and listen. For signs from the group that you are leading the run too
fast or too slow. Change the pace accordingly. Keep a steady pace when
going up-hill and/or stop to regroup at the top of the hill.
- Split.If there are more than twelve people in a group, or there is an obvious disparity in abilities or fitness, consider splitting it into two (or more) groups.