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Safety and Etiquette Tips for Group Rides
Shout out to our friends at the Treasure Coast Cycling Association for sharing an excellent article called "10 Rules to Group Ride Like a Pro" in their recent newsletter. It really got us thinking this week.
The article which was written by Simeon Green of PezCycling News. It breaks some of the biggest group cycling issues down like this:
- It's Not a Race
- Bar-to-Bar
- Peeling Off
- Pulling Through
- Too Tired to Go to the Front
- Gaps
- Moving About in a Group
- Obstacles and Hand Signals
- Yelling
- Slowing and Adjusting Speed
We figured that it might be good to address the topics of cycling safety and etiquette particularly as The Tour de France 2014 begins this week, and we're all glued to our TVs watching the excitement of peloton.
The part that stuck out the most to us in this article was the critical need to frequently review the rules of group cycling no matter what level of experience you have. You'll be able to relax into your ride with more confidence if you know that all the riders around you understand the basic rules.
Clear verbal communication with the cyclist directly beside you is crucial to the group's safety as a whole since each of you should be riding handlebar-to-handlebar in pairs. However, yelling within the group about road obstacles you see is strictly forbidden. Hand signals are much safer.
Likewise, filling in empty spaces after cyclists peel off in pairs and being fair about taking your turn at the front of the pack reduces risks to other riders. More experienced cyclists might check with newcomers before a ride just to make sure they understand these tips.
Share the link to the article (find it here) on your social media and tag your cycling friends so they can see and read it, too. Don't be afraid to grab a beer after a long ride and talk about this stuff with a riding buddy if you have concerns about his or her group riding habits. You'll be doing your part to keep everyone safer.
Love, Peace and Bicycle Grease,
Matt & Julie
