Group Riding Principles and Basic Rules
The basic rules of riding together with a group of riders are vital to the safety of the group and all its members. Everybody should know and practice them to be welcome in the paceline. Learning how to ride with a group of riders is done best at moderate speeds. It is easier to anticipate what happens and the consequences are less severe when you are not riding at your limit.
No Sudden Moves
Do not suddenly turn right, left, speed up, slow down. It is inefficient and dangerous.
Be Smooth
Riders new to the paceline feel the urge to show they can keep up. They work harder then necessary and speedup at the front. This is wrong. The front rider relinquishing the lead moves over to the side and then slows down, slightly. The rider assuming the lead does not speed up, but maintains the same speed. If the new leading rider wants to permanently increase the speed of the group, he should wait until the previous leader hooks up with the group at the back. Then, gradual smooth increase in speed is acceptable. When the going feels easy for you, you still should keep your legs moving. Coasting varies the speed more than acceptable and it is disturbing for other riders not knowing what to expect next.
Give Others a Turn
The main point of riding in the paceline is not prove how strong you are but to learn how to work together and feel comfortable in close proximity to other riders and changing positions. Don’t exhaust yourself by pulling too long, but don’t avoid pulling either. When it is your turn, take the pull (keeping the speed constant) and pull until you feel that you pulled average distance for the group, or when you feel too tired. There is no shame in pulling for only 30 seconds if you do it smoothly and with constant speed. In general, most of the riders are taking pulls that are too long.
Pull Off in Consistent Direction
Front riders relinquish the lead by pulling off either to the left (most of the time) or to the right. Unless there is dramatic change in the wind direction and enough road space, do not change the pull off direction established by the group.
Indicate Pull Off
Indicate orally and by physical movement when you and where you pulling off. Just before the action say “Pulling off!”. The physical signs range from pointing in the direction you are going, through hand movement from the hip to the side you are moving, to “chicken wing” indicator. The last method is less popular but very useful when riding in echelon with strong side winds. Just before pulling off, flap an elbow on the side OPPOSITE to the side that you are moving to.
Draft Reasonably Close But No Closer
Keep as close to the rider in front of you as you comfortably and safely can. Do not let the gaps open. Remember that the benefit of the draft can be had up to 3 feet between the wheels of the bikes. Professionals are riding as close as 6 inches between wheels, but they are professionals. Try not to look at the wheel in front of you all the time, rather try to develop sense of distance by looking at the nape of neck of rider in front of you. Do not overlap wheels. You might be lucky for a long time, but one day you will go down if you do that.
Ride Close Side-to-Side
When dropping back to rotate, try to ride closely side-to-side as well. It is more efficient and takes lees of the road space.
Warn Others of Road Hazards
Although easiest for riders at the front, all riders should scan the road in front for hazards. Riders at back of the group should scan and listen for overtaking vehicles. If there is enough time, warning can allow everybody to avoid the hazard. But if there is not enough time to make evasive maneuver safely, it is better to ride directly over glass or a pothole. Punctured tube is less painful than pile of riders on the road. No sudden moves, remember?
Use Brakes as Little as Possible
Braking is the waste of kinetic energy and is dangerous fro the riders behind you. When you need to slow down, pedal with less force. If this is not enough, sit up, exposing more of your body to the mass of air. Going slightly to the side and temporarily overlapping wheel in front of you is possible, but should be done with great care. If there is no other way and you have to brake, yell “Braking!”. When you are just gradually slowing down, extend the open palm of one hand behind your back and announce “Slowing”.
Cutting Back into the Paceline
As a general rule rider pulling off the front should go to the back of the paceline. The exceptions to this rule have to be performed with great care. If the rider wants to get back into the paceline before reaching the end, it can be done only when there is a gap into which she/he can slide in. That means gap big enough to get in without forcing the following rider to change the speed. Point to the gap and announce you intention “Going in”. As a professional courtesy, the following rider should confirm the safety of maneuver by announcing “Come in”. Do not cut into the paceline if this will force all the riders behind you to slow down. Do not invite riders to cut into the paceline by intentionally opening the gap. You are not doing any favors to those behind you.
Yells and Screams
Riders will often yell short commands or advice at you. For sensitive individuals, these “barks” often seem rude and angry. In most cases it is not true. There is simply not enough time and oxygen to for full sentences.
Sprinting
Sprinting at the end of the loop in the group of other riders is inherently dangerous. If you don’t feel comfortable with it, don’t do it. But if you do, keep couple of things in mind. When you choose your line to the finish – keep it. Even if faster riders are coming from behind do not change your line to make space for them, unless you have time and ability to look back and around you. When you hear “Hold the line” or “Stick” from behind, do not change your line even if you think you could. The rider overtaking you will find the path knowing that you will not suddenly change direction. At the same time, intentional blocking of faster riders is not acceptable.
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