| With the popularity of cycling rising and the number of | | | | NOT try to impose your will or change these |
| participants joining organized group rides increasing, | | | | objectives. Find another group or register for a race if |
| there has been an increase in unsafe riding that has | | | | you want to race. You will become very unpopular, |
| resulted in several cycling accidents. This pattern is | | | | very quickly and not be welcomed back. Remember, if |
| very unusual for group rides that involve, for the most | | | | you improve your ability to ride in a group it will make |
| part, experienced riders. When you participate in a | | | | you a better racer. |
| group ride, you should remember that the most | | | | Know your limitations! Most new people participating in |
| important thing is safety! The following important | | | | group rides miscalculate their ability level. If you are |
| safety instructions are meant to educate and expand | | | | new to a group ride, ride conservatively and ride within |
| on group ride guidelines that all participants should | | | | your limits. After a few group rides you should have a |
| know and adhere to. | | | | good idea of your abilities and know how fast you are |
| Obey traffic laws! Most cycling routes should be | | | | riding and you should join the appropriate group. Most |
| selected because of safety. Early morning traffic is | | | | large groups develop subgroups to meet the needs of |
| light, the roads are new, there are adequate bike lanes, | | | | various riding levels. It is important to realize that speed |
| and there is a minimum of stop signs and traffic lights. | | | | is NOT the sole determinate of ability. It takes years to |
| However, when we come upon a stop sign or traffic | | | | develop a sense of riding in a group, being able to feel |
| light, the group is encouraged to obey traffic laws and | | | | comfortable with riders around you and to be able to |
| be prepared to stop. This is the biggest complaint from | | | | see dangerous situations develop. DO NOT jeopardize |
| non-cyclists about how we ride. If we as a group can | | | | the safety of others trying to fulfill your needs. Leaving |
| demonstrate that we are capable of obeying traffic | | | | your racing mentality at home will make for better |
| laws it will go a long way towards improving the | | | | continuity within the groups and will make for better |
| communities perception of cycling. Additionally, riding 2+ | | | | and safer rides. |
| abreast on roads without a shoulder or bike lane has | | | | Some of the basic skills are (and not limited to):o |
| the potential to impede traffic in both directions, it | | | | Maintain the proper group speed, do not accelerating |
| reflects poorly upon cyclist, and increases the potential | | | | and drop the group when it is your turn to pullo Be able |
| for conflict and/or an accident. When someone yells, | | | | to draft safely without dangerously overlapping or |
| "car back", this is an immediate safety warning and | | | | touching the person's wheel in front of you.o Do not |
| you should make an effort to move over and let the | | | | slow excessively, coast and/or surge to maintain |
| car(s) pass. If we expect motorist to respect us and | | | | position.o Ride in a straight line - avoid unnecessary |
| out rights to road access, then we must give them the | | | | weaving and erratic patterns.o Call out all road hazards |
| same respect and consideration. Haven't you noticed | | | | and be able to give the appropriate cycling signals |
| that we are at a serious size disadvantage? | | | | when indicated.o Make sure your bike is functioning |
| Group rides are NOT races! The purpose of most | | | | properly before you begin riding it. Keep your line! |
| organized group rides is to give "experienced" cyclists | | | | On most rides you will be riding in a pace-line of some |
| the opportunity to ride safely in a friendly atmosphere. I | | | | type. If the pace is too fast, take a shorter turn at the |
| say "experienced" because these rides are generally | | | | front or sit at the back. If you have no intention of |
| not indicated for "newbies" and it can be very | | | | moving up the pace-line, tell the people around you to |
| unsettling when any new, inexperienced rider shows | | | | eliminate any back-of-the-pack confusion. If you find |
| up. It doesn't take long to identify them. Most riders in | | | | yourself struggling to hang on at the back for most of |
| local groups have been together for years. Because | | | | the ride, then you need to join slower group next time. |
| of this, they feel comfortable with each other's skills | | | | If you don't know how to ride in a pace-line ask the |
| that are recognized as a safe "predictability factor". | | | | people around you! It is a good idea to have mentor |
| Collectively, however, group dynamics has the potential | | | | riders in every group who know the basics of group |
| to incorporate several individual agendas for riding as | | | | riding. If you are interested in being a mentor rider, |
| these groups get larger. Some enjoy the socialization | | | | contact the ride leader. |
| aspect of riding together, others enjoy the early | | | | NOTE: When pulling off the front, please look to your |
| morning challenges and potential for a good workout, | | | | left before you pull off and slowly move over. DO |
| yet a few view it as a perpetual "hammer fest" or | | | | NOT pull over into traffic. Drop to the back if...! Unless |
| race. It is the latter "race" mentality that poses the | | | | you are an experienced rider do not attempt to |
| most serious detriment to the safety and well-being of | | | | unwrap energy bars or gels, reach for a water bottle, |
| the group ride when some individuals get in "over their | | | | adjust MP3 players, or take off clothing while riding in |
| heads". Riding "all-out" causes fatigue. Fatigue, coupled | | | | the middle of a pack. This makes it extremely |
| with lack of experience may result in poor technique, | | | | dangerous for the riders around you. It is best to do |
| faulty judgment, and result in riding "out-of-control." This | | | | these things after you have pulled thru and have |
| places the entire group in harm's way. Training rides | | | | moved to the back. In some cases you should |
| and racing are two different types of riding. Generally, | | | | probably stop completely in order to keep from |
| most training rides have specific predetermined areas | | | | endangering yourself and others. You should never ride |
| when the pace increases or there is a designated | | | | with headphones (iPods, etc). Even though they may |
| sprint at the end. Everyone familiar with that group ride | | | | add motivation to your effort, they can block out the |
| is on the same page and the less skilled riders or | | | | street sounds you need to hear in order to ride |
| non-participants have the opportunity to back off and | | | | defensively. They are potentially very dangerous to |
| get out of the way. **Please do not join a group ride if | | | | everyone around you. |
| you just want to race. Generally, groups have an | | | | Example: Florida law states, "No person shall operate a |
| objective for their ride. Learn what the group's ride | | | | vehicle while wearing a headset, headphone, or other |
| objective is before you decide to ride with them. DO | | | | listening device" (Section 316.304). |