Ride etiquette

Please study these guidelines which will help everyone enjoy their rides.

Ride Leader should:

• Introduce new members

• Outline route, length, café stop (and sprint if appropriate)

• Split into groups and designate group leaders (if appropriate)

Riding in a pack:

• F un going FORWARD

• O verlapping wheels is dangerous, so allow ½ - 1 metre between you and the riders wheel in front

• R ide in pairs (never more than 2 abreast). Single out if there’s a car behind on narrow roads (rider on left goes forward; rider on right moves back)

• W hen turning in or out at a junction slow to allow riders behind to catch up (Keep pack together)

• A void ‘grabbing’ brakes and keep your line (especially on corners)

• R educe speed on hills to keep pack together (unless agree to split) and on reaching top don’t accelerate immediately – allow others to catch up

• D o not overtake the lead rider (unless riding in a rotation or doing ‘through and off’) or try to ‘up the pace’ of the ride unless agreed by the group

REMEMBER:

• We wait for people who drop off the back of the ride; we do not try to catch those who go off the front!
• However if there is a group riding at speed below your group and a rider wants to drop off this must be communicated prior to the rider dropping back to join the group behind. 

Communication

• Point and call out holes, walkers, joggers, parked cars, horses, etc

• Repeat calls up and down the line

• Ensure the front knows if the back is struggling with the pace (‘easy’or ‘steady on the front’) as it’s more efficient to stay together as a pack – we won’t drop anyone

• Call out ‘slowing’ or ‘stopping’ to avoid the rider behind crashing into you.

• At junctions call back to the riders still at the junction ‘clear’, ‘car left’ or ‘car right’ as appropriate

• On bends and narrow lanes call out ‘car down’ (approaching) or ‘car up’ (behind)

VISIBILITY

• We encourage all members to wear clothing that ensures they are visible and to use both front and rear lights.

Mudguards

• Mudguards are recommended on club rides during the winter months and if wet weather. This is out of consideration to other riders, to both improve visibility and avoid them getting any wetter than necessary when the road surfaces are wet or muddy. They will also help protect your bike from the worst of the elements. Please try and use them when possible.

Sprint

• Agree to where/when they will happen

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