Ride etiquette

Ride Etiquette 

Please read these guidelines to ensure everyone enjoys their ride in your group, the group cycles safely and works well together.

At the start of the ride:

• Welcome new riders and introduce them to others.
• Before setting off confirm all those who have signed up for the ride have arrived and are ready to go.
• If, due to the numbers who have signed up in each speed category, there is the opportunity to combine groups ensure this plan is clear and everyone is happy to do so.
• If in one speed group there are too many to ride safely as one group, confirm how the group splits.  Our guideline is that a group is no bigger than 12 riders.
• Confirm the coffee stop!

NB: From time to time there might be a ride leader who takes the lead on the above if not then it is up to the groups to follow these guidelines.

Riding as a group:

To ensure the group rides safely and has enjoyable ride please follow these guidelines.  It is important to keep the group together:

• Ideally ride 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)
• Overlapping wheels are dangerous, so allow ½ - 1 metre, depending on your experience,  between you and the riders wheel in front.
• When turning in or out at a junction slow to allow riders behind to catch up to keep the group together.
• At junctions check to ensure if the group has split and if it has slow down so everyone can re-group.
• Reduce speed on hills to keep the group together (unless you agree to split and re-group at the top) and on reaching top don’t accelerate immediately – allow others to catch up.
• Avoid ‘grabbing’ brakes, sudden changes of speed and keep your line (especially on corners)
• Do 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.
• If you all have to stop, e.g. for a mechanical, ensure you are safely off the road and not obstructing traffic

NB: Please see the Group Riding Page for further information on riding well and efficient as a group.

Our no drop policy:

• As a club 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. 

Good communication:

The enjoyment and the safety of the ride is helped by good communication. It is everyone’s responsibility to communicate when needed and to pass messages on.

• Point and/or call out holes, walkers, joggers, parked cars, horses, etc.  Please see the section ‘Basic Group Riding Skills’ on the Club Riding page on the website.
• Ensure the front knows if the back is struggling with the pace or if someone has dropped off the back.  Call ‘easy’ or ‘steady on the front’. It’s more efficient to stay together as a pack. We won’t drop anyone. Clear communication up and down the line.
• When needed call out ‘slowing’ or ‘stopping’ and signal to avoid the rider behind crashing into you.
• At junctions call back to the riders approaching at the junction ‘clear’, ‘car left’ or ‘car right’ , ‘stopping’ as appropriate.
• If there is a car behind looking to pass call ‘car up’ and when possible and safe let it pass.
• On bends and narrow lanes call out ‘car front’ (approaching) or ‘car back’ (behind).
• Clearly repeat calls up and down the line.

Visibility:

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

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