This group riding guide provides practical advice on how to ride safely and efficiently in a group and how to communicate when doing so. It is principally aimed at those who are new to cycling in a group, as well as the dos and don’ts of club cycling.
It should, however, also be of interest to more experienced cyclists as different clubs have different practices. If you have any questions, please email.
So how do I ride safely in a group?
Pay attention to what is happening around (and especially ahead) of you and listen to signals and commands from other members of the group. By doing so you should be able to anticipate what is going to happen and not have to react to it when it does. And remember to watch the person in front of you and not their bike. Bicycles do not have brake lights and you will learn significantly more from watching a rider’s body language than from watching their spinning rear tyre.
Hold your line: Do not suddenly veer left or right.
Hold your position: Keep in line with those of the rider next to you.
Hold the pace: When riding at the front of a group, try to keep a steady pace. Accelerating at the beginning or decelerating at the end of your turn at the front (or “pull”) both serve to ruin group dynamics.
Stay smooth: Pedal smoothly and evenly and don’t surge. When possible, soft pedal rather than freewheeling unless braking. Remember, smooth is fast. On a downhill, riders at the front should continue pedalling so those behind don’t need to brake.
Don’t grab your brakes: Doing so is likely to cause the rider behind to collide with you.
Don’t throw your wheel: Take care when you get out of the saddle as it can cause your bike to move backwards and affect those behind you. To avoid this, move your body forward and keep pressure on the downstroke to keep your bike moving forward.
Don’t overcompensate: If a rider ahead makes an unexpected movement, such as moving sideways or braking, many riders instinctively repeat the original movement “with interest”, by moving or braking in a more pronounced manner. If the original, and possibly small, action is transmitted and magnified down the group in this way the result can often be dramatic by the time it reaches the back of the group.
This is key to safe group riding. Use the hand and verbal signals to communicate hazards such as potholes, cars, etc. If you hear or see such a signal being given, repeat it, to pass the information to those riders behind or ahead of you (as the case may be). Where possible use both hand and verbal signals. Please have a look at our page on rider communications.
In addition to being responsible for your own safety you are also responsible for safety and wellbeing of the other members of the group. You may be aware of things before the ride leader, for example if a member of the group is falling behind. Act accordingly.
Be prepared to give club members constructive feedback when they don’t follow the guidance in this note and be ready to receive it when you don’t. We need to do these things well. And we will only do that if we all focus on it.
Now I know how to ride safely in a group. How do I ride in formation? Riding in a group is generally acknowledged to reduce the required effort by up to 30%. Consequently, riding in a group, with all riders taking turns on the front, allows the group to go significantly faster and ride more efficiently for those behind.
We use three basic formations. Two-Up is more suited to recreational riding and the Paceline and the Chain Gang are more suited to training and racing.
This is usually how we begin our Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday (Slackers) rides for the first few miles/kilometers until we switch into Through & Off (details on the next page). Usually, the Ride Leader will indicate when the group is ready to change. Some groups ride in Two-Up for the whole ride, others not.
Two Up comprises two parallel lines. Pairs ride alongside each other as close to the riders in front as they are both comfortable with. Periodically we change the riders at the front so that they can shelter from the wind and so that all riders can share the effort.
To change riders at the front of the group, each of the members of the group will, essentially, shift their position in the group anti-clockwise. To do this, one of the riders at the front will shout “CHANGE ONE!”. When he or she does so:
This is the stye of our Saturday Park Ride. After leaving the Pen Ponds car park meeting point in Two Up formation, the group descends the ballet school (White Lodge) hill and turns left at Sheen Gate roundabout to steadily climb up Sawyers Hill. At the Richmond exit roundabout at the top of Sawyers Hill, the group will then switch into Through & Off for 4 laps of the park.
As with the Two-Up this comprises two parallel lines. And as with the Two-Up riders rotate position in an anti-clockwise direction.
So, what’s different? Well, this time the riders’ changes of position are constant, fluid, and are not announced by verbal signals. Essentially, the right hand (outside) lane moves slightly faster (about 1-2 kph) faster than the left hand (inside lane). Consequently: when a rider reaches the front of the right hand (outside) lane he or she moves to the left to join the front of the left hand (inside) line and then eases his or her pace slightly; and
This comprises a single line and is used in high-speed training rides and race situations. Sometimes a Ride Leader might call to change from Through & Off to a Paceline if the road conditions require it, such as narrow or busy roads where a pace line might be safer.
Each rider will complete a turn at the front. The length of that turn will vary depending on the speed, the general conditions (including, principally, the wind), and their fitness. They will then move to the right. They will indicate they are moving off the front with an elbow flick (aka chicken wing). Flick your elbow on the side you want the group to come around you on, NOT the direction you are swinging off on.
When they do so the rest of the group will maintain their original pace and direction.
Having done their turn and moved off the front the first rider will then ease his or her pace slightly. This allows the rest of the group to pass, and this first rider can join the back of the line.
GCN publishes two very good videos on how to ride in a paceline, and through & off.
Riding in a peloton, or tightly packed group of cyclists, offers significant advantages in terms of reduced drag and increased efficiency. Riders benefit from a significant decrease in wind resistance, compared to riding solo. This allows you to expend less energy and maintain higher speeds with the same effort.
Here’s a more detailed look at the advantages: