Ride etiquette

Some rides would be enhanced if people rode together.
Here are some ideas that may help make keep a group of riders together if that is what people wish. These are not rules or instructions.
They are discussed in detail here.

(People can post here further etiquette points and guidelines for other types of rides such as fast group rides and competitive rides)

Social ride guidance

1. Agree how the ride is to be run, including riding speed, RLJ policy, with all before starting so people's expectations are managed

2. Allocate leader and sweeper roles. Leader shares mobile phone number with all. For rural longer rides leader has everyones mobile

3. Make new faces welcome

4. Route planning-Often taking up a whole (bus) lane on an A road is less risky and more efficient that a twisty back road cycle route (though perhaps not as pleasant an environment). Cycle lanes are generally too narrow for group riding.

5. Slowest riders dictate the pace so can be encouraged to ride near the front

6. All riders to ensure they are aware of riders behind. If you lose sight of the rider(s) behind slow down or pull in to regroup. Shout out any issues to ensure riders in front slow or pull over

7. Avoid filtering through traffic, front riders stop behind drivers at lights and move through lights in the traffic stream

8. Consider politely preventing drivers from passing until there is room for them to clear the whole group. (Be sensible with this most drivers will appreciate the communication and hang back, if a driver is clearly irate, get everyone to move left to let them pass). Agree whether or not you plan to use 'roadie' conventions such as shouting 'car back ' or 'clear' and explain these to all

9. When turning at T-junctions It is often better to cork them requesting drivers give up on their right of way to keep the group together

10. Good practice for rear riders to move (right) before front riders when changing lane to claim the space and prevent anyone overtaking as the group move over

Great list. Can you clarify point 4 however? I may have it wrong but are you suggesting it would, for example, be ok to ride two abreast down Epping Road? I agree A roads can be less risky and more straightforward on group rides but on say the A104 through Epping anything other than singling-up is not safe.

Yes that's an interesting case. I have ridden 2 abreast there on occasion and tolerated some beeps. Another option is single file with rear rider riding further right and constantly checking back keeping drivers happy and ensuring they pass wide.. There are no hard and fast rules.
This thread may be useful

Good thread.

A useful addition to this would be the use of waymarkers on the longer rides. The FNRttC rides use these to great effect.

Can you elaborate how that works.

'Lord' Dell (of FNRttC fame) appoints people to stand at various points along the ride to point people in the right direction (usually right or left turns or at roundabouts). The waymarker can only leave his/her 'post' when the TECs (tail end charlies) arrive then they ride to catch the group. Rinse and repeat.

With a large group of people of varying speeds/abilities, this can sometimes take a while but it works well and reassures those who worry about holding up the group that they truly won't be left behind.

with the turn up volume on lfgss, I think sweeper would take care of that...

Maybe there could be more than one sweeper to share the load?

Agree that sweepers negate the need for way-markers on forum runs and that more strong riders hanging back as sweepers the more social fun for the sweepers. Corking with 2 or more people is less intimidating.

What differences would there be in etiquette/guidelines between social rides and faster runs where drafting is needed?

What differences would there be in etiquette/guidelines between social rides and faster runs where drafting is needed?

As I'm a commuter/social ride person, I'll await any responses with interest.

What differences would there be in etiquette/guidelines between social rides and faster runs where drafting is needed?

Sit in on the flat; drop everybody on the hills.

hang on on the flat; get dropped by everybody in the hills

Whilst riding on the weekend, had an interesting situation which could help for keeping a group together - switch around the ride leader and the last man.

We we're a group of 7, so manageable size, and the guy with the map happened to be at the back for this part, so the directions got passed up the group.

Would keep everyone together, in theory, and make sure there is someone who knows the way at the back!

Hey good idea
(Would need to keep the swift young bloods at the front or rides ignorant of the route so they wouldn't race ahead .)

In theory this may be a good idea. But if you have over exuberant people they may well race off and get lost. I have seen this happen on more than one occasion.

The thig I hate most on group rides is not knowing where we're going/that the person I'm following knows where we're going. This seems like the worst idea for that.

In theory this may be a good idea. But if you have over exuberant people they may well race off and get lost. I have seen this happen on more than one occasion.

Which is their own fault, hopefully they learn their lesson pretty quickly?

A beautifully written piece shameless C+P from Bristol Road Club:

*The group settles into formation meters after leaving the café. Like the table manners learned as children the formation is innate to us. Two abreast, tight against the curb we form two lines. Cars pass us with ease as we pedal out of town and into the countryside. The pair on the front increases the tempo as soon as we are out of traffic and onto the rural roads. From experience they quickly find the rhythm of the group. On the rural roads, we’re in synch. Knowing how to ride properly in a group is taught and learned.

I was introduced to cycling as a boy. On my first group rides, I was taught how to ride with others appropriately. As we pedalled along with our club mates, my father explained ride etiquette to me. On open roads, the group stays close to the shoulder. To allow cars to pass and to benefit from the riders’ slipstream, the group stays compact. It is often easier for cars to pass a group of cyclists who are riding two abreast near the road’s shoulder than a group, which is single file and much longer. We must be aware we are sharing the road with other traffic.

Each pair pulls off the front sharing the workload with the others. To peel off the rider on the right moves right, the rider on the left moves left, reducing their speed gently to let the others pass. The pair who has been following slice through the pair to take the lead with the rest of the group in their slipstream. The two who have just finished their turn on the front, move back into the slipstream at the back of group rapidly to avoid being in the way of the traffic for long.

Within the group riders should always be paired up. Two abreast is acceptable, three is not. In an odd numbered group, the single rider sits at the back. Each rider has his or her turn being alone at the tail-end. In a group, everything is shared.

A group is concerned with others’ well being. We point out obstacles in the road, we signal directions and we take care of each other. A rider who is struggling is sheltered from the wind and given food and drink. We wait for those who have punctured and help them repair the flat. Every cyclist has a bad day. A group will get you through the bad moments.

Like bragging at a dinner party about wealth, nobody appreciates a rider who constantly forces the pace to prove his strength. Half-wheeling, the term used to describe a rider who is constantly pushing the pace half a wheel in front of the others, is an insult not a compliment. Group rides are not races. Good riders are in tune with each others’ abilities and the groups’ objective. At the right moment, when everybody is ready, the tempo will increase, the group will splinter, the strongest will surge ahead, and then only to regroup again at a designated spot.

A group ride should be challenging but also pleasant. Experiencing an achievement is often richer when shared. On the bike, each pair of riders converses as if they’re across from each other at a dinner table but in the fresh air the conversation is often more animated. On the roads, societal hierarchies are muted. A CEO is just another wheel to follow. A professional cyclist is just another face glistening sweat.

Together, a group of eight eats through the hours. In nearly six hours, we’ve seamlessly devoured mountains, cut through valleys and popped through towns. Even our stop at a café failed to break our rhythm. On the terrace, everything continued to flow.*

It reads like something from many years ago when there were less cars on the road, but it's probably more relevant today given 'our' propensity towards individualism even on group rides.

I wonder if the points from the above are taught to today's group riders and reinforced by ride marshalls? Especially on those charity rides?

I've copied and printed to read and absorb over time.

lovely writing.

does/can club ride etiquette realistically be transferred to social rides of people who ride together less often and with more varying abilities? should it?

I've never ridden in that way and would be nervous doing so if requested. not to say it's not a good way of riding, just saying that, for me. I think I would like to learn/practice though, to feel comfortable doing so. but it's a bit of an abstract "would like to".

every time the leaders rotate, it becomes 4 abreast for the duration of the changeover, it's not mentioned but would seem to take some skill and judgement to know when is the right time, and what to do if other vehicles/road conditions become less than ideal mid-change.

I've read things like this about a million times, the thing I want to know is, has anyone ever been on one of these mythical group rides? Or are we not lucky enough to have been initiated in to them from birth?

Good question. The rides are only ridden by the mythical. Those half men half bikes who evolved in another world. Like Launcelot and Arthur, we can only hear tell of their deeds and valour. We can never hope to be like them nor to ride with them.

Having spent yesterday morning looking at my speedo reading 45k on the flat I thought 'this is ridiculous, I'd have to do 50k in the wind if i was shelled out the back' (I got shelled with 20k to go so limped home alone) I read this with interest.

I cannot emphasise enough the benefit of keeping together and the importance of finding a group speed. However if an individual is obviously suffering at what everyone else considers a relaxed pace... what to do?

every time the leaders rotate, it becomes 4 abreast for the duration of the changeover, it's not mentioned but would seem to take some skill and judgement to know when is the right time, and what to do if other vehicles/road conditions become less than ideal mid-change.

this.

A beautifully written piece shameless C+P from Bristol Road Club:

Yeah, but what about the Strava segments?