Safety on the road (or trail)
It takes 30% less effort to ride in another cyclist’s slipstream. This doesn’t apply just to professional Tour de France riders, it’s a simple matter of physics. Riding with others can save you effort, but it’s also very social, as you can chat to one another, given the right road conditions.
There are a number of useful guidelines to follow when riding in a group. Although they may be collectively referred to as “etiquette”, they all have their basis in safety.
Alongside or Behind
It’s perfectly fine to ride two abreast where the road and traffic conditions allow, and can be safer than a long straggly single line that makes it more difficult for faster vehicles to overtake. Highway Code Rule 66 states you should
“be considerate of the needs of other road users when riding in groups. You can ride two abreast and it can be safer to do so, particularly in larger groups or when accompanying children or less experienced riders. Be aware of drivers behind you and allow them to overtake (for example, by moving into single file or stopping) when you feel it is safe to let them do so”
Pulling over to let cars past at a suitable opportunity is not only polite, it enhances your safety.
On busier roads it’s a good idea to split into smaller groups so that vehicles can use the gaps between the groups to overtake safely.
Don’t Overlap
If you’re riding behind someone, don’t let your front wheel overlap their back wheel. If they move sideways and your wheels touch, you will almost certainly lose your balance and come off, which could cause an accident.
No Half-wheeling
Riding alongside the front person leading your group is OK if you’re both happy, but try not to get in front. This can lead to the other person attempting to catch up and can result in a constant upping of the pace. This is annoying to the person being half-wheeled and can be quite disruptive in a group ride.
No Sneaking
Do not sneak up the inside (left in UK) of a rider in front without their awareness. They may need to pull in to the side of the road suddenly for safety reasons.
Inside First
When riders two abreast single out (eg because of other traffic), the rider on the outside should drop back and allow the inside rider to go first. This is because the outside rider will be able to see the back wheel of the front rider and make sure they avoid touching wheels.
Hand Signals
Signalling when you are going to turn left and right is something all road users are familiar with. It’s important to give clear hand signals whenever you’re turning, even if you think the cyclists you are with know the route as well as you do. It’s very embarrassing at least for two cyclists to ride into each other, and you could get hurt.
“Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre” is standard practice for driving lessons in the UK. The equivalent for cyclists is to look behind to see what is behind you before changing your position on the road.
It’s good practice to point out obstacles such as potholes to cyclists behind you, as it may be hard to see these if you’re not at the front. Some riders use their left hand (in the UK) behind their back to indicate they are pulling out (eg to pass a parked car), but not actually turning right.
Waving one’s right arm (in the UK) is the official sign for slowing down, but in a cycling group it’s also a good idea to tell your companions you are slowing or stopping. Stopping without warning could cause a pile-up, which can be dangerous. When riding with a group, take care where you stop, so everyone can be safe.
Verbal Warnings
If you’re at the back of a group, it can be helpful to let the others know if there’s a car behind. The conventional phrase for this is “Car Back”, or “Car Up” (even if you’re going downhill). You don’t need to take such a warning as a command to dive into the hedge to let the vehicle pass. Single out or stop when it’s safe for you to do so, as per Highway Code Rule 66. Conversely someone at the front of group may call “Car Down” when they see a vehicle coming towards them. This too can be useful, but some groups have a tendency to overdo calling out the obvious.
Emergency Info
No one likes the idea of an emergency while out on the road, whether due to illness, accident or something else, but it can happen. If you have a medical condition (eg an allergy, consider adding medical information to your phone. Go to Settings, then search for Safety on an Android phone or “Medical ID” (under the Health app) on an iPhone. Ensure the “Show when locked” option is enabled. The information will then be available to anyone helping you in an emergency, even if your phone is locked.
You can also use your phone’s Safety or Medical ID app to record emergency contacts. This is particularly important if you are out riding alone.
It may be you are the person that comes across someone in need of help. On an Android phone, press and hold the power button and you will be able to make an emergency call or access the Medical info. On an iPhone, tap Emergency at the Passcode screen (accessed via the Home button) or or press one of the LH volume buttons and the RH side button simultaneously.
Stay in Touch
Sooner or later groups will straggle, or someone will take a wrong turn. With the ubiquity of mobile phone these days, it’s a lot easier for groups to find each other again – provided they’re got the numbers. Quite often people will need to return home early, or divert for some other reason, and essential for maintaining friendly relations that they let the others know. As a minimum the ride leader should have all the group members’ phone numbers, and vice-versa.
Cycling UK has a useful set of information on its Ride Leader’s Toolkit page.
Fuel
Unless you have an electric bike, the fuel for your ride is what you eat and drink. For a gentle ride of two hours or less this is not very significant for an average healthy rider, but if you’re going further or faster it definitely needs to be considered. Dehydration can be a problem, even when you think the weather is not very warm, so that’s why you see most cyclists with one or two water bottles on their bikes.
Unless you have an electric bike, the fuel for your ride is what you eat and drink. For a gentle ride of two hours or less this is not very significant for an average healthy rider, but if you’re going further or faster it definitely needs to be considered. Dehydration can be a problem, even when you think the weather is not very warm, so that’s why you see most cyclists with one or two water bottles on their bikes. It’s also an idea to carry some emergency food, such as an energy bar or two. These can be bought locally at The Goring Grocer, which also sells lots of other yummy food.
The classic advice is “drink before you feel thirsty, eat before you feel hungry”. Keeping hydrated is particularly important in warmer weather. Cycling UK has good advice on How to fuel your ride. For many recreational cyclists, the social coffee stop is a key part of the ride, as is the ability to enjoy cake (or a sausage roll) without putting on extra weight.
Non-cyclists make giggle when they hear cyclists talking about bonking, but it’s just the same as “hitting the wall” in athletics. It’s not to be taken lightly:
“It was a route I’d done plenty of times before. Normally, I’d stop halfway to have a drink and snack but this time I pushed on. After an hour and half of riding at a brisk pace, I wasn’t expecting my legs to feel so tired but I put it down to lack of recovery from a weights workout the previous day. Then, suddenly, without warning, I felt like I was cycling through treacle. Despite mustering up every bit of strength remaining, I had nothing left – the road ahead was starting to blur and I was barely holding a straight line.” Read the full article by Anita Bean in Cycling Weekly.
goringgapcycling.co.uk has over 100 cafes on its map, all of which have been road-tested by the Gromils.
Road Repairs
Knowing some basic fixes and having a few tools can make the difference between making your own way home with a long walk, or a wait for International Rescue*.
Don’t leave home without
- A spare tube (the right size for your wheels)
- A multi-tool
- Tyre levers
- A pump (with the right adapter for your spare tube), or a CO2 canister if you trust these and know how to use them.
*It’s surprising how many cyclists live with someone who answers to the role of International Rescue.