Group Cycling Etiquette: Guide to Dealing with Group Bike Rides

by Arnie Baker, M.D.

For many, riding with others improves the enjoyment of cycling. In addition, you can learn more about your bicycle from more experienced cyclists. Riding requires safety. Group riding requires a cycling-specific etiquette.

Here are the essentials of bicycling etiquette for group rides:

Basic Road Etiquette

• Ride predictably: straight, without weaving.
• Alert others of a change in direction or speed.
• Look behind before changing line.
• Generally, ride single file.
• Ride no more than two abreast.
• Ride as close to the right as practical.
• Give room for others (vehicles or faster riders) to pass.
• Slow down on bike paths or in urban areas.
• Signal turns.
• Usually, pass on the left.

Etiquette Shouts and Signals

Cyclists everywhere use a common language. Common warning shouts include:

“Passing on your left!” (Common. Most passing should be on the left. Often shortened to “On your left.” Other riders and pedestrians often misunderstand this shout. Sometimes better not to say anything, or a greeting such as “Hello” or “Coming by” and pass.)

“Right turn!” “Left turn!” (Warns of a change in direction. Additionally, use hand signals.)

“On your wheel!” (When you come up behind a rider who may not know that you are there, lets a rider know that you are drafting, and to assume responsibility to ride with road etiquette. Racers often expect this. Do not assume that every cyclist will be happy to have you draft. If you don’t want another to draft you, or if a rider says “No!” or “get off!”— understand the meaning.

“Passing on your right!” (Rare. Often shortened to “On your right.” Other riders and pedestrians often misunderstand this shout. Slower riders and pedestrians are usually startled or discomforted when faster riders pass on the right.)

“Heads up!” (Common warning of nonspecific danger ahead.)

“Watch out!” (Common warning of nonspecific danger ahead.)

“Hole!” “Bump!” “Tracks!” “Dog!” “Glass.” (Common warnings of specific danger ahead. Should be pointed out, too, with a finger.)

“Car door!” (Warning of this common hazard, the opening car door of a parked vehicle.)

“Car back!” “Truck back!” (There is a car or truck approaching from the rear. Sometimes shouted repeatedly in frustration by someone at the back of a group who is aware that the group is impeding a vehicle that wants to pass.)

“Car up!” (There is a car in the bike lane, a car obstructing the road, or a car approaching the group. Often shouted when a large group is taking up most of the lane—and riders on the extreme left of the group are at risk for a head- on collision, or when the group will make a left turn—and the group needs to slow for the approaching car before executing the turn.)

“Stopping!” “Slowing!” Hand-down signal. (Warning to others in the pack to anticipate the speed to decease.)

Pacelines

Riding in the slipstream of others is much easier than riding at the same speed solo. Drafting safely and efficiently behind other riders increases riding speed and pleasure.

Riders often work together in a group—a paceline—alternating the lead.

Drafting is Efficient

Riding behind another rider takes less energy than “breaking the wind.” At 25 mph about 20% less energy is required riding behind another rider when compared to riding on one’s own. Your speed may pick up 5 to 10 mph.

How Pacelines Work

Imagine five riders riding across the page:

E D C B A

Rider A, finishing a turn at the front, swings to the left, slows down, and rider B takes the lead. Rider A drops in behind rider E.

A E D C B

Shortly thereafter rider B does the same thing.

B A E D C

and so on.

Paceline Hints

• Keep consistent effort.
• Pull slightly harder downhill; ease up slightly uphill.
• Close gaps gradually.
• Count pedal strokes to keep steady rhythm, and take pulls of similar duration.

Group Riding Principles

Certain principles apply when riding in a pack of riders. These principles are vital to the safety of the group and its members. Learn them and you’ll be welcome in the paceline. Learn how to ride with a group of riders at moderate speed. You’ll be able to better anticipate what happens when riding in fast packs.

No Sudden Moves

Don’t suddenly turn right, left, speed up, slow down. It is inefficient and dangerous.

Be Smooth

Riders new to pacelines feel the need to show they can keep up. Some work harder and speed up at the front. This is wrong. The front rider relinquishing the lead moves over to the side and then slows down, slightly. The rider assuming the lead does not speed up, but maintains the same speed.

Give Others a Turn

The idea is not to prove how strong you are by hogging the front, but rather to learn how to work together in a group, ride together, and feel comfortable changing positions. There will be plenty of time to test your strength.

Pull Off in a Consistent Direction

When riding in a group, unless the wind changes, riders will relinquish the lead by “pulling off” either to the left or the right. Whichever way the group is working, pull off the same way.

Indicate When & Where Pulling Off

Indicate physically and orally how and when you will be pulling off.

Use the “chicken wing” indicator. Flap an elbow just before pulling off; flap on the side opposite to which you are moving. In this way, with side winds, the following rider, echeloned to the lee side, will know when the lead rider is pulling off.

Although some riders point to where they will be going with a finger, keeping both hands on the handlebars is safer.

Just before pulling off say: “Pulling off.”

Draft Reasonably Close

Keep as close to the rider in front of you as comfortably and safely as you can. Try to not let “gaps” open.

Ride Close Side-to-Side

When you drop back to rotate, try to ride closely side-by-side as well. This is also much more efficient.

Warn of Road Hazards

Although easiest for riders at the front, all riders should scan the road ahead for hazards. Riders, especially at the back, scan and listen for overtaking vehicles.

If there is plenty of time, everyone can avoid the hazard. If there is not much time to avoid some glass or a hole, it is often safer to ride over the hazard, rather than violate Rule #1 — no sudden moves.

Use Brakes as Little as Possible

Braking wastes the energy you’ve used building up to speed. It is also dangerous for the rider in back of you.

Don’t Exhaust Yourself Pulling Too Long

If you are weaker than the other riders in the group, take the front, but only for a few pedal strokes. Take your turn in front to practice technique and keep the paceline flowing smoothly.

Don’t Handle Water Bottles or Food When Leading

Wait until you’ve pulled off. Also, try to be in the “right gear” and not change gears when you are leading.

Do Not Overlap Wheels

Ride behind the rider in front of you. With a crosswind, experienced racers ride partially to the side of the rider in front of them to help shield them from the wind. If the rider in front of you moves over slightly, and you are overlapping that back wheel, it is your front end that will be unstable, and it is you that will go down.

Yells and Screams

Riders will often yell short commands or advice at you. These “barks” often seem rude and angry. By and large, no meanness is meant. It is just that there seems to be too little time to be full of sentences and explanations. Don’t take yells and screams personally. Empathize with new riders—avoid yells and screams.

Group Safety Plusses and Minuses

In some ways, riding in a group is safer than riding alone. Apart from the safety issue, group riding certainly allows for a faster overall speed and conversation with others.

However, overall, group riding may be more dangerous than riding alone. Much depends upon the particular group.

Group Riding Can Be Safer

• The group may instill a more obey-the-vehicle-code attitude than the individual had before.
• The group may reduce the harassment that individuals, particularly solo women, sometimes face.
• Motorized vehicular traffic may give a group wider berth than a solo rider.

Group Riding Can Also Be More Dangerous

• The group may collectively act in a more dangerous, even reckless manner.
• Motorized vehicular drivers may be more impatient, even hostile, with a group, especially a group that impedes their travel.
• Riders may be encouraged, expressly or subtly, to ride faster than their skills or fitness levels.
• Riders may be pushed to high exertion levels. Riding closer to exhaustion, thinking/processing information may be impaired.
• The required mental focus on group members reduces attention that can be given to other hazards.
• The group might physically impede visibility, making it more difficult for riders behind to keep a lookout for road and other hazards.
• Speed may be higher, increasing needed reaction times.
• Control of the bicycle in a group may require a higher skill level due to other rider proximity as well as speed.
• Legal following distances are less likely to be maintained (may be impossible to maintain).
• Bicycle-bicycle accidents are more common.
• Descending more quickly than one might as a solo rider, accidents are more common.
• Injury severity may be higher with a higher-speed fall.

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Dr. Arnie Baker has been coaching since 1987. A professional, licensed USCF coach, he has coached racers to several Olympic Games, more than 120 US National Championships, and 35 US records. He is and has been the only National Cycling Coach for Team in Training. This endurance-training program of more than 800 coaches and 30,000 participants raises more than $80,000,000 each year for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Arnie has a Category 1 USCF racing license. He has held eight US 40-K time-trial records, has won multiple national championships, and has won more than 200 races. An all-round racer, he was the first to medal in every championship event in his district in a single year.

Dr. Baker is a licensed physician in San Diego, California. He obtained his MD as well as a master’s degree in surgery from McGill University, Montreal. He is a board-certified family practitioner. Before retiring to ride, coach, and write, he devoted approximately half of his medical practice to bicyclists. He has served on the fitness board of Bicycling magazine as a bicycling-physician consultant. He has been a medical consultant to USA Cycling and the International Olympic Committee.

Arnie has authored or co-authored 17 books and more than 1,000 articles on bicycling and bicycling-related subjects.