Group riding etiquette

[Adventure Girl]

I may have committed a roadie faux pas. I’m pretty much a newbie to road riding, and I don’t ride in groups very often. So you seasoned road cyclists, let me know if I did something wrong, and I’ll try not to repeat the offense.

At the Cinderella, I caught a group of 4 riders. I didn’t see anybody in sight in front of them, so I just tucked in to the back of their pack and stayed there to the end of the ride. I told a friend about this and he asked if I went to the front at all or if I just drafted. Well… uhhh… I guess I just drafted the whole time. Is that wrong? It was actually a group of 3 friends riding together, and a fourth woman who just tagged along, and then me. The fourth woman and I just stayed back there.

So, roadies, is that wrong? Is each rider supposed to take their turn at the front of the line? How do you all feel when someone tucks in behind you? They didn’t seem to mind. In fact, there was very little moving around in our whole pack of 5. The same two women lead the whole time.

I don’t know the unwritten rules of road cycling!

[Veronica]

We get drafted on the tandem all the time. Doesn't bother us. But it is always nice when folks thank us afterward for the pull. As far as what's appropriate in a group - I think that varies. I have a hard time drafting other people. It means I have to stay focused on the wheel and can't let my attention wander to the scenery. . Generally, I'd rather lead. But sometimes it is fun to to switch off and really go for it.

Veronica

[Crash]

It is appropriate to take your turn at the front. It doesn't have to be for long but at least you showed your appreciation by taking your turn. However, if you are hanging on for dear life just let them know and they will probably be glad to help you along and that will improve your skills to return the offer to someone else.
I don't think anyone would have a problem as long as you communicated with them.
The fact that there were other cyclist in the group made it less of an issue that you should pull.

I do agree...thank them for the pull and all will be well.

Crash

[MightyMitre]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. If none of the group were taking turns on the front or shifting places then sounds like you were fine at the back with the other girl.

If it was a race situation it might be a bit different, especially if you were trying to maintain a break or catch up with the rest of the group. It would only be fair to help out with the work but in this case I don't think it was a problem.

[annie]

I would ask when tucking in behind the group - or behind an individual rider - if its okay for me to sit on, then after riding a bit and getting accustomed to their pace and riding ablilities, I'd offer to take a pull. That's if I thought I could hold the same pace without absolutely dying! If not, and as long as they don't seem to mind, I'd hang on and then thank them profusely at the end of the pull.

Pace lines can be tricky. You want to know what you are doing and be comfortable riding in them before you jump in with people you don't know. If I ever get in a line and then can see that there are inexperienced people ahead of me, I either move up, or get out. Too many bad things can happen. I've seen numerous wipe-outs. All I'm saying is -- just be careful! Practice paceline riding with experienced riders, don't jump on with just anyone, and try and keep your pace as predictable as possible.

[Spannah]

I don't think anyone really minds you drafting as long as you communicate. I have has some bad experiences but mainly with men.

Recently I was riding home from work and got caught by a bloke on a long climb, he sat on my wheel up the climb and as I knew he was there I indicated pot holes, cars etc. Basically he knew that I knew he was there. At the top he put it in the big ring and went blasting past me, because it was unexpected and fast I didn't catch his wheel but shouted after him "oy thats not fair you can't sit on my wheel then sprint off without working!" I chased after him and caught him up and he was really labouring and down on the drops churning along, I sat there for a bit and then went round him to take a turn - trying to teach him some ettiquette - soon as I did that he pulled over and got off his bike. Weirdo.

Another time I was doing an mtb race called the Transalp, a group had formed on a road section and I was the only woman in it, when I got to the front of the line to work the man behind me sprinted past to the front to prevent me taking my turn. I thought he was worried that I'd be too slow to work. When I got to the back of the line he tried to take me out the back! (Its a roadie tactic for getting rid of riders - you sit up with the rider you want rid off on your wheel and drift backwards off the pace line, when there is a big gap you accelerate hard leaving the rider on your wheel with a big gap to close so they can't get back on the line.) He tried to take me out twice and I kept getting back on - after awhile I gave up. I was prepared to work but they clearly didn't want me there. Not often you get that though - most riders are happy to help other riders - I know it was a race but we were riding for like 300th place or something - not the win!!

[SadieKate]

I agree that you have 2 choices: either take a turn at the front no matter how short or communicate that you are hanging on for dear life. Many years ago (pre-Clairol ) when I rode my 2nd Cinderella, a paceline of about 15 riders developed behind me. I pulled for miles and could not get anyone else to pull. No matter what I did to pull over or slow down, they just followed me. Then, right at the end, several sprinted past me into the finish. I felt like finding some wire cutters and attacking a few spokes.

I don't mind someone drafting if 1) tell me they are there and don't lap wheels and 2) either take a turn or tell me they can't maintain that pace if they pull.

Thanks for asking about the issue. It was great to see so many women at the Cinderella. It has tripled in size since I first rode it.

[Dogmama]

My experience with pace lines is different. The people who are leading should peel off - moving to the left - slow down & let the pace line go by them - then catch the rear. Normally, it is decided how long somebody should lead, e.g., 3 minutes. That way, everybody takes their turn up front. If somebody is toast, they don't lead & instead they peel off right away.

Etiquette is not blasting ahead when you're leading. Remember that the ex-leader is tired and is trying to catch the rear wheel. People who leave the leader gasping off the back are rude.

In a double pace line, the left person moves left & the right person moves right. It really a pretty cool thing. I used to ride with about 10 other women & we had it down pat.

In this way, the pace line continues at a good clip and nobody is absolutely ruined by the end of the ride.

[SadieKate]

I did try to peel off and slow down, but the people behind just followed. In heavy traffic situations and a large group, it gets pretty dangerous to try and teach people how to do a pace line or to chastise them for their lack of etiquette. I was recounting this experience as an example where everyone behind me either didn't know what they were doing or were going for the free ride.

I've ridden in packs of up to 70 people that not only knew what they were doing but were polite enough to take their turn.

[ausgirl]

In answer to your question, since it was your first time it was probably nothing to worry about. For me though, I ride mostly with guys so my experiences may be different to you. What happens though is some of the more experienced riders in the pack will be observing everything - they know when you join the group, if you are struggling, if you drop off, if you take a turn and if you just sit at the back and draft because you're being lazy. This said, if they can see that you are struggling it is acceptable to "sit on" because they do want you to be able to get home. However, if you are strong enough to do turns and are being lazy, this is unacceptable and the rider in question will generally find themselves pretty unpopular. My policy is that for the first 3-4 times on a particular ride it is ok to sit on, this will give you time to build your fitness up, but after that you should attempt turns even if its for only 1 or 2km. Personally I find as a chick that if you get to the point where you do turns at a good pace with the guys, then you start to earn their respect as a cyclist

[cyclingnewbie]

Here's one for you that really annoyed me: I was at the very end of a bike path ride tonight, pushing into the wind to get back to the car. Something made me look back and I realized this woman had come up behind me and was drafting off me without so much as a hi there. I would have said something if I approached someone to draft, but ok. So I kept pedalling into the darned wind. After about five minutes, she pulls out and blows by me! That irked me, so I caught up to her and pulled in behind to let her pull for a couple of minutes, just to make a point. She looks at me and blasts ahead so I lose the draft. Then when I got to the car, she was filling her water bottle and gave me killer looks across the parking lot, as if daring me to say something. She obviously knew she had behaved badly, and appeared to be looking for an opportunity to be rude again. I ignored her and went about my business, but I'm still annoyed. Would you guys have said something to her? Or just let it go?

[ausgirl]

That was very rude of her. I wouldn't waste my time talking to someone like that. Maybe she'll change later on when no one wants to ride with her.

[Veronica]

Some people are just clueless.

I just can't imagine not even talking to someone else I came across on a bike.

Veronica

[ausgirl]

I agree. If I'm going to be riding even for 2 minutes with someone else I say hi and introduce myself (if i need to).

[cyclingnewbie]

Thanks ladies. I haven't been riding long and don't have much experience, but I really didn't think this whole thing was ME.