Group riding etiquette

[pedalfaster]

Generally if someone comes up behind me I slow down and move to the right so they can pull along side. (I live in a small town so 9 times out of 10 it's someone I know--ha!). After a few minutes of chatting the ride seems to sort itself out into one of several scenarios:

1. We decide we want an easy ride and nice conversation so we ride side by side and talk (the most common).

2. The other rider wants a harder ride and waves and rides off.

3. *I* want a harder ride OR the other rider is annoying me OR I just want to be alone. In this case I will often change direction (take a turn off or alternate route). It's easier than saying "go away".

4. Very rarely, the other rider will be a training partner and we'll decide to work together and take turns pulling each other.

Another trick to get rid of an unwanted drafter is to stop. Just pull over the side and make an adjustment to your bike.

And yes, you should always always announce yourself when coming up behind anyone (cyclist, jogger, dog walker) on your bike. It's just plain rude to startle people. A simple "hello" works pretty well for me.

So, what would I have done in your position Cyclingnewbie? I would have slowed and pulled to the right. She would have either slowed and aknowledged me or (more likely given your description of her behavior) ridden past me. I would let her gap me, then resume my own pace. I would let her know by my actions that "racing" on a bike path (is this multi-use? with walkers and joggers and kids-on-bikes?) is silly, rude and potentially dangerous.

[cyclingnewbie]

Thanks for the advice. I made the mistake of assuming this woman was going to be fair and pull for a bit, so I kept riding. If I had realized she was an idiot, I would have slowed to a crawl (and believe me, I can ride SLOW!) so there was nothing to draft on. And yes, I was on a multi-use path and it is a pain when the racing guys use the path to train and refuse to give up their drafting positions when passing other users. Some of them could blow people right off the path! I would also like to add that I have mostly seen this behaviour in men, not women, naturally! I think if this ever happens again, I will take the initiative and talk to whoever is hanging on to get a feel for what their plan is so I don't end up stewing about it after the fact. No sense being timid!

[Veronica]

You got that right! (The part about not being timid especially.) I really kind of like that line.

V.

[doctorfrau]

Originally posted by cyclingnewbie
when passing other users. Some of them could blow people right off the path! I would also like to add that I have mostly seen this behaviour in men, not women, naturally!

I hear ya on this one. The other week, I had my 7 yr old out on the rail trail, practicing without her training wheels. Some guy blew right by us at high speed, without so much as an "On your left"

My daughter was a bit wobbly on that bike, and could have easily veered straight into his path. That JERK and my daughter could have BOTH been seriously hurt!!

[Dogmama]

Story about pulling somebody: Several years ago, I was doing a cross state ride and our "easy" day of 35 miles was accompanied by a 25 mph headwind!!! Absolutely miserable! I pulled a guy in to the next town and he never once offered to pull. He did thank me at the end - "big deal!" I thought.

Turns out - he had already rode from Iowa to get to Arizona to do this tour! He was absolutely toast before we even began riding that day! Humble pie...

Here's the part that got my blood boiling. My aunt lived in that little town & we'd made arrangements to go to lunch when I got in. I figured, hey, 35 miles = 2 hours tops. Five hours later - I pull in and she give me grief because I'm late!!! I say "WOMAN - have you checked out that HEADWIND!!??" As a non-bicyclist - she was clueless.

That's my story & I'm sticking to it

[cyclingnewbie]

You have far more stamina than I do to ride for hours into that kind of wind. I HATE wind. I'm not a strong rider in the first place, and the wind just makes it worse. One day last summer I was at the end of a 50 mile ride (which took me pratically all day!) and the bikepath turned into the wind, which, by that time, was really starting to whip up in the late afternoon. At one point I decided to get off and walk for a while for a break. I wasn't feeling any better and then realized that I was leaning into the wind, walking! No wonder I couldn't ride into it; I could barely walk into it! I hate the wind..........

[Dogmama]

No - repeat after me - "I love the wind." Think of it as your own personal trainer! Get aerodynamic - that means get down into your drops (are you on a road bike?), get back on your seat, and think "spin, spin, spin in the wind!."

[cyclingnewbie]

I can appreciate the theory behind your advice, but I'm currently riding a hybrid and can only be so aerodynamic. And I'm not a very storng rider, so most of the time in the wind I'm chanting, "heart attack, heart attack, heart attack!!" I'll try to do better though. It's nice here this weekend, but windy. I'm going out Sunday morning anyway. (However, I will go south INTO the wind first and let it push me back. I'm not stupid!) But I will "spin, spin, spin into the wind"; promise.

[Dogmama]

Funniest thing today - riding along and a peloton of about 10 guys (all averaging about 3% body fat, going about 25 mph) go by me. The leader did announce their approach! I hung with them for...oh....about 1/4 mile. But, when they pointed out road hazards, they'd accompany their gestures with "OH Oh! Oh Oh!" - I was laughing so hard, I got dropped. OK....I would have been dropped anyway.

[snapdragen]

I love it! I'm going to try to remember that. I'm hoping to go on my first ride in ---yikes--- 6 weeks, tomorrow. A short flat route, out for coffee and back.

I've missed riding!

[luna*Kentucky]

Yup, I'll be riding my road bike for the first time tomorrow. I'm very excited and hope for a great start.

Weather looks good and the company even better.

last year I took a ride with a map from the bicycle club, bad directions...lost in the hills of Ky. ouch!

But I missed road riding, happy to return to my bike.

Have a great ride ladies!