Tips on riding in group - 1st time

Baby Trek

Hi, I am due to ride out with the Matlock ladies next weekend. It will be my first ride in a group as all my riding is on my own in the week and at weekends with husband but I am always in front to go at my pace. Any tips or obvious stuff other than keeping my attention at all times! Thanks

gloomyandy

Try and be as smooth as you can.
If you need to brake to keep a distance try and do it smoothly.
Don't let your front wheel overlap the back wheel of the rider in front (if it does and they touch you will almost certainly fall off!). To begin with you may want to ride slightly to the side as well as behind of the rider in front this gives you a little more room to slow down if they stop quickly.
Watch out for signals/shouts from those in front for pot holes, parked cars etc. Make sure they know it is your first time out and if they are any good someone will explain the way they ride, what signals they use etc.
When you come to junctions don't just follow them through not everyone is that good at checking for traffic.
If you come to a junction/lights be ready to un-clip, remember there may be someone to the side of you which may make it a little more tricky.
There will be calls like car-up, car-down (car behind you or car coming towards you), which may not seem to make sense but use whatever the group uses.
Find out how they normally single out (rider inside goes forward, or rider outside does).

It can be a little unnerving at first. Don't be surprised if others in the group don't follow the above (there are always riders that don't!). But you will soon get used to it and will be happily putting leg warmers on while eating a gel and zooming along at 30mph - well maybe not, but you will find it lots of fun!

poppit

Baby Trek wrote:

Hi, I am due to ride out with the Matlock ladies next weekend. It will be my first ride in a group as all

my riding is on my own in the week and at weekends with husband but I am always in front to go at my pace

. Any tips or obvious stuff other than keeping my attention at all times! Thanks

Sounds like us and we'll be out around hilly Derbyshire tomorrow!

bondurant

Tell people what you are about to do or what you can see that would affect other riders, all the time.