Whether you’ve joined a group of touring cyclists, like to explore bike trails with other mountain bikers or just find yourself cycle commuting with friends, you may encounter challenges while cycling in a group. In some cases, there are hard-and-fast laws and regulations that govern your behaviour on a group ride. But there are also lots of handy tips for group riding that will make your outing much more fun and help you to ride safely with others.
New riders will enjoy their time a lot more if an experienced cyclists leads the way, particularly when the group ride takes place anywhere near heavy traffic. Whether you’re the leader or the follower, here are some tips:
Discuss the general route ahead of time. Agree what you will do if separated by traffic. If the route is long and unfamiliar to most members of the group, make sure everyone is carrying a map (not just the leader!)
On longer touring rides, it can be wise to designate a few points along the route for people to stop and wait for others. Also, don’t forget to exchange cell phone numbers; keep your phone turned on, and carry it someplace where you can hear it easily and answer it without unpacking everything you’re carrying.
Although the leader will make general route choice along the way, the following riders must take control of their own decisions. For instance, the whole group may not all make it through a green light, and followers shouldn’t try to force their way across as the signal changes. Also, when it comes to lane changes, leaders will make choices, but followers should make their own decisions about exactly how and when to execute the change.
It’s a good idea to have a strong and experienced rider at the end of the group as well as at the beginning. Among other things, they can help keep stragglers from falling too far behind the rest of the group. They may also be able to quickly advance to the front of the group to alert the leader to any problems.
Unless the group is advanced enough to "draft" on one another (riding close behind a leading cyclist to cut wind resistance), there should normally be a two-second gap between cyclists. (Watch the cyclists head of you as they cross a line and mentally count until your front wheel crosses the same line.)
Some municipalities have clear bylaws about group riding. For instance, in Toronto, cyclists are required to ride single file, except at red lights, where they may temporarily pull up side-by-side. A local cycling group or police station can probably let you know what rules apply.
In the next article, I’ll begin a discussion of ways to avoid problems while riding in traffic.
