If you have ever done a closed road sportive, you will probably have seen some nasty accidents, usually caused by either wheels touching on the flat or dangerous descending. Here are a few guidelines to being safe and not upsetting other riders
Touching wheels
Wheels touching is most likely to occur because someone didn’t hold a line and moved across the cariageway, but whose fault is it? If you were the rider behind and your front wheel was overlapping the rider in front’s rear wheel (known as Half-Wheeling) then it is probably your fault if they swerve around a pothole and hit your front wheel. Half-Wheeling is not acceptable..
If you are not riding a straight line and, say, cut in front of a faster rider passing you, then maybe you are to blame for not looking back. Although it is also advisable, when overtaking, to call out ‘On Your Right’ before you pass a rider in front so that the rider is aware that you are there.
Wheels can also ‘touch’ on corners if people don’t hold a line or if you are very close to the rider in front and they suddenly brake. If you are the rider behind, it will usually be your fault but riders in front should hold a reasonable line and not simply cut-across others. If approaching a ‘less than obvious’ turning, it might be worth considering shouting ‘TURNING!’ to warn cyclists behind you.
Protocols and etiquette
If you are riding close to the rider in front, you must still look ahead beyond them and anticipate when they might brake. If you stare at their back wheel, you will not see what’s coming up. If you swerve out to avoid touching wheels, you risk hitting another group rider to your side. You should be looking over the rider in front’s shoulder as well as watching their back wheel. Stay vigilent and constantly flick between views.
Hold a straight line, if you are about to swerve around a pothole, try and look around to check that you aren’t about to ‘cut up’ another rider in the group, or even hit one to your side! Shout ‘HOLE!’
Use the signals for pulling out or in (hand behind your back pointing in the direction you are about to move in).
When pulling out of a junction, shout either ‘CAR LEFT / CAR RIGHT’ or CLEAR for the benefit of riders behind you.
Point downwards towards potholes and loose gravel as you pass them, indicating where they are for the benefit of the rider behind you …. perhaps shout ‘HOLE’ of ‘GRAVEL’ too as this will alert other riders further back who may be unsighted.
If there is a car behind, presumably likely to overtake, then riders at the back should shout ‘CAR BACK!’. If you are ahead and hear this, consider whether or not it would be beneficial to pull into single file to help the motorist pass. This will usually be the case on narrower roads, but may not be a good idea on wider, clearer roads where it might make the overtaking distance longer. Take into account the oncoming traffic too, as on a wide carriageway a motorist may not need cross the white lines if you pull in.
If there is a car coming in the opposite direction on a narrow road, front riders should shout ‘CAR UP!’ or ‘CAR AHEAD!’ . This allows the group to ensure that it is not blocking the way of the oncoming car.
Remember; we share the roads, be considerate to other road users.
It is also nice to greet other cyclists with a ‘Good morning’, ‘hi’ or a wave … we are a friendly club!
Wearing your club kit helps other club members identify you, this is particularly relevant in mass participation events when trying to hook up with club mates in a mass peleton. It is also beneficial on club rides when passing / intermingling with other groups because you know you are following the correct riders from your club.
Descending
We won’t pretend that everyone ascends or descends at the same pace and a slow rider in front on a descent can be frustrating. But do not overtake them on bends. There is a so-called ‘racing line’ and if you are overtaking on a bend then at least one of you probably isn’t going to be on it, which can be a major cause of crashes on mountain descents during sportives. Have you ever noticed how the pro-peleton descends in single file on hairpinned mountains?
Climbing
When climbing, depending on which country you are in, you should keep to the left or right to allow stronger riders to overtake. If you ride slowly three abreast, as many ignorant riders do in big sportives, you will cause congestion behind and that may lead to frustrated climbers cutting through gaps and causing crashes.
Group Riding
Group riding requires discipline, and an ideal group size is probably around 6 to 10 riders.
If the idea is that nobody will be dropped, then it requires teamwork to keep the bunch together. Ideally there will be a group captain making sure that nodody has fallen off the back, and ideally two captains so that one might moderate pace at the front, whilst the other ‘sweeps’ at the back. Sweeping will involve perhaps pacing dropped riders back on or shouting for riders ahead to ease up whilst somebody catches up. The riders in the middle of the group should repeat any calls in order to ensure that the riders at the front have heard.
Junctions and hills can cause splits in a group too. If there is a no-drop policy, then riders should wait at the top of a climb until everyone has reached the top, before progessing on.
Junctions can often split a group so it important that everyone looks around to make sure the rider behind them got through. If not, shout to make sure that the riders ahead do not accelorate off leaving people behind. If you do slow down for people, don’t accelorate off because the lights changed, wait until they reach the riders ahead so that the whole group can accelorate together. When the last rider joins the group, they should shout ‘ALL ON!’ and riders ahead should repeat this until the leader acknowledges and accelorates.
When at a T-Junction and about to pull out, shout ‘ROLLING!’ so that the group is aware that you are all moving off.
Ride no more than two abreast. On narrower roads it may be polite to go single file to allow motorists to pass. However, by doing so, remember that you make their passing distance longer and this may cause problems to. Adapt to the situation, we all share the roads.
If you are riding in pairs, particularly if you are the outside rider, bear in mind that your club-mate needs to dodge potholes, so be aware of where they are riding as well as your own trajectory. You may need to move to help them avoid a pothole!
Be aware of whether or not your group has a no-drop policy and make your ride captain aware if someone else falls off the back, has a mechanical or a puncture etc.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY – OBSERVATION IS KEY – CONSIDERATION IS KEY – PAYING ATTENTION IS KEY
Turns on the Front
Traditionally a flick of the elbow tells the riders behind that you wish to vacate the front position and would like them to take your place. You might also consider sitting up and pulling out to let them by. However, if you do that, be very careful as you risk pulling out in front on an overtaking car. It is a little better if the riders behind overtake the leader, making sure that they are not pulling out in front of cars.
Horses
If you race past a horse, you risk startling it, so before you reach a horse in front, shout something like ‘good morning’ to the rider. The horse will then be aware of your presence and the risk of startling it diminishes. Ideally, keep talking as you pass so that it is aware of where you are, commenting on the weather to the rider is not too difficult and is usually appreciated. Slow down when passing horses too.
Potholes and gravel
Shout ‘HOLE!’ or ‘GRAVEL’ and point to the dangerous area so that riders behind are aware.
Slowing down for hazards and traffic lights etc
Shout ‘SLOWING!’ so that riders who might not be able to see the hazard from further back in the group are aware that riders in front are about to brake.
