5-minute read

If you’re a seasoned cyclist, you’ll probably agree it’s more sociable to ride safely in a group. You might also know of the other benefits group riding provides, such as giving you more energy during a long day in the saddle. If you’ve not ridden in a group before, you might be nervous about group riding. However, with our top 10 tips below you’ll know what to look out for to ride safely and smoothly. We’ve enlisted one of our long-standing guides Tom Mutton to help provide some advice on group riding. Tom delivers Ride Leadership courses for both British Cycling and Cycling UK. He’s got bags of experience and is pumped with knowledge to share if you are new to group riding. 

First off, let’s explore why we’d want to do it. The performance advantage to riding in a group is that several cyclists can share the responsibility of setting a manageable pace for the group, as well as sheltering other riders from the wind – a technique known as ‘drafting.’

The most efficient formation for a large group is to ride side-by-side in pairs. Riders gradually rotate and share their turn at the front. How long your turn is depends greatly on weather conditions and how strong you feel. Five minutes is a good starting point.

1. Relax!

This is much easier said than done, especially if you are new to group riding! Your shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees are all flexible joints that allow you to adapt your position and body movement while in the saddle. Keeping these joints loose will enable you to alter your position on the bike, adapt to changes on the road or in the group, and absorb bumps in the road, such as potholes. This comes with practice and confidence, but try to be mindful when riding in a group. Check-in with yourself and your body to see if you are holding tension.

It all sounds very yogic, doesn’t it?! Staying relaxed on the bike will allow you to adapt to changes and will help you enjoy the experience of group riding. It will also prevent you from wasting energy by keeping your body constantly tensed up.

2. Ask

Another easier-said-than-done tip, but remember we were all new to something once! All the riders in your group were new to group riding once upon a time so don’t be afraid to ask: anything and everything! Let the other riders know you are fairly new to group riding and that you’d appreciate their patience, advice, and tips. Inevitably you will see and hear things on your first group ride that you’re unsure of and don’t understand. One of the benefits of riding in a group is there is always someone next to you to ask! 

3. Communicate

Safe group riding is all about good communication. There is a collective responsibility for all group members to communicate, from the front to the back, and back to the front, whether this be the most or least experienced rider in the group. Along with verbal calls, there are several hand signals that you should be aware of. Once again, if you are unsure what a signal means, just ask. Always pass signals and shouts on through the group in either direction.

Communication is essential if you’re on the front of the group when you’ll need to point and call out obstructions, hazards, and any upcoming turns. Riders’ terminology and hand signals may differ from person to person, and group to group. Keep an eye and an ear out for these and ask the group what signals and shouts they will be using. Check out this article from Road Cycling UK which is a good guide to some of the signals you might see on your club rides and will help you ride safely in a group.

4. Look through the group

As mesmerising as the wheel in front of you may be, it’s not a good place to fix your gaze. It’s best to keep your eyes looking forward through the gaps in the group so you can see what is coming up ahead. This will help you anticipate how the group will respond. It will allow you to see build-ups of traffic ahead, changing lights, gradients, and even the sprints and breakaways from the group if it gets a little spicy! 

5. Don’t overlap

This one is the golden rule! It’s OK to leave a bit of a gap to the wheel ahead and even to ride slightly to one side of it. As your experience and confidence grow, you will ride closer to the wheel in front and benefit more from the aerodynamic advantages this gives.

Always avoid overlapping your front wheel with the rear wheel of the rider in front because if they have to swerve to avoid a hazard or have a lapse in concentration, they’ll take out your front wheel. It will more than likely be the rider following that will come down first as the rear wheel is more stable.

6. Easy on the brakes

Everything in a group wants to be smooth and steady. Any sudden change in speed be it acceleration, or in the more dangerous case deceleration, can cause issues.

Braking is often unavoidable, but how you brake in a group is very important. Avoid sudden or sharp braking as this will amplify towards the back of the group and can cause accidents. Looking ahead helps with this, so you know when to accelerate, freewheel, and slowly scrub some speed off. A good sign to look – and listen – for is riders in front of you sitting up and freewheeling. Try to copy this to ensure you aren’t wasting energy and you’re contributing to a smooth riding experience for all.

7. Don’t half-wheel

If you’re on the front (good effort!), avoid pushing the pace and constantly moving ahead of the rider next to you. This is known as half-wheeling (your wheel will often be half a wheel in front of your partner’s). It’ll increase the speed of the group and is considered bad form. Try to keep your elbow in line with your riding partner’s to ensure this doesn’t happen. This can then be emulated through the rest of the group. Good form! 

8. Avoid kicking back your rear wheel

When climbing, be aware of your rear wheel kicking back when you get out of the saddle as the rider behind you can be caught unaware if they’re close to your wheel. It can be avoided with good technique, a smooth rise, and correct gear selection. You can also shout ‘Standing!’ before getting out of the saddle to warn the rider behind you. 

9. Don’t surge or slow

When you come to the front (exciting!), try to keep the pace/intensity of the group consistent. Don’t take everyone to the wattage cottage if you’re feeling strong! Conversely, and if you’re struggling, don’t try to slow the group. If you’re on a good day, do a long turn and if not, just put in a few pedal strokes before pulling off and settling back in the wheels.

10. Mudguards on, tri-bars off

In the winter especially, your ride mates will very much appreciate you having full-length mudguards. Some cycling clubs actually insist on them. Also, if you have clip-on tri-bars, take them off for group rides as they can be dangerous if an accident were to occur in the group.

So there you have it. You might be planning to come with us on one of our full-support road cycling holidays in Europe this year and want to know how to ride in a group (remember that on our flexible-pace trips, there’s no pressure on you to keep up with the group. You have total flexibility over how much or little you choose to cycle each day, completely at your own pace). Or you might simply want to improve your technique on your club rides. Either way, we hope you’ve found these pearls of wisdom beneficial.

Tom Mutton.