Group Rides. Are you cycling or just riding a bike with friends?

Riding bikes is a love shared by many.  More people are turning to bikes each year to meet their transportation needs, exercise, and much more.  I like riding bikes.  I also like cycling. For many people, riding bikes and cycling are one and the same.  Cycling is much more than riding a bike. It's gaining understanding of the many intricacies of the sport.  How to position yourself in a large peloton, how to gauge wind direction while riding, when and how to use your power to gain momentum and hold it, how to form effective and safe pacelines, and perhaps most importantly how to keep the group safe as you interact with traffic!  The majority of people think this stuff is just for the pro's.  It's not, this is cycling! From my experience, the vast majority of recreational riders, think they have all of these things pegged.  However, get out there and participate in any local century ride and it won't take long to prove me right!

Let's examine group rides in a little bit more detail.  For the purpose of this discussion, "group" refers to rides with 10 or more people.  One of the most common expressions heard at the beginning of group rides of this size is "I'm not as fast as most of these folks so I will just sit at the back."  I'll be frank... if you're not fit enough to ride in the top 5 positions, you sure as hell aren't fit enough to ride at the back!  The back of the pack is where all of the carnage is.  You are at the mercy of the group when at the back.  All speed fluctuations are amplified at the back resulting in a constant accordion effect, or surges of speed usually followed by rapid deceleration.  This accordion effect effectively then becomes an indication, or measurement of the quality of the group ride.  Just to be clear, there is always a bit of the accordion effect in large groups, its the nature of cycling and can be likened to the speed up/slow down pattern experienced in rush hour traffic.  Additionally, the more exaggerated the accordion effect is, the more group safety is compromised. So, if you are less experienced with groups, or find yourself in a group that is a bit above your level, stay toward the front!  

Another "group-buster" is the look-at-me-power-pull-through-move.  This is the person that goes on group rides to show off their power.  The group is humming along, rotating well and then someone pulls through to the front at like 400watts.  This results in chaos, usually stringing out the group, and forces everyone to work way harder than they can sustain.  This power move is completely self defeating to the group and if done repeatedly, causes the group to move more slowly than its potential.  Even the strongest of riders need the power of the group over the long haul.

There are many more skills involved with effective group riding that not only make the cycling more enjoyable, they make you faster, and of course make you and the entire group more safe.  Cycling is an inherently dangerous sport, don't make it more dangerous by choosing to neglect the importance of the skills needed to ride in a group safely and effectively.

-CB