5 Group Cycling Rules You Need to Know!

Do you want to improve your fitness? Do you want to have a great time doing it? These are just two of the benefits that group cycling has to offer! But group cycling is like a team sport, and you wouldn’t jump onto a soccer team before you knew the rules! So take some time get up to speed on group cycling rules. They can help you ride like a pro and stay safe. The best part: they are as simple as rules come!

#1 It’s not a race – try to avoid overtaking people

So your first group ride is coming up – how exciting! We bet you’re eager to make a good impression, right? Making a good impression at a group ride is about more than just impressing everyone with your skills. It’s also about keeping the pack smooth and working with the other cyclists to have a good ride. So how do you do that? Easy – just keep it steady! Group rides are not races and there’s never any need to sprint for the front of the pack. Usually, the leaders will rotate after a while and you will probably get a turn at the front if that’s what you’d like. Taking a steady approach will make your ride cohesive, smooth and, best of all, fun!

#2 One of the golden group cycling rules: two abreast and bar-to-bar!

Have you ever wondered how the pros make their group rides so impressive? Snaking up over mountain ranges, never missing a beat. It’s a thing of beauty. And if you follow group cycling rules, you can do it too! That’s where this rule is most important: ride two abreast only and stay bar to bar. Riding at two abreast allows traffic to pass you freely and it helps you avoid obstacles. Riding bar to bar simply keep the group in sync and allows everyone to predicts each other’s movements. Done right, it’s truly a sight to behold!

#3 Too tired to take the lead? Group cycling rules state that you should let riders slot in ahead of you

Picture this: the pack is slowly rotating and it looks like you’ll be in front soon. But you’re too tired to take the lead. What do you do? First of all, don’t worry – group cycling rules help everyone get around these sorts of problems. If you are tired, simply hang back and move slowly and steadily towards the back of the pack. As you do, other riders will fill the gaps. The system works for all skill levels – that’s why group cycling rules are so important!

#4 Group cycling rules are centred on two things: slow and steady!

We’ve all heard it before: slow and steady wins the race. Group cycling is not a race, but the saying still works! The key to a smooth group ride is moving slowly and steadily. If you need to navigate the pack, simply move towards where you need to go very slowly. And try not to move in diagonal directions – instead, peel to the side of the pack and fall back steadily. This allows other riders to work around you.

#5 Here’s another one of the golden group cycling rules: avoid yelling

This is one of our favourite group cycling rules: don’t yell! Yelling is not a clear method of communication when you’re cycling in a group. Sure, the person beside you might understand, but everyone behind you will hear little more than a shout. If you see an obstacle, try and use hand signals to warn those behind you. Believe us, it’s a much clearer way to communicate on the noisy road!

For all your biking needs, contact Hoffy Cycles today on (07) 3269 1213.