7 tips for riding in groups without looking like an idiot

1. Arrive Ready to Ride

I’m not talking about preparing yourself mentally for the ride but about having all the required gear. Turning up at the meet point without any safety gear and barely any petrol in the tank will make you look like a complete moron. Also make sure to do a maintenance check on your bike before the trip especially if you are setting off on a long ride.

2. Ride with those you know

Riding with the people you know is always safer because you can trust them to not screw up as you know their riding habits, maturity and skill level. Every group has its own dynamic and riding in a group with people you don’t know is always going to cause some problems. It might be because they ride faster/slower than you, or maybe they take too many breaks and general stuff like this which can become really irritating after a while.

3. Hold a meeting before riding

It is essential to hold a pre-ride meeting to discuss things like riding formations, group leaders, the routes, break points and hand signals to indicate if anything is wrong. If the group is very large its a good idea to break up into smaller subgroups with individual leaders. The leaders should always be experienced riders as they have to set the pace for the rest of the group.

4. Ride in Formation

Group rides must always be done in formation. The structure and maintaining proper order and space is vital to prevent accidents. Too much space will split up the group and too little space is dangerous if you have to brake suddenly. The group should ride in a stagger formation, where every rider occupies alternating positions with regular spacing in between them

5. No showing-off

You might have a brilliant bike that you love popping wheelies on, but it’s a very bad idea to showboat while riding in groups. Doing so will just endanger yourself and everyone around you. Stay in formation at all times, follow the group’s pace and save the stunting for when you’re alone.

6. Take regular breaks

Riding alone takes energy and concentration but riding in groups is a whole other level. That’s why it is very important to keep taking regular breaks even if some riders want to keep going. This will give everyone some much needed rest and you also get to interact with other riders which is kind of the whole point of group riding.

7. Know how to Regroup

There will be several moments when the group has to split up because of traffic or because someone’s facing bike problems. In such situations, it is important to have pre-decided points to regroup. A good rule is too convene at the next point in case the group splits up or if someone is lost. For this reason it is also a good idea for everyone to be equipped with communication devices.