A peloton is a large group of riders with too many of them to ride in an orderly fashion. Since there is no consensus on what the order should be, what the pace should be, and how quickly the riders in the group should change, some riders get bored of riding in a protected position in the group, and they rush to the head of the peloton, wanting to revive it. What is a pleasant conversational tempo for one is a funeral march for another. In addition, the pace of one may be the absolute limit for another. Interesting things happen in the group. The first goal of anyone is to stay safe. The second goal is to have a good time and get in good shape.

Stick to your line. Sticking to your line is one of the most important riding skills in a group of cyclists. When you are driving alone, you need to stick to your line, taking into account the design of the roads and the obstacles on the road. In a group, you need to focus on the rider who rides in front of you. Imagine how schools of fish swim: they move as one, while miraculously do not touch each other. If the group moves to the right or left of any road obstacles or turns, it is important to follow the rider directly in front of you.

Protect your front wheel. The easiest way to make a blockage is when you are riding in a group by catching the other rider’s rear wheel with your front wheel. Imagine a semi-circle that describes the front of your bike, and this two to three foot radius arch around your front wheel should be sacred. If someone violates this space, move to protect your front wheel.

Dropping out of a group is okay. Most riders drop out the first few times they ride in a group. Many experienced riders will drop out on the early outings at the beginning of the season if they are out of shape. If you are new to group riding, ask if there are any regrouping points and try to familiarize yourself with the route before you ride it. If you are unfamiliar with the roads in this area, take a map with you, just in case. Keep in mind that most riders in a group don’t keep up the pace all the time. If you are able, then keep a high but controlled pace after you fall out: there is a chance that the group’s pace will drop and you You can catch up with her even before the moment of regrouping.

Beware of the “accordion” effect. As a group speeds up or slows down, its overall shape changes. A group of four riders wide and eight deep can quickly become a group of sixteen riders in two rows, or worse, 32 in one chain. This is because not all riders accelerate at the same time at the same pace. The delay in reaction causes riders at the rear of the group to accelerate later than the riders at the head of the group. To stay with them, tail riders are forced to accelerate more sharply to catch up.

When the group slows down, it shrinks as the riders behind start braking later than the riders in front. For this reason, it is important that the riders at the front of the group slow down no more than necessary and stop no sooner than necessary. If even one rider stops too abruptly, it could lead to a collision between the riders behind.

Learn to fall behind. One way to avoid dropping out of the group is to advance in the peloton before a big boost or a big climb. Of course, this requires some knowledge and skills. But being close to the head of the group when the acceleration or climb begins, you have the opportunity to fall down the group and handle the acceleration better, hoping that the pace will drop before you reach the tail of the peloton and fall out of your bunch. Many riders use traffic lights to get close to the front of the group, waiting for the fast leg of the ride. Keep in mind that many of the fastest and most experienced riders will object to you riding at the head of the group if you are not strong enough to help keep up the pace. When you stop at a traffic light, it’s better to be close to the head of the group than directly ahead.

Learn to move forward. For novice riders, it is most convenient to move forward along the edges of the group. It takes time to feel more confident, and then you can move through the gaps in the group when they open. Instead of trying to move forward with your nose in the wind, move outside the group and wait for the other rider to arrive. As soon as this rider passes you, make sure that rider’s wheel is free and jump into the express up to your head groups.

Choose your position in the group. Where you find your position in the group will determine how you will have to ride to stay in it. The strongest riders tend to ride directly ahead (the first 10 riders or so). If you climbed up there, you should be ready to pull and be able to close the gaps. Riders call the clearance a space equal to the length of the bike. If there is room for the rider between you and the rider in front of you, then there is clearance, as they say.

But in the area of ​​​​the head of the group, shifts maintain the greatest pace. Many riders work simply to try and stay close to the front rows without actually being in front; these are some of the safest places in the group. The middle of the group can be crowded, and there is an intimidating effect here. The acceleration of the tempo of the whole group is most noticeable here. The back of the group offers the best option, but a change of pace can require riders there to accelerate hard.

Eliminate gaps left by others. If you’re running a spinner and the rider in front of you moves out of the way, leaving a gap of more than six feet, a quick way to make friends is to try to close the gap if you’re strong enough to do so. If the pace is too fast for your ability, quickly wave to one of the riders to let them know you need help. After the signal, leave the turntable and step back.

Drink on your bike. If you’re going out for more than an hour, then you need to drink water to replenish the fluid you’re losing through sweat. If you are traveling on your own or in a small group, then there is nothing special about waiting for you to stop and have a drink. But if you’re in a fast group that rarely stops, then it’s important to drink on the go.

Drinking with one hand means you steer, brake and shift gears with the other. It’s a very important skill to be able to comfortably grab, drink, and change cans without looking at what you’re doing. For perfect control, it’s good to drink with your left hand while controlling the bike with your right. This will give you more confidence and control than if you were using your left hand.