46
votes
Accepted
Group riding etiquette
There are a number of problems in your situation, including the behaviour of the groups, which I will breakdown as the following:
A group of 50 is excessively large and it sounds like they also did a ...
- 30.5k
33
votes
How should an adult lead a group of child cyclists?
Tl;dr: leading from the back is a good idea most of the time
I'm going to assume that you are the only adult in the group, but in that case you'll need to delegate some responsibility to a competent ...
- 57.3k
30
votes
Accepted
Is there a way to know if someone is drafting behind without turning your head back or trying to hear the noises?
A group riding together and cooperating will ride to a set speed, so you'll be surging if you exceed that speed for long. A simple wheel-magnet speedo and bike computer helps show this on your bars ...
- 121k
30
votes
Fixie vs Road Bike - the right fixie bike for bunch rides
Disclaimer: I am a fixie hater. I'll try to answer this as if I was impartial.
Proper road bikes (Including the Moulton) are the machines for speed, and always have been (unless you're on a velodrome)...
- 5,690
29
votes
How to handle motorists' dangerous behaviour with an impassable group?
Don't create the situation in the first place. Every large event I've ever been on would either have the roads closed down, or send the riders out in waves so as not to create a situation where a car ...
- 21.7k
18
votes
Accepted
Group ride - Proper descent etiquette
Summary
If the description above is accurate, Rider A operated their bicycle correctly, and gave enough clearance to riders still in the paceline.
Remembering that we weren't there in person, there ...
- 29.7k
17
votes
Fixie vs Road Bike - the right fixie bike for bunch rides
Who rides fixes? Roadies who have got bored with always being out the front? Maybe its someone wanting to make a statement to the "Freds" (look it up) in the group
I once did a 160km ride where some ...
- 49.1k
15
votes
Is there a way to know if someone is drafting behind without turning your head back or trying to hear the noises?
On a sunny day you can often see the shadows without moving your head, so long as the sun isn't in front of you or too high. I sometimes pick up wheel suckers when commuting and while my commuter bike ...
- 57.3k
14
votes
Accepted
Waiting for Dropped Riders - Group Ride Etiquette
There is a lot to unpack on group riding etiquette and waiting for slower riders. Some people ride for social reasons and some people ride mainly for fitness so it can be difficult to balance everyone'...
- 30.5k
13
votes
Accepted
What benefits do bike clubs provide?
I'm going to disagree with Frisbee and note that there are many cycling clubs which aren't race teams but are just a bunch of people riding together and supporting a community of cycling in the area.
...
- 46.1k
13
votes
Group riding etiquette
If you did nothing to impede the group passing you, you basically did nothing wrong, and the rider who said you should have pulled over was out of line. As you stayed to the right and had riders to ...
- 75.5k
13
votes
How should an adult lead a group of child cyclists?
The whole discussion shows that having only one adult is unsafe for the kids. Lead from the front, you'll be unable to supervise them correctly (even with a mirror) and address dangerous behaviours on ...
- 17.7k
12
votes
How to handle motorists' dangerous behaviour with an impassable group?
I'm not entirely sure about the relevant legislation. However, as the question contains "deutch" I'll give the situation for Germany plus an update about Switzerland. I'd expect a) the situation to be ...
12
votes
Group ride - Proper descent etiquette
Apologies, this answer is somewhat at a tangent (Weiwen Ng already gave a great answer).
Irrespective of who is technically right or wrong from an etiquette standpoint, Rider B can resolve this in ...
- 18.3k
11
votes
Waiting for Dropped Riders - Group Ride Etiquette
Depends on the ride culture and how familiar people are.
When I go riding with a group, its generally with a decent variation in riding ability and familiarity in riding in a group. Also, not ...
- 46.1k
11
votes
What's the best way to shield a rider from the wind in a group (most aero position in the group)?
When you're in font of the rider that you want to help, then the more aero you are, the less shelter you give.
Riding in a low body position, head tucked and arms narrow makes it easier to ride at ...
- 4,175
11
votes
How should an adult lead a group of child cyclists?
I'll offer a counterpoint to ChrisH's view, because whether one adult group leader should be at the front or the rear of the group is a good way to constrain this open-ended problem.
Say you take the ...
- 8,976
10
votes
Accepted
How to handle motorists' dangerous behaviour with an impassable group?
Context about OP's ride: There was a climate demonstration in Switzerland and people organized to ride there in groups, over large distances. So it was very much like a critical mass, but as a one off ...
- 1,759
10
votes
Groups of cyclists entering intersection having right-of-way?
Austria (AT) - StVO §68, section 2
Radfahrer in Gruppen ab zehn Personen ist das Queren einer Kreuzung im Verband durch den übrigen Fahrzeugverkehr zu erlauben. Dabei sind beim Einfahren in die ...
9
votes
Waiting for Dropped Riders - Group Ride Etiquette
I think the idea is that by waiting for you at the top, and letting you rejoin, they are already providing enough help for people who aren't as strong riders. Once you have rejoined the group and are ...
- 21.7k
9
votes
Accepted
Fixie vs Road Bike - the right fixie bike for bunch rides
For context, I have been doing group rides for about 20 years now, raced at the cat 1/2 level for a good portion of that, and had a fixed gear obsession off and on for many years too. Riding fixed is ...
- 30.5k
9
votes
Group ride - Proper descent etiquette
Riding with others is very much a Trust-Fall exercise. If anyone doesn't gel with your group, it can cause issues with the dynamic and that can grow into full-on accidents.
Sometimes it's best to set ...
- 121k
9
votes
Accepted
Etiquette (and common sense) rules for MTB cyclists
This depends heavily on geography and individual trail systems. For example, in US National Forests, cyclists yield to hikers and equestrians, hikers only yield to equestrians, and uphill traffic has ...
- 3,534
9
votes
Groups of cyclists entering intersection having right-of-way?
Not entirely similar to the Spanish situation, but the Belgians have special rules for groups consisting of 15 or more cyclists, as written in Article 43 of the Roadcode (Wegcode).
The law makes a ...
8
votes
What benefits do bike clubs provide?
Your fees pay for the running of the club, and your return is that they exist to do some/all of:
run bike races, on road or off road or track or whatever.
bulk purchase and supply of standard ...
- 121k
8
votes
Accepted
How close do riders follow their wheel/attack
How close do peloton riders typically and strategically follow each other's wheel/attack?
At the higher levels of racing you are often try to tuck your wheel as close as you you can stand, usually ...
- 30.5k
8
votes
How to handle motorists' dangerous behaviour with an impassable group?
I'm both a cyclist and a motorist, so I know this situation from both sides, I suppose. In my experience, these situations can be avoided, if people are willing to be reasonable - once you move into ...
- 281
7
votes
Fixie vs Road Bike - the right fixie bike for bunch rides
Engineer and fixed gear rider here, hello. My top speed on flat on fixed is 1 km/h less than on geared bike with similar wheels, and I'd explain that with my geared bike having lower handlebars.
On ...
- 21.8k
7
votes
Groups of cyclists entering intersection having right-of-way?
In Sweden, cycling in a group is more or less illegal (but not enforced), and each cyclist is treated as an individual vehicle with regards to right of way etc. The law specifically states that the ...
6
votes
Is there a way to know if someone is drafting behind without turning your head back or trying to hear the noises?
A bike mirror allows you to see what's behind you while you're facing ahead.
If you're concerned with the width of your bike during group rides, you can opt for a helmet or frame-mounted mirror ...
- 161
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible