I Cycle

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1503 W18thSt. Houston, TX 77008 (713) 862-8520 Open 10-7 Mon-Fri Open 10-6 Sat, Sun- Out Riding! Riding a bike is a singular pleasure, the wind in your face, the sound of your tires humming on the pavement, getting out there and going somewhere under your own power. It’s great by yourself or in a group. Riding in a group offers the advantages of camaraderie and increased efficiency. It is estimated that when riding at 20 mph, a full 30 percent of your effort is spent cutting through the wind. Wind resistance is one of the biggest factors in your total energy output, which is why drafting, or riding behind another rider, is so important. Those big groups of cyclists you see riding wheel to wheel don’t just like the view of each others’ butts- they are conserving energy to be able to ride farther and faster with less effort. You don’t want to “suck the wheel” or ride behind just anybody though. Group riding in close proximity and drafting are skills to be learned and there is a definite etiquette involved for all riders. I’d like to offer my take on the various skills and customs involved with safe group bicycle riding. First of all, riding in a group requires communication- loud assertive calling out of dangers and intentions. If 90% of someone’s view is your behind, you owe it to them to call out, “Hole!” and point to it with sufficient time for them to avoid hitting a crater. If you have a rider on your tail, you should call out, “Stopping! before hitting your brakes or ,”Jogger Up!” before overtaking a runner on a path. Here are the most common “Shout Outs” to give when group riding: Stopping! or Slowing! when applying the brakes or approaching red lights combined with showing the palm of your hand to the rider behind you Car Left! or Car Right! when approaching an intersection that has cars approaching from the side Clear! when approaching an intersection that is clear and you intend to ride through w/o stopping Hole! Glass! or Bump! as appropriate along with pointing to the obstacle in time to avoid it Walker Up! Or Jogger! Or Dog! or Rider Up ! when approaching these creatures and in plenty of time for your fellow cyclists to react Passing on your Left! Or Riders Up! (to the jogger) before you overtake someone on a path or trail Car Back! when you are at the back of a group and a car approaches from behind Right Turn! Or Left Turn! as you can imagine, before a turn, can be combined with Clear! to let your buddies know the street is free of approaching cars Standing! when you jump to sprint or climb, combined with stretching your handsoutward twice without taking them off the bars These basic calls combined with the relevant hand signals are crucial to avoid misunderstandings and mishaps in your peloton. Don’t be shy about calling out in a clear, loud voice. Not every rider in a group needs to call out every hazard, but if you are in the lead and riders are behind you with their vision obscured, call out and let them know. If you are in the middle of a big group and you hear the call, repeat it for others further back to give everyone a heads up.

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