Top 3 Things to Know Before Joining Your First Group Ride
Group rides are a great way to meet new people, learn new routes in your city & get involved in the local cycling community!
If you’ve been interested in joining a group ride but are a bit intimidated, you’re not alone! Start here to learn the basics of what you’ll want to know before signing up for your first group ride.
Rule 1: Show up.
If you want to start going on group rides, the best thing to do is find a ride near you and just go. Look for rides that are advertised as “beginner friendly” or “no-drop” (like our own beginner rides 😘) if you’re just starting out. Rides like these will stick together and wait for the slowest cyclist if anyone gets left behind for any reason. They should also go over some of the behavior expected during the ride & other basics you might want to know. The best way to learn these group ride skills is by going out on rides & practicing them, but if you’d like to know a little bit more about what to expect ahead of time – keep reading!
Rule 2: Pay attention to the person in front of you.
When riding in a tight pack, you should always keep an eye on what the rider in front of you is doing. Minor speed adjustments & course corrections become magnified when you’re riding so closely together. Because of this, you should be looking out for hand signals & listening to what others are saying. In group rides, cyclists will do their best to communicate with each other about upcoming hazards by pointing out potholes or kittens that have wandered into the road – folks might call out especially large hazards, but merely point out small bumps in the road.
Rule 3: Be mindful of those behind you.
Just as you should be watching those in front of you, those behind will be watching you. Make it easy for them to follow by riding predictably and signaling for any changes. Predictable riding means trying to keep in a straight line as much as possible and braking slowly so that the people following your rear wheel have time to react to any changes. Hand signals for turning may vary depending on the group, but generally pointing left means that the rider is about to turn left while pointing right is for turning right. Putting your left arm out with a 90˚ bend at the elbow pointed down is the signal for slowing down.
