Ethos and Safety

Our motto is “Social riders with serious intent” with the emphasis on social.

On riding with the group there are points of etiquette you should take note of and points of safety you MUST take note of and adhere to for your benefit and the safety of the group.

Riding etiquette with an emphasis on safety

1. Be predictable with all your actions
   
2. Maintain a steady straight line and avoid braking or changing direction suddenly
   
3. Be aware of where the riders are around you
   
4. If you need to take a phone call or have a puncture or drop your chain, move out of the bunch before slowing down or stopping
   
5. Point out any road hazards ahead such as potholes, glass, drain grates, animals on the road, opening car doors, gravel, rocks, sticks or stones, etc
   
6. Do not overlap wheels, a slight direction change or gust of wind could easily cause you to touch wheels and fall
   
7. Stay to the left when in front to allow room for others to pass safely on your right, particularly in traffic. Pass other riders on the right hand side whenever possible
   
8. Be smooth with your turns at the front of the group and when you relinquish the lead always pull off in the same direction
   
9. Never cross over on to the wrong side of the road especially when going down a hill with bends
   
10. When climbing hills, avoid following a wheel too closely. Many riders often lose their momentum when rising out of the saddle on a hill which can cause a sudden deceleration. This can often catch a rider who is following too closely, resulting in a fall from a wheel touch
    
11. Do not panic if you brush shoulders, hands or bars with another rider. Try to stay relaxed in your upper body to absorb any bumps. This is a part of cycling in close bunches and is quite safe provided riders do not panic, brake or change direction
    
12. The whole group should stay together until the turn for home, but riders should have at least one buddy with them ensuring no one is left alone. A minimum of two riders should stop and help fellow riders with a breakdown
    
13. There must be no more than two abreast at any time, which must reduce to a single file where the road narrows and there is no shoulder
    
    Additional points on riding etiquette
    
14. Where possible prevent gaps from opening between you and the rider in front of you.  If you are not able to sustain the pace feel free to go to the back and draft on the bunch.  The intention is to stay together were possible and there are enough strong riders in the group to share the front.
    
15. When the group decides to rotate, establish a pace that suits the group and maintain that pace.  When it is your turn to pull at the front, maintain the same speed as when you were coming through to the front.  The normal temptation is to speed up.  Nothing destroys a group faster than an ever escalating pace.  When you get to the front pull over after no more than 100 metres and let the next rider through.  Once you pull over slow down slightly so that the rider coming through does not have to speed up to get past you.  In other words, if you are going at about 35km/hr when you come through then drop to say 32km/hr when you pull over, so that the next rider can maintain 35km/hr and still get in front of you.