:: Learn To Ride In The Peloton ::
:: Precision Cycle Racing Team ::
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First and foremost the keys to riding safely in the peloton are to ride smoothly and
predictably. Hold your line and let others know what you are going to do BEFORE you do it. Look where
you want to move before you move. Do not make any quick unexpected move, or the cyclist behind you
will be the one to crash when your rear wheel hits his or her front wheel. When you move to the side
beware of faster cyclists approaching from the rear. If you are still fairly new to cycling, learn to ride with
just one other person and gradually add to your group as you build your skills and confidence. Riding in
a large group can be a very intimidating experience for a first-timer so take your time and not be rushed
into it.
Always keep a safe and manageable distance between you and the cyclist to the front and
beside you. You still get a reasonable amount of draft if you are a metre behind the lead rider. This also
gives you time to react to whatever the front cyclist does and to avoid your wheels from overlapping. If
your front wheel touches the rear wheel of the cyclist in front of you, it’ll be you who will crash. And if you
find yourself riding with someone who rides too closely beside you for your comfort level, just move
smoothly and calmly to another spot in the group. If you are new to riding in a large group and find it
unnerving or are not aware of the group’s practices and composition simply stay at the back of the group
so that you don’t get into anybody’s way.
Use your brakes lightly and sparingly. Avoid strong braking. Adjust your speed through your
pedaling cadence rather than using your brakes. If you need to stop, slowly move to the side of the road,
looking first and applying your brakes very lightly. Also make sure that your brakes are clean and in
good working condition. Just a light amount of grease on the brake pads or the rims can compromise the
effectiveness of the brakes and causes them to squeal loudly when applied.
predictably. Hold your line and let others know what you are going to do BEFORE you do it. Look where
you want to move before you move. Do not make any quick unexpected move, or the cyclist behind you
will be the one to crash when your rear wheel hits his or her front wheel. When you move to the side
beware of faster cyclists approaching from the rear. If you are still fairly new to cycling, learn to ride with
just one other person and gradually add to your group as you build your skills and confidence. Riding in
a large group can be a very intimidating experience for a first-timer so take your time and not be rushed
into it.
Always keep a safe and manageable distance between you and the cyclist to the front and
beside you. You still get a reasonable amount of draft if you are a metre behind the lead rider. This also
gives you time to react to whatever the front cyclist does and to avoid your wheels from overlapping. If
your front wheel touches the rear wheel of the cyclist in front of you, it’ll be you who will crash. And if you
find yourself riding with someone who rides too closely beside you for your comfort level, just move
smoothly and calmly to another spot in the group. If you are new to riding in a large group and find it
unnerving or are not aware of the group’s practices and composition simply stay at the back of the group
so that you don’t get into anybody’s way.
Use your brakes lightly and sparingly. Avoid strong braking. Adjust your speed through your
pedaling cadence rather than using your brakes. If you need to stop, slowly move to the side of the road,
looking first and applying your brakes very lightly. Also make sure that your brakes are clean and in
good working condition. Just a light amount of grease on the brake pads or the rims can compromise the
effectiveness of the brakes and causes them to squeal loudly when applied.