Group Riding: Introduction and Basics

Islington Cycling Club is a friendly and diverse North London cycling club offering cycle sport for all. Our regular club rides are fun, and we have a nobody-gets-left-behind policy. You can find more about our club values here and our club rides here. This guide provides practical advice on how to ride safely and efficiently in a group and how to communicate when doing so. It is principally aimed at those who are new to cycling in a group. It should, however, also be of interest to more experienced cyclists as different clubs have different practices in this regard. Naturally, if you have any questions on any of these issues, please ask.

You can download the Group Riding Guide here.

Basics

● Always follow the Highway Code, this is true even more so when representing the club and wearing club kit.

● Respect other road users

● Be on time

● Maintain your bike in good working order

● Carry sufficient water, food, and spares

● Wear a helmet at all times

● Use lights when riding in low light conditions

● Fit mudguards when wet

Important Safety Notes

● Half Wheeling: Don’t allow your front wheel to overlap the rear wheel of the rider in front of you. If you do and the rider in front swerves and hits your front wheel you are likely to crash.

● Overtaking: When overtaking other road users (whether it is parked cars, other cyclists, walkers, horses, etc.) there are a few things to keep in mind.

○ Minimum passing distance: Give other road users enough space, as you would expect cars to give you when overtaking.

○ “Staying Out”: When at the front of a group and you have completed your overtake, you should “stay out” until the whole group has passed before pulling in. It helps to think of the whole group as a single organism or vehicle, rather than as individuals.

Next - Group Riding: Principles