Bunch Riding Skills & Etiquette Revisited

[Stuart]

I was just going through bookmarks and having a clean up and came across these links for bunch riding skills. I recall after several crashes this year (DHBC and others) that we debated the worth of training new riders in bunch skills and etiquette around centennial on Sat slowies but nothing ever came of it - I am still of the opinion that we should be doing this with all riders intending on coming on the Sunday training ride to Waterfall. I'm trying to reignite the debate and hopefully we can get a program started.
I know I need pace line training, that's for sure

Road Grime - Riding in a Bunch
Sydney Cycling Club 'Bunch Etiquette' booklet download PDF link at bottom Right
Bunch Skills for Cyclists By Olympian and Tour de France cyclist Stephen Hodge (PDF)

[Daryl]

This is a great idea as it will help improve the safety of the entire group. Thanks for those links...love the diagrams for changing of pace line. We should try that for slowies this weekend

Being relatively new to group riding, I have found the "call outs" and responsibilities of each position is really useful. I learnt a lot from Tim when I first started out. So might be good having a buddy system for any newbies.

[insomniac]

Great idea .. a must do!

[Stuart]

The original discussion started in March 2008 after a crash by a new rider on a Sat Waterfall ride that Jo & I organised. The resultant debate got a little analytical but there was a consensus that bunch riding skills training was a good idea
I said"I do however think that, as has been suggested previously, it would be great and even more helpful if the club had training for bunch riding as part of Saturday Slowies, say once every 2 months or as demand dictated when slowies are going to step up to Waterfall. Experienced club members could volunteer to take a group 'round Centennial in the same way that a road bunch would function, including calls, lane change procedures etc. Maybe even heading out onto the road as well. I know that the first time I went to Waterfall I had little clue about calls and how the bunch actually worked. Indeed I spent the entire time with my eyes glued to the wheel in front of me to ensure I didn't hit them, something I now know is not good practice! This is something I think needs serious consideration by the club.

This is a good idea... I'll give it some thought how we can make it happen. Lindsay

What say the club elders to getting this happening? Lindsay, Capitan Geoff, Tandem Geoff , Weiyun, Mike, Simon, etc

[weiyun]

I'd say that Centennial Park is only good for the very beginners and there are few in our club. IIRC, the return ride from Mick Mazza to Centennial was also going to be in organized bunches to practice those calls. As for training within Centennial, I'd say that it's better practiced within small groups. Read the material and then come and practice it in the park. The other important learning experience is to hang behind the bunch and observe what others do. Paceline in Centennial is also good for these practices although one needs to watch out for duck crossing...

[Belinda]

I saw a draft DHBC club pamphlet on bunch riding which was good. Did this ever get published?

After reading the draft the boys and I practiced our (very short) pace line on the steepish hill on the way to school. They call 'clear' and 'dropping back' and it gets us all up the hill very efficiently.

Riding in a group requires special skills and benefits from specific coaching. There are some good drills described in the SkillCycle syllabus.

[timyone]

Man i came into this thread expecting it to be a nice title, then a heap of abuse towards some one or other who did some thing wrong
I thought that would have been funny as!

[Eugen Schilter]

This Brisbane thing 'Road Grime' is a pleasant write-up and the best I've seem so far while I much less value the other two. The one we produced a year or so ago was a somewhat mixed bag too. Simple prose I find communicates well what others think about the safety, the joy and the efficiency of bunch riding while 'Etiquette' somehow turns me off.

[geoff m]

Yeah, its important that everyone take it easy.

In terms of publications there is plenty of existing guidance, and Stuart's reminder link above is a good start. I agree with Eugen, that Road Grime publilcation is well written, simple and quite relevant. Tips on topics such as half wheeling tendancies as well as keeping it steady and predictable, are worth reading - or should I say mandatory reading.

The golden rule for up and coming riders is not to be afraid to ask, and for more experienced riders, not be afraid to share, share and share. As I tell my son, 'over communication' is the name of the game. Don't anyone take offence at the obvious in communication - its a safety issue only, and that's it.

Strength and stamina is not the pre-requisite to go up a bunch. Skills, etiquette, smoothness are the pre-requisites. Then if you have the power and stamina, you are probably ready to go up.

No new riders should go straight into the fasties unless they are experienced riders with extensive bunch experience.

The safest bunches are individually slow, and smooth, with precision timing - ironically, these are the fastest bunches as the outcome of the whole bunch is greater than the sum of each individual.

So, when getting in those pacelines when coming back from Waterfall, take it easy, make it very technical, and you will surprise yourselves how fast and easy, and safer you will make it back to Sutherland.