At our March 2024 chapter meeting, Matt Casey, Safety Officer gave a presentation on the basics of group riding. The topics covered included:
- Staggered formation riding where riders stagger within a lane with the first rider rides in the left portion of the lane followed by an approximate 2 second gap to the second rider that rides in the right portion of the lane and so on as the riding group proceeds. An experienced rider should ride in position knowing the route followed by the least experienced rider in position 2. The last rider of the group is commonly known as the “sweep” should be an experienced rider carrying first aid equipment and tools. The sweep assists with safety and mechanical that arise during a ride.
- Riding group size should be kept to manageable size of 5-7 riders if possible. Larger groups should be broken up into manageable group sizes.
- When changing lanes with a group, the leader should wait to change lanes until there is a gap large enough to accomodate the group.
- Use of hand signals were discussed and are summarized in this diagram:
- Finally, try to maintain consistent distances and avoid rubber banding. Be consistent and hold your line.
A good article on group riding can be found here.