Why should we care about how we ride in a group? Most obviously, because you don’t want to stack, and you definitely don’t want to cause one of your friends to stack. There are enough hazards out on the roads without us causing more! But also, responsible, considerate and cohesive group riding can greatly increase the enjoyment that you get from cycling, the image of our club, and cyclists in general. If we demand the right to ride on the road, then we must be willing to ride responsibly and safely… especially as a group.
Being fit and capable of hanging onto the group is not enough. Without taking away the enjoyment of the ride it is imperative that every rider hones his or her skills. The Club is growing fast, and we have riders across a huge range of ability and levels of fitness. Everyone should be tolerant, responsible and be prepared to accept politely-given constructive criticism if necessary. Those more accomplished riders should devote part of the club ride to helping the beginners, rather than zooming off into the distance.
All Balance riders are encouraged to read and understand this document, and put the guidelines into practice when out on the road. However, it is a long document, with a lot to take in, especially for newer group riders*. Don’t worry – you will pick up a lot of it through experience, and learning from those around you.