February 2024
B1 GRUPPO CYCLING RIDE GUIDELINES
Before getting into the guidelines, anyone joining and riding with the B1 Gruppo Cycling Club should understand that we ride differently than most clubs. While the guidelines listed below must always be followed, B1 Gruppo Club rides are geared towards riding skills improvement and training; with that in mind, we strive to accommodate all levels of riders. Monday and Wednesday rides are the most social and relaxed, meant to be an easy ride day or a bigger ride based on your skill level, and are designated as NO-DROP Rides. Rides on other ride days can, and most likely will, become aggressive rides (NOT RACES), and you may be dropped if you are not in the right ride group for your ability. Once the initial warm-up is complete, riders can attack and push the pace; it is up to each individual rider to keep up to and stay with the group they have chosen to ride with! Riders are not expected to be held back from pushing the pace within their group! This is a practice that B1 has had in place for many years with great success. B1 Gruppo’s goal is to bring the best out of you, challenging you to be confident, in control and as strong as you can be on the bike!
B1 GRUPPO RIDE GUIDELINES
First, some prerequisites:
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As per B1 rules, all participants must be a B1 GRUPPO club member or a declared guest of a B1 Gruppo affiliated club.
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You need a road bike that is in good working order.
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Be self-sufficient. Do not rely on others for flat repairs, water, food, etc. Bring a charged cell phone, ID, emergency information and the proper clothing for the day.
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You need to have a certain minimal level of fitness. Members should be able to ride for 1.5 hrs. at 20km/hr.
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You need to have a basic understanding of group riding skills. We offer beginner group rides every Monday and Wednesday if you don't.
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You must be familiar with and willing to abide by our ride guidelines and be courteous and respectful of other cyclists and road users.
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Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent and have the appropriate minimum level of ability as per # 4 above. Inquire about the "Youth Program” (ages 10+).
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If the Ride Leader determines that a rider is not prepared for a ride, as per above, the Ride Leader has the discretion to refuse to allow that rider's participation in that day's ride.
RAIN POLICY
Ride cancellations may or may not be posted or emailed on the day of the ride. Please be aware that club rides will be cancelled as a club insured & and sanctioned ride due to weather if:
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It is raining at the start of the ride.
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There is a forecast of 70% POP or more of rain, lightning, or extremely high winds (50kph+) on the day of the ride.
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Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t ride, it just means that we don’t recommend you ride, and that Ride Leaders will not be attending in that capacity. You’re welcome to ride in any sort of weather, but for safety reasons, we cannot authorize it, and the ride would not be considered an official club ride! Remember that we try our best to keep you safe and that we are only as good as the forecasts.
HOW WE RIDE
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Our groups meet at several locations. Check the website or the club email for start times and the day's route. We must always stay on the posted club routes per B1 GRUPPO regulations.
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When you arrive, we will try to have three different ride levels.
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Notwithstanding how many riders show up, no group shall be larger than 20 riders; ideally, we try to have groups of 8-10.
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Groups are defined by speed and distance. There are A, B, and C groups. The "A" groups are the fastest and longest (34km/h+ average), then "B" (26-32km/h) and "C" (22-28km/h) being the slowest/social group. Remember that these are average speeds for the full ride, and at times, speeds may exceed those average speeds!
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Our goal is to have smaller groups of 8 to 20 compatible riders. (Our experience has shown that having a group of cyclists with similar fitness and goals for that day’s ride results in a more enjoyable, safer and harmonious ride. So, consider whether you want to go hard or easy that day and pick the appropriate group. As they are training rides, you may get dropped except for Monday and Wednesday. Monday and Wednesday are the only no-drop rides!
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We attempt to have all groups led by a designated club Ride Leader. These volunteers know the route, carry a cell phone and have been instructed on how we ride. Most importantly, the Ride Leader explains all this information to the group before they depart. Repetition of our ride practices week after week is key to members absorbing the information, but it is also necessary to identify new riders and inform them of our ride practices. Nothing ruins a group ride quicker than a new rider not knowing the rotation and being out of sync. It is all about everyone being on the same page.
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Groups are to depart the meeting area in at least 2-minute intervals. We ask that the riders do not try to catch up to the groups ahead, as this causes confusion and creates too big groups. We usually have all the groups ride the same route so riders who have miscalculated their fitness can easily drift back to the next group.
RIDE FORMATION AND HOW WE ROTATE
The Basic Ride Formation: “Tight and to the Right”
Our goal as a disciplined and well-organized club is to share the enjoyment of the road with our club members and the public. We understand we must share the road with motorized vehicles. To reduce the potential conflict between these two groups, we travel at off-peak hours; on Saturday and Sunday mornings, we frequent only the least travelled roads possible at all times. We travel abreast or in a double paceline to further protect ourselves. This is an internationally recognized cycling formation used by professionals and amateurs worldwide. The main objective of the double paceline is to reduce the length of the line of cyclists to allow vehicles to pass with greater ease and increased safety. It encourages drivers to make full lane changes when passing, providing a safer gap between the passing vehicle and cyclists. Aggressive drivers will attempt the dangerous pass between the center line and the group, “known as threading the needle.” At the B1 GRUPPO Cycling Club, we have implemented a paceline position we call “Tight and to the Right.” The idea is to take a traditional two-abreast formation and position it as far right as possible. Our goal is to accommodate the approaching vehicle driver with a clear view forward so that they make a clean and safe pass as soon as possible. To accomplish this, we, as a club, must ride in a 'tight' formation and be well-disciplined. By ‘tight,’ we mean that the cyclists are to be 2-3ft apart laterally at the shoulders and 2-3ft apart front to back (wheel to wheel). The group’s primary goal is to maintain the cohesion of this formation. It is the individual discipline of each rider to hold their position smoothly and predictably and not create gaps or overlaps that jeopardize the ride quality.
HOW WE ROTATE
We use two methods to rotate cyclists within a basic “tight and to the right” formation. One we refer to as a Social Paceline and the other as a Rotating Paceline. The Ride Leader will call out the appropriate formation for the group's needs, but any cyclists within the group can call out a suggestion.
SOCIAL PACELINE
This is our standard rotation used while warming up or just cruising along. In the Social Paceline, we start from the premise of the two-abreast formation where everybody is 2-3ft apart laterally and fore/aft. The two leading cyclists are breaking the wind and setting the pace. The lead cyclist on the right, after a reasonable period of time (i.e., 1- 2 minutes, it’s flexible) asks the cyclist on their left to “Cover Me”. That means the leading left cyclist will gently ride forward and fade right to shelter the right side of the group. In turn, the left side of the group will gently advance forward to the front of the group beside the right line. Those two riders will now lead the group for whatever duration they feel comfortable. Again, it is negotiable. All passes are to be done smoothly and gently, and make sure that your rear wheel is clear before you fade right.
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A very important point to rotating a group: While you are in front of the group, the group is at your mercy. Anything you do, good or bad, will affect the entire group. If your pass is smooth and steady, then the group will remain smooth and steady. If you accelerate aggressively, it will shatter the group and create gaps and confusion. If you half-wheel the lead rider beside you, it will offset the whole group or create gaps. We all have a responsibility to the riders behind us to move in a smooth and predictable way and watch the road surface ahead.
ROTATING PACELINE
This rotation is different from the Social Paceline in one fundamental way: The act of rotating is constant. There are no static moments. When the left lead rider moves smoothly and gradually forward and clears the right line of riders, he/she gently fades to the right. The transitioning lead rider must be careful not to touch wheels with the passed riders by checking under their arm for the rider’s wheel. The right rider can assist by calling out ‘clear’ when the passing cyclist is safely ahead. As soon as that first rotation is complete, the next one begins as if all the cyclists in the group are part of the same chain. In the Rotating Paceline, all the cyclists should be moving through the rotation at the same speed.
Here are some important points to remember when executing the Rotating Paceline properly:
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You are supposed to go slightly faster than the receding line. Surging or attacking will cause gaps and jerk the line's speed around. Pull smoothly and gently to the front and shelter the riders behind you, not gapping them.
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Do not leave gaps within the line while in the back of the rotation. All riders need to focus on maintaining the same gaps all the way around the rotation.
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Riders wishing to miss a rotation can do so by sitting a bike's length back of the group and allowing the group to rotate through. It is best to call out to the rider ahead that you are not pulling through to avoid their hesitation.
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It is also helpful for the last rider on the advancing side to call out to the last rider to remind the last receding rider that they need to transition next. Gaps often happen when the last rider misses the transition.
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The rotation can go from left to right or vice versa. Experienced cyclists will tailor the rotation so that the advancing line is sheltered from a crosswind. We generally opt for the left to the right rotation because the Highway Traffic Act specifies passing on the left.
SINGLE FILE PACELINE
We try to ride on the quietest roads at the quietest times. If, for some unusual reason, we are forced to travel on an excessively busy road, we will ride single file to get past the congested section. We also will ride long descents single file; more on that below. Otherwise, all our group rides are two abreast.
ECHELONS
This is a formation where the cyclists are spread diagonally across the road to gain shelter from a crosswind. This formation is unacceptable for group riding in our community. It completely blocks the lane and is counter to our “Tight and to the Right” strategy, where a vehicle driver is to be given a clear view up the left side of the lane.
HOT SPOTS
Every group ride must have a degree of compromise. One person’s Hammerfest is another person’s recovery ride. We try accommodating everyone’s wishes by offering as many different groups as possible. We also offer different opportunities along the route for some hard efforts. Almost all our routes involve sections where the riders can break from the group and go as fast as they wish. We call these the Hot Spots. All long climbs are automatically Hots Spots, and as such, the groups are permitted to break formation and regroup at the pre-designated spots at the top. We ask you to stay to the right and not scatter across the hill when the group breaks apart. Slower riders stay right and allow faster riders to get by without forcing them too far out. We still want to stay ‘Tight and to the Right.’ We also offer Hot Spots on flatter terrain. Your Ride Leader should inform you of the Hot Spot locations before and during each ride. There are three common denominators to a Hot Spot:
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A noticeably quiet section of the road
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No traffic lights or stop signs
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A safe regrouping location at the end of the section
Some rules about Hot Spots:
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Going hard is optional, not compulsory. Those who choose to cruise can rest assured that the group will do its best to regroup when possible and if riders do not fall too far behind! Dropped riders should stay on course and do their best to regroup, the lead group may slow and if there is a coffee stop on the route a natural regroup will occur!
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All riders should wait at the regrouping spot. The group can soft pedal down the road as long as they stay together.
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Never regroup in a manner that would obstruct traffic in any way. All our regrouping spots offer plenty of space to pull over safely. No excuses for blocking traffic.
DESCENDING
We have several descents that are longer than is typical for Ontario, and they can generate sustained speeds in excess of 80 kph. On those descents, we recommend the group take the following actions:
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The group should move into a single-file formation.
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Riders should move 1 to 2 metres from the road's right edge. Riding close to the edge of the road at high speeds is unsafe due to wind gusts.
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Riders should open gaps of at least 2 metres plus between each rider front to back.
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Send the heaviest and presumably the fastest riders down first to avoid bottlenecks. The goal is to reduce the amount of passing on the descent.
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All passing must happen on the left. Never pass on the right. Never!
COMMUNICATIONS
Communication is critical to the success of all group rides. It starts right from the beginning, even before the group leaves: The rider needs to communicate with their group or Ride Leader to determine which group and pace of ride they want. Riders must communicate the ride formation, rotation, and pace on the road. Riders at the front need to call out road hazards and traffic situations. Riders at the back need to call out cars approaching from the back. The bottom line is that the ride's quality and safety depend on frequent and clear communication between all the riders. Never assume everyone knows a car is approaching or the group is turning. Everything that can affect the group needs to be called out.
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One final but important point regarding communication. We have Ride Leaders who are there to try to maintain the quality of the ride, but the best way to keep us all at our best is when we all communicate best ride practices. So, if you see someone riding inappropriately, i.e., overlapping wheels, we should all say something. Be polite, but make it known that that was not proper. We all own these rides, and if someone does something dangerous, correcting it is in everyone’s best interest. So, don’t let bad habits go unaddressed. Say something before it is too late. We all have a responsibility to the riders around us. At the front, we are responsible to the riders behind to provide a smooth and steady pull and point out hazards. When we are at the back, we are responsible for calling out cars coming from the back and maintaining the integrity of the group by not allowing gaps. So, do not wait for the Ride Leader to say something.
EMERGENCY STOPS
When being approached by an emergency vehicle (fire truck, ambulance, or police) with its lights and siren activated, we are required under the Highway Traffic Act to pull over our group and stop. It does not matter if the emergency vehicle is approaching from the front or behind.
Act fast but act safely and in control: when a siren is heard, or lights are seen, immediately shout out to your group to pull over and stop. A siren or light means stop now but not a panic stop, a controlled and safe stop.
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How to stop a group: let us presume your group is riding two abreast.
All riders communicate that we will stop, making it clear and safely moving to the right, off the road, and onto the shoulder! This can all happen within seconds. There is no need for panic. What is essential is that the decision to perform an “emergency stop” be made quickly, loudly, and clearly, so that the group has time to perform the stop safely.
SOME RANDOM BUT IMPORTANT TIPS
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Ride smooth and steady all the time. No sudden or abrupt movements or overreactions to potholes, etc.
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Do not be that person who leaves gaps in the rotation and never, ever overlap wheels.
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When following a wheel, be just slightly offset, i.e., 3-4” so that if there is a sudden stop, you don’t immediately slam into the wheel ahead. The offset gives you an additional few feet to recover.
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When you are at the front of the group, on a short descent, pedal to keep the pace up. Remember, there are riders drafting behind you who will have to brake if you do not keep the pace up.
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To keep a group together on rolling terrain, use a ‘Social Paceline’ and then, as a group, climb slightly easier but descend harder. The group speed will be more consistent, and the group will more likely remain intact.
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When picking your group, be realistic. It is better to be comfortable in your group than maxed out constantly.
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Group rides are not races. We are there to support each other by taking turns in the wind. Only in Hot Spots is it ok to try to drop your friends.
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When you see someone committing a ride foul, politely say something. We are all responsible for the quality of our rides.
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If you get a flat, give a loud shout-out right away, or there is a good chance the pack will ride away without even noticing you. If the group knows, they will stop and help you fix it quickly.
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Do not yell obscenities at motorists or get into arguments with the police. It’s never productive and will lead to more bad blood and possible retribution. We ask that cyclists not engage in any kind of confrontation with drivers or police officers. This includes hand gestures involving the center digit. We are working hard to keep the good reputation B1 Gruppo Cycling has earned and for all cyclists in general. If words have to be exchanged, let the Ride Leader do the talking (feel free to video the exchange if you feel the individual is dangerous.) It’s important to understand that when you ride with the club and wear our club jersey, you become an ambassador for the club and all cyclists. Let’s not do anything to fuel the flames of discontent. Nothing meaningful gets resolved on the road.
B1 Cycling, ride smart, ride safe, let's have fun….