LarrySellerz

what do you think is the most important rule on the group ride?

Koyote

Wear a shirt.

79pmooney

Be the rider others (especially the older, more experienced and "been there" riders) want to ride with.

tomato coupe

Stay off of online forums.

alcjphil

Be the rider who nobody else notices. If you do get noticed, odds are you did something stupid

genejockey 

"Wow, look how well that guy holds his line and keeps perfect distance off the wheel ahead of him!" said no one, ever.

SoSmellyAir

Since I only ride by myself or with one other person, I am not qualified to comment on which is the most important rule. However, based on my diligent analysis of the rules, the one that is most pertinent to LarrySellerz is the third to last one against aero bar use, which most definitely covers the U-shaped copper pipe you zip tied to your handlebar and stem. However, feel free to dumpster dive en route, as there is no express prohibition against this activity. But please don't veer suddenly toward a dumpster, which would violate the rule against sudden lateral movements.

tempocyclist

Hold your damn line.

zatopek

Protect your front wheel.

znomit

When drinking from the bidon remember to stick your pinky out as it makes you look elegant and regal.

waters60

Single up when traffic approaches from behind and conditions are safe for it to pass. Nothing pisses off drivers more than clueless riders riding two or three abreast while they cannot pass. This is one behavior that is a reason I don’t do group rides much anymore. It just makes riders bad ambassadors.

ooga-booga

avoiding the group ride.

delbiker1 

Number one rule for me.

seypat

Show up on time?

indyfabz

When I used to lead rides, nothing stuck in my craw more than people showing up at the time the ride was supposed to start. I started putting instructions in the ride listing to show up at least 15 minutes before the listed start time. Still, some people didn’t get it.

Kai Winters

maybe not the 'most' important...bring your own damn tube ! ! !

waters60

Aside from bad road etiquette, the biggest reason I avoid group rides is I feel safer by myself. No group dynamics, the invariable competitive nature leads to squirrelly behavior. Nothing worse than having a front wheel taken out by a clueless idiot.

Chuck Naill

Don't...:LOL!!

tomato coupe

I thought raising a pinky was to signal you needed your support car?

Iride01 

Be part of the group.

LarrySellerz

The first rule on the rules and etiquette page is this: Note: All riders must be fully vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19.

I emailed the president and board of directors saying that I joined the B ride last time and had a great time, but asked to clarification on if I was breaking any rules by riding without getting my booster, and asked if they recommend that I avoid Alto Velo rides unless I get my booster. President is the B ride leader, and my full name is in the email, so they should be able to extrapolate who I am (got a few cheeky comments saying they didn't recognize me with all the clothes on.) Someone needs to stand up for what is right, you feel me?

tomato coupe

Does this mean this is really an anti-vax thread?

veganbikes

I hope not.

The important thing for any group ride is to know how to ride in a group and if incapable of that don't join. It can break down into a lot of things like having a decently maintained bike that won't cause issues for other riders to knowing how to keep on someone's wheel without causing issues or not keeping on their wheel to not cause issues. If you are new to a ride and it is not a beginners ride regardless of what you may think you are, maybe avoid it or stay to the back and be super respectful and if they ask you maybe not to join them I wouldn't.

Basically you want to act on a ride as if you are with other people and know how to interact with others and be in a public setting. If you cannot respect others around you then don't go on rides with others around you.

If the ride has rules, follow their rules or don't go on their ride. Plenty of fun rides can be done solo or if you are lucky enough to have friends then go with them.

LarrySellerz

I only went on this ride once, but I think the regroups frustrated some of the faster riders because we would shoot off like bats out of hell after regrouping and it was easy to lose connection with the pack if you’re just trying to follow the wheel in front of you. Was not very disciplined, but it’s hard with 30-40+ riders of varying strength. “No drop” ride problems I guess.

its the “B” ride for the most popular/approachable/beginner friendly road cycling club in the area with group rides open to the public. Needless exclusion is antithetical to what they are trying to accomplish, especially considering the fall in popularity and aging demographics of road cycling as a sport. Being told that I had been avoiding the Alto Velo rides because of the vaccine/booster requirements is frankly a bad look for them. I told them that it’s not anyone’s business, but I was hurt from the first vaccine and won’t be getting boosters.

but yeah people were getting shelled off of the “no drop” ride, probably not ideal, but maybe that’s the nature of the beast?

popeye

Bingo