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Coming Soon. RBC Rider of the Month Feature

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Ride Rules & Etiquette

Getting Ready

Check Your Bike

  • Tire wear and pressure
  • Charge electronics/lights
  • Brakes, gears and frame connections/alignment

Check Your Gear

  • Helmet
  • Shoes/cleats
  • Attire appropriate for the weather conditions

Check the Route

  • Upload into GPS or print out cue sheet

What to Bring

  • Flat tire change kit (tube, pump/CO2, levers, patches)
  • Road ID with emergency contact info
  • Cell phone; credit card
  • Food and drink appropriate for the ride profile
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RBC E-Bike Policy

E-Bikes are becoming increasingly popular among recreational cyclists, and because of this reality, the Board of Directors of Ridgefield Bicycle Club (RBC) believes it is important to establish a policy regarding their use on our group rides.  The full RBC E-Bike Policy is outlined here. Please read it.

On the Road

Ride Formation

  • Break larger groups into pods of no more than 6; much easier/safer for cars to pass
  • Pods maintain ride profile pace with 50 meter minimum separation distance
  • Ride single file on busy/narrow roads; never more than two abreast
  • Ride slightly offset to the wheel in front of you to improve sight line (there is a good diagram of this on the current site; we should include it as a link here)
  • Stay to the right, within a handlebar of the white line; never ride near the yellow line
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Ride Rules/Etiquette

  • Above all, be courteous, use common sense, and be safe
  • Follow all traffic laws
  • Be predictable; no sudden moves
  • Never overlap the wheel in front of you
  • Use hand/voice signals
  • Be alert to cars, pedestrians and fellow cyclists
  • Pass only on the left and avoid on downhills
  • Keep at least one hand on the handlebars, near the brake, at all times
  • No aero bars or iPods on group rides
  • Avoid surging ahead of the group; stay together
  • Share the lead; rotate out every 1-2 minutes
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Riding Techniques

Pace lining, also known as rotating through a group, is one of the joys of group riding. It is the ultimate in cycling teamwork and energy conservation, as riders take turns at the front. Most of the RBC pace lines are single or double as shown in the diagrams (link here). The technique is as follows.

  • Rotate ideally every 1-2 minutes, or shorter at ride discretion
  • Check the lane and signal before rotating out
  • Alert the rider behind to take the lead by a flick of the elbow
  • New lead rider should maintain a steady pace, no surging
  • Rotating rider should slow only when clear of the line
  • Allow the line to pass, and get to the back as quickly and safely as possible
  • Last cyclist in line should say “Last” when passing the rotating rider as an alert to join the line in back
  • If a car appears before the rotating rider reaches the back, a rider in the line should communicate clearly and slow to allow that rider to “Come In”
  • Once clear, the rotating rider should leave the line as before and get to the back

Group Ride Formation

Single Formation / Double Formation

Ride every other wheel, left-right-left-right. You should be able to see the wheel in front of you and the wheel of one rider up.

Rotating through a Group

Riders line up in pairs.

Ride single file when conditions are not suitable for riding two abreast.