Long live group rides! They are an opportunity to spend time with old and new friends, offer safety in numbers, and allow us to ride better, longer, and on new routes than we might on our own.
They can be even more fun if you follow these simple rules.
1. Keep the group to a reasonable size. The size will vary based upon the type of ride, but for informal, social rides, 3-5 people is the perfect size. This size isn't that difficult for others (cars, other trail users) to navigate, and you won't develop a herd mentality that ignores the needs of others. Finally, as a good friend says, for any group ride over three people, add 15 minutes to your total ride. If time is of the essence, keep the group size small.
2. Know your skills and fitness. As the ride is planned, have a realistic expectation of what you can do right now. Most likely you will be fine, especially if you know and trust your riding partners. But it is good to know how long, how far, how much elevation gain, and how technical the ride is so you can map that back to what you've been doing.
3. Keep together. Don't split up, unless you've planned ahead or have a communication plan to make sure everyone has made it home safely. Regroup at natural places (trail heads, intersections), recognize that everyone has their own pace, and make sure you are never that far apart from one another. This is for fun of course because why ride in a group if you don't spend time together, but also for safety.4. Be situationally aware. Pay attention to the situations around you -- vehicles, trail users, etc -- and be respectful of them. Groups can be intimidating to other folks and showing that you are paying attention to them goes along way. Try not to impede traffic, repeatedly stop in front of other trail users, etc. As for the group itself, use some judgement about how often and when you stop for snacking, changing wardrobe, etc. and try to coordinate that when others are doing it. Being considerate can make the ride flow much more easily.
5. Car pool. If you have to drive to ride, make it more fun by carpooling. Drive together, ride together. You are doing the environment a favor, saving money, and getting more out of your ride.
Finally, many of us have ridden in the back of the pack and have had the faster riders wait for us. It's really no big deal, and they most likely haven't been waiting long. Don't apologize for 'being slow.' Just say, 'Thanks for waiting.' It's the nice thing to do.
