Group Riding Lessons Learned

Below are some lessons learned on my first charity group ride this past weekend on the Cycle for Shelter. I know they may sound obvious, but a solitary rider like me had a lot to learn, such as...

• There really is such thing as drafting behind another rider. It makes riding so much easier and faster. Make sure you take turns at the front (I need to work on this one...)
• Check your back frequently to see if there is someone silently drafting you. If so, don't forget to point out turns, pot holes, cars, sand, dog walkers, etc.
• If a group is about to pass you, do your best to latch on at the end. It's just about impossible to catch up to them once they pass you by more than 10 yards. (Or at least it was for me...)
  
• Don't assume that all people out there are riding your event. Look for the number on the shirt. Two guys on their regular weekend bike ride rode with me for a period of time, then went well ahead of me and turned off to another route. I'm pretty sure I saw a third guy riding in our event drafting them as they made turns that weren't part of our ride. He was too far away to yell but hopefully, he caught on quick.
• Look out for road spray, especially if there has been recent rain.
• Pay attention and make sure you don't hit the guy's tire in front of you. This will cause major self damage. Thankfully, I've avoided this so far and plan to continue.
  
• And last but most important, riding in a group is way more fun than riding alone...