10 Riding Tips for Organized Tours

By Gale Bernhardt
For Active.com

The summer months are loaded with century, metric century, three-day and week-long bicycle tours. The excitement of riding an event with several other cyclists can be invigorating and motivating.

You can use an organized tour as a season goal or a means of bumping up your fitness for other events. For example, week-long tours can be used as "crash training" weeks. Crash training is an overload of training volume and/or intensity. A well-structured crash week followed by adequate rest can have significant, positive effects on fitness.

Well-planned crash training works wonders, but the last thing you want to do is crash during a tour. The excitement and fatigue of an organized ride might cause some people to lose their wits.

Before your turn the pedals on a tour, consider these few common sense tips to stay safe and courteous.

• If you are not accustomed to riding in a pace line (several cyclists following closely behind one another) don't attempt it during your first organized tour. If you want to learn the skill, seek the help of a local bicycling club or practice with a small group of friends. See also my column covering basic skills for group riding.
• Some riders consider it rude if you "sit" on their wheel and draft. If you don't know the person and haven't asked permission to be sitting on their wheel, not only can it be rude, it can be dangerous or disgusting.

  If the lead rider doesn't know you're there, they won't point out road hazards. When they move quickly to avoid a pot hole or road hazard, you may end up hitting it. Along the disgusting line, if your lead rider doesn't know you're drafting, they may decide to clear their throat or nose into the wind, depositing the goo on you.

• Keep your head up and look ahead several feet. This is a problem with experienced and inexperienced riders alike. Often, riders look down at the road, eyes focused on a spot about 10 feet ahead of their bicycle. Focusing on a spot this close causes trouble.

  Experts¹ estimate average human reaction time to be somewhere between 1 and 1.5 seconds. If you are riding 15 miles per hour, you are traveling 22 feet per second. By the time you see something 10 feet in front of you and react, it's too late, you've hit the hazard. Obviously, the problem compounds itself the faster you're traveling. (20 mph = 29 ft/sec, 25 mph = 37 ft/sec)

  Look ahead a good distance to anticipate trouble. You can detect a number of problems if you watch about 20 to 25 yards (60 to 75 feet, or the length of a swimming pool) ahead of you. Although you're looking about 25 yards ahead, be aware of items in your peripheral vision. A few examples include cars crossing the centerline down the road, dogs running toward you, trucks at intersections ahead of you or kids playing ball.

• When heading into aid stations take notice of people in front, on the side and in back of you. No matter how bad you have to go or how hungry you are, ignore the length of the port-a-potty line and the food on the aid station tables until you are safely off the bike. When exiting the aid station, be alert for other riders coming in or trying to get out.
• Carry identification with you, including emergency contact numbers. If something should happen during the ride, it's important that emergency personnel can contact your family or friends.
• Obey traffic laws. In most organized bike tours, the roads are not closed to traffic. If you break the law—such as crossing a double yellow line or blasting through a red light—don't act surprised if you get a ticket.
• If a volunteer waves you through an intersection, assess the safety of the situation yourself. Look in all directions for cars. Don't assume cars will stop for a volunteer standing in the road. It's better to be safe than sorry.
• At all times, ride as far to the right as possible. When riding two abreast within a wide shoulder, be sure there is enough room for faster riders to get past both of you without forcing them into the lane of traffic. Ride single file if there isn't enough room for others to get past you while riding two abreast.

  Do not ride three to five abreast, thus blocking other cyclists and motorists. Having paid good money to participate doesn't give you the right to put others in danger, hold up traffic for five miles or force drivers into oncoming traffic. Be courteous to other cyclists and motorists and they will more than likely reciprocate.

• Before you pass another cyclist, be sure to look behind you before pulling out and around them. Pulling into oncoming riders or an oncoming car is not a good situation for anyone involved.
• If you participate in an organized ride, please pay for the event and don't be a scab. Ride organizers spend considerable time and expense to put on a high-quality ride. There are endless meetings with road authorities, police, ambulance and volunteer aid-station groups in addition to expenses associated with renting tables and port-a-potties, T-shirts, food, drink and numerous other features.

For your own benefit, be sure you have adequately prepared for your tour. Once the training is complete, the ride will be more enjoyable if everyone remains safe and courteous. For more on organized, long-distance rides or to find one in your area, visit Active's Century Challenge page.