Home › Forums › Ride Reports › Auckland ride to Cafe Ironique, a tribute to riders. › Re: Auckland ride to Cafe Ironique, a tribute to riders.
Thanks for the ride report and the kind words, Bwucie. And thanks for coming on the ride.
I must admit I'd taken the same route about a month previously, on a group ride to Waihi, and had timed it to 2.5 hours. And with the amount of traffic on those roads, the time is usually repeatable within a fairly narrow range.
It is also a big help when the ride leader and the tail-ender are in radio contact with each other. Steven (or Jim or Dave) lets me know when he arrives at a turn with a marker, so I have a feeling for how far the group is strung out. And I will usually inform the others with radios when we are approaching a non-obvious turn, or if there is any hazard on the road.
Some like to be informed of traffic coming the other way, but normally I don't do this, as riders should be far enough within their lane to avoid oncoming traffic. I do it occasionally on the twistiest parts of the route.
A couple of years ago I wrote a ride protocol for the group rides that I lead. Perhaps there is a more appropriate location to post it permanently, but here it is for anyone who may be interested.
Ride Protocol
1. Always ride at a pace you feel comfortable with. Do not try to keep up with the rider in front of you if you feel uncomfortable doing so, or if you feel the pace is too fast. Also, you are free to pass the rider in front of you if you feel the pace is too slow. But make sure you do so safely!!
2. You are always riding entirely at your own risk. Nobody else is responsible for the way you ride.
3. There is a designated ride leader and a designated tail-ender. Make sure you recognize them. The tail-ender will be the last rider in the group. The leader will usually be at the front of the group. However, you may pass the ride leader if you wish, and if you are sure you know the route the group will be following. Slow down or stop and wait for the group if you are in doubt, but if you get lost from the group then you have only yourself to blame.
4. If, for some reason, you want to leave the group and follow another route, make sure you let someone in the group know this. Preferably the ride leader or the tail-ender.
5. When the leader comes to an intersection, a fork, or a turn where the route is not obvious, he/she will point and mark the spot. The rider immediately behind the leader will stop at that point in a location which is safe, but where they cannot miss being seen by following riders, pointing the riders in the right direction. The marker can join the group as soon as the tail-ender is in sight, and it is obvious the tail-ender knows the direction to ride. The tail-ender will often wave to you when you can leave. DO NOT LEAVE until you have seen the tail-ender.
6. If the ride leader does not point and mark, or you reach a turn which might not be obvious to following riders, and where there is no marker already, you are welcome to stop and act as a marker at that turn. The ride leader is not necessarily infallible.
7. Always try to keep at least one rider behind you in sight in your mirrors. At least when you have a long, clear rear view. If the riders behind you fall back too far, slow down, and the rider in front of you will also slow down when you drop out of view, and so on.
8. Do not follow too closely behind the rider in front of you. Always follow (at least) the 2-second rule. Many riders feel uncomfortable having someone right on their tail.
9. On straight stretches or motorways, if riding close together in a group, ride in a staggered formation, with every second rider towards the left side of the lane and every other rider to the right side of the lane. This gives you more space ahead for braking in an emergency.
10. Enjoy your ride. It is not a competition.