6 Tips for Riding in a Pack

Every road cyclist should have the opportunity to feel the adrenaline rush of riding fast in a pack. It is truly an exhilarating experience. While pack riding is an integral part of road racing, even group training rides or organized charity rides can involve large numbers of cyclists riding in close proximity at high speeds.

When riding close in a pack, you can feel the efficiency of the slipstream created by others around you. There is nothing else like it.

But, when someone makes a sudden movement, it's not just one person who risks hitting the pavement. This is one reason why road racing is such a high-tension discipline. However, when the pack is calm and fluid, it is a truly amazing feeling to be flying along at high speed with little effort.

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Many of us have had the realization that in some fast races or training rides, you could fall off the back and be dropped for good if you don't ride smart inside the peloton. How many of us have ridden that long road home after getting dropped from a fast training ride?

There is some consolation knowing that even elite cyclists worry about "staying on" during hard races when their legs just don't have it. On those days when you don't have the strength to be up front pulling, riding tight and smart inside the pack can mean the difference between staying on and getting dropped. Here are some tips to help keep you riding smart, tight and safe in a pack.

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TIP #1: Try not to maintain a prolonged overlap of a wheel with someone in front of you. What exactly does this mean? Look at this illustration:

Rider A is riding in a high-risk location relative to rider B by overlapping his front wheel with rider B's rear wheel. If rider B were to move suddenly to the left to avoid a road hazard, he would clip the front wheel of rider A. This forces rider A's front wheel to the left and causes him to fall right. Often, the result is a crash of rider A while rider B continues forward unscathed.

Before you start thinking that rider A is getting what he deserves, remember that in a tight pack a rider rarely falls without taking someone else out on the way down. Rider A can and should ride closely to rider B, but he should either overlap his wheel by more than half a wheel diameter (at the axel bolt) or not at all.

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"But wait," you say. "Isn't riding close what pack riding is all about?"

Yes and no. Pack riding is all about riding efficiently as a unit. In a sense, you are working together but recognizing each others' space and presence in the peloton. Each rider must be keenly aware of his or her surroundings. Sudden movements side to side or a hard application of your brakes will result in a harsh verbal response from your neighbors. Sometimes it's unavoidable to have physical contact with the riders around you. A shoulder bump here, arms brushing another rider there—these are common occurences in the peloton and should be expected, not feared.

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TIP #2: Use your peripheral vision at all times. Don't focus solely on the rider in front of you. Notice what the rider two lengths ahead is doing. Keep the rider on your left and right in your periphery. Are they dodging debris or a pothole? And when you are monitoring the rider in front of you, use her hips or back as a distance guage, not her rear wheel.

Keeping you head up will help you maintain balance and allow your peripheral vision to pick early warning signals from erratic riders around you.

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TIP #3: Don't hesitate to use verbal cues and even a physical touch to let others know where you are or where you are moving inside the pack. A simple, "Here!" is often all that's needed to keep a rider in front from moving into your path.

If verbal warnings aren't effective or appropriate, reach out and touch the rider who is infringing on your path. A touch on the hip is a warning sign to the rider in front that he may cause a crash if he continues into your path. Note that pushing or hitting a rider is never a good idea. These actions can be grounds for disqualification if observed by a race official.

TIP #4: When you are up front, maintain a steady pace. Unless you are preparing for a final sprint or breakaway, your motion inside the pack should be gradual and predictable. Nobody wants an unsteady or "squirrily" rider in their peloton.

More: How to Overcome Your Fear of Crashing

Unless in a sprint, avoid accelerating too hard when standing up over a hill or after a turn. Your quick movements make it harder for riders behind you to ride close and trust your handling skills.

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TIP #5: Smooth out the "slinky effect." If you are located on the back end of the pack, you will invariably be involved in numerous accelerations and decelerations. When trying to stay on, riders often accelerate and brake hard to maitain a tight formation. This can be counterproductive and dangerous. If you have 10 or more riders in front of you, the slipstream from their motion will be much larger than that of a smaller group. This means you can maintain a slightly larger gap between riders and still benefit from the reduced aerodymanic drag.

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Conserve energy by anticipating accelerations and subsequent braking. If the riders in front of you jump to close a small gap, let your momentum and larger slipstream bring you back to the group when they brake again because the've accerated too hard.

Lastly, try to maintain calm. If you allow your nerves to gain control of your riding, others will know. They will sense your nervousness and become nervous themselves. A nervous pack is a dangerous pack. Try to relax and enjoy the ebb and flow of the communal peloton. At the same time, stay alert and keep watch of other riders.

With practice and by observing these tips, you will become a better pack rider who is ready and rested for the next points sprint or the sprint to the finish line.

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