Guidelines for the Rides 

All riders will start together from the designated start point as detailed on the website / forum.

It will be announced at the beginning of the rides who the riders will be [in terms of fitness] that will stop if a rider either punctures or decides to stop for a public stop [toilet] and requires pacing in order to regain the main group of riders.

The formation of the group will be two rows of riders. Each rider will ride for approximately 1 mile and then swing over to the left [dependant on the wind direction]. It’s important that no riders lift the pace when they come to the front for their turn but maintain the pace that is being set [ranging between an average of 17-20 mph]. “Half wheeling” will not be tolerated at anytime; it can very quickly destroy the uniformity of the group by steadily increasing the pace to the point where riders are suffering unnecessarily. Please ensure that your front wheel is always inline with the rider’s front wheel next to you whilst riding at the front of the group. If a rider is half wheeling you then ask that rider to drop the pace or if it’s because the rider next to you is getting tired then it may be best to swing over as not to hinder the pace being set by the group.

So that those that are more able riders [in terms of fitness] can get the most out of the sessions there will be a certain point on the circuit [to be decided on the day] that the tempo will be increased. As a guide for those that use pulse metres the tempo that will be set will be around 80%-85% of a rider’s maximum heart rate. Riders that wish to stay at the back of the group once the tempo is increased are welcome to do so but please stay at the back of the group as not to break up the tempo being set. If a rider does find it difficult to stay with the group once the tempo has been increased please inform another rider around you so that they may have the choice to stay with you and ride at a more manageable tempo. Again when the tempo has been increased it’s very important that the speed is maintained and not increased otherwise there will be breaks in the group that will lead to a slowing of the pace overall and an unorganised group of riders.

It’s also mandatory that riders at the front of the group signal any hazards such as obstructions on the road [by pointing towards the obstruction and riding around it] OR if there is a parked vehicle on the left to indicate to the riders behind by moving out whilst waving their left arm behind their back and shouting out ‘on the left’. Also if the road is narrow and a vehicle is coming towards us the riders at the front need to make the riders aware behind them by either shouting ‘on the right’ or ‘car down’. There will also be times when there may be a row of cars behind us, it’s then the responsibility of the riders at the rear of the group to relay this information to the riders at the front of the group. In certain cases we will need to get in single file in order to let cars pass and again if a rider at the rear decides we need to single out then all riders must obey the instruction and single out. Once all cars have passed then that same rider that gave the instruction must shout out that it’s safe to get back into the two row formation. Care must be taken when going back into the two row rider formation, try to remember where you were before the group singled out and take up the same position as you were beforehand.

As and when a rider punctures [which will happen] then a percentage of the more able riders [in terms of fitness] will stop with the puncture victim whilst the remaining riders in the group continue. The more able riders will then assist that puncture victim in getting them back to the main group of riders. Please note that a rider in the main group will need to take control of that group in terms of ensuring that the pace is kept slow to steady and at the same time looking behind for the chasing group of riders.

If a rider or riders want to stop for a public break [toilet] then again a percentage of the more able riders will hold back whilst the main group of riders continue. Again a rider from the main group will need to ensure the pace is slow to steady and at the same time looking behind for the chasing group of riders.

During the early stages of the ride if a rider loses contact from the group going uphill then the main group of riders will ride at the chosen pace to the top of the climb. Then when the main group of riders get to the top of a climb they will drop off the pace so that any riders that lost contact on the climb can rejoin them.

If a rider experiences any sort of mechanical problem then the whole group will stop and a decision can be made dependant on the scale of the mechanical problem.

Riders that are on the front end of the group also need to be aware that whilst going out of corners consideration must be given to the riders at the rear of the group as gaps may appear in the group whilst exiting a particular corner. 

If a rider or riders are unfortunate to come off their bikes [for whatever reason] then the whole group will stop to deal and discuss the situation. If an ambulance is required then again a decision will be made there and then [fingers crossed it will not] !

If any rider(s) from any club disrupt these rides [by riding like at a pace not consistent with the group, eg. sprinting up hills etc] then they will be asked to either ride sensibly or in extreme circumstances asked stop riding with the group or potentially to refrain from participating in any of our weekend rides in the future. If a rider decides to either ride erratically up hills or continuously goes through too hard on the flat then that rider must be left to ride alone and should not be pursued to the detriment of the rest of the group. The weekend rides are for the benefit of all the members of VCR and should not be compromised by external riders.

Please ensure that you have adequate food and drink for the duration of the ride. If you do require any extra food or drink then communicate with riders in the group rather then put yourself in the situation of blowing and getting dropped from the group.

Please ensure that you have adequate clothing for the rides and have a wind jacket or gillet to put on just in case you have to stop for whatever reason. As you may know the weather during January and February can be unpredictable and in certain conditions can be life threatening if the correct clothing is not worn. It is advisable to carry a mobile phone for your own security, if you have not got a mobile phone then a couple of pound [for a phone call] could be a life saver ! Once again if you have not got a mobile please ask someone else in the group if they have one and if you could borrow it.

If there are any situations of driver conflicts [for whatever reasons] then lets deal with it the best that we can which does not jeopardise the ride of the safety of any riders in the group. In extreme situations the car registration will be taken and reported to the Police ASAP. If for any reason a conflict gets out of hand then if necessary the whole group will stop and a decision will be made at the time [fingers crossed this will never happen] !

The most important thing is to enjoy your ride and consider others so that they can enjoy it too.