{"id":190505,"date":"2022-08-25T16:25:37","date_gmt":"2022-08-25T16:25:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=190505"},"modified":"2022-08-25T16:25:37","modified_gmt":"2022-08-25T16:25:37","slug":"5-cycling-skills-you-need-to-ride-in-a-group","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2022\/08\/25\/5-cycling-skills-you-need-to-ride-in-a-group\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Cycling Skills You Need to Ride in a Group"},"content":{"rendered":"

Even the most boring base-building rides can be a lot of fun when you\u2019re with a group. To enjoy group rides safely, you should learn and practice several basic skills such as moving up toward the front, riding in a pace line or in an echelon.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Looking behind you<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Every cyclist learns how to safely look behind relatively early. It\u2019s something that experienced cyclists do almost automatically. The problem is that inside of a group, you have to use a bit of a different technique to avoid crashing into riders next to you. This is because when you turn your head to look, your front wheel usually swerves to the same side as your head. In a group, focus on keeping forward pressure on the bars and pushing the bars very slightly to the opposite direction your head is turning. Start by practising this on your own in a safe environment. Experienced cyclists in the peloton often place their hand on the shoulder of the rider next to them to make sure the distance between them stays the same when their head turns.<\/p>\n

Riding in a pace line<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A pace line is a big part of cycling in a group. It is a formation where riders are in a single line and they share the work at the front of the group, while also sharing the rest in the draft. Pace lines are the reason why you can ride so much faster in a group than alone. It is used a lot in track cycling as well as road races such as the Tour de France to improve the chances of breakaways to succeed. There are several key things to keep in mind if you want to be a valuable member of a pace line.<\/p>\n