Riding Etiquette by Thomas Prehn
Wednesday Morning Velo is a unique Boulder tradition stretching back 13 years. It’s popularity has seen the numbers of riders go from a humble few each week to close to 90 this morning. In order to keep this unique tradition going and keep everyone safe, it’s critical that we all understand a few key codes of conduct that are cornerstone to the principles of Wednesday Morning Velo.
1. These are social rides. We are there to network, socialize and with the addition of a few spirited moments of bravado, we want to all have a fun enjoyable ride. If you are looking to do some prescribed workout, head the other direction and meet us back in 90 minutes for coffee. If you have to go hard to prove something and you can’t do it on the one or two prescribed points of effort, you probably need more socializing overseen by a professional.
2. We ride two-by-two. This also means that each rider needs to be comfortable following closely behind another riders wheel and within a few inches from the handlebars next to you. This allows everyone an opportunity to converse with their fellow riders and for us to keep a tight formation and not impede traffic. If you do not feeling comfortable in these close riding quarters, simply excuse yourself to the back of the group where you can feel more comfortable.
3. You will get a chance to go hard if you really want to but, chances are if you are not the first handful of people heading out, you might not get a chance to take a regular pull. Enjoy the draft. If you really want to be taking a pull, be at the front at the start or just make sure you are near the front when the pace is SUPPOSED TO PICK UP. You will get all the opportunity you need then.
4. FOR @#*% sake, NO HALF WHEELING! If your ego is that small or your spacial understanding is that far off, stay at the back!
5. FOR #%&* sake, AVOID THE YO-YOing! This means when you are riding in a group not only should you avoid the yo-yo effect of accelerating and braking but you should make a little effort to keep it from happening. This means if you are at the front coming out of a corner, don’t accelerate like your trying to ride away from the group. The rest of the rides have to negotiate the turn behind you and then accelerate. If your mid-pack, you might want to regulate your braking going down a hill to keep an even distance and speed. If you are not sure what this means, see point 6.
6. If you are new to Wednesday Morning Velo, and especially if you are new to riding in a large group, please stay in the back of the pack for a week or two until you get more comfortable with riding in a group. You won’t be stressed out and you will not stress out your fellow Wednesday Morning Velo comrades!
These are just a few of the more major points of etiquette so we can all end up back at the coffee shop enjoying the continued conversation while sipping some of Amante’s fine coffee.