Rules & Guidelines

Ride to the right of the white line whenever possible.  Ride to the right of the white line whenever possible.  Ride to the right of the white line whenever possible (yes we said that 3x). Also, ride in bike lines and bike paths if available. If a motorist hits you in a bike lane, the driver is automatically negligent as a matter of law (Bicycle Colorado).

When the shoulder is wide enough, ride two-by-two and stay as close as comfortable to the rider in front of you (i.e. in their draft).  We move more efficiently as a group, conserve energy as a group, and can ride ultimately faster in a group.  You’ll be amazed how much stronger you become when you learn to conserve energy and ride with the pace of the group!

Ride single file in dangerous areas, busy roads without wide shoulders, narrow roads, and where prudence otherwise mandates…communicate the need to ride single file by raising a finger above your head as the need arises.

Everyone is responsible for communicating with teammates. Not everyone knows the route and riders in the back cannot always see what’s coming. Note while a rider can hear someone speaking from behind, it is very difficult to hear riders who are in front.  So when you speak to someone behind you, they may not be able to hear you (use hand signals). If you hear a verbal cue and you’re mid-pack, pass the word or signal on so others can hear it, i.e. “car back!”  If you are at the back,  communicate the presence or absence of cars when the group is turning left or coming to a stop at a crowded intersection. Communicate VERY LOUDLY and clearly.  The words “clear” and “car” can sound very similar.  This very simple act of communication will help avoid a potentially lethal situation.

• “Slowing”
• “Stopping”
• “Car Back”
• “Car Up”
• “Rider Up”
• “Rider Back”
• "[Something] Up" whether it is a runner or a rouge squirrel insert whatever obstacle you see in front of you!
• “Single File"
• "Left"
• "Right"

• Open hand behind back: slowing
• Closed fist behind back: stopping
• Turning Left or Right: hold your full arm out and point in the direction you are going to turn
• Pointing to obstacles in the road: gravel, potholes, and dangerous cracks to avoid
• Sweeping hand behind back: move over, there’s an obstruction in the road ahead (physical or another rider)
• Index finger held overhead: move to single-file (i.e for a narrow bridge)

Work on even, steady stroke pedals and following a smooth straight line. Again, acceleration and braking should be subtle. Wheel-to-wheel riding works if everyone can follow a calm biker in front of them. Practice straight cycling on your own by riding on white lines.

When it’s time to pull off, signal the rider behind you with your right elbow and move right. When riding 2-by-2, pull off to the right (both riders go right). DON’T decelerate or coast just prior to pulling right…in fact, a very small, slight acceleration just prior to pulling off helps make the transition smooth. The right-front rider drops back first, followed by the left-front rider and they float back so there are 3 abreast for a short time. Avoid a 4-abreast situation at all costs – even for the briefest moment. If you’re the last rider in the pace line, it’s appreciated to tell the floaters “last rider” so she can duck behind you without cutting anyone off.

The “leader” of the ride is not necessarily in charge of pulling the whole group. If you feel comfortable taking a turn out front, communicate that to the group, and position yourself towards the front of the pack. If you don’t, position yourself in the middle or towards the back. When on the front, keep a steady pace. Do not overlap tires; your front tire should be behind the rear tire in front of you. You can be slightly to the left or right. Do not stare at the wheel in front of you; keep a soft stare at the space at the front of their bike. Be mindful of the body language in front of you – if she sits up, that means her bike’s slowing down. Avoid rapid deceleration (even small changes) and quick changes in direction. In particular, don’t coast or soft-peddle while on the front, especially downhill.  If you soft-peddle on a downhill, the group “stacks up” behind you.  This doesn’t mean “hammer every time you are on the front,” just be smooth and steady. Watch those downhills!!

Proper hydration is encouraged (20oz per hour minimum).  For rides over two hours, a stop to refuel is wise.  However, this responsibility falls to each individual. Communicate your needs and try to work together. In the end, however, you are responsible for your own health … you may end up riding on your own, but better to be smart, hydrated, and alone than stupid, dehydrated, and with company (by the way…since we drink, we pee…try to be quick about it and be patient with your peeing teammates… but in general… pee at your own risk).

This falls right between the “safety” and “etiquette” sections. In a group, wearing earbuds is dangerous because you may not hear verbal cues plus gives the stand-offish signal “I’m not into talking.” So converse with your riding partners instead of tuning them out. When riding solo, you’re most safe not wearing them at all, but you may wish to wear the right earbud only so you can hear traffic coming up on your left and have at least one clear ear.

Make sure your brakes, pads, and overall gear is in good working order so as not to create an accident due to equipment. If you don’t know how to maintain your bike, take it to the service shop. Another reason: insurance defense experts will meticulously inspect your bike after a crash, looking for a way out (credit: Bicyclist). This category falls in safety AND etiquette: are you making your teammates wait on you because your chain, pads, derailleur, etc needs mid-ride adjustments or repair? Don’t be that gal.

Aerobars are only allowed in green and blue group rides but our preference is none at all. The cyclist may not position herself in aerobars during the ride: hands must be on handlebars.

Want to give us a test ride? Guests may participate in one bike ride with pre-approval from the Petunia Mafia Board.

To test ride, email friend@petuniamafia.com to request a test drive and receive, sign and email back our Liability Waiver and Safety Agreement before the ride.