When riding on open public roads, a single file formation is the only acceptable way to move as a group. Of course, there are times when we would all like to form a nice double paceline (side by side formation) but this can only be done when we know there are no vehicles passing. Overlapping wheels should only be done by experienced cyclists and more importantly if you trust the person riding in front, even though it has to be exercised with great caution! A sudden change of line by a rider up the line (wanting to avoid a pothole) can result in a domino effect down the bunch and where you were previously well positioned - you all of a sudden might find yourself being shunted off the road or even worse into the path of an oncoming car!

Remember when riding in a paceline, sudden movements of any single rider can be disastrous. This means that abrupt braking, swerving, and any type of erratic riding is always a dangerous, poor technique.

While leading the paceline, each rider must make his or her own best judgment regarding how long to lead. The proper way to pace yourself is to maintain the same speed as the former rider at the front, pulling longer if you feel strong, shorter if you can't keep the pace. If the speed is obviously beyond your capability, then you should stay at the back and tell each rider to 'pull-in' in front of you as they move toward the back of the paceline for their wind-break. Of course, if you are the one fixed to the back of the line, then you are the only one to loose out as not only will you start to build a reputation as lazy or wheelsucker but also REMEMBER that it’s the riders who are facing the wind that get stronger. Cycling in someone’s slipstream has a energy consumption reduction of around 20% and although it’s great from a recovery point of view it doesn’t help much if you want to get stronger.

Another point that I would like to emphasize, which is clearly visible in inexperienced cyclists, is that when the group is working in an echelon (riders are going in a circular motion through and off), the key is smoothness. When someone is about to finish their turn at the front and is thinking about going to the back, the first thing to do is to notify the rider behind you. This is done by a simple flick of the elbow on the side which the next rider will come though - this is simple riding etiquette in which following riders know it’s their turn to pull at the front. When you have done this, drop your speed 2 or 3 km/h so as to smoothly filter to the back and avoid the rider behind you having to speed up to pass you. This is vital when the speed is high and makes the difference between dropping a rider that is struggling and maintaining an efficient working unit. Remember that the idea behind riding in a bunch is conserving energy! By looking at all aspects of cycling in a peloton, not only will you conserve more energy but you will actually ride faster - it’s all the inconsistencies that cause a bunch to fragment.

Each rider in the paceline is responsible for maintaining his or her place in that line. This means that if you let a gap open up everyone behind will be "dropped" either temporarily or for the rest of the ride. And, they will be completely within their rights to verbally give you a telling off. It is vital for the group that you ‘hold’ the wheel in front of you. Too many rides are spent waiting for people that have fallen behind, because they have just not bothered to stick on to the wheel of the person in front. In a cycling race this becomes vital, if you let a 5 meter gap open up and all of a sudden the group speeds up, you might find yourself never being able to close that gap again.

When a rider in front of you is clearly getting dropped, a quick decision is required whether to stay where you are, or "jump-across" the gap before it gets too big. If the group is moving very fast, the latter may not be an option. If you are the one who is getting dropped then you can exercise one of the unwritten rules in cycling which is to again use that flick of the arm to notify the rider behind you that you are dropping off the line. Then swing out of the line to let the rider behind you close the gap, thus making sure that you are not responsible for breaking up the whole bunch. In professional cycling, behaviour such as this is very highly looked upon and you will gain alot of respect from fellow riders.

Riders tend to let a gap open up between cyclists when cornering, so with each position back from the lead rider increased proportionally, the total distance from engine to caboose can double or even triple. This means that the further back you are after the corner, the harder you will have to work to get back on the back of the paceline. A very important thing to remember is that this causes a concertina effect, meaning you might find yourself having to chase to get back on only to have to break and slow down. This can be avoided by keeping calm after the corner and closing the gap in a more relaxed manner. Don’t panic if a gap opens - it’s perfectly normal.

Remember things to focus on:

• Concentration and awareness of what's happening around you is everything while riding
• Be considerate to the person behind you and realize that poor judgement on your behalf can land someone or a few people in hospital: it’s all about trust
• Don’t let unnecessary gaps open up, it wastes everyone else’s time, reduces the efficiency of your ride and makes you get home later
• Avoid sudden accelerations or sudden braking (without notifying others)
• Ride safely by expecting the unexpected
• Have fun and enjoy!