Cycletron Rules of the Road by Art Wong

Some of the riders who are new to the noon rides asked if I could point out a few rules of the road that would help them feel more comfortable riding with the Trons. I'll offer a few suggestions and ask if anyone else has ideas to please share them with the group. These suggestions are offered in the spirit of encouragement and safety for all of us.
• No matter what you think about our rights to the roads, we must be mindful that driver's hate us and anything we do to reinforce this hatred hurts us all. As the groups get larger, it is important to ride SINGLE FILE until we get away from the Lab or other high traffic areas. You must move over when a rider calls "car back". Also, rude/obscene gestures/language towards automorons (oops) is NEVER helpful. If you are wearing a Cycletron jersey or a jersey with the Livermore Cyclery logo, you have a responsibility to act as a ambassador for the sport.

• The "noon" group (11:40) has been traditionally composed of racers and other fast fitness riders. As such, the norms and culture of the group reflect this peculiar demographic. The rides often have a competitive nature. Riders who join the group need to be aware that these guys are serious about their training and that the rides are going to be hard. Mon, Wed and Fri will be the easiest days. Tuesday (Carneal) and Thursdays (Patterson Pass) are guarenteed hammerfests.

• Riding in a pack requires some skill. Riding in a pack at 30+mph requires A LOT of skill. Hold your line. Make no sudden change of directions. Some guys weave all over the road. You must be able to "feel" the riders around you and know when someone is right behind you or overlapping your wheel. DON'T OVERLAP WHEELS.

• When the group is working hard and everyone is pulling through in a rotating paceline, you either have to pull through or stay in the back. Riding up near the front then making riders go around you will irritate them. This may be a reasonable racing strategy but its generally not appropriate on our training rides. Of course, if you do this in a race, you will get yelled at too - or worse. Here's what I mean: The paceline is rotating, when I get to the #2 position and I sit there not pulling through. The guy on the front is mad because he's doing more work than he should. The guy behind is mad because he has to sprint around me. Everyone else is mad because the rhythm of the paceline is upset and the speed goes down.

• In our group, there is a wide range of ability. Most of us get dropped once is awhile. Do not gap someone off. Again, this is a reasonable racing tactic when you are blocking for a teammate but its generally not acceptable on a training ride. If you are in the paceline and you are blowing up, keep in mid there are others on your wheel. If you let a gap go, everyone behind you is in trouble. Frank Pabian is famous for telling people to "go around me". This is good. He gives a warning before he blows up. He will often put in one last effort to make sure the rider behind him is close to the next wheel before pulling off.

• Wheelsucking is tolerated only when others know you are hurting as badly as everyone else or you are a former District Champion:-) I hate it when someone waves me around to bridge a gap and after I've regained contact, that rider is right on my wheel. Or worse, someone who hasn't pulled through the entire ride and then wants to sprint with me at the end.

• Listen to the comments/instructions/verbal abuse from other riders. Don't take it personally. They yell at everyone. Its part of the initiation. Bob Knight once said no one even talked to him until he'd been riding with us for a year. We yelled at Ken until he learned what an eschelon was. We'd yell at Stan but he's too far ahead to hear us. Bicycling is a dangerous sport. If you do something even inadvertantly that is dangerous to others - expect some abuse.

• Bicycle racing (like most competitive sports) is based on a hierarchy. The pecking order is established based on performance. However, in cycling, there are many riders who are not as strong as others but are highly respected never the less. Its because they ride with class. Cycling is filled with lore and tradition. The greatest compliment is to be considered someone who rides with "panache". Hinualt had panache because he always rode at the front. There's a certain style, call it panache, in the way John Larson attacks from the back and rides straight to the front. Many others in the noon group ride with panache because they will work their butts off even when they know no one is waiting for them at the top of Patterson or will give 100% in a chase group even if it means they will get dropped.

• If your goals for the day (or in general) don't match the noon ride, its OK to ride alone or in a seperate group. I like knowing there are other groups that don't hammer everyday.

• Do the Saturday training rides. These will make you as strong as Bob Thoe (almost). The first Sat of each month is a "no drop" ride. Great time to ride stress free in a large group and learn the rules of the peloton.

• We are all buttheads once in awhile.

OK, sermon over, but remember our moto is..."Safety First"