Paceline ettiquitte

My friend Tom Pincince sent me the below in email. I've so often wanted to point cyclists to a good list like this (but not had one) that I thought I'd capture it here for posterity.

Items 7-10 are my own additions.

A note from one of the stronger guys I ride with in the morning. He just got back from climbing the Tourmalet. Note that I was dropped mercilessly this morning.

Regards,
Tom

Subject: Paceline etiquette -- staying out of the hospital

Hey guys - -

Last Saturday night in France, I got a lot out of a discussion and wanted to pass it along. The context was a course briefing prior to racing our Etape stage.

My cousin Kent, a former pro, was leading the discussion and answering a question about pack etiquette and safety in an event that large.

Kent’s response was, “you don’t have to worry about safety here – French riders ride more like Cat1s than Cat4/5s.”

As a proud Cat4 carrying license holder, I decided to take the bait – “What’s the difference between Cat1s and Cat4/5s in a pack?”

Here’s the summary of what he said – much is probably a reminder, but we’d probably avoid hospitals by heeding a lot of this. He’s got a great sense of humor, which is blended in here:

(My additions) Note that the first is a derivative of #1b, but happens differently.)

1. The key part of a paceline is “Pace” – you’re working together to keep a steady pace and go faster as a group for a longer period of time than you can on your own.
   1. Cat1s realize this and keep pulls at a steady speed and short
   2. Cat4/5s have guys who “jackrabbit pull” and up the pace by 5mph when they hit the front. That destroys the tempo. If you want to break away, do it. Do it from the 3rd or 4th position. Don’t do it from the front. If you did this in a Cat1 pack, you’d be called all kinds of names that would embarrass your mother and you’d be shunned.
      1. Cat4/5s take long pulls – Cat1s take short ones to max the benefit of the line. Cat1s will figure out who is strong and typically just those 4-5 guys will rotate at the front of the line, allowing the others to coast along, but not inhibit the pace.
2. (this next one is violated A LOT on our rides) -- If you’re up front in a paceline, here’s your job:
   1. Keep the pace steady
   2. Keep your eyes forward
   3. Point out the obstacles
   4. Ride.
   5. That’s it.
   6. DO NOT – look down, slow down, drink, look back – if you have to do any of these – GET OUT OF THE WAY. Almost all accidents are caused by someone slowing down in the paceline and a rider clips the rear wheel and goes flying.
3. No Swerving, never, ever, ever (I’ve gotten in a bad habit and have been a big violator of this one lately)
   1. When Cat1s approach a pothole, it’s pointed out and if unavoidable, ridden over. Pull up on your front wheel (like a wheelie) or bunny hop (if you have the skill) and hope for the best.
   2. Cat 4/5s swerve suddenly to avoid them. Often taking riders out in the process by clipping a front wheel.
4. Be predictable
   1. Cat1s hold their line and hold their speed
   2. Cat4/5s vary their line and vary their speeds
   3. Cat1s decide which side of the paceline they will fade / rotate on (usually on the right side or inside)
   4. Cat4/5s pass on the right or left
5. Keep your hands on the bars and thumbs or pinkies hooked
   1. Cat1s almost never violate this rule
   2. Cat5s constantly reach for cameras, food, bottles, etc. Loose hands means bike flying out of control at slightest bump.
6. In a paceline, there is almost never a good reason to look back or look down at your computer – you swerve in the direction you’re looking and threaten everyone. DO NOT LOOK BACK OR DOWN. EVER. PERIOD. Look at your data afterwards. Publish it in emails. We’ll all be really impressed.
7. When you are #2 in a paceline and #1 pulls off, never "move up" into the spot that the #1 person was in. When #1 pulls off, keep your speed steady and "be the lead." Think Yoda.
   1. Cat 1s do this, and the line remains tight, steady & smooth.
   2. Cat 4/5s will often move forward into the former leader's "spot", forcing the person behind him to accelerate to stay in the draft, which ripples through the line, causing the dreaded "spring effect" that disrupts the pace of the line.
8. When you pull off the front, do not reduce your pedaling power before you're off to the side of the line.
   1. Cat 1s will actually increase their power to accelerate slightly as they pull off, to avoid a wheel touch with the person behind them.
   2. Cat 4/5s will often simply give up the ghost - taking all the power out of their pedaling - before they start their move to the side, causing the #2 rider to have to slow, which ripples through the line, once again generating name calling that's embarrassing to your mother.
9. When you pull off the front, do not pull off wide of the paceline.
   1. Cat 1s will pull over a short distance to remain within 6-18" of the line as they move to the rear of the line. They end up staying in the draft of the entire line, which helps them avoid getting dropped because it reduces the power they'll need to accelerate when they reach the back spot.
   2. Cat 4/5s will pull out way too far, often to the middle of the road as they glance over for recognition from their peers as the he-man that did the monster pull - right before they're dropped because they couldn't catch the back of the line.

What I'm frustrated with is the number of yahoos that show up on a random ride that don't know anything about how to ride in a paceline; so I too-rarely get into a well-rotating line of 5-10 guys. I ride a lot with Scott and he knows what to do, but 2 guys aren't a paceline, they're friends out for a ride.