A good group ride feels effortless: nobody gets dropped, nobody gets lost, and at the end everyone sits happily over a coffee. Behind it there is almost always careful planning. With these seven steps you’ll get your group to the finish relaxed – whether on a bike, an e-bike or a motorbike.
Before the ride
1. Plan for the slowest riders
The pace of the group isn’t set by the strongest rider but by whoever is slowest. Choose the distance and climbing so that nobody has to suffer. Rule of thumb: climbing tires you out more than distance. If bikes and e-bikes ride together, plan so that everyone without a motor can keep up comfortably too. Anyone who wants more can add an extra loop at the end.
2. Share the route in advance
Send everyone the route a few days before the ride – with the meeting point, start time, planned breaks and possible shortcuts. A plan B is a good idea too: where can someone drop out, where is the next train or bus? And especially in autumn: when does it get dark?
3. Assign the roles
- Leader: knows the route and sets the pace.
- Sweeper: always rides last, nobody overtakes them. That way nobody gets lost.
- Navigator: keeps an eye on the route so the leader can concentrate on riding.
With a large group, it’s worth splitting into two smaller groups – each with its own leader and its own sweeper.
At the start
4. Do the 5-minute check
Before setting off, run through a quick check: are the batteries of phones, e-bikes and lights charged? Tyres and brakes OK? Lights front and rear? Enough to drink? Emergency number in your phone? And if you’re riding with headphones or headsets: test once that everyone can hear each other.
On the road
5. Keep calls short and clear
On the road, short and unambiguous calls are what count: “Hole right”, “Car back”, “Stop”. Hand signals add to this for anyone who can’t hear at that moment. Important: only wear headphones in a way that still lets you hear the traffic. What exactly is allowed differs between Switzerland, Germany and Austria – you’ll find the overview here.
6. Plan proper breaks
A short break every 60 to 90 minutes keeps the group together. Only stop where the whole group has room off the road. The break is also the right moment to ask how everyone is doing – and to adjust the pace if needed.
Afterwards
7. Look back
After the ride, a short debrief is worth it: what worked well, what will we do differently next time? You can save a successful loop and ride it again later – or share it with other groups. You’ll find an idea to try in our ride Autumn on the Obersee.
When can you ride along?
VOXPEERS is coming to the stores soon. We’ll only announce a firm date once everything is just right. If you want to be there from day one, sign up here – we’ll be in touch as soon as it starts.