Thoughts on riding in a Pace Line

by the elder [eldest?] John Williams

For my money, very little can match the exhilaration of riding in a well coordinated, smoothly functioning pace line. It requires an exciting combination of individual skills and group cooperation that maximizes the enjoyment of road riding.

The essential purpose of a pace line is to MAXIMIZE the speed of the group while at the same time MINIMIZING the effort of the individual rider. Consequently, the pace line should seek to maintain a STEADY, smooth and consistent speed, while each rider takes relatively short “pulls” at the head of the pace line.

Two common mistakes break up a pace line and quickly destroy its efficiency. First is the tendency of the rider to accelerate as he or she assumes the lead position, and the second is the tendency of the lead rider to pull for too long before dropping off the head of the pace line. The result is that riders exhaust themselves while in the lead, and have difficulty catching the draft of the last rider in the pace line as it moves by them while they drop back to the rear. The pace line fragments, and the overall advantage to the group is soon lost.

The following guidelines are suggested for riders desiring to improve their ability to participate in a pace line:

[1]  MAINTAIN A SMOOTH, CONSISTENT SPEED. When assuming the lead, do not accelerate; instead pull through at the same speed the leader was maintaining. Frequently this can best be accomplished by shifting up to an easier gear (to spin at a higher cadence) as you assume the lead, to compensate for losing the benefit of drafting the rider in front of you.

[2] Lead the pace line for short intervals, often no more than 20 to 30 revolutions of the cranks. Remember, the point is to avoid exhaustion, not to create it. [ed. - you really only want to break the wind momentarily for those behind you «no, not that kind of wind» - getting tired up front and slowing the pack down isn't very nice. but if you want to/can pull longer, ask before the ride instead of just doing it - some people enjoy being pulled along, but others might want a workout]

[3]  When dropping off the lead position, give a signal (a turn of the head, a wiggle of the fingers of the right hand on the drops, tapping your back and motioning where you are dropping off to), and move over before slowing down. By convention the lead rider generally drops off to the LEFT, to avoid being pushed off the edge of the pavement as the pace line moves by, though road conditions may dictate otherwise.

[4] After moving out of the lead, slow slightly to allow the line to move by, but anticipate as the last rider pulls by, so you can match the speed of the line and pull into the back in a smooth fashion that avoids falling behind. [ed - pulling too hard so that you can't catch the rear is a BIG mistake, and also another good reason for the line not to accelerate and drop the most recent leader. if you are at the back and cooked, let the person dropping back know they can go in front of you, and if you want to enter the line closer to the front, ask if you can enter the line, too]

[5]  MAINTAIN A CLOSE, CONSISTENT (but SAFE) interval between riders. The maximum benefit from drafting is obtained by following 6 to 12 inches behind the rider in front, but significant benefit is derived when following 2 to 3 feet behind, Start off at an interval you can feel comfortable with, and shorten that distance over time as you gain confidence in your own abilities, and in the other members of the group.

[6] AVOID OVERLAPPING your front wheel with the rear wheel of the rider immediately in front of you. If he makes a sudden lateral maneuver so that his rear wheel collides with your front wheel, you will almost certainly lose control and crash.

[7] Try to avoid braking while riding in a pace line, and if at all possible avoid interruptions in your pedaling. Sitting up or tucking down to change wind resistance, and “soft pedaling” (keep the cranks turning without any real power to the stroke) when necessary, rather than braking and interrupting pedaling, are safer and more effective ways to maintain a consistent speed and interval between riders.

[8] Finally, DO NOT BECOME FIXATED ON WATCHING THE REAR WHEEL OF THE RIDER IN FRONT OF YOU. Your attention and vision should generally be directed farther ahead in the pace line, by 10 to 15 yards, so that you can better anticipate road hazards and changing circumstances in the line ahead. Only intermittently allow your focus to move to the back of the rider ahead of you, or to his rear wheel, in order to check your interval distance.