[Closed] rider etiquette

Often think its those new to group rides that forget to do that. But I'm not so sure any more
I always try to ask/ say where I'm going when passing others

Surpose as more take up our FUN sport you will always get the bad with the good

orangeboy, yea your prob rite i was just miffed we were going down a very single track between bramble & hawthorn slower riders in front so safe stopping gap and this guy was "buzzing " my rear tyre why where did he think i could go !!!!

I got passed on the boardwalk at fort william once. A mix of endurance-racing madness and a total, total **** who, as it turned out, wasn't anywhere near the top anyway. Course, I could have prevented it from happening so it's not all one way.

I will be fair though and say that more than once i've thought I was setting up a perfectly reasonable overtake, which then went tits up and most probably the person I was passing thought I was a prick, or at the very least a div.

I have done a few events recently, mostly people are great. The worst are the "elites" who had a problem - in this case punctures due to having inappropriate tyres/pressures etc. or the over enthusiastic Have a go.

A few choice words is my normal method explaining that I'll move when I can.

A good rider will not hassle as the chance of both tangling is too high (except in the mega in which French rules apply)

yea, we all get it wrong sometimes but a simple "rider passing" call may save a nasty how many people out there that you know are or have liability insurance someone fetches you off your off work a month or more what then " i need bike repairing or replacing and a month off work thats more than a quick call costs its just being polite consious of those around you

Tyre buzzing moron needs a good slap IMO

Tyre buzzing moron needs to appreciate how easily a front wheel can be taken out by a rear... 😉

il brake real hard and send him flying in the brambles & hawthorn next time he will remember that . ha ha ha , ps i wont lower myself to his 5 second level advantage ,

orangeboy - Member
Tyre buzzing moron needs a good slap IMO

Save the slap just make it vocal and make them feel 1" tall.

You want past, OK you must be a lap up on all us plebs, quick everyone pull over the winner is coming through..

I agree but also add that during a busy overtaking lap where you might pass about 30-40 riders, there's a percentage of those who when you say 'pass when you get a chance' will not reply and will, even if there's an opportunity to give a little wont do anything. Its also these riders who think that there speed downhill is pretty fast ( to them), but to a fast rider is actually pretty slow. You can lose 15-20 secs to these riders which if your near the front is alot of time. Now before anyone says, 'yeah but if your good then you should be able to get by them easy', in most cases we are polite with please's and thankyou's and we always do our best to find room to get by but at times we do come across riders who are doing absolutely nothing to help us out. For the record, i'm always courteous but at times to struggle with some difficult riders

It's a fair point Radoggair, I fall into the faster down than up these days, passed 20ish on my last big decent but there was a lot of room to do it and they all pulled over. I was happy to let people through on the ups (in a long line) when there was a good place. Most of the better riders understood this and didn't have an issue. For multi lap races the organisers need to make sure there is enough passing available especially if the course in narrow. From my perspective it's the ones who rush to pass then forget how to ride on anything even slightly technical (roadies) that wind me up.

My other line for the ones who ignore any request to pass when it's clear is "Not got enough brake pads to go this slow ALL Day"

I heard one at the GT7, "You've got 10 seconds to let me past before I do something really ****ing reckless and knock us both off", which made me laugh. I think it was meant good-natured but you never know

Or, the guy at 10UTB who shouted to me, "On your right",then when I moved left tried to squeeze past on my left, and ended up hitting me. No harm done, but really?

A memorable one at the Mega having tried excuse me etc in 4 languages I resorted to my heritage and let rip with some fine Northumbrian, that worked (the guy was tripoding round some easily rollable corners..)

I find that the more polite I am and the more clearly I indicate my intentions the more likely the person I am overtaking is to move over. Never had any real issues.
I've been at the back in my fair share of National XC races too, I'm nowhere near as quick as the fast boys there so I've been on the receiving end of being lapped too, it's really not hard to let people passed, just talk to them. Just say 'on my left at this corner' run a little wide and through they go, must cost me all of one second. If they get you on a tricky bit just say something so they know you know they are there. they are much less likely to try to force their way passed if you shout 'come by on my right at the bottom' and don't be afraid to shout for space if you are struggling to keep the bike under control on a really steep bit and having someone right on your wheel isn't helping.
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If you do catch someone where you really can't overtake for whatever reason, usually if it's too narrow/steep/techy/etc and they are holding you up, encourage them. Putting them off won't help you, telling them 'come on you can do it, push it' as they try to crest a seep rise is more likely to help them over it and then out of the way than failing to do it and stopping in front of you.
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Basically all that above just says talk to the other guy, whether you are the overtaker or the overtakee. On which subject, can we please ban ipods and their ilk in all races. THe only problems I have ever had have been from the gormless idiots who don't have a clue what anyone else is doing.

I'm probably one of those inexperienced and slow riders you're talking about, I've only been riding events for 5 years. I do move over when asked, although I don't think some people realise that "on your right/left" is much more informative than "rider". I do overtake others so I know it's frustrating when you're stuck behind someone, but we are all racing, so expecting someone to dismount and stand in the bushes to let riders past when there's no room is a bit much.

but we are all racing, so expecting someone to dismount and stand in the bushes to let riders past when there's no room is a bit much.

I found that races aren't that bad, as racing spilt people into ability categories. Its the non-competitive events that are a problem.

I hate riding with elite riders who very unfortunately have become mute for the time they are at a trail centre.

I do feel sorry for them. It must be hard to express your intentions without a voice. The only way to make your intentions known is to race up someone's arse, try to force an error and over take in an appropriate manner to finish 20 seconds before you.

Poor people. Share a thought for those who suffer from trail muteness.

I however loudly and politely express my intentions which nearly always makes them go the wrong way, but at least they move!

When I used to "race" my tactic was to get to the back early on and then I found I didn't have these problems.

When I used to "race" my tactic was to get to the back early on and then I found I didn't have these problems.

+1

I was a pro confidence booster for years. I'm proud of my devotion and sacrifice for the sport.

When I did the Gorricks my aim was to not be overtaken. Which meant I had to ride hard for 2 laps and start my 3rd before the fast boys were finishing their 3rd.

Pleasant last lap 🙂

And take your flamin' energy gel sachets off the hill with you. I took many more gel packs away from Afan than I left with last week. I don't care how many seconds you have to be off the gas to shove packets back in pockets.

mtb fix - true that's another thing that bugs me, take your rubbish home with you, I'm behind you on your statement

I was a pro confidence booster for years. I'm proud of my devotion and sacrifice for the sport.

You weren't coming in last because you were weak. You were coming in last because you had done your job. 😉

"Track!"

I can see the new trails at Swinley being a battlegorund when they are busy..

Well I have already had one incident on the red route when A group of runners thought it would be a good idea to try and run down Labyrinth despite the all the new signs and half a dozen cyclist telling them not to. Lots of heated words at the bottom.

it does make me wonder if there is any rider etiquette left out there with the newer or 1st timers

Sort of related, what is it about cyclists that creates the herd mentality?

I crested a rise yesterday on the road bike, dropped down towards the junction and there was a group of about 15 roadies milling about aimlessly; waiting for a slower rider to catch up or getting some food, checking the map, whatever. But just milling around in the road, bikes lent up at all angles, some people circling around. This was on a dangerous blind summit t-junction.

They just showed absolutely zero spatial awareness or consideration for other road users. No etiquette or common sense. 🙁

+1 for taking litter home with you ]

- its frigging lighter once you've used it!

Got a load of Italian dudes in the way on a Les Gets downhill track once who had decided to stop on a fireroad on the entrance to the next section completely blocking access.

I got fed up of their lack of awareness beyond their own group and so pushed past them under a fence/ribbon.

It was then that I found out that the fence was electrified!

Shocking! 😯

A memorable one at the Mega having tried excuse me etc in 4 languages I resorted to my heritage and let rip with some fine Northumbrian, that worked (the guy was tripoding round some easily rollable corners..)

That's one thing that puts me off doing the Mega. The frustration of not being able to pass slower riders on the descents who probably smoked you on the climbs...

I was the aft part of TJ's mobile roadblock at HTN a while ago. I was truly impressed at passing riders' good humour, skill, acceleration and use of the smallest opening to the side.

I don't suppose anyone was particularly disadvantaged because we must have got in everyones' way. And anyway these events wouldn't happen without the majority turning up for a pleasant day out.

The OP must have met numpties.

At last year's 24hrs of Exposure I got a lovely cheery "Get out of the way, you d--k" from someone who I can only presume to have been one of the leaders. We were descending on a nice wide forest road, and I wasn't exactly sat in the middle of it.

Don't know exactly who he was, but I hope the guy who was sat on his wheel beat him in the end, since as they went by me he gave me a thumbs up with the words "You're not a d--k, pal, he is. Keep it going."

Passing people on boardwalk sections is not on.

At the last 10UTB I was at they had a marshall at the start of the boardwalk section who was reminding riders no to do it.

Feet should give way to wheels too, so if you are walking up or down something then get out of the way.

I try and pass where there is room though, "elite riders" shouting "on yer right, ON YER RIGHT" when I'm on the extreme right of trail, just bloody pass me on the other side.

"You're not a d--k, pal, he is. Keep it going."

Brilliant!

What I really hate is when I'm second in line behind a slower rider on a narrow twisting bit of single track. As soon as the trail widens for a few metres I'm looking like I want to overtake, but then some inconsiderate Speedy Arse overtakes me from behind and slots into the queue between me and the rider directly behind the slow rider, stealing my place in the queue.

The trail then opens out again for a short stretch and the first rider and Mr Speedy Arse overtake the slow rider but because there's only space for two to overtake there's not room for me. So Mr Speedy Arse has selfishly stolen my overtaking spot from me. It's another 5 mins before the trail widens again and I can finally overtake.

Totally NOT FAIR! 😉

Would a bell help?

That's one thing that puts me off doing the Mega. The frustration of not being able to pass slower riders on the descents who probably smoked you on the climbs...

You should probably watch some videos there is not that much up to worry about

What I really hate is when I'm second in line behind a slower rider on a narrow twisting bit of single track. As soon as the trail widens for a few metres I'm looking like I want to overtake, but then some inconsiderate Speedy Arse overtakes me from behind and slots into the queue between me and the rider directly behind the slow rider, stealing my place in the queue.

A similar thing happens on the roads, with cars. Perhaps we should have a thread about it?

At last year's 24hrs of Exposure I got a lovely cheery "Get out of the way, you d--k" from someone who I can only presume to have been one of the leaders

He didn't win, if that helps!
I don't know who it was, but it wasn't me and I can pretty much guarantee that Huw wouldn't have said anything like that...so whoever it was didn't profit from being a dick 🙂

It's not just at events, it's just general riding too. Personally I'm always quite aware of the faster riders...if I hear someone on the move behind me, I get out of the way as soon as I can so I don't hold them up or get tyre buzzed.

What's gets my goat is slower riders not doing the same for me. I was caught behind a couple on Saturday. The chap barked at his missus to let him through which she duly did and she let me through too but Mr Grumpy wouldn't get out of my way despite me being faster than him (i slowed down a few times to open up a gap but just caught him up again). Surely, it's not that hard to have some awareness.

It probably wouldn't have annoyed me so much if he hadn't been a tool and shouted at his missus to get out of the way.

Totally NOT FAIR!

Love it 😆

The worst offenders are dickheads that kill themselves on the fireroad so they can jump in front of you at the start of the singletrack because you are a girl then mince like Julian Clary at handbag show. But I get to try our my best abusive language in a completely justifiable situation, so it has it's virtues. I sure my riding has improved with the rage all nicely pumping.

He didn't win, if that helps!

24 hour organisers pay me vast sums to act as a mobile chicane to slow the rest of the field... *

Never had abuse yet, but I do try to keep out of the way.

*I wish 🙂

10 UTB a couple of years ago. Riders ahead had dismounted for a techy bit, last walker shouts "racer coming through" I looked over my shoulder to give the racer space. Found out it was me.