Riding with others requires awareness, skill, and respect. These guidelines will enhance
your safety, comfort, and enjoyment, whether you’re cruising or hammering through a
fast-paced peloton:
♦ Be Predictable—This may be the most important rule (even for solo riding) and it
involves every aspect of riding from changing positions in the group to following the
traffic rules. You might say that all the other rules support this one. Smooth predictable
riding isn’t just a matter of style… here the word “survival” comes to mind! If
unpredictability is the only predictable part of your riding style, you are a hazard to
yourself and everyone else who has the misfortune to ride with you. Have you ever
been on a ride where the group stops at an intersection and people scatter all over the
lane? Some going through on the wrong side of the road and others turning left from the
right side? Some running the stop sign and others doing it right? It’s confusing and
irritating to drivers of vehicles as they approach a situation where cyclists are going in
all different directions or just blowing through stops! Part of being predictable is riding
within the rules of the road as a vehicle. Groups should maintain integrity when
approaching intersections. That means staying in the correct lane, stopping together,
and starting together as traffic allows. It goes without saying that if we demand the right
to ride on the road, then we must be willing to ride responsibly… especially as a group.
♦ Don’t Overlap Wheels—This habit will get you in real trouble. This is a good way to
test your ability to do cartwheels if you don't adhere to this rule. Some people do it from
lack of concentration, others may just not know any better, but sooner or later they will
crash. There is no recovery from a front wheel deflection. All it takes is for the person in
front to move sideways a few inches… if someone is overlapping his wheel, that
someone will go down along with practically everyone who is behind him. Many times
the person in front can recover, but not the people behind.
♦ Be Steady—This includes speed and line. If the person behind you fails to adhere to
#2, you will contribute to a crash if you wallow around all over the road. When everyone
is working for the group as a pace-line, maintain a steady speed as you go to the front.
Ever notice how easy it is to ride behind some folks? If you take note of their riding style
you’ll probably notice they don’t yo-yo around in the pack. They are rock steady. When
they take the lead, they don't accelerate. If they are strong enough to accelerate the

group, they do it after the previous pull has rejoined the rear of the group and then only
gradually so as to not string out the pack. When they are leading, they ride a straight
line and their speed will be constant with the conditions. What a joy to ride with
someone like this! Sometimes steady doesn’t just mean speed. It means steady
pressure on the pedals…uphill or downhill, headwind or tailwind. When you are
following someone like this, life is good! When they are following, they don’t make
sudden moves or they know how to control their spacing by using their body position
instead of using the brakes. Sudden braking will set off general alarms from everyone in
the rear and make you very unpopular. If you do use the brakes, feather the front brake
only and keep pedaling against the resistance. This allows you to moderate your speed
without disturbing trailing riders.
♦ Announce Hazards—When you are in the lead, you are responsible for the safety of
everyone behind you. You will become very unpopular very quickly if people behind you
keep bouncing off of potholes, running over rocks, or reacting to unsafe traffic situations
that you fail to point out. You need to be very vocal when approaching intersections,
slowing, stopping, or turning and all actions should be smooth and deliberate. Sudden,
unannounced actions will throw terror into any peloton. Riders in the pack should relay
these warnings to the rear. When you are following, announce oncoming traffic from the
rear… in this case others should relay this info toward the front.
♦ Signal—Signaling lets everyone (vehicles and riders) know your intentions…
remember #1? This makes you predictable. Also, it’s a good idea to make eye contact
with oncoming traffic at intersections. One note here, use your right arm straight out to
signal a right turn. It’s uncool to stick out your left bent arm to signal a right turn; more
importantly, it’s impracticable and ineffective. In a big group combine this with a loud
vocal warning of your intentions.
♦ Don’t Fixate—If you are staring at something (i.e., the wheel in front of you),
eventually you’ll hit it! When you walk in a crowd, you don’t stare at the back of the
person in front of you… so you shouldn’t ride like that either. Learn to be comfortable
looking around or through the riders ahead of you. This will allow you to see things that
are developing in front of the group. With a little practice you will be able to "sense" how
far you are off the wheel in front of you.
♦ Stay Off Aero Bars—This shouldn’t require much discussion and are
actually forbidden in La Vuelta Puerto Rico (see POLICY HERE). They are much too
unstable to be used in a group ride. Plus, you don't need to be on aero bars if you are in
a pack as you will receive more aerodynamic effect from the other riders anyway.
Maybe… one exception… when you are at the front pulling you can get away with it, but
never, never, never when you are within the group or following a wheel. I know there are
some people, usually triathletes, who are more comfortable on the bars. But, sooner or
later, steering with your elbows in a group will add new meaning to the term "lunch on
the road." Plus, it really tics off those behind you when you go down in a pack! Use aero
bars for what they are meant for… SOLO fast riding. Remember, aerobars are NOT
ALLOWED in La Vuelta Puerto Rico.
♦ Don’t Leave Stragglers— If you get separated at intersections, as a matter of
courtesy, the lead group should soft pedal until the rest have rejoined. Another note
here is that if you are the one who will be caught by the light, don't run the red light to
maintain contact. If they don't wait for you to catch up, you may not want to be riding

with them anyway. Also as a courtesy to those who may not be able to stay with the
group, the pack should wait at certain points along the route to regroup. Especially at
turn points and if the stragglers don’t know the route. Now obviously this is not
applicable during a race but we're not talking about a race… No one should be left alone
on a group ride. If you don't adhere to this rule, your "group" will get smaller each week
until you're riding solo. While this rule applies to group and club rides, riders that register
for La Vuelta Puerto Rico expect to be part of a unique "pro-like" peloton experience.
Riders pick one of three groups that go at 21, 18, and 15 mph average. As such, the
event is actually planned, organized and executed following the necessary logistics for
this to take place and therefore, riders are encouraged to stay with their groups at all
times.
♦ Know Your Limitations—If you’re not strong enough or too tired to take a turn at the
front, stay near the back and let the stronger cyclists pull in front of you instead of
making them go to the back of the line. Unless they are a complete… well you know…
they will appreciate that more than having to get past you to get back to the front if you
start to tire. Plus, it strokes their animal ego as you admit that he/she is the stronger
rider. Another point here, don’t pull at the front faster and longer than you have energy
to get back in at the rear (Remember, your "pull" isn't over until you do). I've seen this
scenario many times, it comes "biker wannabe's" time to take his/her pull and the pace
is getting up there. The thought running through his/her mind is, "I need to show these
guys that I can pull 2 mph faster than everyone else has been pulling." They go to the
front and hammer. Legs begin to burn after a monumental pull… now it's time to pull
over and let some "lesser" rider take a turn. Well, the "lesser" biker is all refreshed after
tagging on a wheel and is ready to punch it up another notch. It's bye-bye to the first
rider as he/she gets blown off the back… toast! Testosterone and ego is a volatile mix
(even for you females) and it can get you dropped in a heartbeat. La Vuelta Puerto Rico
has over 25 Road Captains that control the pace of each group at all times. A non-Road
Captain may be given the opportunity to pull in the front for a given period or time in a
given section of the route, however, it will be the decision of Road Captains.
♦ Change Positions Correctly—A common beginner faux pas is to stop pedaling just
before pulling off the front. This creates an accordion effect toward the rear. Keep a
steady pressure on the pedals until you have cleared the front. After pulling off, soft
pedal and let the group pull through. As the last couple of riders are passing through,
begin to apply more pressure to smoothly take your position at the rear. If you don’t time
it correctly, you’ll create a gap and have to sprint to get back on. A technique used to
reenter the line is to move your bike sideways first then your body. Try it. It will feel
awkward at first, but it is the safest way to move within a group. It's just a small subtle
move not an exaggerated one. If you lean your body first and misjudge the speed or the
person in front of you slows down, you’ll touch wheels and be leaning the wrong way…
bad situation! If you move the bike first, you will have a chance to pull it back.
♦ Climbing—Ever been behind someone when they stood up going up hill and all of a
sudden you were in their wheel? If you need to stand, shift up a gear to compensate for
the slower cadence and stand up smoothly keeping a steady pressure on the pedals.
This will keep you from moving backward relative to the rider behind you. Apply the
opposite technique when changing to a sitting position. Downshift and keep a steady

pressure on the pedals to avoid abrupt changes in speed. It takes a little practice, but
your riding buddies will be glad you spent the time learning how to do it right.
♦ Descending—The leader must overcome a much greater wind resistance as the
speed increases. If you are leading, keep pedaling. If you don’t, everyone behind you
will eat your lunch. Riders to the rear will accelerate faster downhill as drafting behind
you becomes more effective at the higher speeds. If you are following, back off a couple
of bike lengths to compensate for the greater affects of drafting. If you are closing on the
rider in front, sit up and let the wind slow you or use light braking to maintain spacing,
but in both cases you should keep pedaling against the resistance. Keeping your legs
moving not only makes it easier to keep the spacing, but also helps the legs get rid of
the acid build-up from the previous climb. (Puerto Rico is an island with curvy roads,
occasional unexpected steep grades and the omnipresent pothole. Fast descents are
discouraged in La Vuelta Puerto Rico)
♦ Relax—This one is really important. It will allow you to be smooth and responsive. You
can bet that if you see someone who is riding a straight line and is very steady, he/she
is relaxed on the bike. It not only saves energy, but it makes bike handling much more
effective. Anytime you are riding in close proximity of other riders there's always the
chance that you may come into contact. If you have tense arms and get bumped from
the side, the shock will go directly to the front wheel and you will swerve, possibly lose
control, and possibly cause a massive pile up. If you are relaxed, it's much easier to
absorb the bump without losing control. A good exercise is to go to a grassy field (which
is softer than pavement if you fall) with a friend and ride slowly side by side. Relax your
arms and lightly bump each other using your relaxed elbows to absorb the (light)
impact. You will become familiar with how to safely recover from that type of contact. It
may save you some road rash someday.

Cycling in Puerto Rico is regulated under Chapter XI of Law 22, which outlines the
rights and responsibilities of cyclists on public roads. This legislation aims to promote
safety, respect, and shared use of the road among all users.
For full details of the regulations, including mandatory equipment, rules for riding in
traffic, and the obligations of both cyclists and drivers when sharing the road, you can
read the official dispositions included in Chapter XI of Law 22 by clicking the link below:
➡️ LAW 22, CHAPTER XI
Stay informed to ensure a safe and enjoyable cycling experience in Puerto Rico!