Group rides can be a lot of fun. They’re great for camaraderie, working on your paceline, and sometimes getting a bit of race pace when things get exciting. Depending on your pace, you can also make a group ride as hard or as easy as you like. If you feel like taking a few long pulls, then go for it. If you don’t feel up to that, just sit down and enjoy the ride.
There are lots of little rules when riding in a group and they usually involve keeping your fellow riders as safe as possible. You alert the riders behind you to obstacles or potholes, give signals so everyone knows where the route is and things like that.
Of course, cars are one of the biggest concerns when riding in a group on the open road. That’s why when you come to a traffic light, there’s no point in surrounding cars and forcing them to overtake the group again. Don’t be a MotoSwarmer. When you come to a traffic light, just stay behind the cars. Why would you want to flank them on either side when they’re going to overtake you again?
Seinfeld, Episode 20, “The Jerk”
George and Jerry are sitting on the couch, watching the Vuelta and eating cereal.
George
I like cycling. I could achieve something in cycling.
Jerry
Mhm. Mhm. In what capacity?
George
You know, like the sports director of a cycling team or something like that.
Jerry
Yeah. Well, that – that might be hard to get.
George
Well, it doesn’t even have to be the DS. Maybe I could be something like an announcer. Something like a color man. You know I always make these interesting comments during the race.
Jerry
Yes. Yes. You make good comments.
George
What about it?
Jerry
These jobs are usually given to former professional cyclists and people from broadcasting.
George
Well, that’s really not fair.
Jerry
Speaking of unfair, you should have seen what happened at the Bagel Ride today.
The door opens, it’s Kramer and Elaine.
Chandler
Hello guys.
Jerry
This is the K-man! Hello Madamoiselle Benes.
Elaine
(bows)
Messieur Seinfield, Messieur Constanza.
Elaine grabs a Snapple. Kramer comes over and watches the race.
Chandler
How about this Remco. Rem.Co.
George
So what happened?
Jerry
So we drove on, and every time we came to a traffic light, Jacob Bernstein swarmed the cars.
George
Swarm?
Jerry
Swarm!
Chandler
A MotoSwarmer!
Jerry
Yes. ON MotoSwarmer. There were five or six cars in front of us and he was circling them like a shark circling a tuna. Why?
George
Now the car has to do a RePass after a MotoSwarm. This is a dangerous situation!
Jerry
Yes! That’s what I said. Except that I said it was a risky Situation.
George
So what do you want to do? Race against a red light?
Chandler
You know, my friend Bob Sacamano once fought a tiger. A tiger, Jerry. A tiger!
Elaine
Wait, so what happened?
Chandler
Oh, he lost –
George
Well, that’s not surprising—
Chandler
–his arm.
Elaine
What a terrible thing!
Chandler
It turned out that the tiger had not been fed for three days.
One blow.
Chandler
(Laugh)
So this was a hungry kitten. A hungry kitten!
Elaine
Kramer, this is terrible.
Chandler
You can believe me on that.
