Current Events • Ride Etiquette • Group Riding • Racing Admin • Local Crits

Development Road Rides are run throughout Michaellmas Term & Hilary Term, starting with the Freshers' Ride on Saturday 0th week (Michaelmas). All development rides will have a designated ride leader, who is responsible for the route and will make sure that no-one is dropped from the group. The distance of these rides will increase steadily as the term goes on to get us all fit over the winter months.

If you'd like something more challenging, a longer, faster ride of 70-80 miles will also leave Trinity Gates on Saturdays at 10am, from 1st week onwards.

IMPORTANT: It is your responsibility that you turn up to rides prepared, especially in the winter months.. Please ensure:
- your bike is in good working order
- you bring a spare inner tube & multi-tool
- wear appropriate clothing for the weather
- carry food (e.g. energy bars) and water (or energy drink)
- bring your mobile phone and some cash or a card, in case of emergency
- bring a map - especially if going on the fast ride where they will not wait if you get dropped - the local OS Landranger 164 is a good bet

More important advice is available below in Ride Etiquette so please read on.

If you are interested in doing some road racing later in the year please have a look at Racing Admin. Also please look at the Cyclocross, MTB and TT events pages for other BUSA events you might be interested in in upcoming months.

Ride Etiquette
The clubs committee members have a duty of care towards club members when organising club events, however responsibility for your own actions and safety ultimately lies with you.

A club ride is defined as one advertised on the website and led by an officer of the club or somebody nominated by them to do so. The person leading the ride will endeavour to make it as safe as possible by using their knowledge to choose a quiet route. In return we ask you to:

• Listen carefully to the instructions of the person leading the ride.
• Ride within the rules of the highway code (or countryside code when off road). Jumping red lights, not stopping and looking at junctions, riding on the pavement, riding three abreast or on the wrong side of the road not only puts your safety at risk but also that of the other people riding with you so please ride responsibly.
• Come prepared for the ride. You will need to be dressed appropriately for cycling and the weather, be riding a bike in good working order and have the necessary tools and spares to carry out roadside repairs (don’t rely on others for spare tubes and pumps etc). We also strongly recommend that you bring a suitable map with you and appropriate food and drink. A mobile phone and a debit/credit card are also prudent. Mudguards, if owned, are appreciated on wet days, and a rear light is advisable on dark winter days.
• Ride steadily within the group. Sudden changes of pace make it more difficult to follow wheels and can lead to chaos in the group. Always think of those following your wheels before braking/changing line/getting out of the saddle - the latter can throw your bike back quite a way. Above all, ride steadily and remember we’re not trying to drop people on club runs, how fit you are should determine how long you ride on the front, not how fast.
• Signal significant potholes, parked cars by both shouting and pointing. 'On the left/right/middle!' is the standard thing to shout, whilst if there is a vehicle behind, shouting 'Car up!' warns everybody to keep in. If necessary, eg a narrow road, oncoming cars should be signalled by shouting 'Car Down!'

Finally, remember it is everyone's responsibility to make sure that no-one is dropped and/or left in trouble - not just the ride leaders, shout loudly if you are struggling and slipping off the back.

Remember that whenever you are out on your bike you are representing the club. OUCC is the oldest cycling club in the country still entering races; we have a name worth living up to, so lay off the weaving between cars, racing in towns, running red lights, riding on the pavement and bad language!

Group Riding
Riding in a group is easy when you get the hang of it but you do need to be aware of other riders around you in order to avoid an accident. There are also a few points of etiquette which are employed to keep the group together and going smoothly. The following will be useful for less experienced riders or those wanting to know the code of practice on a typical OUCC ride.

Following A Wheel
The first thing you'll need to do is learn to ride behind another rider. Stay about 6-12 inches behind (more if you don't feel comfortable or don't trust the rider in front) and do NOT overlap wheels. This is an easy way of causing an accident! Look ahead down the road to scan for trouble, don't stare at the wheel in front. Whenever safe we will ride two abreast, so you will find yourself in close proximity to a rider on one side. If you are unsure of yourself try riding on the outside so that you feel closed between the curb and the other rider.

Holding A Line
You are responsible for the safety of riders around you (including behind you). The best way of being safe is to ride in a predictable manner and this is done by ensuring you "hold a line." Basically this means that you should ride as though you're on a rail. Follow an imaginary line in the road which is a constant distance from the curb. Don't swerve suddenly for small obstacles and check behind you before swerving for larger objects. If the rider behind is overlapping your wheel and you swerve, they're going down. It is normal for a group to string out on hills or corners, but try to close gaps in front to keep the group together.

Leading
On longer rides it's usual for every rider to take a turn on the front of the group, giving others a rest in their slipstream. Riding predictably is important when leading. You should hold your line and remember that you are responsible the riders behind you. Your goal is to ride steadily without sudden accelerations which cause the group to string apart and loose its momentum and aerodynamic advantage. Feather your brakes gently when needed because sudden braking may cause a crash. Where possible control your speed by slowing your cadence rather than using the brakes. If you must brake for an emergency make sure you signal this by yelling an appropriate warning. You should concentrate on maintaining a constant pressure on the pedals rather than maintaining a certain speed. You'll speed up downhill and slow uphill.

Take turns at the front if you feel strong enough. How long you spend on the front is up to you and depends on how fit/tired you are and the size of the group. When coming off the front wait for a clear road and move aside to allow the next rider through. Don't accelerate off the front when taking the lead- it's hard on those at the back and tears the group apart.

Racing Admin
This covers ‘massed start’ (or bunch) races either on open roads, or specially built road circuits. Most events are organised by British Cycling who publish a calendar of events on their website go to Racing Calendar. The League International (TLI) and the League of Veteran Racing Cyclists (LVRC) govern a small number of events but we’ll stick to BC events here. To compete in a BC event, you need have a racing licence, or pay for a day licence.

Racing licences are bought annually from BC and last for the calendar year. Day licences are bought by paying a supplement (£12 in 2004) to the race promoter. In 2004 it cost £32 to join BC plus £30 for an annual licence. Download a membership and licence application form fill it in and enclose payment then send if off. The Club Secretary will then receive your licence a couple of weeks later. You’ll need to attach a photo to the licence and then sign it.

New members will receive a 4th category licence. Licence points awarded to top finishers in races. Once you accrue six points in one season you’ll be sent a 3rd category licence. To move further up the categories (2nd, 1st and Elite) you’ll need to score increasing numbers of points.

The racing calendar shows what events are on and which categories the race is open to. For your first race, look for shorter race on a closed road circuit, preferably open to 4th’s only. Near to Oxford there circuit’s at Hillingdon, Thruxton, Eastway (a.k.a. Lee Valley), and Leamington Spa. Also, there are a few races for non-BC members and 4th’s. You won’t even need a day licence for these and there are no licence points available to deter people who aren’t beginners.

To enter a race download and fill in a race entry form. Send it to the organiser with a cheque. There is usually a closing date for pre-entries 3 weeks before the race. You should receive a ‘start sheet’ in the week before the event, listing the riders and telling you where the HQ is etc. Alternatively you can ‘enter on the line’ (EOL), subject to there being space, and usually for a couple of pounds extra. Phone the organiser to check there’s space and find out where the HQ is.

When you arrive on the day, sign-on, pay your entry and day licence fee if you haven’t already and collect your number. If it’s your first race try and hang on to the bunch for as long as possible!

Local Crits
Criteriums (or "Crits") are usually races done on a closed, traffic free, circuit so a good introduction to racing in a bunch. A lap of the circuit is typically about a mile and the race is usually an hour long plus five laps, although this can vary. Most crits require a BCF racing licence, all require a helmet. There are a few crits around Oxford which are easy to get to-

If you've not tried this sort of racing before, you should give it a go. It's much more fun than time trialing! Try to keep at the front of the bunch early on in the race. In particular once the race starts you should attempt to get in the leading group right away, if you loose them you probably won't get back on again. Be prepared to hammer out of corners to keep up with the bunch. If you corner well then you won't loose much speed and you'll have to work less to keep up.

Hillingdon

Wide open 1 mile circuit, gentle bends which you'll hardly have to get out of the saddle or change gear for - this makes it good for novices getting used to riding in bunches, and there are plenty of old lags willing to give you friendly advice ;-), or a shove up the arse if you get it wrong. It is horribly exposed when the wind blows. Races are usual crit format - 1 hour + 5 laps = approx 50km. 234 races end up in a sprint because breakaways get chased down by riders with no sense. There are two finish lines, and both are fairly wide and open, so not too bad if you're brave enough. It's more like being in a chaingang to me than anything - I just go there for the training effect. A good thing about Hillingdon is that you can catch the Oxford Tube there for about a fiver return. The bike goes in the back and you ride 20mins to the circuit.

Howard Waller

Milton Keynes Bowl

Variety of circuits, but usually a 1 mile one too. Races also 1 hour + 5 laps. Much tighter bends, some almost blind, requiring a bit of bottle to take without touching the brakes (get it wrong and there are some nice bushes to visit - I've been there a few times - but saying that, I've learnt masses about handling a bike too). Very dodgy in the wet or just after it's rained - mud gets washed on to the circuit. The constant need to jump out of two of the corners every lap quickly sorts the fields out, and you'll end up with half the bunch you started with. Easier to get away at any level, but still hard work, and if you can, probably best saving your real effort for the last few laps - nobody wants to get too close to the front, but that's a mistake because its too tight to get past if you're not in the first 10 on the last lap anyway. There's also an excellent handicap series on Thursday evenings in the summer.

Howard Waller

Victoria Park
A good introductory crit with no real corners is Victoria Park at Leamington Spa. The circuit is about half a mile long and oval in shape with no corners worth slowing down for. Format is usually 20 laps (just under 10 miles) which makes it fast and furious in all categories. The lack of corners means that bunches often stay together and most breakaways early on tend to get caught. Be careful out there though- the lack of sharp bends does not stop the crashes. Lots of primes make up for the constant pace created by the easy course. On a sunny day you can't beat it because the comentator plays music when he's not yapping away and you have a good view of the action most of the way around the course.

Rob Campbell

Eastway

Another one it's possible to reach from Oxford, but definately only for weekend races - I always did it by stopping off with friends living in NW London (Angel Islington, Limehouse, Finsbury Park). The circuit itself is exemplory, with everything a crit track should have: a tight bend, a hill (yes, really), grass run-off areas, sweeping bends and a wide straight finish. I've done races that split up and races that finish in a bunch, it depends on the wind and length of race - the longer it is the worse that hill gets hammering up it every mile!

Mike Cubison