Calculated risk. To me I’m safer crashing by touching wheels then I am riding solo and being run over. So I’ll take the risks of riding in a pack for the value of “safety in numbers”. In 25 years of our group ride we’ve had 6 crashes of people touching each other and crashing. We’ve had other single rider crashes but only 6 where 2 people touched and went down. I’ve coached athletes that workouts as a group, 2-3 weekly rides as a group. Since 2013 we’ve had 1 wheel touching crash and that was my youth athletes doing crit cornering practice.


I coach athletes that race DL, crashing in a group is part of racing and training. It’s going to happen.


So I have to assess the risk. For me I don’t have an area that to me is safe to ride alone. We’ve had too many issues that I have to make reasonable assessments. And guess what- in my same area we have people who ride solo who feel safe. I simply don’t and thus if I can ride on the same roads w group- problem solved. Our shop owner will go ride solo when he has too vs missing a long ride in the event his ride doesn’t match up to the local group rides.

You may assess that group ride is more dangerous. We all have to make our own decisions when riding the roads. That’s how I can continue to ride on the roads, that’s how my riding habits have changed.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II