wonkemtel

I am not and never will be a racer, However, I would like to learn more about the hand signals I have heard about that go beyond the rules of the road signals such as when you are about to stop pulling at the front etc. Thanks

merlinextraligh

In my experience, tourists tend to signal a lot more than racers. As for stopping pulling, you may flick an elbow, or raise your fingers to signal the guy behind you to come through. Or more often as in the Cat 3/4 race in Orlando yesterday, its "you G D MF'r get the F up here and do some GD work."

YMCA

Hand signals are not for racing, as much as they are for regular rides with groups in traffic.

You will need to understand how people in your area point out obstacles or pull off the front and such.

If you are pulling off the front and moving left, just a little flick of the right elbow will help inform the person behind you to pull through on your right side. If the wind is from the right, you will pull off to your right and flick your left elbow to let them know to come through on your left.

If you are leading and there is an obstacle in the road (pothole, roadkill, etc), just point down at it with your hand and move well around the object in a smooth manner without any sudden slowing. Audible warnings are also helpful.

If there is a car passing the group, yell "car back" or "auto" depending where you live.

If you are making your way through an intersection, let the group know if the road is clear or not, by saying "clear". If there is a car coming, yell "car left" or "car right" and then slow without stopping suddenly.

None of this is difficult to understand, just keep aware of your surroundings and be helpful to those you are riding with, by helping each other safely around town.

Simple enough, eh?

EventServices

A flick of the elbow usually means that you're about to pull off (or that it's time for them to pull through).

When the race is just rolling along, it's considered good form to point out obstacles/potholes/narrowing pavement/etc in the road to the rider behind you. It might well be your teammate.
If the race is under heat, then you're not obligated to do this. It's every man for himself.

Never use the hand signal to say you're slowing down. It's every rider's responsibility to be aware of speed changes. Never say "braking!". Just pay attention, or say something like "heads up".

If you see your teammate waving frantically at the front of the field, he likely wants you to get up there and help him chase down the breakaway that just got away without your team in it.

If you see someone with their hand in the air, they're not asking for permission to speak. It means that they have a flat tire. Go around them. Say "bummer" when you pass them. Use a tone that says you don't really mean it.

Otherwise, I like riders to keep their hands on the bars. Never ride no-handed unless you're winning the race with a large margin.

Phatman

I disagree with this. I've ridden in enough cat 5/ collegiate C races to know that you had better say something when you're gonna slow down, otherwise you're gonna get a wheel stuck in your rear derailleur. this isnt such an issue in crits, but in road races, where people seem to zone out.

EventServices

Read it again carefully. Read all the words.
I said, "Just pay attention, or say something like "heads up"."

But to take your hands off the bars while you're applying the brakes is a bad move.

And another tip: don't zone out.

TheKillerPenguin

awesome

Voodoo76

Car on the cour.........

grebletie

I totally agree. Especially in Cat-5 or Collegiate C races, you've got to be verbal in the pack. It's pretty crazy (and stupid) how much stopping goes on, but its just the reality of that bracket. So when you have to step up into the wind to slow down or brake, call out "slowing." We'll usually call out a turn that's coming up to so that the people in the back don't plow into the group.

In terms of hand signals, there's the flick of the elbow when you're done pulling in a paceline. Also, if things are just sorta going along and nothing serious is going on, use hand signals to point out road impediments (potholes, debris, whatever). Hard to describe the motion; you just sort of put your hand out to the side and motion down, while at the same time moving out of the way of whatever is in the road.

jfmckenna

I never do use hand signals in a race but I do call out "Slowing" when braking to warn the person inches off my wheel. We generally call up comming turns to for the same reasons. I imagine there are different cultures in the east and west coast usa and in European amature racing as to hand and voice calls so it cant hurt to ask at the race.

DrWJODonnell

Elbow flick and finger wiggle +1, though I have always done it (and read) that you flick to the side you are pulling off to which is always into the wind. If you are in a breakaway, they know when to pull through. Right hand raised is rear flat, left hand raised is front flat. This way the follow car knows which wheel to bring out for a wheel change.

Bobby Lex

O.K., so what's the difference between saying "heads up", which you say is permissible, or saying "braking", which you say is not permissible?

Bob

EventServices

Say whatever you have time for. If you have time to get wordy, go for it.

Riders should pay attention. Shouldn't be a need to say anything, really.

Voodoo76

A notable difference from lower Cat to higher Cat races. Guess it comes w experience.

Cypress

When I raced in Colorado the only hand signals I saw were ones indicating gravel or glass on the side of the road.

Everything else was just a stream of cursing.

SteveAZ

When riding in a group or RR with a tight pace line, I also like to call out "standing" when getting ready to. Reason being that some people have a brief pause or their bike surges back (or appears to) a few inches almost instantly. Don't know if mine does this or not but is also something I try to be aware of.

Keith99

At higher levels E.g. well supported races thsi is a signal for the support guys, not the other riders. Left hand for front right for rear. It saves seconds which mean a lot if you are going to have to catch back on the the pack.

San Rensho 

On the weekends I do a route that has groups of many different abilities. The slower groups call out everything, car back, slowing, even "on your left" when they pass you.

When I ride with the racers and fast riders, if everyone is sitting up, theres all kinds of banter, usually about racing and the questionable sexual orientation of one of the riders (not that theres anything wrong with that). But when the pace picks up, its almost an eerie silence, just the whir of tires on pavement punctuated occasionally by the sound of freewheels.

Odin

hehe, yup, heard that on more than a few occasions

DrWJODonnell

For the record, I only say something like that if some wheel sucking sprinter sitting pretty 10 places back of me in the pack tells me I am pulling too slow!

Voodoo76

Wheel sucking sprinters grow very thick skin

EventServices

And they zip up their jersey as they pass you at the line. Cheeky baftards.

Voodoo76

Racing Hand Signals, hmmm. Theres the hand in your hip, meaning move over im coming through (note not asking first). There's the descrete left hand down, asking for a sling from a team mate. There's the two hands up at the line, meaning you just lost (reserved for wheel sucking sprinters).

cyclezen

I nenver expect 'vocalization' in a race situation, unless its another teammate and its a road race. Any yelling or verbal signals are mostly a disctraction.
Aside from the elbow flick, used mostly near the front of a line, an equivalent is the hand off the bar, forefinger pointed down and a quick sweep forward of the forearm, from vertical. Used similarly to the elbow flick except when further back in the line. Its also done with a forearm at some shallow angle off of vertical. Its a courtesy to keep from 'gapping' when a rider pulls out of a pace line. It signals the rider behind he can close the gap to the back of the next rider before any sizeable gap opens.
A Hand placed on your hip from a rider off one of your rear quarters. Used mostly within a tight group where half-wheeling (overlapping) is common. It indicates that another rider is just off that side, possibly moving up slowly or just having to hang there. It indicates that sideward movement is best done with caution. This becomes especially helpful when road conditions narrow quickly and the pack needs to compress in width, without causing mishaps. But its also helpful in serious efforts, when one line is passing alongside another line which has been making the pace - keeps riders from moving over hard, unexpectedly.
Bike racing is funny in that the ethic is to not cause mishap to others intentionally or unintentionally - UNTIL the 50yds before the finish - when all hell breaks loose and each rider for themselves.

DrWJODonnell

Laughing my Arse off here! The wheel-sucking-sprinters would be a great name for a rock band don't you think? Sorry to hijack the thread...oh yeah hand signals... I think they have been covered. Thanks for the laugh guys.