Originally Posted by
Brian Ratliff
Don't do anything quickly. Don't jam on your brakes quickly. Don't swerve quickly. Smooth takes priority over just about everything else. If that means flatting a tire on a bad pothole you didn't see, then you flat your tire rather than swerving and sweeping the front wheel of the guy behind.
Originally Posted by
Brian Ratliff
I should clarify that this is in a group ride situation. If you are on your own, do what you want, though it's good to get in the habit of being smooth in any case.
Agreed. And when I'm solo I'll take glancing looks over my shoulder every once in a while; I hate being surprised. Also, whenever I plan to turn or even move over to avoid a pothole or debris, I will also glance over my shoulder in the direction I intend to move.
As far as people yelling "stopping": on La Grange club rides, which can get as many as a 100 riders, you will ALWAYS here people yelling out, "stopping," as they brake. I'm not a huge fan of removing hands from the bars under breaking to signal a stop, especially on rough roads. When people do this in front of me (signal they're stopping with their hand) I'll say "got it, got it" so they'll get that hand back on their bars. If it's a slow stop, the rider behind
should be attentive enough to know the rider(s) in front are
slowing to a stop.