Originally Posted by
Bob Dopolina
As you become more experienced or ride with more experienced groups you will discover that all the verbal communication goes away and the international hand signal take over. Even those dwindle to a precious few as the general level of understanding makes many of them redundant.
Even in an experienced bunch, it's good to yell stopping or slowing if there is a sudden obstacle. Also, always point out or call out rocks, traffic cones, joggers, slower cyclists, cars parked on the shoulder, etc. Even in races we are usually decent humans that don't want the guy behind us to get his wheel stuck in the giant crack in the road.