here's the situation: you're riding on a group ride, single file, middle of the group but the pace is too hard to continue. how should you go about pulling off to go on your own? seems like any way you do it you're leaving a gap for the guys behind to close which could get them upset.

You pull off to whatever side that the group seems to use for whoever's pulling to go to when they're done with their turn, motion for people to move forward, and drop back.

Assuming its safe, move over and wiggle your elbow to indicate that the rider behind should move up and take your spot. Then stay to the side while the riders go by. Don't stop pedalling and coast though, then the speed differential will be greater and you're more likely to cause a problem.

But it's hard to plan it, because you want to (and should be) trying your hardest to hang in there. Sometimes the gap opens pretty quickly.

Anyone that gets upset by this needs to STUF and HTFU. Obviously you would be more of a nuisance to remain in the middle of the pack if you are unable to keep pace, and those that are behind you will need to eventually close the gap that you leave as you get slower. Just make your intentions known and gracefully exit to the back of the pack.

What would your other option be? Stay in the paceline, slowly let a gap grow, soon its a big gap, and the people behind you can't pass you. I think they'd get even angrier.

thanks for the input. this happened to me the other day and i just did what most of you are saying and did it the same way i do when i pull off the front. i just wasn't sure if there was a better way because as i pulled off the guy was pretty clearly upset and dropped the f-bomb among others.

Sounds like he was right on the edge too. You could try, um... speaking to the person behind you? Just a thought.

I always thought the proper way of "dismounting" a paceline was to stagger to the side of the line and slowly pull forward until you're parallel with the rider in front, and signal to the rider behind to transition to the other wheel. Once they're clear, you can allow the line to slowly move past. No gaps, and nothing for anyone to F-bomb you for.

-Jeremy

Signal (we use the elbow) and pull off without slowing.

Everyone behind you should thank you, even if you make a gap. Gassing and slowing in a paceline sucks for everyone involved.


Thanks for being considerate enough to ask. I have ridden with several people recently that have gassed, slowed down and almost casued a few wrecks.

That works if you have the energy to pull up beside the rider in front. When people are being dropped it's because they've got nothing left and can't close a gap.

Only an immature, weaker rider would be upset if you dropped out of the rotation. Not worth worrying about.

I agree, but as a participant of a paceline, you really need to step out of the rotation before you reach that point. If you can't put in a single bike length "pull" to ease yourself out, why on earth did you stay in the rotation that's leading you back to the front for a real pull?

-Jeremy

You could hammer and get out of the paceline while flicking your elbow or pointing to show the guy behind you to move up... then drop off.

The guy behind you made more of a faux-pas than you did.

Ideally, you should motion your intention (elbow wiggle) and give one last effort to overlap the guy in front of you so the guy behind you can just tuck right in. Of course, if you're gassed, that task might be easier said than done, and anyone who can't bridge a 1 bike length gap was probably going to be the next one out anyway. Sure bridging sucks, but it's a part of riding with people.

You know I actually have never seen this elbow wriggle people speak of... every time I have been in a paceline people actually signal with their hand to move forward, hehe. But I guess I'll look out for this elbow wriggling in the future. I just think that that kind of elbow movement could easily be mistaken for moving forward in a paceline if you, say, get a bug stuck on your arm.

It's pretty obvious. Watch the Tour coverage... the guys ignoring it are ignoring it on purpose because they don't want to pull for tactical reasons.

Most people I've ridden with give the hand signal or point. I've only met one other guy that does the elbow flick. It should be more obvious if the guy is moving to the side and flicking his elbow.

Very true!

The elbow wiggle is an every day occurrence on our local rides.

To the OP. Falling off when you get tired is no big deal. Yes its annoying to the guys behind you, but they should not say anything because they've all been there and what do they expect you to do? I would agree with the previous posts. I don't like it when someone can't keep up with the line but doesn't pull out causeing a huge gap in the line before the next bike back realizes what's happening and can try to make up the difference.
As an example, the last time I was behind someone who couldn't keep up the guy immediately behind him refused to pass. So I had to pass two bike, then make up the two bike lengths lost before I realized what the situation was. Now I have to signal to the bikes behind me to follow me around these two guys. What a mess.
It would have been much better if he simply said "pass me, I'm falling off". We could easily make up one or two bike lengths.

Many roadies don't learn it. Anybody who has had a true paceline lesson, especially on a velodrome, does it.

Using your elbow to signal is far safer than using a hand signal when you're 5 inches off the wheel in front and holding a steady line on the shoulder of what's typically not an incredibly smooth road. I can ride in many situations with one or fewer hands on the bars....but that doesn't mean that I always want to. Elbow "tick" is a pretty universal message in faster group rides or likely to anyone who's raced, so it's best to keep your hands on the bars and if someone misses the signal once, educate them so they'll catch it the next time. Chances are good that if a signal is missed by someone behind, they're one of only 1 or 2 people in the group who don't know to watch for it.

-Jeremy

Ah I see. Well you learn something new every day, and today it was brought to me via BF

I'd much rather get an elbow flick and a 1 m gap to close than nothing and all of a sudden it's a 5 or 10 m gap.

In a tight, cooperative (no tactics) paceline, you shouldn't need to signal (elbow or otherwise). When the lead riders pulls off, the next rider pulls through.

Hey, which side do you elbow flick on? The direction you are going, or the direction that is towards the paceline?