There are three main ways to safely switch between pacemakers when you are riding in a group…
A. Single change
This gives you the opportunity to change partners and also means that nobody has to move out any further into the road.
1 The riders are in a compact group when the leading pair shout “change”.
2 The inside front rider eases
slightly and the outside lead rider swings across to the inside.
3 The outside rider moves up alongside the front-inside rider.
B. Double change
This method means you can ‘buddy up’ and stick with your partner throughout the ride.
1 The lead pair move out slightly, having checked it’s safe to do so and shouted “change” to alert the riders behind.
2 The lead pair now slow down, allowing the following pairs to move through towards the front.
3 The second pair are now at the
front; the original leading pair tuck
in at the back for a rest.
C. Through and off
This helps maximise the speed of your group and also shares the work evenly.
1 The outside lead rider moves to take the lead, gliding over to the inside line; the inside rear rider moves across to take the outside rear position.
2 The outside line of riders move up, so the outside rider is next to the inside leading rider.
3 This rotation continues. It’s the same process as the single change manoeuvre but carried out continuously and at speed.