Leader of the Pack: The Peloton and A Question of Speed

How much does riding in the peloton make a difference?

If you’ve ever watched any of the Great Cycling Races with Ciclismo Classico (like the Giro d’Italia or the Tour de France) you may have noticed a curious phenomenon.

Cyclists in the peloton tend to go faster (overall) than single solitary riders, outside of this large, mobile group.

We know it’s physics, but what is going on here?

First off, we need to define what a “peloton” is.

Anyone watching the pros every summer has a good idea. But the word itself comes from French meaning, “a small body of soldiers” deriving from ‘platoon.’

Thus, the peloton is the mass of huddled professional cyclists in a pack. And this group of pros can change the outcome of any given bicycle race.

Here’s How it Works:

It’s all about the drag

Studies show that riding in a certain location within the peloton can reduce drag by 40%. Reducing drag equates to significant savings in energy, which is more than the science once told us.

Thus, over a 23-day race, a cyclist able to stay within the peloton for the first two weeks has saved much more energy than his competitors. He is then ready to take on the mountains (those final challenging climbs) with fresher legs.

Doctor Drag

Dr. Bert Blocken from the Eindhoven University of Technology in Holland is the man accredited with the research. Sure, it was assumed that cyclists in the peloton were “saving energy,” but no one calculated the specific values.

Until Dr. Blocken came along.

Dr. Blocken was intrigued when many pro cyclists claimed they hardly had to pedal at all when they were in the heart of the peloton.

This information didn’t coincide with a lot of the science at the time. So he took a group of 121 cyclists to the wind tunnel.

The Tests

Blocken ran them through a series of air-drag experiments. They compiled billions of data points recording coefficients of friction all over this group of cyclists.

He showed how cyclists in the middle of the pack had to face only 10% of the wind resistance confronted by other solitary riders. When you consider over 90% of your effort on the bicycle is overcoming aerodynamic drag, that makes a huge difference to whoever is buried deep in the peloton.

The study was so significant it made the Wall Street Journal last year. That’s big news.

Your Group Rides

So when you find yourself riding with a bunch of friends, you tend to go faster. And science now explains why.

But be careful: riding in a peloton is tricky business. Sometimes other riders can be “too close for comfort” and awful accidents can occur.

Keep these key points in mind when riding in groups:

Stay Upfront

As the data shows, the most beneficial position in the group is right behind the first few rows of riders. Chances are you probably won’t be riding in group 121 cyclists (unless you’ve gone pro. And if that’s happened thanks for reading our blog!).

However, staying behind the leaders will help you moderate speed quickly. You’ll also be able to see the road. The riders towards the back of the pack will brake and accelerate more often, losing efficiency.

And there will be inexperienced cyclists. If there are any accidents (hopefully not) you’ll be near the front and won’t get caught up in them.

Relax

Find a decent cadence and stick to it. The trick behind riding in groups is to be comfortable biking at high speeds with lots of people around you. You don’t need to apply a lot of brakes. But keep your fingers on the levers just in case.

Relax. Don’t hit the breaks too hard. Don’t swerve. Just stay cool where you are. This takes a lot of practice and getting used to. Start with smaller groups with only four to five people and move out of your comfort zone in small increments.

Watch for Crazy Riders

You know who they are. You’ve seen them on your local club rides. They are those (males, typically) riders who have something to prove. Cyclists who look behind them in a pack; braking, and reaccelerating too hard. If you find any of these in the pack, leave and come back another time.

Look Ahead

Stop fooling around with your Garmin. Don’t look at what gear you’re in. Get off your phone. Don’t look at your messages. Focus on what you’re doing. Because if you don’t look up you could cause an accident. And the group won’t invite you back.

Do use your peripheral vision. It will be tempting to look at the wheel in front of you (the one you are almost touching). Try to keep that in your peripheral vision. Look ahead and gather in all the riders who are moving around you. You will need excellent spatial awareness for this exercise.

Get Fueled Early

Another major deterrent in the peloton is bonking. Nothing will distract you more from what you are doing than an empty belly and a dizzy head.

Make sure you fuel-up before you start the ride. Follow whatever normal eating habits are natural for you before getting on the bike.

If you do hit the wall in a group (and the warning signs are pretty obvious), be the better cyclist and excuse yourself from the group. There is no reason to cause an accident simply because you forgot to have your second bowl of Wheaties that morning.