Riding with others is very much a Trust-Fall exercise. If anyone doesn't gell with your group, it can cause dynamics issues and that can grow into full-on accidents.

Sometimes its best to set some ground rules or expectations before departing. For example most of our group rides are:

• route is described generally to everyone
• group stays together, we stop for red lights and flats
• climbs are at your own pace
• regroup at the top (or nominated spot like "the fountain" )
• descents are never a race and often result in spreading out. We'd rarely end up with a paceline heading down a descent, though undulating terrain would be normal
• again, regroup at the bottom, or push on and maintain momentum till some convenient stop/cafe etc.

Riding with others is very much a Trust-Fall exercise. If anyone doesn't gel with your group, it can cause issues with the dynamic and that can grow into full-on accidents.

Sometimes it's best to set some ground rules or expectations before departing. For example most of our group rides follow these rules:

• route is described generally to everyone
• group stays together, we stop for red lights and flats
• climbs are at your own pace
• regroup at the top (or nominated spot like "the fountain" )
• descents are never a race and often result in spreading out. We'd rarely end up with a paceline heading down a descent, though undulating terrain would be normal
• again, regroup at the bottom, or push on and maintain momentum till some convenient stop/cafe etc.