OCV E-Bike Policy
The new OCV E-Bike policy is effective immediately: Class 1 E-Bikes are the only class authorized for use on OCV Club B and C Group rides at the discretion of the Group Ride Leader.
A Class 1 E-Bike is defined by the California DMV as a low-speed, pedal-assisted electric bicycle equipped with a motor, which provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and ceases to provide assistance when a speed of 20 mph is reached.
Class 1 E-Bikes are only authorized on OCV Group B and C rides. E-Bike riders are to be evaluated by the Group Ride Leader to determine bike handling skills, adhering to safety protocols, and riding etiquette. E-Bike riders that use their power-assist to accelerate to unsafe speeds or attack are to be warned, which may lead to their E-Bike privilege being revoked by the Group Ride Leader.
Riders showing up for any Club rides with Class 2 or Class 3 E-bikes will be asked to refrain from riding with the group and must follow at a safe distance.
OCV Tri-Bars Riding Policy
The new OCV Tri-Bike policy is effective immediately: Triathlon bikes are not authorized on any OCV Club rides, and are not to join the peloton and paceline during Club rides.
A triathlon bike is defined as any bike having fixed, protruding handlebars. The protruding bar design, while allowing for optimum aerodynamics, does not provide agile bike control or bike handling, and may cause additional injury in a crash with other riders
Club Members or guests showing up for a Club ride with a triathlon bike are required to ride at the rear of the paceline while maintaining a safe distance, and are not to rotate into the paceline.
New “triathlon disciplined” riders who join club rides on road format bikes (with or without bar extenders) are expected to ride within the rules, protocols, and etiquette required of all members, which are published on the OCV Club website.
To ensure paceline safety, Group Ride Leaders may request riders to refrain from joining the paceline should they not demonstrate the skills necessary to safely participate. Tri-bar add-on extenders will be permitted as long as they are NOT utilized by the rider during Club rides. If a rider chooses to utilize bar extenders, their use is to be revoked by the Group Ride Leader.
avoid passing on the right!
As a club, we prefer to have you pass on the left. Our pacelines rotate clockwise which allow riders to drift to the back on the right after taking their Pull at the front. If not utilizing a paceline, the right side is still used as the “bail-out” side. If someone is trying to pass on the right and has not announced this, an accident could happen because a rider in a forward position is expecting it to be clear on the right.
It is also preferred to pass other riders on the road on the left. There have been times at stop lights when we come up to other riders and our group passes on both the left and right. This is not a safe practice for us or the other riders.
do not split lanes!
When there are 'sharrow lanes' such as in Corona del Mar, OCV riders are to take the lane and remain in the lane. We are supposed to follow the rules of the road, just like any other vehicle. DO NOT split the lanes and pass vehicles on either side.
Splitting lanes is not only dangerous, it sends the wrong message to drivers that we feel we don't need to obey laws the drivers are required to follow.
no running red lights!
As a club, OCV does not condone riding through red lights, ever. We need to remind ourselves we are recreational or enthusiast bike riders; not paid bike racers. As such, the Board wants you to be safe and get home alive. However, you as a club member share in this responsibility at a personal level. If you ride through a red light, you endanger yourself and possibly your fellow riders who might think it’s safe to follow you through the intersection. You never know when you’re going to roll through an intersection right into an accident because you didn’t spot that “invisible car”.
To help ease this desire, the group you are riding with should wait on the other side of the intersection to allow you and any other members to regroup. (This should not be confused with being dropped from a group before the red light and hoping they’ll stop to allow you to catch up. All groups except A1 are supposed to regroup at left turns and at the top of hills.)
don't change the route!
Participants on organized Club rides are to use the route established by the Club from start to finish. If individual riders decide the route is unsatisfactory, they are encouraged to NOT start the route with the Club, or chose their own route independent of the organized Club ride.
Individual riders are not to 'recruit' other participants on any organized Club rides for a different route. This is to ensure ALL participants can be accounted for, and to help maintain the safety of all riders.
stopping overrules rolling!
It frequently occurs that a traffic light turns yellow and then red as our group approaches an intersection. Some riders call out “stopping” while someone else yells “rolling”. What should you do? Since safety is a dominant theme for OCV, the Board advises that the riders at the front of the paceline have the responsibility to call out what option they think is the safest for the group. Riders at the front have the best view of the intersection. Riders at the back are not to call out "rolling" or "stopping" since they may not be able to see everything in the intersection ahead. However, if both "rolling" and "stopping" are called out, Stopping Overrules Rolling, Always!
no earbuds while riding with ocv!
As of January 1, 2016 it is illegal to wear earbuds or earplugs in both of your ears while driving or cycling. It is legal to wear one earbud. In the interest of rider safety, OCV strongly feels group riding dynamics require all riders to have both ears free! NO EARBUDS OR EARPLUGS!
If you want to listen to music, ride solo!
keep your line!
Don’t weave across the road! Keep your relative position from the edges of the road even when cornering as a group. Remember that it may mean you need to go through a pothole, so a sudden swerve could take out the riders behind you.
When passing someone and moving in front of them, be sure not to cut them off! Remember our first Safety Tip of not passing on the right!
keep your line when cornering!
When riding side by side, it is very important to keep your line while cornering. It’s especially important for the outside rider to maintain his or her line or allow a little extra space for the inside rider. The outside rider should never “crowd” the inside rider or cut into the inner line.
announce hazards!
It is very important to call out hazards or objects in the road. Riders behind you may not have the same field of view as you and could potentially be injured or get a puncture if they are not notified. Alerting the group to walkers/joggers, other bike riders, or animals as well as glass, metal objects, branches or other debris is expected of all OCV riders.
If you want to listen to music, ride solo!
point out hazards!
Flat tires suck for everyone, especially when you’re in a group that stops to wait for the affected rider. Minimize flats by physically pointing to potholes, glass and random car parts littering the roadside. The hand signal needs to travel all the way back, so pass it on so the people behind you get the message. Different groups have different habits, so reserve audible warnings for extremely dangerous situations.
If you run over debris, use your hand (preferably with gloves on) to brush the surface of your tire. On the front tire obviously do it in front of the fork. For the rear tire, hook your thumb on the seat stay and use your fingertips to brush the tire directly in front of the stays. Hooking your thumb prevents you from getting your hand jammed between your rear tire and the seat tube, which is an experience you don’t want to have!
don't overlap wheels!
It is important to maintain a safe distance from the rider in front of you when riding in a group/paceline. If you are overlapping the wheel of the rider in front of you, a slight sideways movement by either rider can cause a crash with the rider in back usually going down possibly with a serious injury.
don't look back!
This is the most common novice mistake and causes the rider to be a danger to themselves and everyone else. When riders look back, they often change their line and speed, which can cause chaos in a paceline/peloton. In addition, the rider cannot see what’s happening in front, which can also result in a crash.
If you hear a crash behind you, keep looking forward while gradually slowing to a stop. If you must look back, either move to the side or the back of the paceline away from other riders to provide a cushion area.
be cautious of non-ocv cyclists!
Sometimes non-OCV cyclists may join our group/paceline. Give these cyclists extra space since we are unfamiliar with their riding style and skill level. If you or the group feels uncomfortable with their riding behavior, ask them to ride at the back of our group.
be predictable!
This is key to all group and paceline riding. Being predictable means no sudden movements in any direction as the effect is the same as with vehicles on the freeway. Remember to keep your line smooth and straight!
If you’re riding with cyclists you haven’t ridden with before, assess your skill level in the group, especially those closest to you. If you seem to be the more experienced group rider, give the less experienced cyclists extra room as their reaction time might not be as quick as yours.
no sudden braking!
This tip goes hand-in-hand with Being Predictable. Any change in speed becomes increasingly difficult to deal with further back in the paceline or peloton. Sudden braking could cause “piling-up” of riders and bikes, which may lead to injuries.
If there is a reason for the group to stop, keep your relative position and don’t use it as an opportunity to overtake riders that have slowed or stopped in front of you.
don't be the 'door prize'!
If a driver opens their door right in front of you, you may run into it if you can't stop in time. This type of accident is more common than you might think as it's the second-most common vehicle-bike collision in Toronto, Canada and the number one type of vehicle-bike accident in Santa Barbara.
Ride far enough to the left so you won't run into any vehicle door that opens unexpectedly. You're more likely to get ‘doored’ if you ride too close to a row of parked vehicles than you are to get hit from behind by a vehicle whose driver can clearly see you.
beware of the 'right hook'!
A ‘right hook' occurs when a vehicle passes a cyclist traveling in the same direction and immediately turns right across the cyclist’s path. If you’re on the right hand side of the road, make a habit of glancing over your left shoulder as you approach an intersection, freeway entrance ramp or driveway. Merge left as early as safely possible to straddle the line between designated right turn lanes and and those for through traffic. If vehicles ahead slow to make a turn, move to your left to pass them. Avoid going between vehicles turning right and the corner.
ride at a safe speed!
If you feel the need for speed, make sure you’re capable of maintaining it safety. Slow down if the road is steep, twisty or over rough pavement.
Riding above speeds that you’re accustomed to puts you and your fellow OCV cyclists in danger. We are a recreational cycling club, so maintain speeds that are appropriate for the weather, road conditions and traffic volume.
skillful descending
During a hill descent, the leading riders must overcome greater wind resistance as speed increases. If you’re leading, keep pedaling so riders behind don’t need to ‘sit on their brakes’. Riders to the rear of the paceline/peloton accelerate faster downhill as drafting becomes more effective and speed increases. If you’re following, back off a couple of bike lengths to compensate for the effects of drafting. If you start closing on the rider in front of you, sit up and let the wind slow you, or use light braking to maintain safe spacing.
avoid wet lane markings!
When encountering wet road conditions related to drizzle, fog or rain, it’s important to keep off surfaces that become slippery when wet. Lane lines, manhole covers and inspection plates are just a few of the hazards to be aware of when riding in damp conditions. Remember, quick movements on these slippery surfaces can cause loss of control and a crash. If you must ride in damp conditions, decrease your tire pressure slightly to increase tire contact with the pavement.
If your bike is equipped with rim brakes, use a slight, intermittent pressure on your brake levers to keep the rim brake surfaces free of road debris and to help reduce stopping distances.
Wet brakes do not stop as efficiently and quickly as dry brakes!
pull shorter, not slower!
If you don’t have the fitness to take a long pull at the group’s pace, you should still rotate through the paceline then move to the right as soon as you start to fade. You’re not required to pull for the same distance as the rider before you.
Always pull at the group’s pace. Don’t slow down, causing everyone to stack up behind you and don’t speed up or you drop the rider who just finished pulling off the back.
For an efficient and smooth paceline experience for everyone, keep your pull short and move to the right before rejoining the rear of the paceline. Remember a paceline can only go as fast as the slowest rider. So DON'T kick up the pace when you get in front.
'sharrow' lanes
When cycling with OCV through an area marked with ‘sharrows’ for lane sharing, such as Corona del Mar, take the entire lane and stay in it! Do not go between parked cars and the shared lane if vehicles in the shared lane are stopped as this often confuses and irritates vehicle drivers. We are representing OCV when we wear the club kit and must set a good example when on club rides.
carry identification
It is important for your safety and to aid fellow riders and emergency responders to wear, or have some form of identification with you during Club rides such as an Insurance Card. As a reminder, OCV has emergency contact information for all current members on the Club website. Login to the member area to view a full list of current OCV members along with their emergency contact’s name and phone number. The OCV Board strongly encourages members to always carry or wear identification such as Road iD®.
Tires and Tubes
Always inflate tires to the recommended pressure marked on the sidewall of the tire.
Visually inspect the tires. Look for cuts or cracks on the sidewalls and tread, excessive wear where the casing of the tire may be showing through and any irregular bulges. If there's any doubt about the tire REPLACE IT!
check equipment before riding!
Check tightness of wheel skewer quick-release levers on both wheels
Check for proper brake function and both brake calipers in the closed position
Check tire pressures and condition for any cuts, holes or slices
Check for loose fittings on accessories, seat post and drivetrain
set tire pressures correctly
Always check tires and their pressure before every ride for safety reasons. Set pressures too high and cornering traction suffers. Set pressures too low and tubes are more susceptible to pinch flat punctures.
The correct inflation pressure depends on how much the rider and bike weigh. Click here to view view a chart with suggested tire pressures based on tire size and rider's weight.
Adjust tire pressures based on surface conditions and type of riding. Less pressure on rough or wet surfaces to improve traction; more pressure for dry or smooth roads.
inspect wheel hubs and rims
Spin each wheel to make sure they track straight by watching the rim next to a brake shoe for a point of reference, a minor 1 or 2 mm wobble is acceptable.
Grab the spokes in adjacent pairs and squeeze, working your way around the wheel. The spokes should be nearly uniform in tension. Differences in tension from one side of the wheel to another are normal as long as the wheel tracks straight. If you notice any broken or loose spokes have the wheel inspected by replaced by a qualified Technician. Replace any broken spokes before using the wheel again.
With the wheel mounted on the bike frame, gently hold the rim at the top and attempt to move it side to side. There should be minimal play or loose feeling. Any excessive play indicates a loose hub or bad bearings that should be inspected or replaced by a qualified bicycle Technician.
Release and reengage the quick release skewers. When tightening the skewer it should be just tight enough so it moves and the quick release lever leaves a minor imprint on your palm.
performing a front brake check
Apply the front brake and push forward on the handlebar, the brake lever should operate smoothly with a predictable feel. The brake pads should engage the rim at about ¼ to ½ of the lever pull, and the lever should not bottom out against the bar regardless of how hard you squeeze it.
While pushing forward on the handlebar with the front brake applied, the rear wheel should lift off the ground. Continue to squeeze the brake lever, slowly releasing pressure, at some point the wheel should begin to roll smoothly without grabbing or chatter. Release the front brake and check that the lever quickly returns with no drag. This test can indicate a frayed or dirty cable.
