The Tea Ride is a place to learn
About riding on the road,
How to get more from your bike
And some cycling code.

Everyone is welcome
On bikes both big & small
And we’re really not concerned
If you’ve not ridden much at all.

Each ride has a leader
Who always knows the way,
And the route the ride will follow
Every Saturday.

That person at the front
Will set a steady pace
Designed to suit the slowest out,
The Tea Ride is no race.

We know there’s often grumbles
About the speed & hills
But the Tea Ride is your opportunity
To learn important cycling skills.

Better cycle handling
Can be learnt when going slow
A touch of brake or pedal
And in which gear to go

How to look behind you
And keep the ride as one
A bit of road positioning
And which hand signals are done.

The rider who is at the front
Should always be the one
That no-one ever overtakes –
To pass them simply isn’t done

Club etiquette says we will wait
At the top of every hill
And regroup at the bottom
After the free-wheeling thrill.

Going up or down are exceptions
To the overtaking rule
For then we get back in our group
– just like we did at school!

It’s fun to ride along with friends
And often side by side,
But 2 abreast is how it’s done –
Three is simply far too wide!

If you find you need to stop
Then loud & clear please call
“Stopping!” So all can hear you
And we avoid a crash & fall

The same applies to hazards
If hand signals you cannot make
Call out loud the problem
Then evasive action we can take

There’s always another rider
Who will bring up the rear
This is so we don’t lose you
And off the back you don’t disappear.

If you feel the Tea Ride
For you, is too slow
Then form a group amongst yourselves
And meet us wherever we go.

We always stop for tea & cake
Somewhere along the way
If you want to zoom ahead
And meet us there – just say!

You Sunday lot, there’s also things
That all of you should know
About looking after everyone
When in your groups you go

There’s something most disheartening
About being left behind
So keep looking over your shoulder
And bear this thought in mind.

It’s also very lonely
To be riding with no pals
That’s why the Velos group was formed
For all us boys n gals

We’ve always had a motto
To which all should adhere
We’ve safety then in numbers
And have pals with whom to share a beer

“No one EVER left behind”
Was the vow we made
It’s the only thing we’ve asked of you
But from it you seem to have strayed 🙁

We’ve had a little grumble
And laid it on the line
Please look after your fellow cyclists
So that everyone is fine.

You are cordially invited
To ride along with us
But please stick to our simple rules
So we don’t need to make a fuss.

The weather gods are not smiling favourably upon us again this week, so if you’re feeling brave and fancy a Tea Ride….. wrap up warm & use winter wheels!  Rose & Crown, 10am.