The best road cyclist in the world, maybe the best of all time, apparently doesn’t know how to stand up on his bicycle.
I find that hard to believe, but here’s why I say it. Apparently, Tadej flaps his arms before standing up to let riders behind him know what’s about to happen. Doing it right doesn’t require any arm-flapping.
Let’s talk about this arm-flapping business.
Why Riders Flap Their Arms Before Standing
At some point during the pandemic, a new phenomenon appeared on group rides. Riders started flapping both arms a couple of times before standing out of the saddle to signal the riders behind them. Some have even added a little swagger to the pre-stand flap, almost as if to say, “I am a majestic bird. Watch me fly.”
Maybe this existed before the pandemic, but I somehow missed it through hundreds of group rides and races. I’m not saying it didn’t happen, but it certainly wasn’t common enough for me to notice.
The reasoning behind the arm flap seems thoughtful enough. The message is basically:
“Hey y’all, I’m about to stand up, so give me a little space because my rear wheel is about to shoot backward.”
That’s a nice gesture, and I can usually get behind nice gestures.
If you’re newer and you picked this up from the riders around you, this isn’t aimed at you. You did what everyone does, which is copy the wheel in front of you. I actually think this is a missed coaching opportunity. Skills get passed from rider to rider, and somewhere along the way we started teaching the flap instead of the pedal stroke.
So the flap doesn’t sit well with me, for three reasons.
1. Your Rear Wheel Shouldn’t Shoot Backward
Simple as that.
This is a skill every rider who participates in group rides and races should develop, and fortunately, it’s very easy to learn.
As you stand, apply one slightly harder pedal stroke. That’s it. Your bike continues moving forward instead of drifting backward, and your standing has essentially zero impact on the riders around you. Go practice it for five minutes on your next ride, and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.
No flapping required.
2. Nobody Ever Flaps Before Sitting Back Down
If your wheel tends to drift backward when you stand, there’s a good chance the same thing happens when you sit back down.
That raises an interesting question. If the arm flap is there to warn riders behind you before you stand, are they supposed to keep leaving extra room until you sit back down again? It’s only a few seconds, maybe 30 on the long end, but it highlights the real issue.
The flap is trying to solve a problem that doesn’t need to exist in the first place.
The solution is exactly the same. As you sit back down, apply one slightly harder pedal stroke. Your wheel stays where it belongs, just like when you stood up.
Problem solved.
3. The Arm Flap Reinforces Bad Technique
When a rider who has been at this for years flaps his arms before standing, what he’s really telling me is:
“I’m about to use poor technique, but it’s okay because I warned you first.”
I’d compare that to warning everyone at your grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary dinner that you’re about to rip a huge fart, then expecting everyone to be okay with it because you gave them a heads-up.
The fart was still rude.
So was shooting your rear wheel back into mine.
I’d like to acknowledge that the fart joke was completely unnecessary. I have no plans to make this a recurring feature of the website. Thanks for understanding.
The flap treats the symptom. The pedal stroke fixes the cause.
Why Group Ride Skills Matter
There isn’t a school for learning group ride skills.
Most of us learn from the generation before us, and unfortunately many experienced riders have either stopped teaching, don’t realize they’re demonstrating poor habits themselves, or simply don’t care enough to correct them.
I see it every time I join one of the local show-and-go road rides.
I actually think a school would be helpful, but for now, we’ll have to settle for my overly detailed articles about topics that probably seem insignificant to most people.
What we do on road bikes is inherently dangerous, and these little skills genuinely matter if we want to keep ourselves and our friends riding safely for years to come.
Skills get passed from rider to rider, whether they’re right or wrong. We should treat these seemingly small skills as something worth learning properly.
Whenever I bring this up, someone inevitably says, “Well, Tadej flaps his arms.”
Sure he does. In a bunch at fifty kilometers an hour, a redundant signal is cheap insurance, and Tadej can stand up smoothly in his sleep. That’s different from relying on the flap because your bike jumps backward every time you stand.
Instead of practicing the flap, practice the pedal stroke. Five minutes is probably all it’ll take.
