Do You Know These Cycling Rituals? (2024)

Looking for an easy way to tell the difference between a beginner and an experienced rider (or mechanic)? Check-out how they install their tires. Veterans know to align the label on the tire with the valve stem of the inner tube. It’s aesthetically pleasing and also makes it easier to find the label when checking for information about the tire.

Should You Do It Too?
Absolutely. After you’ve inserted the valve stem into the rim, align the tire label with the valve, then start seating the tire onto the rim. And since you’re not ending at the valve stem, you’ll have an easier time of getting that last section of the bead to snap into place.

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For as long as he can remember, Trek-Segafredo Kiel Reijnen has had a specific method for pinning on his number (also called a dossard). He starts with the top outer corner, then works his way around the number in a clockwise fashion. He also likes to make sure that each of his jersey pockets is packed evenly with food (he likes feeling balanced). Last but not least, he always puts a bottle of water on his seat tube and a bottle of drink mix on his down tube—so he knows which one to throw away when he’s trying to shed weight before a tough climb.

Should You Do It Too?
While we can’t vouch for Reijnen’s exact method of number-pinning, we can attest to the fact that a number that’s been crumpled up before pinning lays flatter than one that hasn’t. Just make sure you smooth the number out before you pin it; officials have been known to yell at riders whose crinkled numbers can’t be recognized.

Number 13 is considered to be unlucky in many cultures, so it’s no surprise that cyclists from all around the world aren’t thrilled to have it assigned to them in races. To combat the number’s bad vibes, most will pin it upside down to their jerseys. The same goes for cars in the race caravan: when assigned the unlucky number, they’ll stick the number upside down on their back windshield to try and dampen its evil powers.

Should You Do It Too?
This is completely a matter of personal preference. If you find yourself stepping over cracks in sidewalks, throwing salt over your shoulder, and saying “Bunny Rabbits” on the first day of the month, then maybe it’s something you should consider.

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As one of cycling’s most iconic symbols, the yellow jersey given to the leader of the Tour de France is naturally the source of many traditions, rituals, and superstitions. Perhaps the most recognized (and least debated) occurs when the rider wearing the maillot jaune is unfortunately forced to abandon the race due to a crash or sickness. When this happens, the rider who takes over the leadership of the race in his absence considers it a faux pas to wear the jersey until he’s able to take it fair and square. This last happened in 2015 when Tony Martin broke his collarbonewhile wearing the yellow jersey at the end of Stage 6. The German was unable to start the race the next day, so there was no rider in yellow during Stage 7.

Should You Do It Too?
While most of us will probably never find ourselves leading the Tour de France after a competitor crashes out, there’s still a lesson to be learned here: don’t try and profit from the misfortune of another rider. Whether it’s racing to the top of a hill or trying to claim a new Strava KOM, always make sure you do so fairly.

Wearing sunglasses under your helmet straps is a big no-no. And there’s a practical reason why: taking them off in the middle of a ride is much easier if they’re not stuck under your helmet straps. Sartorially-minded riders also claim it looks better. We tend to agree.

Should You Do It Too?
Yes, there’s no real reason not to—unless you want to attract strange glances from the fashionistas on your next group ride.

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It’s long been considered bad luck to wear or ride new clothing or equipment for the first time in a race or big event. Ask any former racer and you’ll hear lots of stories about riders crashing while wearing a new pair of bib shorts or getting flat tire on a fresh set of tires. So, pro mechanics take this to heart. “Two days before a stage race we replace chains, cables, and housing,” says Sessa. “This way the riders still have a day to test-ride everything before the race starts.”

Should You Do It Too?
It’s definitely a good idea to try something in training before using it when it counts. So don’t wait until the day of your big event to make sure it rides, fits, or even tastes the way you want it to.

BMC pro Marcus Burghardt loves his pre-race cup of coffee—so much so that on more than one occasion, he’s missed the start of a race because he was still in his team bus savoring every last sip. Luckily for Marcus, most pro races start pretty slowly, so he was able to work his way through the long “caravan” of support cars following the race to join the peloton.

Should You Do It Too?
There’s nothing wrong with a cup of coffee before a ride—just don’t enjoy it so much that you miss the start!

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Some rituals are downright weird. “Riders do a lot of things that are passed down,” Verses says. “Some of them are so off-the-wall that I can’t even repeat them. They’re too cuckoo!” But here’s one she did share with us: once upon a time, teams wouldn’t let their riders eat salad, because they thought it made them too sleepy. It took Shelley years to find out the source of the Old Wives’ Tale: chickens. Apparently farmers noticed that chickens get lethargic when fed lettuce, an observation that trickled into the sport via farm-raised mechanics, soigneurs, and directors. So to keep the riders sharp and at their best, teams spent decades preventing them from eating salads before a race or training ride.

Should You Do It Too?
Believe it or not, there’s actually some science to support this one. Lettuce contains a sedative-like chemical called lactucin. It has a mild calming and pain-relieving effect that’s similar to some opioids. That said, it’s not enough for you to worry about. Feel free to eat your greens—even before a ride.

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While he didn’t consider himself to be too ritualistic, Verses remembers Australia’s Phil Anderson as being particularly methodical about his pre- and post-race routine—especially when it came to taking care of his bike and kit. “Phil washed his bike, his shoes, and his kit after every ride or race,” she recalls. The Aussie even traveled with a hair dryer—just to make sure he didn’t start the next day in a wet pair of shoes.

Should You Do It Too?
Washing your bike after every ride is perhaps a bit extreme, but it is a good idea to develop a routine for cleaning, lubricating, and checking-over your bike—especially after riding in bad weather. When it comes to your kit and shoes, never wear shorts more than once without washing them and try crumpled-up newspaper inside your shoes to dry them out.

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After her father passed away in May of 2012, Ellen Noble’s grandmother gave her a locket with two small pictures of her dad and the word “Always” inside. In 2013, she won her first national cyclocross championship while wearing the locket, and she continues to wear it wherever she goes. “Before every race I talk to my locket and ask my dad to keep me safe,” says Noble. A little less sentimental but no less important, Noble’s Aspire Racing teammate Jeremy Powers keeps his eyes peeled for lucky coins while he rides—but he only grabs them if they’re heads-up. “I won’t even touch a coin if it’s heads-down,” he says.

Should You Do It Too?
Jewelry is definitely a matter of personal preference, and if stopping for heads-up coins in the middle of a training ride brings you good luck, then who are we to tell you to stop?