Read This Before You Start Riding in Groups Again
While there are still many unknowns about coronavirus spread, experts consider risk to be lower in outdoor settings where safe social-distancing practices are in place.
Before meeting up with others for a ride, assess key risk factors such as the level of community spread in your area, if you’ve been exposed to coronavirus and could be at risk for asymptomatically spreading it, and what your training partners have been doing to stay safe.
Riding with a training partner or small group of two to three that you trust is likely safe, depending on the area you live in and the precautions you all take.
Overall, you should still do everything you can to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, including physical distancing, frequent hand washing, and wearing a mask if possible as cases continue to rise and there is still no vaccine.
This is a rapidly developing situation. For the most up-to-date information, check resources like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) regularly. This story will be updated as new information becomes available.
As all states have moved into various phases of re-opening, you might be wondering what this means for group rides or getting together for postride beers. Since March, when the world started quarantining and physical or social distancing to reduce the spread of coronavirus, the safest way to ride has been to ride alone or with a member of your household. But now, we’re transitioning from riding solo to figuring out how, and if, you can transition to riding safely with others.
Though recommendations will vary depending on where you live, there are some general things to keep in mind when deciding what riding safe amidst the pandemic concerns means to you.
And, as states move into phases of reopening, they are also seeing spikes cases. In states such as Texas, California, Arizona, and Florida, among others are reporting record-high cases and hospitalizations in recent days, which means it’s important to pay attention to how the virus is progressing in your area.
All decisions are individual, but it’s important to be aware of the spread of the virus and follow local health recommendations. Additionally, we tapped the following experts on what to consider when deciding to ride with your training partners—at a safe distance—again.
David Nieman, Dr.PH., health professor at Appalachian State University and director of the Human Performance Lab at the North Carolina Research Campus
Kimberly Powers, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health
Brian Labus, Ph.D., MPH, assistant professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Nevada Las Vegas
Patrick Green M.D., UCHealth general cardiologist with special interest in sports cardiology
(Before making any decisions, check with local health guidelines. You can find a directory of state health departments here.)
Where do things stand with COVID-19?
While states are slowly opening back up, that doesn’t mean we are out of the woods. There’s no vaccine, no specific treatment for COVID-19, and still many unknowns about the spread and immunity. As of July 2, the United States has over 130,000 deaths and over 2.7 million confirmed cases—both numbers are expected to rise. Testing has ramped up considerably. Results show over 30,000 to 50,000 new cases daily and around 500 to 1,000 daily deaths.
Depending on where you live, some types of businesses, such as hair salons, gyms, and bars are still closed, and places that are open are operating under new safety guidelines. Cases are spiking in at least 21 states across the country following relaxed social-distancing guidelines and early re-openings, and many countries around the world are still seeing an increase in cases, according to a tracker from Johns Hopkins University.
Additionally, soft re-openings and mass gatherings throughout the country have added an additional layer of complication with slowing the spread of coronavirus, the potential results of which have yet to be seen.
So we’re not back to normal yet. That’s why going back to group riding as you did pre-coronavirus is still far off.
Is it okay to ride with a friend or training partner again?
If you’re riding outside, it’s probably okay to meet up with a close friend or training partner that you trust—as long as you remember to spread out and avoid physical contact. And again, you’ll want to check your local health guidelines to see what the current risk is in your area before making this decision. Having conversations with your training partners about how much exposure they may have had to coronavirus or how much time they’ve spent in close proximity to others is important in gauging your risk.
It’s key to be able to trust that training partners will stay home if they aren’t feeling well and that you do the same. Though there’s always risk of being exposed or asymptomatically spreading COVID-19, doing these things can help keep your risk low.
“It should, in theory, be okay as long as you know who you’re with and what they’ve been doing to keep themselves safe,” Powers says.
Though spread of coronavirus is a risk any time you are in close proximity to others, when people are close together in confined spaces, that’s when the virus becomes very transmittable, Nieman says. If you’re outside with a few individuals in a zone where the number of cases and community spread is low, and you follow basic social-distancing guidelines, risk of spread is lower. But you may want to avoid your usual stops or mid-ride coffee stops in cramped cafés.
Before you consider riding with a partner or small group, ask yourself:
Are there any restrictions on activities or gatherings in my area?
Are coronavirus cases in my community increasing or decreasing?
Is community spread low?
Am I feeling sick?
Will those who I’m riding with stay home if they’re feeling sick?
Are we riding in an area where we can spread out?
Are we riding in an area where we won’t come in contact with others?
Have I or my training partners been in close proximity with others for an extended period of time, such as at a bar or restaurant, an office, or club?
Do I live with anyone who is immunocompromised?
Is it safe to ride in groups again?
Right now, it’s still best to ride by yourself or maybe with one to three trusted buddies until we get this under control, Nieman says. We all need to be thinking about ways we can reduce the spread of the virus for the ensuing months, and the Saturday Morning shop ride is probably not a good call.
If you deem riding with a small group is something you’re comfortable with, you’ll want to ensure that these few people have been properly careful over the past few months, same as if you’re riding with one other person. Additionally, your small group should ride somewhere you know you won’t come in close contact with others, Labus says.
And, you’ll still want to stay far apart and ride with a mask whenever possible. Being outside can help mitigate some of the risk of the virus spreading, and while we still don’t have a firm grasp on what distance apart you need to be, to stay safe, at least six feet apart has been the recommendation, Powers says.
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How big of a group should you ride with?
Right now, Nieman suggests riding with one to three other people at this stage. This will ensure you can keep a distance between you and any one else you may encounter.
“The smaller the group, the better,” Labus says. “You also need to consider where you will be riding to ensure that your group can stay away from others. It will be much harder to socially distance if you have a large group and are riding in a popular area.”
Are there any risks of riding in groups?
While there has been some recent confusion about the spread of the virus, the WHO recently said in a live session that asymptomatic spread is still a concern. This means you may be able to spread the virus to others without knowing you have it, and others may be able to spread it to you.
Additionally, it’s still unknown when presymptomatic (the time before you start to show symptoms of the virus) spread can occur, so it’s best to continue social-distancing practices, hand washing, and wearing a mask any time you are in a public setting or with those outside of your household, according to the CDC.
Another unknown is exactly how much room you need to give between yourself and other riders, and how far the virus can carry due to airflow, Powers says. So, while it’s best to give yourself as much space as possible, it’s probably inevitable you’ll end up in someone else’s slipstream, which is where wearing a mask may be beneficial.
But it is likely the speed of cycling presents additional challenges, and six feet is not enough distance if you are following another cyclist, as you will quickly ride into the exhaled breath from the person in front of you, Labus explains.
“In an urban setting, you might not have the space to spread out as much as you would want to (or it might not be safe to do so). Smaller groups make more sense here, as you will have better control over the group,” Labus says. It will be easier to space out in rural settings.
It’s still safe to ride outside, but should I keep anything in mind?
The first thing to consider before participating in any exercise right now is whether or not you are feeling well, Green says.
“If one has symptoms suggestive of COVID, they should not exercise for two reasons,” Green says. “First, to obviously not spread the virus, but also to avoid myocarditis [inflammation of the heart]. A viral illness (several viruses, including coronavirus) can cause myocardial inflammation and damage the heart muscle. This is made worse by exercise.”
If you are feeling well, however, moderate exercise can be beneficial to your immune system, as long as you are safe while doing it, Nieman says.
You also need to consider how many other people you might encounter, Powers explains. Riding in a rural, open environment is a lot different than riding in a concentrated, urban area, especially in bike lanes or bike paths. You should be able to ride outside safely if you don’t come into contact with others.
And, as we move into summer and many indoor establishments remain closed, more and more people will be sharing popular outdoor public spaces. Similar to what was suggested when the pandemic started, you might need to alter your route or ride at different times to avoid crowded areas or trails, Labus suggests.
Finally, consider if you are putting others at risk. For example, if you or someone else in your house is immunocompromised and you’re looking for a zero-risk way to exercise, or you’re worried you may have been exposed to the virus and could potentially spread it but aren’t feeling sick, working out at home is best. You can try at-home workouts like this core workout or this strength workout. Or, if you have your own trainer, you can log miles that way.
Should you wear a mask?
In the past, you likely rode pretty close to your training partners, talked, breathed heavily, or spit. These are all ways that the droplets that carry the virus can spread, so you have to be careful, says Nieman. This means no spitting or snot rockets and continued distancing as well as wearing a mask whenever necessary. And, especially if you’re riding downwind from the person, it may not hurt to wear a mask.
“Wearing a mask and spreading out is the smartest thing to do until we get this under control,” says Nieman.
But if you decide not to wear a mask and are still riding with another person, you’ll want to be sure you both have been careful and vigilant and are in an area where the two of you can stay spread out from others to avoid possible spread, says Powers.
And, while you might decide to not wear a mask while you ride, you still need to bring one with you in case of an emergency that will put you in close contact with someone else (such as a flat) or an unexpected event (such as a crash or popping into a store to buy a drink as most places of business require a mask), Labus says.
In general, if you are in a situation where you won’t be able to distance yourselves, wearing a mask to help protect others is recommended. See the WHO’s guidance on wearing a mask for more information.
What are some things you need to consider before meeting up with a group?
The more people you’re around, the greater the risk you could be exposed or asymptomatically spread the virus.
You’ll want to think about what others have been doing to be safe, and that you’re able to trust the people you’re riding with are also taking the threat of infection seriously by staying home as much as they can, wearing masks when not home, and will be upfront with you if someone in their family has been sick or if they’re not feeling well, Powers says.
Again, follow logical guidelines: don’t high five, do not share water bottles, drive in separate cars to your meetup location, and avoid hanging around chatting in close proximity in one place (or have a mask handy if you’re doing some socially distanced talking afterward).
If you live with someone who is immunocompromised, is it safe to ride in a group?
“Any time we go in public, we not only put ourselves at risk, but we bring that risk home to the people we live with,” Labus says.
If you live with someone who is immunocompromised (has a weakened immune system due to conditions such as cancer treatment, bone marrow or organ transplants, HIV, or taking certain medications), is of advanced age (65 or older), or is at higher risk for severe complications from infection, you should take that into account when making your decisions. There have been over 182,000 cases (as of June 10) and over 77,000 COVID-19 deaths (as of June 6) in those age 65 and over since February 1, according to provisional data from the CDC. It is safer to ride solo until disease transmission is low in your community, Labus says.
Are there any other risks to consider?
Overall, cycling on crowded routes or trails right now is not ideal, Nieman says. You’ll also want to be sure you go to the bathroom at home to avoid using public restrooms when you’re out—assuming they are even open. Concerns with an open public restroom should be obvious at this point—there could be someone sneezing or coughing into their hands near you or on surfaces in the restroom, which likely does not get a thorough cleaning after each use and has poor ventilation. (While it’s not exactly known how long droplets stay in one area, studies have found that the virus has higher odds of transmission in closed indoor spaces.)
Overall as temps heat up, you’ll want to be sure you’re properly hydrated and carry your own water if you plan to be out for a long time so you can avoid using any working public drinking fountains.
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