Red/Black Drill

Riders who have gotten comfortable with the bump and grind drill are ready for the red/black drill. The purpose of this drill is to get people comfortable riding in a close formation. Riders start off with their hands on the drops on the black line. Going into a turn, the lead rider moves up track just to the red, maintaining the same speed as the group but going just slightly more slowly due to the greater distance the red line takes around the track. As the next rider to lead on the black comes clear of the rider on the red, he or she moves up the track to the red line, just in front of the rider who moved up previously. This continues until eventually half the riders are on the black and the other half are beside them on the red. As the black line continues to pass underneath the riders on the red, the last rider on the red line drops down onto the wheel of the last rider on the black. The drill continues with the riders cycling clockwise in this way, along the black line underneath a line of riders on the red, up to the red, then back along the red until the last rider on the black has passed underneath, and then down to the back again. Riders strive to maintain a tight formation, with no gaps anywhere. If riders are nervous, have the second group rise to the first set of rivets above the red rather than to the red. As a variation on this drill has the riders on the black line take their right hands off the bars. Riders on the red keep their hands on the drops to prevent the possibility of entangling handlebars. As a further variation, riders on the black touch riders on the red as they pass by.

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