DMV Rollers Cycling

WHO WE ARE

The District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia (DMV) Rollers is a group of recreational road cyclists who appreciate and enjoy the fellowship and health benefits associated with our sport -- and we love riding our bikes! All skill levels of cyclists are welcome to join us, however most of our members do have at least a few years of road riding experience and are "B+/B" riders (16 -18 mph group pace on flat roads).

Therefore, we strongly encourage riders of lesser experience and/or ability to join our rides early in the season as each week the rides will increase in length and intensity. Although our rides are "no drop", meaning we will never leave a cyclist alone on the road, if a rider is deemed unable to maintain the group pace and/or complete the ride, we will ensure only that the rider is appropriately safeguarded (friend/SAG pick-up, rest stop drop-off, etc.). 

Additionally, the DMV Rollers take pride in giving back to the community via participation in numerous charity rides throughout the cycling season. For example, at the national level in June 2025 members participated in "Bike MS: Chesapeake Challenge 2025", raising over $3,100 in support of the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society. And local causes recently supported include the May 2025 "Chesapeake Cycling Club (C3) Tri-County Ice Cream Classic" (Wounded Warriors & The Harriett Tubman Museum), the June 2025 DIVA Cycling "Colors of Cancers Awareness Ride" (St. Jude Children's Research Hospital), and the August 2025 "Bowie State University (BSU) Bike Tour" (scholarship fundraiser for students at Bowie State University).

HOW WE ROLL

Safety First: Please keep in mind that in order to accomplish a successful day of group road cycling, rider safety must be first and foremost. The DMV Rollers encourage and welcome fellow cycling enthusiasts to ride with us. However, the DMV Rollers assume no liability for any of our posted rides: each participant rides at their own risk, bears personal responsibility for their own safety and is respectful of the safety of others. In order to participate in the DMV Rollers' rides, cyclists must familiarize themselves with and adhere to the following:

• Always wear a helmet (proper fitting/adjusted)
• Keep your ears clear (no ear buds playing loud music)
• Pay Attention: keep your eyes and mind on the road and maintain awareness of your surroundings. It only takes a few seconds for something very bad to happen.
• Obey all traffic signs and signals (act like a car)
• Ride no more than two abreast (when safe to do so)
• Call out car "back”, "up”, "right", "left" etc. to alert fellow riders to vehicular traffic
• When a motor vehicle is behind you and/or trying to pass, ride single file
• Call out your intentions to riders immediately behind you: “slowing” “stopping” “turning”
• Call out to riders/pedestrians ahead of your intentions to pass: “on your left”
• Use traffic hand signals when appropriate to alert riders/motor vehicles/pedestrians
• Point to road hazards and/or call out to riders behind you: “gravel”, “hole”, "roadkill" etc.
• Ride defensively and use common sense and courtesy toward motorists, pedestrians, and others
• Stay Visible: use lights when biking at night or in low-light conditions.

PRE-RIDE CHECKLIST

• Properly fitting and adjusted helmet
• Cycling gloves
• Protective cycling eyeglasses
• Spare tubes
• CO2 cartridges and/or bicycle pump, tire levers, patch kit
• Operational safety lights
• Water bottle(s)
• Food: bars, gels, fruit, etc.
• Identification (such as Road ID)
• Emergency money
• Do a quick test of your bike to ensure that it’s in proper working order