Before You Roll – Pre-Ride Prep & Expectations

Riding in a group is one of the best parts of cycling. Whether you’re chasing speed, exploring new routes, or just enjoying the camaraderie, group rides bring energy, motivation, and community.

And with Chasing Watts, finding the perfect ride near you is easier than ever.

Before you show up, though, it’s important to be prepared — for your own safety, for the group’s experience, and to make sure you’re ready to enjoy every mile. Here’s your go-to guide for what to bring and what to expect before the wheels start turning.

🔧 Gear & Equipment: Bring the Right Tools

A smooth ride starts with a well-prepped bike and the right tools in your saddle bag.

  • Bike Check: Make sure your tires are pumped, brakes work, chain is clean, and gears shift smoothly.

  • Flat Kit Must-Haves:

    • Spare tube (or two) – even if you’re running a tubeless setup

    • Tire levers

    • Mini pump or CO₂ inflator

    • Multi-tool (with chain tool if possible)

  • Lights: Even in daylight, front and rear lights help with visibility and safety.

  • Navigation: Use the Chasing Watts app to preview or download the route to your GPS computer or smartphone.

👕 What to Wear: Dress for the Ride

Being comfortable (and visible) can make all the difference.

  • Helmet: Always wear one. No exceptions.

  • Cycling Kit: Padded shorts or bibs, moisture-wicking jersey, and layers depending on the weather.

  • Gloves & Eyewear: Protect your hands from vibration and your eyes from sun, wind, or bugs.

  • Be Visible: Bright or reflective clothing helps others — and cars — see you better.

🍌 Fuel & Hydration: Stay Ahead of the Bonk

Even short rides can take a toll if you’re under-fueled.

  • Pre-Ride Meal: Eat a light meal 1–2 hours before — think banana and peanut butter, oatmeal, or a smoothie.

  • On the Bike: Bring energy bars, gels, or chews that are easy to eat while riding.

  • Hydration: One bottle minimum, two+ if it’s hot or long. Consider electrolyte drinks for added support.

📍 Know the Ride: Do Your Homework

Use Chasing Watts to get familiar with the ride before you show up.  It’s very easy to sync the route to your bicycle computer!

  • Check the Route: Look over distance, elevation, and terrain.

  • Know the Pace: Rides range from chill to race pace — don’t guess.

  • Drop vs No-Drop:

    • No-drop: The group stays together and waits for slower riders.

    • Drop: Riders are expected to keep up or find their own way back.

  • Ride Leader: Respect the leader — they’re managing the ride and setting the tone.

🙋‍♀️ Your Role: Be a Good Teammate

  • Be On Time: Or better yet, be early! Give yourself time to get ready and say hi.

  • Be Self-Sufficient: Bring your own gear, snacks, and supplies.  Do not depend on others for your gear!

  • Be Honest: New to group riding? Let someone know. Most groups are more than happy to support newcomers.

✅ Final Thoughts

Preparation is your first step toward a successful and enjoyable group ride. With Chasing Watts, the right ride is just a tap away — now you’re ready to roll.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll cover group riding etiquette: pacelines, communication, rotating through, and how to wrap up the ride right.

Create your ride in 60 seconds!

If you are interested in setting up your own ride and a little unsure of how to do it, here you go! We are going to walk you through the process of creating a ride, that when completed, will take about 60 seconds (or less)!

This might look like a lot, but actually, most of the available selections are optional. Once you create a ride, you will see how incredibly easy the process is. TL;DR version at the bottom.

Let’s go…

Note – While this post will focus on the mobile app – the process is the same on the website.

  1. Open the Chasing Watts app and get logged in.
  2. Click the Add button in the bottom menu bar.
  3. There are four screens in creating a ride, with most having optional selections.
(more…)

Connect RWGPS, Strava, or Garmin

Are you a user of Ride with GPS, Strava, or Garmin Connect? Quickly and easily connect your account to Chasing Watts to link your routes. This is helpful when creating rides with your own routes. With Garmin, quickly send the ride routes directly to your Connect account and sync to your device with one click!

Connecting your accounts is available in both the website and mobile app.

Authentication works the same for each provider, so we will only look at Strava in this example.

In your profile, select “Strava Connect”.

Press the “Authenticate” button. This will redirect you to Strava’s login screen. Login and you will be prompted to allow Chasing Watts to read your account.

You will be automatically redirected back to Chasing Watts.

Now that you are connected, when creating a ride, you have the option to directly import one of your routes!

LET’S RIDE.

If you have any questions or issues, please reach out to hello@chasingwatts.com.

v4 Reset Password

With the latest web/app release, you might need to reset your password. If you forgot your password or would like to just update your existing one, the process is simple and should be painless.

  1. On the login screen, press the “Reset” button.
  2. Enter the email address associated with your Chasing Watts account. The app will send you an email.
  3. Wait for the email. It will come. The reset code is single use; meaning if you send yourself a new code, the first one will no longer work. You must use the last code received.
  4. Once you have the reset code, head over to the reset password page and/or screen in the app. Enter your password, confirm password, and add your reset code. Click Reset!
  5. Now you can login and create and find some great rides!

If you continue to have issues, please check to make sure you have entered your email and password correctly. Also, make sure your password meets the strength requirements

  • Minimum six (6) characters
  • At least one (1) numeric value
  • At least one (1) special character (@#$%%)
  • At least one (1) capital letter



If you have any questions or issues in resetting your password, please contact us at help@chasingwatts.com. Happy to help you get back into some great rides.