Do We Have a Rules Issue in Cycling?

I had one of those moments recently—the kind that makes you pause mid-coffee and reread the page just to make sure you did not miss something.

I was flipping through the race bible for a local race. The usual rules were there: stay on course, respect the centerline, prioritize safety. All familiar. All necessary.

Then I hit a section that made me pause.

Explicit rules about not urinating on private property. Requirements to attend awards ceremonies. Mandatory check-ins reinforced with penalties.

And I thought… When did cycling start needing rules for civilized behaviors?

From Unwritten Code to Written Rules

Back in my amateur racing days, there was a code. You respected the course, the community, and the people putting on the event. You showed up for awards not because you had to—but because it mattered. It was part of the culture.

You did not need a rulebook to tell you not to treat someone’s front yard like a restroom.

The presence of these rules at this time suggests something deeper than simple oversight. Rules do not appear in a vacuum—they are responses to situations. Which means somewhere along the line, behaviors shifted.

The Post-Pandemic Disconnect

It’s impossible to ignore the role of our social responses to the COVID pandemic in all of this. For a stretch of time, we trained alone, raced virtually, and interacted through screens. That kind of isolation doesn’t just affect fitness—it affects social rhythm.

In sports medicine, we often talk about deconditioning in physical terms. But there is a social equivalent too. Group dynamics, shared expectations, and interpersonal awareness—those are skills. And like any skill, they can fade without use.

So maybe what we’re seeing is not a lack of respect, but a loss of training in how to show it.

Are We Losing the Culture of Sport?

Cycling has always been more than watts and finish lines. It is a community built on mutual respect—between riders, organizers, volunteers, and even the towns we pass through.

When racers skip awards or ignore basic etiquette, it chips away at that foundation. Not dramatically, but steadily.

And here’s the thing: stricter rules won’t fix culture. They might manage behavior, but they don’t inspire it.

Culture is learned. Modeled. Passed down.

The Real Issue Isn’t the Rules

It is tempting to look at these “new” rules and think the solution is tighter enforcement. But that is treating the symptom, not the cause.

From my perspective—both as a former racer and someone grounded in sports science—the root issue is engagement.

Are athletes connected to the events they are participating in? Do they feel part of something bigger, or just consumers of an experience?

Rebuilding Commitment Starts with Us

Time to shift from observation to action because sitting on the sidelines and criticizing does not build.

We don’t need to control others to improve the culture of cycling. We need to model what it looks like when it’s done right.

• Show up early. Be prepared.
• Thank volunteers—every single one you see.
• Stay for awards, even if you did not podium.
• Respect the communities that host our events.
• Carry yourself like someone who belongs in the sport—not just someone passing through it.

These are not grand gestures. They’re small, consistent behaviors and they add up. And they are contagious.

A Positive Path Forward

I am not pessimistic about the next generation of cyclists—not even close. I see strong, talented, motivated riders every time I throw a leg over the saddle, but like any generation, they need examples.

Not lectures. Not more rules.

Examples.

If those of us with experience—whether from racing, coaching, or just years in the saddle—commit to living the standards we value, others will notice. Maybe not immediately but over time. Culture bends toward what it consistently sees.

Final Thoughts: Be the Standard

I may not be lining up for as many races these days, but I still care deeply about the sport. Cycling gave me discipline, resilience, and lifelong friendships. It deserves our best in return.

So instead of asking, “Where did the commitment go?”,  the better question is, “How can I show what commitment looks like today?”

Answer that—on and off the bike—and you’re already part of the solution.

“Instruction is good for a child; but example is worth more.”
― Alexandre Dumas