This guide is for general information only and is not legal advice. Laws change — verify current rules with your state DOT or a licensed attorney before relying on this for any legal matter. Read full disclaimer.
The rule
California permits cyclists to ride two abreast on the roadway. California has no statutory two-abreast cap for bicycles. The general lane-position rule under Cal. Veh. Code § 21202 ('as close as practicable to the right-hand curb') applies; group rides commonly default to single file in narrow lanes and two abreast where the lane is wide enough to share. See Cal. Veh. Code § 21202 (Operation on roadway — lane position).