Ride Leader Guidelines
Planning the Ride
Choose a starting location with adequate parking. Park & Rides, schools, and parks have traditionally been used. Rest room facilities are ideal but not required.
Most MHBC ride leaders use www.RidewithGPS.com for planning routes and generating cue sheets. Most riders will download the route to their devices and not require a printed cue sheet. If you need or want help learning how to use RidewithGPS, contact a club officer or board member and they will either help you or put you in touch with someone who can help.
If possible, check road conditions by car or bicycle the week before the ride to verify mileage, cues, and road conditions. Note any tricky turns.
Make any corrections or add notes to the RidewithGPS route and add any changes or corrections to the printed cue sheets, if using them.
Consider plans for shortcut options in case changes are needed during the ride.
Print the cue sheet, add your cell phone #, and make copies for riders who might not have been able to download the route or print a copy.
Print the official MHBC sign-in (waiver) sheets from the club website. Place these with the cue sheets on a clipboard and add a pen for signing. It's good to put all of this into a large plastic bag to keep everything dry in case of unexpected showers during the ride.
Plan to bring club membership forms, business cards, and/or flyers, if you have them, for potential new members. Also, bring club window decals for new members who have recently joined.
Advertising the Ride
To comply with our LAW insurance policy, official club rides must be posted on the Club Calendar and have a ride leader.
Post a brief but descriptive announcement on the Club Calendar at www.midhudsonbicycleclub.com . Include distance in miles, start time, start location with directions or address, rest stops, food availability, the link to the RidewithGPS route, and ride leader phone & email contact information.
Note whether paper cue sheets will be provided.
Use official club ratings to describe planned rolling speed (A, B+, B, C+, C, or D) and terrain (T1, T2, T3, T4, or T5) http://midhudsonbicycleclub.com/ridecategories .
Include if precipitation will cancel the ride and when/where updates will be available. Most ride leaders use the Club Facebook page (Mid-Hudson Bicycle Club (MHBC) https://m.facebook.com/groups/63636370946 ) for updates.
Remind riders to arrive early to sign-in and prepare for the ride.
Once posted, changes to the club calendar posting can only be made by the club president. Use the Club Facebook page to post minor changes and updates.
Also, use the Club Facebook page to announce the ride to members a week or a few days before the ride.
At the Start
Arrive early enough to get your bike and gear ready AND get everyone signed in.
Club policy requires riders to sign in at the start of official club rides. Check the sheet to ensure everyone participating has signed in and has completed all contact information.
Helmets are required. If someone doesn't have a helmet, explain to them that they cannot participate in the ride with the club. Cross their name off of the sign-in sheet and do not give them a cue sheet. If they ride along, they do so on their own and not as a participant of the Mid-Hudson Bicycle Club.
Check that riders (especially new riders) are prepared with fluids, food, spare tube, pump, etc.
Welcome new riders. Give new members a club window decal. Encourage non-members to join the club.
When possible, appoint a sweep.
Place the sign-in sheet and pen under a windshield wiper or some other accessible place so riders can check in when they are done.
It's also a good idea to snap a picture of the sign-in sheet with your phone so that you have riders phone numbers and emergency contacts with you during the ride.
Opening Remarks to the Group
These remarks can be tailored to the group.
If new riders are present, welcome them and have everyone introduce themselves.
Discuss safety: SAFETY IS EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY:
Follow rules of the road. Be courteous to vehicles and share the road.
Riders should call out "car up", "car back", "on your left/right", ''slowing", ''stopping, signal right and left turns, and try to point out road hazards.
Riders should, in most cases, avoid passing other riders on the right.
If stopping for other than a traffic stop, pull to the right and get bicycle off of the road and out of the path of vehicles and riders.
Announce any changes to the route, cues, or road conditions since the route was posted for downloading.
State where you will be leading from in the group (front, rear, etc).
Review plan for regrouping and rest stops. Riders who go faster than the posted pace and don't wish to stop and regroup are on their own.
Consider reviewing guidelines for pacelining: single line, double line, pacing, signaling, communicating, etc.
Discuss any pertinent short-cut or contingency plans for unexpected rain, excessive heat, etc.
Advise riders not completing the ride to tell the ride leader or the sweep.
Tell riders where the sign-in sheet is located. Advise riders to initial or check-off that they have finished at the end of the ride.
Take a headcount before the ride starts.
If possible, begin the ride within 10 minutes of posted start time.
On the Road
Keep to the posted pace. Don't let riders keeping with the posted pace get left behind.
Regroup as planned and continue to take headcounts.
Obey traffic laws.
Be courteous to all.
In Case of Flats and Emergencies
Flat Tires: Some riders are self-sufficient and some will require assistance. Either way, someone should remain with the rider until the tire is changed.
Mechanical Failure: Someone should stay with the rider to be sure the bicycle is repairable. If parts and/or skills are not available, make sure arrangements are made for pick up of rider and bicycle. Some riders may have roadside assistance with their auto club.
Serious Injury: Call 911 if the rider is unconscious. Call 911 and/or emergency contact (in most cases, it's best to comply with the rider's wishes in this regard).
Principles for Leading a Good Ride
Having a fun ride requires planning and making adjustments for weather and the riding experience of the participants.
Be assertive without being bossy.
Lead by example. Practice and communicate the safety standards you want riders to comply with.
Ride Report
This is an optional but useful practice. A brief post-ride posting on the Club Facebook page is fun for the riders who participated and it helps members who didn't participate know what to expect on a similar ride in the future.
If you're not sure, check with riders before posting their pictures or names.
Include pictures, rider names, highlights of the ride, miles covered, etc.
Forward sign-in sheet to club vice president.
Start Planning Your Next Club Ride ☺