To offer to lead club ride: 

For any regular rides then please fill in this form below with the details of the ride you are offering to lead: 

https://forms.gle/4V4BbHYgDzNxbeZ67

Please also share in the leaders chat what you are planning on doing so we get an idea of whats going on for the month. 

Anything out of the ordinary then please ask on the leaders chat first just to ensure a consensus or if others can help! I.e. coaching/weekends away etc. In general we are always going to be keen to see what we can do to facilitate it rather than say no!

N.B. If you wish to lead ad hoc rides then this can be done via the club whatsapp - but we would recommend still following the same thought process - be decisive and clear about what the ride entails.

Things to think about: 

Is all information required present?

• All information required for riders to attend the event should be provided.

• It should be clear the about the distance, pace and technicality. Pace can be trickier for off road rides, avoid subjective terms such as party/chatty. Use the average speed where appropriate, “no drop”, “we’ll ride at the pace of the slowest rider”, or training ride, will regroup at key points.

• The starting point should be clear. Add more descriptive information if required. Consider accessibility by public transport and if at night that meeting locations are well lit and frequented.

• This is the most important to get right so everything flows well after that. 

• A successful ride is mostly based on if it matches what people signing up expected. 

• There should not routinely be any need to contact those signed up or share more information later.

Inclusivity

• All of our rides do not need to be inclusive of everyone but we should aim to never be needlessly exclusive. Some examples below: 

  • If a ride is aiming to be faster/cover a increased distance then it does not need to be inclusive of slower riders. 

  • If a ride is aiming to be more technical in nature then it does not need to be inclusive of less skilled riders

  • A longer ride will likely be more inclusive if a stop at a cafe or similar is added. Shorter rides should not have compulsory stops but could instead offer the option to stop somewhere at the end of the ride. 

  • We should generally aim that a ride is not un-inclusive in many ways i.e. not fast and technical

Tone

Ensure the tone is welcoming to both members and potential members. Remember what it feels like to be new to the club and unconfident in your ability.

Route 

There are 2 options

• provide on the form (if there is a strong reason why you cannot provide it at the time then that is fine but in general we shouldn’t be adding routes later).

• decide at the start of/on the ride in which case give relevant indications of distance/difficulty/duration with no fixed route.

Even if a route is provided on the event this should be changed on the say if required due to risk assessment etc.

Note: while having shared a route can feel easier with some groups as they can self navigate, with other groups this might be less beneficial as they can self navigate!

Number of riders

• There is no limit to the number of riders we can have on a club ride. However you do have the option to limit this based on what you feel comfortable with. 

• We recommend when new to leading rides no more than 6 per leader.

• The bigger the group, the longer the ride takes and that needs to be factored in when finalising the route/deciding on the number of riders.

• We would recommend thinking about the terrain/distance/potential weather etc when deciding a suitable number. 

• You should also ask other leaders or club members to assist you on a ride. Many club members will naturally fill these roles anyway. 

Member only rides: 

These should only be used where required. I.e. if leading the ride with non members present would make you feel uncomfortable as a leader

Examples:

• Rides of a high technicality

• Rides where more self sufficiency is required - i.e. the group is likely to get split up

• Rides where there is a club subsidised element (although we should consider opening these to non members at a higher price)

Additional requirements

Are there any specific additional requirements needed for the ride. I.e. lights if it will be dark/lots of snacks for a longer ride. 

In the run up to a ride: 

Check there are no reasons to cancel or change the ride. These could be:

• Weather - amber and above should be cancelled, but the decision lies with the ride leader. Please consult the other leaders if you are not sure. This is down to personal experience as well as the type of ride etc also think about what other adaptions could be made. 

• Closed roads/impassable terrain - choose to reroute around where possible

• Etc

If any major changes are required this should be communicated to those signed up. This can be either via email or text message but if within a day of the event a text/Whatsapp message is preferred. Emails can be sent to all sign ups through the new system - just ask if required.

As a general rule there should be no need to send any information via whatsapp groups or promo events via whatsapp groups. Specific promo should only be done if there are only a couple of sign ups. We don’t want to be spamming people and we want people to be confident that all required information is on the website.

Complete risk assessment here:  Lets make something easy and standard

Ensure you have access to the participant list while on the ride (we will work out the best way to do this). Be aware of who has signed up - if you have concerns about their suitability for the ride then please share this with either a committee member so they can advise. 

What to do at the beginning of a ride: 

• Introduce yourself to all riders (and hopefully all riders to each other) 

• Check everyone has signed up - if they havnt’t then get them to do it before the ride sets off

• The sign ups should only ever be treated as indicative. You do not need to contact them if they are not there. 

• Set the scene for the ride - expectations of speed/difficulty/group riding style i.e. ride as group vs regrouping at regular spots/stops etc

  • Presume noone has read the info on the website! 

• M check 

This should take around 5 mins and therefore any latecomers will have had chance. The ride should set off by 5 minutes after the advertised time. 

Things to think about during a ride: 

• Observation - is everyone riding in a safe manner. Does everyone seem to be included. Do people seem tired/overwhelmed/hungry - accidents are more likely to happen. 

• Snack and water breaks

• Highlight any major risks as you come to them - suitable to the type of ride

• Be aware of the time the ride is taking - do you need to cut it short if its going to take longer

Things to do after the ride: 

Reflect on what went well and what could be improved in future. Don’t overthink it though, we are all leading as volunteers so the best we can do is grand! 

If there are any serious incidents during the ride then please notify either Lizelle/Carmen or Jodie via hervelo@hotmail.co.uk and they will provide the form that must be filled in and any guidance required. If you are not sure if an incident is serious then please ask!