Lead A Ride
It is easy to lead a ride! STBC welcomes new ride leaders and encourages you to offer to lead your favorite ride.
1. Select a route. Use the club library of rides or scout your own. The club library can be accessed at: http://www.southerntierbicycleclub.org/bikeridedatabase.html
2. If you plan your ride sometime in advance of the ride, add it to the ride calendar by sending information to bike@southerntierbicycleclub.org.
Be sure to include:
a. Date and time of ride
b. Route
c. Meeting place, directions to it and parking instructions
d. Distance
e. Speed
f. Terrain (hilly, flat, rolling….)
g. Whether you will be stopping for food along the way h. Your first name, last initial and email address.3. During the week before the ride, send a reminder to the membership to preview the ride. Include all information. (Date, time, route, rating, distance, meeting place, etc.) You may also want to provide information on weather and appropriate clothing for the ride. (“Rain possible, bring jackets.” “Cold forecast but warming up, dress in layers”)4. Be as welcoming and friendly as you can. The club wants to encourage people to ride and a friendly greeting and introduction to other riders will help new riders feel welcome . Remember that the ride leader is the face of the club and, as such, has a responsibility to represent the club to the riders.5. If you decide to offer a spur-of the moment ride anytime within the week of the ride, simply post it to the STBC Google group. Again, be sure to include all the information as listed in item #2, in your note.6. In cases of inclement weather it is up to the discretion of the leader to conduct the ride or cancel. If a ride is to be cancelled, send the notice of cancellation as soon as possible to ensure that all potential riders receive the notice.7. If you feel you need support on the ride ask another rider to help. Rides often have a ‘sweep’ who can make sure all riders return safely and who, with the help of other riders, can make any repairs needed on the ride. If a repair can’t be made, it is customary for another rider to offer to go back in a car and pick up the rider.8. Please remind participants that all riders must have a signed liability waiver on file. Waivers can be found on the STBC website and either filled out on line (with the corresponding $1.00 payment made through PayPal) or printed out and mailed to the club’s address or given to the ride leader.9. All participants should have emergency contacts available on the contacts spread sheet. Emergency numbers may be forwarded to Mark Goodwin at Mark@goodwin.us.10. Leaders may alert riders to any unusual terrain or detours and may also remind riders of important safety information. STBC encourages riders to ride single-file, to keep alert for narrow shoulders on the road, NOT to pass other cyclists on their right side and, when stopping to gather in groups, NOT to block intersections. When you pass other cyclists please use the customary ‘on your left ’ to notify them of your presence. Use hand signals for turns and alert others when you are slowing or stopping along the route.11. After the ride the leader should be sure all riders return to the parking lot.12. Ride reports and photos are really enjoyed by the members and we encourage you to provide them. Reports can be sent to STBC Google group. You may post photos to the appropriate album on the STBC website: http//www.southerntierbicycleclub.org/photos.html.
MBR: Mountain Bike Ride
Guidelines for leaders of recurring rides
STBC offers two recurring rides. W2M (Wheels to Meals) rides are offered every Tuesday and Thursday and PBJ (Peanut Butter and Jelly) rides are offered on Wednesdays. These rides occur during the day and all members are invited to participate. The ride season usually begins in April and lasts through November (weather permitting.) W2M rides are usually 25-40 miles and PBJ rides are usually somewhat shorter distances.
These are long-standing rides for the club and leaders are expected to post rides. Notice should be sent to the membership two or three days in advance and if the usual leader is unable to lead he/she is responsible for finding a substitute leader who will also post the ride two or three days in advance.
Other recurring rides have been offered. Monday evening Ice Cream rides during the summer have been very popular and are suitable for beginning riders. Thursday evening Cranks to Comestibles rides have been offered for several Thursday evenings in the Sidney area and have also been a welcome addition to the recurring rides.
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