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Group Ride guidelines. Feedback please


The Tip
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Just now, mack_turtle said:

Guidelines for writing guidelines: use as few words as possible. Hack words down like ragweed encroaching on the trail. Hack until short!

Ha! I was very proud to have kept it to one page! But yes, I know this, and tried. 

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1 hour ago, The Tip said:

Got a lot of good feedback so I changed and added several things. Here's the latest version:

Group Mountain Bike Ride Guidelines. Rule #1, Have Fun!

Bring your own water, lots of it.

Wear a helmet at least. Gloves and glasses are wise.

Bring lights (at least two) if the ride might go past sundown.

Maintain your bike. Bring tools and spares to deal with a flat tire or broken chain.

Bring your phone for emergency navigation and to call 911 if needed.

Communicate with your group to stick together. Call out and repeat all turns, challenging features, other trail users, cars, slowings, and stops. Call out trail names if you know them.

Keep your group together. Call out for directions if you have lost sight of the rider in front of you. Slow down if the rider behind you is significantly behind. Inform the group if you drop out for any reason.  

Keep the trail clear. If you stall, move your butt out of the way.

Every group should have a leader and a sweep. Help facilitate their communication if you're in the middle.

Allow faster riders to pass you and tell slower riders when you're ready to pass. Don't hog "your place"  in the line.

Be friendly with all other trail users. Greet them and give them right-or-way when prudent. Be a great mountain bike ambassador!

YOU are responsible for crossing roads safely. DO NOT blindly follow someone into a road! Obey all traffic laws.

Do not wear headphones in a group ride.

Drop to the back of you're going to fart!

-FOR RIDES THAT HAVE MULTIPLE GROUPS:

Study the route on maps like Strava, Trailforks, and MTB Project. Record your rides to gauge your speed ON THE TRAILS to determine your group.

If you can't keep up with the group you're in, inform the sweep and drop back to the group behind you.

 

Edited by mack_turtle
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On 9/29/2019 at 8:51 AM, avines said:

 

 


The Bulldog NICA teams had this same issue and moved to the open parking lot and green space on the southwest corner of Beckett and Slaughter. Someone “in charge” is going to have to be the heavy and just keep reminding people until it reaches a critical mass and just happens on its own. I doubt Frank would ever say anything but maybe if he did, it would carry a bit more weight.

 

 

Actually, it was more for the safety of the youngin's as Alamo Drafthouse movie-goers sped behind ATX to get a good seat in a reserved-seating theater. Adults can loiter at their own risk, IMO. Unless it bothers Frank, agreed.  

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Last iteration. Some good overall feedback and a good reception of it when introduced last night. Thanks for the help

                  Group Mountain Bike Ride Guidelines.

                                        Rule #1, Have Fun!

Bring enough water so the group doesn’t worry about you dying! Have a helmet and eye protection too. Bring lights if the ride might go past sundown. Having at least two is good in case one fails.

Have your bike mechanically ready before the ride, allowing a timely start, and to have no issues on the ride. Enough sealant to stop a puncture, or loose saddle, or low tire pressure, etc. Be self-supporting out on the trail. Patches, tube, pump or charges, and a phone app to find your way home in an emergency.

Repeat call outs for turns (left, right). Make sure the person behind you is doing it too. Don’t lose the person behind you. The SWEEP should shout out “clear” when making the turn to alert the leader to the positions of the group.

Repeat warning and educational shouts from the riders in front of you. Just because you heard the leader doesn’t mean the person behind you did. “Head!” or “Challenge coming” or “Walkers/Riders up” are things that the entire group need to know. The leader needs to hear the sweep say, “cleared’ when the “Challenges” have been passed.

If you can’t see the person in front of you, yell out “WHICH WAY?!” to alert them that the chain of riders has broken. That person will then shout, “We’ve lost some” so the leader will slow down to allow a catch up.             

TELL someone if you are dropping from the group so the group doesn’t wait or go looking for you.

If you fail to clear a feature, get you and your bike off the trail so people behind you won’t have to stop. Reenter the chain as soon as possible. If you are the only one failing to clear features consider dropping back further in the group.

If stopped for a mechanical problem, send everyone that is not helping you on their way. “I’m good. I have what I need.”

As the sweep, listen for the leader asking, “are we good to go?” Respond, “Ride on, good to go.”

If you have to stop for anything, shout out, “Stopping!”  Don’t get rear ended.

Don’t be possessive of your place in line. If there is a gap in front of you, and a rider constantly on your rear wheel, let them pass. This prevents the chain of riders from breaking.  A group stop is an opportunity to let someone get in front of you too, but mostly remain in the same order you stopped in when rolling again.

Acknowledge other trail users with “Thank you” or ‘how’s it going?”  or “pretty dog” etc. as you pass them. Present mountain bikers as a good community. Groups can be intimidating to hikers. Mitigate that feeling for them. The sweep will say, “I’m the last one” to those being passed. Remember bikers yield to walkers and horses. Be polite always!

YOU are responsible for crossing roads safely. DO NOT blindly follow someone into a road! Obey all traffic laws.

This is not the time for ear buds. Be social! More importantly, you need to be able to hear what the group is doing.

Be aware of all your bodily functions and know there is someone right on your rear wheel!

-FOR RIDES THAT HAVE MULTIPLE GROUPS:

Try to use a ride app on your solo rides before the group ride so you know what your general speed is out ON THE TRAILS. This helps you know what group you should be in.

When on a multi-group ride, if you are holding up a faster group, drop back to the next fastest group. Don’t be too much of a drag for your group. This takes self-awareness. Don’t be “that guy.”

Group Ride Etiquette.docx

Edited by The Tip
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