Ride Leadership
Organising and leading a ride is a special responsibility. People are putting their trust in you.
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Plan Ahead
The most obviously sensible point about organising a ride is one that is often missed by inexperienced leaders. It has to be established, right from the start, that the ride is within everyone’s...
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Choosing a Sweep
The bloke who rides at the back of the group should be one of the best riders. He needs to be able to ride the entire route with ease, because he’ll have to help others in tight spots. He needs to...
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Rider Briefing
Always brief the group at the start of each day. Keep it short and light. Start with a head count so you know exactly how many riders you have, then outline the proposed route and any hazards that...
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The Cornerman
Once all that is done explain the cornerman (safety ride) system. Start by explaining that the first rider to not follow the system will shout the group the first round at the end of the day, and he ...
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Being a Cornerman
The positioned rider is now the cornerman. He should acknowledge the lead’s instruction with a wave, then decide the smartest place to stop. If at an intersection, he should point his bike in the...
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Being Sweep
The sweep’s job is to keep the ride rolling, solving problems quickly and effectively and ensuring the group is safe. He should wave to release cornermen as he sees them, and help slow or tired...
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Knowing When to Stop
A good lead rider has a few tricks up his sleeve. He either puts in a stretch of transport at the start or a challenging hill or trail, both of these have the same effect on the group; they calm the ...