Ride leaders

New and prospective leaders  

New ride leaders are always welcome! Reach out to the Rides Secretary to chat about setting up your first ride or co-leading a ride with an experienced ride leader.  

Why lead rides?  

MBTC wouldn’t exist without rides, and every ride needs a ride leader.  

Leading a ride is a rewarding way to share your favourite routes or destinations with others. If you’ve enjoyed being out on rides with others, volunteering to lead rides is also a great way to give back to the club and keep it rolling.  

How to start

The best way to learn is by doing, and to reach out to others – they are here to help.

Read through the checklist below to get a sense of what’s involved and guide you through the steps.  Carefully and consider your capability, confidence level and where you might need support. Most importantly, choose rides that interest YOU.  

A word on Meetup

MBTC uses the Meetup platform for its rides events, and first time ride leaders need to be granted ‘organiser’ status. Contact Walter M via Meetup to arrange this. Walter may also point you to the MBTC Rides Secretary.  

The easiest way to create and publish an event is on a PC computer, and once you’re an Organiser you’ll be able to create and edit events on the usual Meetup website.

Note that the Meetup app (e.g. for your phone or tablet) does not allow you to create or edit events. You’ll need to download the separate Meetup for organisers app

Meetup is not hard to use once you get the hang of it, but can be fiddly at first. Use the checklist below and lean on others for support with your first few rides.

Ride leader checklist  

We’ve put together this suggested ‘to do’ list as a prompter and memory aid.
Every ride is different, so not all of these points will apply for every ride.

Preparing your route 
  • Check online sources for road/trail/condition changes.  
  • ‘Reccie’ or re-ride your route with club logistics in mind.  Take a photo to use for your Meetup event.
  • Consider meal / snack / toilet / water stops and bail-out options.  
  • Create a Ride with GPS route on the Club library and tag with your name.
  • Include points of Interest, food and toilet locations.
Timing and Scheduling 
  • Check other rides already scheduled on Meetup. Avoid clashes with similar rides (location/difficulty etc). 
  • Check weather and wind direction (rides coming up within next 7 days or so).  
  • Consider if major events, footy games, festivals could affect transport or logistics.  
  • Send a heads up to the Rides Secretary for multiday rides or rides tied to immovable dates.    
  • Make a rough plan for timings. Allow generous contingencies for a group ride.   
Variables and options for your ride event
  • Group size.  
  • Open to non-members or club members only. 
  • RSVP close date – typically one day before. 
  • Start time – from the point you’ll ride from, not including transport to get there.  
  • Finish time – remember to allow more time for a group ride.
  • Choose a Grading (Social, Beginner or Experienced) based on these Guidelines.
  • Average kph pace (may help manage expectations).
Creating your event in Meetup
  • All event need a photo, so have one ready!  
  • Try to desktop rather than mobile device. 
  • Use the MeetUp option to ‘create event based on past event’. Select the Template option as a base.  
  • To avoid losing your work, use the ‘Save as Draft’ function. If possible, draft up your ride description text in a document separate to Meetup.
  • Click ‘Publish’ when you are done
  • A pop-up window will give you the option to ‘Announce’ the event. Choose this to ensure members receive an email and notification.
Pre-ride
  • Re-check for challenging or extreme weather – any reminders / changes / extra stopping points needed? 
  • Reach out to new or unfamiliar riders for a competency/ equipment check. 
  • Consider any other critical reminder messages. (Don’t assume riders have read or remembered the ride description). 
  • Check participants have completed the registration form and send out a reminder if needed.
  • Transfer rider phone numbers from the Reg form to paper or a notes app on your phone. This will ensure ease and certainty of access, especially in areas with poor internet.
What to bring 
  • First aid kit including hydrolytes. 
  • Phone with downloaded route. 
  • Power bank and charger cable. 
  • PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) unit if traveling to a remote area.  
  • Key rings (50th anniversary) for any paid club members who don’t have them.  
  • Your own snacks, hydration, spare tube and pump.  
On the day 
  • Check Meetup for messages – e.g. has someone missed the train?  
  • Meet the group Welcome people to the ride  
  • Facilitate group introductions 
  • Assess for risks including bikes and equipment.  
  • Appoint a tail-ender.
  • Establish whether any riders have first aid experience.  
  • Establish which riders have navigation – they can assist to wait on corners.   
  • Request riders let you know if they need to leave early.
  • Allow for an initial warm up pace.  
Ride briefing checklist
  • Risks or challenges to watch out for – e.g. loose gravel, steep section 
  • Initial directions e.g. if riding in traffic.   
  • Upcoming re-group point.  
  • Critical reminders, e.g. water availability. 
  • ‘Bail out’ points to be aware of, e.g. train stations.
End of ride 
  • Encourage riders to upload their photos to Meetup or the club Facebook group. 
  • If someone’s willing, encourage them to write a ride report for Spoke Notes.  
  • Record details of any incidents on this form and send to the Club president (details on form)
  • Acknowledge thank you messages on Meetup.  
  • Return PLB if borrowed.  

Ride Leader Guidelines

Rights and responsibilities when leading a ride

  • The ride leader has the right to change the route, if participants are notified. 
  • While some flexibility and use of local knowledge can be beneficial, leaders shouldn’t feel pressured to follow suggested route changes.  
  • The ride leader has the right to limit the number or participants on the ride or to cancel the ride if there are not enough numbers 
  • They are able to make general enquiries to gauge riders’ fitness or capability.  
  • The leader is responsible for keeping track of the group and ensuring all riders reach their destination, within reason.  
  • They are required to manage any incidents to the best of their ability and complete an incident report for any safety issues. 
  • Ride leaders (and all members) are encouraged to have first aid training. Visit the First Aid page for more info on accessing first aid training through the club.