Leading a ride with Central London CTC
Being a Ride Leader can be enjoyable, rewarding, and it is really not that difficult. Please consider contributing to the club by leading rides. This short guide will hopefully help get you started.
Becoming a Ride Leader
• You have to be a paid up Cycling UK member to lead a ride. Please send your details (including your CUK membership no. and expiry date) to Richard so that you can be registered, which will cover you under our insurance.
Before the ride
• Work out a route your group is likely to enjoy, taking into account: distance; terrain; traffic; refreshments; toilets; points of interest. You may have to adapt your ride due to the weather, ability of the riders, and any other factors. Be prepared to vary the ride if any of these change. If you are stuck for a route, pinch someone else's from past rides. Check the train times at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ if the ride is train-assisted. Avoid starting from a station or using the same train as another scheduled CLCTC ride.
• Decide how you will navigate: GPS, maps, local knowledge, or a combination of all of these.
• Advertise your ride – get in touch with the co-ordinator for the level of ride you are planning so that it can go on the club's website.
Leading the ride
• Enlist the help of any experienced riders to: keep an eye on newer ones; act as backmarkers; lead a second group; or even act as ‘human signposts; at junctions or gates.
• State when and where you propose to have a lunch or cafe stop.
• Explain how you will lead the ride: any jargon and hand signals you might use; when and where you will wait for stragglers; how you will deal with traffic and so on but remind each rider they are responsible for their own safety.
• Point out any likely hazards in advance. In the unlikely event of an incident, please complete an Incident Report form as soon as possible.
• Avoid blocking roads and trails – choose stopping points carefully.
• Keep the ride flowing smoothly but do stop occasionally and give stragglers a rest before restarting.
• You have a duty of care to the riders and the public, so if you think someone may endanger themselves or others, have a quiet word; if their behaviour persists, you are entitled to ask them to leave the ride.
• You should lead by example and remain courteous and considerate to all road users and fellow riders.
• Ensure anyone who wishes to leave the ride is happy to make their own way home.
• At a lunch or tea stop collect the names of the people attending. At the end of the ride, thank people for coming.
* Approaching horse riders. Make sure you slow down and indicate to your group to do so. If approaching from behind call out to the horse rider once you are within earshot and ask if it is safe to pass and state that there is a group of riders behind you. Be prepared to stop if the horse rider is not happy for you to pass. Do not ring your bell. More information about cycling and horse riders here.
Carry a few essential items such as:
• Maps or GPS unit
• Selection of small tools, inner tubes, tyre levers and a puncture repair kit
• A mobile phone
• A pen or pencil and note pad.
After the ride:
• Please let us know who was on the ride, the names of any new riders, and how much money was donated – please send the information to ridereports@centrallondonctc.org.uk, or use this form.
• Any money collected can be transferred directly to the Club bank account (sort code 20-97-58 and account number 10919489), or passed on to any committee member.
• In the very unlikely event of an accident having occurred during the ride, please complete an Incident Report Form (an editable Word document), and send it to our Secretary.
Further information from Cycling UK's ride leader toolkit.
Comments
Extra advice for leading an off-road ride