STLRC – Plan a Ride

Become a Ride Leader

New to ride planning?

The first step to planning a ride is to become a member of STLRC. All members are more than welcome to plan a ride for the organization.

To really get a good handle on leading rides, members should attend several different rides to observe how other ride leaders conduct themselves and lead rides.

If this is your first time planning a ride, please contact us and state that you want to become a Ride Leader. You will be provided with the information necessary to plan your ride as soon as possible.

Planning a Ride

Ride Ideas

Want to plan a ride but don’t know where to start?

Reference our cue sheet library to view our past rides we have been on as a group. You can use the cue sheets for inspiration, or completely copy them for your ride. You must have a cue sheet or preferably, a RidewithGPS navigation file, to present for the ride when the ride is posted.

Cue Sheet Library

Ride Guidelines

Keep these things in mind before committing to a ride:

  • Our group prefers routes with low traffic, a good road surface, and wide shoulders

  • Avoid heavy traffic roads and intersections

  • Consider the traffic conditions at the time the ride will take place

  • Plan accordingly for stops during the ride, including rest stops, food & water stops, and bathroom stops

  • Check out the route ahead of time, by car or bike, preferably at the time and day of the week the ride will take place

Posting the Ride

For insurance purposes, all STLRC Club Rides must be posted on our Ride Calendar as proof that the ride took place under our organization. All rides should be posted at least 24 hours before the event begins.

Ride Posting Alternative

We realize that posting rides on our website can be challenging and to streamline the posting process, we are going with a different approach to post a ride on the STLRC Calendar.

If you are not comfortable posting your own rides, we can do it for you but follow these steps:

  1. Select a ride from our extensive Cue Sheet Library or provide a totally new route to the webmaster at rides@stlrc.org.  Note: If you create a new route that is not in our library, please give the webmaster at least a week to get the details in the proper format for posting to the website.
  1. Select the date, start time, distance, the expected average speed you will ride, and the departure time. Also, let the webmaster know if there are any special notes or info you want on your posting.  Ensure the starting point has ample parking, rest rooms, and is accessible to the public.

3.  After getting your ride details together – contact Joe Kruchowski, STLRC Webmaster, at rides@stlrc.org or at his personal email address which can             be found in the protected membership area.  Provide the details in step #2 and then the Webmaster will then post your ride for you.

4.  If you need to cancel a ride for whatever reason, weather, family emergency, or illness, please contact the webmaster in sufficient time to cancel the event              on the ride calendar.

This process will alleviate the stress of navigating the website.

For those who are comfortable posting their own rides

Please continue do so.

Complete the following tasks when posting your ride to the Ride Calendar:

  • If you’re not using a cue sheet from the Cue Sheet Library, provide a legible map or cue sheet to rides@stlrc.org ASAP, before advertising a ride, so that our team is aware of the ride well in advance and can get it in the proper format for the website.
    • Be sure to include your phone number and email address with this submission, as well as emergency contacts for yourself
  • Refer to the Ride Calendar from previous year on details about your ride.
  • Best way to post a ride is to use a previous ride posting as a template for your ride.  Edit this posting to reflect your ride details.
  • If needed, refer to the Posting a STLRC Ride pdf document for instructions on how to properly advertise your ride if needed.
  • Inform yourself of both state and local cycling laws for the area the ride is planned at
  • Ensure the starting point has ample parking, rest rooms, and is accessible to the public
    • If the ride begins on private property, ask permission before proceeding with the ride
  • Accurately classify and promote your ride with the proper skill level and categories explained in the pdf.
  • Provide details in your Ride Descriptions concerning length and speed average that you plan to achieve.
  • If you ever need to cancel a ride, please type Canceled next to your ride title on the calendar. No need to put the reason.

Ride Leader Documents

Below are a set of documents that all ride leaders must have. You must print and bring a copy of both the Member Sign-In Sheet and the Waiver for Non-Members to each ride that you are the leader of. It is advised to also download the incident report form as to have that information handy if you ever need it.

Sign-In Sheet
Non-Member Waiver
Member Application
Sign-In Sheet
Non-Member Waiver
Membership Application
Incident Report Form
Incident Report Form

During the Ride

First things first, be prepared to welcome everyone upon arriving at the starting location and refresh them on our ride guidelines:

  • All traffic laws must be obeyed while riding

  • Helmets must be properly worn whenever on a bike

  • Riders should not try to ride beyond their ability or fitness level

  • All riders must carry their personal emergency identification information, including name, phone number, and emergency contact name and phone number

  • Riders should signal and verbalize their moves (slowing, stopping, turning, etc.), and make eye contact with motorists to help them know your moves

  • Riders should announce road hazards since the leader cannot be everywhere at once

  • Riders should strive to help one another on the ride

  • Riders should not use headphones or cell phones while riding

  • and most importantly — riders should have a great time and enjoy themselves on the ride!

Be aware of the current and predicted weather forecasts before the ride. Many times the weather can change and if you have posted an event a week or more in advance, it can change dramatically.  It is the Ride Leader’s responsibility to make sure weather conditions are favorable for riding.

Road construction and closures are more difficult to forecast. There are some planned projects but many times local municipalities don’t advertise closures or repairs.  Some areas, such as in the Illinois Counties we have rides in, do chip sealing which is detrimental to cycling when freshly applied to the roadways.  We try to share experiences or knowledge of this roadway conditions by word of mouth and on the frequent Sign-In Sheet updates.

Be sure to:

If any conditions seem unsafe, please do not hesitate to change your route or in the case of bad weather, to cancel the ride. When you cancel an event, do so on the Event Calendar by typing CANCELED behind the ride title.  You do not have to post the reason why the event was canceled.

As participants are gathering at the starting location of the ride:

  • Have all club-member participants make sure that their name is verified on the latest, updated, printed copy of the STLRC sign in sheet
    • Members are those who are covered by STLRC’s insurance, and all member names are listed on the members sign-in sheet
    • Make sure all non-member guests names are written in the Guests portion of the Sign-In sheet.
    • Remind non-members guests that they only get one free ride and need to join if they wish to ride with us again.
    • Riders who are not present at the start of the ride should only have their name marked as present if the circumstances are discussed beforehand and are approved by you as the ride leader
  • Ensure that all guests sign a non-member waiver
  • Give a short safety talk.
  • Explain any changes or road problems on your route.
  • Have and offer a printed cue sheet to any participating riders without a cue sheet or cycling computer without a navigation file.
    • State that each user of the STLRC cue sheet bears full responsibility of his or her own safety.
  • Observe each participant’s equipment for obvious problems.

During the ride:

  • Remember, as the Ride Leader, you are the one in charge of the ride. As the ride progresses, be aware of where your riders are on the course. You should re-group if your riders get spread out too far.

Do your best to:

  • Ensure that you and other riders never confront drivers of motor vehicles.
    • If being harassed, get a full description of the vehicle and the driver, and report the incident to the proper authorities as soon as possible.
  • Encourage participants who experience physical problems to seek other modes of transportation back to the start when necessary. Someone may fall ill on a ride and may need an ambulance.
  • Instruct riders who are stopping for repairs or other reasons to get completely off the road.
  • Tactfully coach riders who do not follow the rules of the road.
  • Take charge at the scene of an accident unless someone more qualified has already done so. This includes:
    • securing the scene to minimize risk to everyone present
    • appointing individuals to direct traffic, administer first aid, and seek medical help if necessary
    • ensuring the victim is not moved unless he/she is in imminent danger
    • Call 911 to get trained medical personnel on the scene

After the ride, be sure to complete these final tasks:

  • Always send a copy, scanned or a picture, of the completed Sign-In Checklist & Quest Waivers to Joe Kruchowski jsjcat@sbcglobal.net  314-766-0646 and Granville White granvillewhite@sbcglobal.net   314-581-2458. The Guest Waiver will be forwarded to Patti Brumleve.
  • You may also send an email with the date the ride took place, the name of the ride, and the names of all STLRC members and guests who participated in the ride.
  • Any notes on the ride or suggestions for improvements for the next time the ride is held should be sent to us through our contact page.
  • If there was a serious accident on the ride, regardless if an actual insurance claim is anticipated or not, file an Incident Report by contacting us through admin@stlrc.org.
    • A fall or collision involving significant abrasions, bruises, or broken bones should be considered a serious accident.