Group rides are where cycling becomes a lot more fun. It’s social, arguably safer, and easier – you go further and faster. There’s nothing better than watching the kms tick effortlessly away as you chat with new and old friends. Even better is the post-ride coffee, where the adventures and misadventures of the ride can be discussed with great frivolity. I love group rides and firmly believe that a road captain is key to a great group ride.
What’s a road captain – I hear you say. They’re the person who:
- knows the route,
- knows the stops,
- knows the expected conditions,
- knows the strengths and weaknesses of every rider in the group,
- knows the rules of the group – what’s the pace, designated sprint sections, is it a “no drop” ride, etc, etc,
- has some basic mechanic skills.
The road captain will keep the ride safe, friendly and fun. A good road captain will:-
Monitor the pace of the ride. They will make sure that the ride proceeds at the agreed pace. Sure the pace might vary, but they’ll make sure that the ride is broadly at the agreed pace. If you ride too fast, expect a call of “steady” from the ride captain.
Keep the group together – it’s safer for everybody concerned if the group rides in a tight formation in traffic. Riders will be encouraged to roll through in a timely way and not drop wheels.
Keep an eye on the riders – At the start of the ride, the road captain will make themselves known to new riders and explain the ins and outs of the ride. Riders new to the group need to know what they’re signing up for. On the ride, the road captain will notice if somebody is struggling or riding erratically and they will act. They will either slow the pace of the group or check in with the rider to understand what’s happening. They might even ask a rider to reposition themselves for the safety of the group.
Help beginners – nobody was born with cycling experience and the best place to learn is on the bike. A good road captain will help people with less experience to learn the skills they need to ride safely in a group.
Call directions and lane changes – group rides are great until just one rider either doesn’t know or forgets to make a turn and suddenly half the group is lying on the road. Ride captains keep the group heading in the right direction at all times.
Make sure that riders obey the road rules – there’s a difference between a race on closed roads and a group ride.
Ensure that regroups actually happen – for the whole group. There’s nothing worse than struggling to the top of a climb only to find that the group has left without you.
They’ll take one for the team – if for some reason a rider can’t continue on the ride, the road captain will make sure they get home even if that means handing the ride over to somebody else.
Get mechanicals fixed quickly – nobody likes waiting around watching someone struggling to make a roadside repair. A good road captain will keep things moving. They will have the tools that you need or know where to find them in the group. They will offer help with the repair as a teachable moment to get the group rolling again. Did I mention the 8-minute rule?!?!
You might not need a ride captain for the small group ride you have each week – with the same people on the same route. If you think about it, I’m sure you probably captain your small group collectively. Once you start mixing it up though, a road captain is essential.
Road Captains – let me know what you think in the comments below.
One Response
And that’s why you’re a born Road Captain Stinky. Well
said.