How To Organize Group Rides

In years past, I’ve been the guy that would organize group rides. Sure it sounds easy right…you know, just call up your buddies and see who wants to ride?

Well, I’ve got some tips on how to make your next group ride fun and interesting.

1. Get everyone’s phone numbers and emails.

2. Create a Yahoo Group site. For years my buddies and I had our on Yahoo Group site and we used it to communicate with each other. You can also use the calendar section to post upcoming rides as well as post photos of your most recent rides.

3. Get involved in the local internet mountain biking forums. MTBR.com has some really cool local sections just for your state. Then once you’re there you can hook up with other riders in your area.

4. If you don’t have any buddies right now, find out from the LBS when the next shop ride is. Or you can head over to the trail head and talk to some of the riders there and ask about group rides. Lucky for me the local trail is the Fullerton Loop, they have weekly rides on Thursday nights. You can meet some of the coolest people there too. I’ve met Mountain Bike Hall of Famer, Steve Boehmke, Mark Malatesta of Hoss MTB and a handful of other really cool guys.

5. When you ride in a group setting, no one likes a show off. Just ride at the pace everyone is going at. But most of the time, group rides have two skill sets involved. You have the fast group and the not so fast group.

6. Plan a month ahead. If you become the designated organizer for your buddies. Start planning a month a head for different trails to ride. Mix it up. Don’t ride the same trail over and over again. If you have to, drive out to a far off trail. It will be worth the drive since all of you will be talking about how much fun you had for years to come.

6. Have a good time! After rides, some of the guys here at Fullerton like to head over to the Beer Garden at the Farmer’s Market to chillax. Some of the other group rides that I’ve been on have ended in having breakfast at a local eatery.