Never ridden with a bike club before or in a group?
Or just unsure about how you will fit in on a Bike North ride? Don’t worry, we have you covered! Read on to learn what you need to know to get started and join your first Bike North ride!
Membership
Not yet a Bike North member? That’s ok! We invite you to join us for one month as a temporary member to try us out! There is no fee for your temporary membership. During the month-long membership, you may register for as many rides as you wish. You can easily convert to full membership at any time. For more details about membership, use our Join us page.
All participants on Bike North rides must register first.
Registering for a ride
Visit our Calendar and select the ride you are interested in. You will notice that the rides are coloured differently, depending on their
levels of difficulty, as follows:
Easy
Easy-Medium
Medium
Medium-Hard
Hard
Read more about our ride grading system here. Understanding our grading system will help you choose a ride that suits your current fitness level. We recommend choosing an ‘easier’ level for your first ride, so that you can get used to all the other elements of group riding as discussed below.
Once you have clicked on the ride, you will be invited to log in. Log in with your membership credentials or sign up as a temporary member. Once you have done so, you will see all the ride details and the contact details for the Ride Leader. If you have any questions about the ride, you are very welcome to contact the Ride Leader by phone or email.
How does a group ride work?
All Bike North rides are led by trained and approved Ride Leaders. Over the years, Bike North has developed an intensive training programme that develops the skills Ride Leaders need to lead safe and enjoyable rides.
At the beginning of the ride, the Ride Leader will introduce him/herself and will invite the riders to introduce themselves. S/he will talk about the route, risk factors and anything unusual about the terrain. Riders will be reminded to adhere to the road rules and consider safety above all else.
The ride will then commence with the Ride Leader in front and riders usually riding in single file or two abreast, depending on the path width. At the back of the ride the ‘Sweep’ will ensure that no-one is left behind.
Chatting to your fellow riders is perfectly ok, but ensure that you listen out for calls and watch out for signals so that everyone has a safe ride.
Safety, calls and signals
Safety is paramount. Bike North has developed a range of standard signals and calls that are quickly and easily understood.
Ride Leaders may give a signal from the front of the ride. For example, a turning signal may be given by hand or vocally. Warnings may also be called out such as ‘bollard’ or other obstacle. Ride Leaders may also indicate single file, slow or stop by using their hands. Be sure to be watching the Ride Leader and the riders in front of you to receive and convey the message down the line. It is everyone’s responsibility to watch for hazards. Even if a rider in front has not called a hazard but you see it, call it out.
Read Bike North’s Calls and Signals guide to become familiar with them before you go on your first ride.
And then there’s coffee!
A fixture on every Bike North ride, is the coffee stop! Usually about half-way through the ride, Ride Leaders identify a suitable place to stop for coffee, cake or even banh mi! We usually all sit together and share conversations, not just about riding, although that does seem to dominate! The coffee break is a great opportunity to get to know your fellow riders and to ask any questions you may have.