Become a ride leader.
RBC ride leaders are the heart of our community, and we’re grateful for your interest. We’re here to support you. Thank you for taking the lead at RBC.
How to become a ride leader
To uphold the integrity and safety of RBC rides, our ride leaders are asked to:
- Know and follow the RBC Group Ride Rules & Etiquette.
- Complete the RBC Ride Leader Training course. Dates are posted each season on the calendar.
- Do a “ride leader internship” with an established foundation ride leader.
- Submit an RBC Ride Leader Application.
Once approved, you’ll get an email with ride leader resources and instructions for posting and tracking rides.
What makes it an RBC ride
- A ride leader
- A safe route
- An advertised pace
- Pods of 6 or less
- Riders have the route: GPS, phone or cue sheet
- Follows the ride rules & etiquette
- Cancelled if weather or other conditions make it unsafe or unwise to ride
Ride leader duties
- Pick safe routes, pace and start points.
- Post rides in the Wild Apricot app or on the Wild Apricot website.
- Sign riders in at the start (in Wild Apricot).
- Break riders into pods of 6 or less.
- Give the ride leader talk — see the ride briefing card: route, pace, groups of 6 or less, follow traffic law and etiquette, ride smooth and predictable, signal only when safe — voice is better for hazards.
- Decide whether weather and conditions are safe to ride.
- Post cancellations and let riders know by email.
- Find a substitute if you can’t lead.
- Know the emergency protocol.
Pod leader duties
- Have and follow the route.
- Keep the group at the advertised pace.
- Teach or remind riders of RBC rules and etiquette if needed.
- Keep the group together.
- Form smaller groups on busy roads.
- Know the emergency protocol.
Checking the weather
- Wind: ride leader’s call, but an average of 15 mph or more is a good reason to cancel. Gusts of 20+ are a no-go.
- Ice or rain: cancel.
- Always better safe than sorry — err on the side of caution.
Posting and editing rides
Foundation rides are the established weekly rides, pre-loaded into the RBC calendar. Additional rides are posted by ride leaders outside the foundation schedule.
Weekly ride leaders can add routes, change start times and locations, add descriptions and send members notices. This replaces pen-and-paper sign-in.
So rides sort correctly on the website, see the ride title guide.
In the Wild Apricot app
- Download Wild Apricot for Admins (Android · iPhone).
- Log in with your RBC account.
- Tap Events in the bottom menu, then swipe to find your ride and tap it.
- Tap the three dots in the orange circle (top right), then Edit.
- Change the time or location, or add the route to the description, then tap Save.
- See who pre-registered, and check people in with the QR code they were sent.
On a computer: log in at rbsc.wildapricot.org, click Admin View (top right), open your event, click Edit, then Save. You can also email registrants about cancellations or changes.
Touchless sign-ins
- Riders use the Wild Apricot for Members app (Android · iPhone) with their RBC login and sign up for events: weekly rides, runs, destination rides and events.
- Weekly rides and track workouts are posted automatically on the website and app.
- Foundation ride leader teams can edit their postings.
- Email riders who signed up with cancellations and updates.
Why sign in?
- Liability protection
- Some riders may not be members
- Keep track of riders and their info
- If there’s an accident, it’s a record that they were on the ride
RideWithGPS club account
- Managed by Becky Fagan.
- Your invite link is in your membership confirmation email.
- You get Premium features when signed in to the club account and using a club route.
- RBC routes must be safe (mindful of left turns and major intersections), tested and repeatable.
- To submit a route, email a RideWithGPS route to Becky.
Leader perks
- Covered for liability under the club’s insurance.
- Hundreds of people will be grateful and adore you.
Encourage membership!
- Keeps the club rolling
- Supports rides, events and ride leaders
- Provides supplemental insurance in case of injury
- Protects you!
Ready to lead?
Apply online, or download the full guide to read later.