Starting Up a Weekly Beginner Ride?

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Sun, 12/04/2011 - 11:23pm

#1

embudo

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Starting Up a Weekly Beginner Ride?

PMBA organizes several weekly rides in the Wiss, and in my experience they're all friendly and inclusive for first-timers. But none of the current rides are really geared towards beginner mountain bikers or any riders looking for a slower-paced, less hardcore group to ride with. A number of folks have been talking about trying to start up a weekly newbie ride, and the consensus seems to be its worth doing.

So I'm starting this thread to do a couple things. One, I want to gauge the level of interest in a beginner ride. Is this a ride worth having? Would you be interested? Two, I want to find out if there are people willing to help lead it at least once a month (see below). Three, I want to get everyone's ideas on how this ride should be organized.

Here are some of the ideas I've heard already that sounded good to me:

no one gets left behind, and walking harder sections is fine.
make it a daytime ride, on Sat or Sun, so that a light is never required.
rotating leaders. Many experienced riders can't lead a beginner ride every week, but they could commit to once or twice a month.
multiple leaders. At least a leader and a sweeper, and depending on the typical turnout a third person in case its necessary to split the ride due to a mechanical, etc.
helmets required.
this would not be a clinic (which PMBA also does). Most leaders would be glad to share experience and answer questions, but the point is to have fun riding with others.
maybe some local shops/retailers would be willing to donate schwag or give out discount coupons for first-timers.
publicizing and recruiting. A critical mass makes it more fun.
and, perhaps most importantly, beer (and soda) and food and socializing at the end. And beer.

Interested? Other ideas?

Mon, 12/05/2011 - 11:06am

#2

chunter

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I think it's something we can

I think it's something we can strive for, but will be difficult to keep organized I'd think. Because you don't want the blind leading the blind so to speak, which means that as you say, ride leaders will need to be rotated. These ride leaders will likely not be able or willing to lead it every week, so I'd guess you'll need 3-5 ride leaders willing to take a Saturday off from riding the gnar they are actually looking for. This is certainly a charitable activity for these ride leaders. Plus the added overhead of making sure they cancel appropriately. I'm not saying it's impossible, just not sure how it would work, or who would step up. I think I could be a fill in, but I don't think I'd want to put myself in regular rotation on this.

Anyone else have thoughts on this?

Anytime...

Mon, 12/05/2011 - 12:09pm

#3

bonkers

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you maybe in luck

I know the meetup people have been doing a few casual pace rides out of Wiss, & there's been talk of revisiting the weekly ride there. I personally don't mind doing the occassional weekend slower pace especially if Rebecca wants to ride. So I could be in that rotation to lead a ride as well. She doesn't do the speeds we do on like Wed nights so a slower pace for her is welcomed. I know a couple of other people in the meetup group that have expressed interest in something like this & some live nearby the park. When Jesse & I were doing that casual pace in Wiss we drew large numbers so we split the groups up even though we all may've been following the same direction. That way if someone from the first group was falling behind the back group would be able to pick them up.

Another thing to look at is how a beginner will fair in the Wiss itself. Some of that terrain is rough for a first timer so other venues (like Pennypack for example) maybe more suited for a beginner pace.

bomb hills.. not people.

Mon, 12/05/2011 - 12:42pm

#4

dvl

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Do not do this at wiss. :)

Disclosure: I run the Philadelphia Meetup Group (http://www.meetup.com/mountainbiking/)

Yes, definintely do a beginner ride. Count me in on the rotation for leading.

No, do not do this at Wiss. You want beginners to have fun, to accomplish goals. Don't put them through the technical nature of Wissahickon. Ideally, this should be done at Mercer State park. Flat. Very few obstacles. They can ride through the trees on single track and concentrate solely on having fun and riding.

Noted: Mercer is far from your usual turf, but if your goal is to get beginners involved, that's where it really should be done. Start them there. Then gradulate to Pennypack. Then to Nockamixon, then to Wiss.

Granted, the logistics and feasibility of getting everyone to Mercer is harder. But if you explain the goals and why... it can be done. The Mercer rides do not have to be weekly. Try every two weeks and alternate with Pennypack. They can start at Mercer. If they do well that week, they can do Pennypack the next week.

Keep in mind that Mercer and Pennypack have plenty to keep advanced riders interested. It's really fun single track.

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Mon, 12/05/2011 - 1:29pm

#5

halfLoop

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Good post and feedback.

I see a distinction between Beginner Ride and something else called Casual Nobody Gets Dropped Ride. I’d be willing to help out with a Nobody gets Dropped ride since I typically ride the Wiss on Sat/Sun afternoons anyway. I’m thinking/hoping that anyone who comes out for this ride would already be familiar with Wiss and might not be confident or capable just yet to join one the of the existing PMBA scheduled rides (especially in winter time since all those rides would require lights). Maybe they previously came out for one of those rides and bailed or got dropped.

I realize this is different from the Beginner Ride but just throwing it out there. Maybe it could just be a new thread called Casual Wiss Weekend Ride where folks could post time/location and invite others to join in.

Mon, 12/05/2011 - 2:03pm

#6

dvl

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Yes, PMBA needs those types

Yes, PMBA needs those types of rides too. Most rides are present, although the participants might disagree, are what I'd call race-pace. They are led by strong rides at a fast past.

I agree: a separate thread is better for that topic.

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Dan Langille -> http://langille.org/

Mon, 12/05/2011 - 2:15pm

#7

bonkers

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last casual ride

" Maybe they previously came out for one of those rides and bailed or got dropped. "

that's basically what happened when Jesse & I were doing the casual pace. I think the original one had "all levels" posted to it & a good showing of racers showed to it that knew Jesse, so slower riders ended up getting dropped.

bomb hills.. not people.

Mon, 12/05/2011 - 2:36pm

#8

dvl

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The ride leader must respect

The ride leader must respect the needs of all riders.

Ride participants must respect the wishes of the ride leader.

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Dan Langille -> http://langille.org/

Wed, 12/14/2011 - 1:00pm

#9

dvl

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There is a beginner ride,

There is a beginner ride, this Saturday, 11:30 at Mercer:

Details at http://www.meetup.com/mountainbiking/events/44197392/

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Dan Langille -> http://langille.org/

Wed, 12/14/2011 - 1:02pm

#10

dvl

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Dead subject?

Is this now a dead subject?

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Dan Langille -> http://langille.org/

Wed, 12/14/2011 - 1:07pm

#11

embudo

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No, I'm definitely still

No, I'm definitely still interested in hearing everyone's thoughts on this. I doubt we'd try to start off any new ride mid-winter, so I think we have lots of time to get input.

I appreciate everyone's responses so far.

Wed, 12/14/2011 - 1:22pm

#12

bonkers

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agreed- I think this maybe a

agreed- I think this maybe a here & there type thing w/the colder months on us, but come spring there's gonna be an interest from more riders.

bomb hills.. not people.

Thu, 12/15/2011 - 8:01am

#13

fishnchips

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just some history. Lisa's

just some history. Lisa's Thursday's ride, long before PMBA, used to be a beginner's ride with first timer's welcome. But what happens is 'beginner's quickly improve and that Thursday was still listed as a beginner ride on PMBA years later when really it was a strong intermediate ride. tThe collective experience, from PMBA, Meetup, and other regular riders has shown that if you have a beginner ride where first timer's may show up, you do indeed have to have at least one leader and one sweeper (if not two). Invariably the pack gets a spread out and some one can have a mechanical, a fall, or miss a turn.

We came up with the Sunday casual ride as a sort of distinction between a nice slow ride and a 'beginner' or first-timer's ride just because the nature of the Wiss means it is not realy a first-timer's park. That being said, with a true first-timer's group you don't need to go far, and a novice level ride at the Wiss can easily be done through Demo 1 and back up the Saul fields; a perfect starter 1.6 mile loop. Do that twice, then head down Wises to the Forbidden Drive for a few more miles while you talk about handling and such. Or reverse that process and used the Forbidden to make sure everyone is capable of trails and that their bikes work, etc.. Most first-timers will be done after a few miles.

Most anyone who does a couple first-timer rides is ready for the 'casual' ride, if that makes sense.There really is a distinction between first time rides and beginner rides. It's tricky to cater to everyone.

Thu, 12/15/2011 - 11:09am

#14

bonkers

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I think we should try

I think we should try to bring back the ride idea we had last time which was start the beginner ride at like 10am, but then have an intermediate ride at 11a. I'm good doing the slower pace after Rebecca heals completely & gets back to riding again so I can probably take a few of those Sundays.

bomb hills.. not people.

Thu, 12/15/2011 - 1:36pm

#15

Lisa

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Thursday's ride was never a beginners ride

Jesse - the Thursday ride really started as an intermediate ride. No-one was teaching skills, we rode at the pace of the average ability level of the group and would sometimes drop riders or suggest breaking off into smaller groups.

After years of organizing it and advertising to numerous active clubs (Landskaters, King of Prussia ski club and Bicycle Club of Phila), as many as 30 riders came out. We would then split up into two or three levels before the start of the ride, but there was never an official beginners ride with a guaranteed leader until you agreed to do so years later.

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