Tips for Making Rides Better Pt. 2
Thread started by
ubrayj02 at 03.22.10 - 8:40 pm
Some tips I've picked up after doing 3+ years of leading Spoke(n) Art Rides and doing countless other bike things:
- BREAK IT UP! Break the ride into groups, with someone "leading" each one. The "fast" ride is the most important part of keeping my rides fun for everyone. This can be a really casual thing, like picking someone that knows where you're going (and knows the streets) and then telling everyone else "If you want to get there fast, here is the fast ride leader". Breaking the "fast" group off will make the entire ride a million billion times better, as these ass hats ALWAYS are sending the ride down the wrong street through the city, and splitting the rest of the ride up. Break off the "fast" ride and you can help guide the rest of the ride at a more civilized pace.
- MEGAPHONE! If you bring a megaphone to help corral people and tell them when and where you're going to head next, whom to follow, etc. it saves everyone a lot of trouble and confusion. Nothing more is needed than a couple of repeated reminders about where you're headed and whom will get you there (fast, medium or slow).
- Everything else is up to you, but it helps to ask people to be nice and not fuck up bike riders reputations by destroying the city that is giving us all this opportunity to enjoy it.You don't have to follow any rules, but it helps to do so (for rides that will come after yours).
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p.s. The leader of the "fast" ride is usually really fucking stoked to have the honor of blasting around town with crew of reckless freaks on bikes. As long as we all meet at the same spot, the magic dynamic of people riding together through the city is kept.
The medium and slow rides are usually melded into one mass, with a clump of hosers at the end who brought broken beach cruisers and 200 extra pounds and the lungs of a fruit bat along for the ride. You basic eagle scout, cooperator, bike mechanic looking for a challenge is perfect for these folks. If you care, hook the sag rider up with spare parts to care for those with broken rides/bodies (helps if you own a bike shop, but not necessary).
ubrayj0203.22.10 - 8:44 pm
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I like the idea of the fast pack. I'm pretty sure alot of people that think they can "smash" would get dropped.
palucha66 responding to a
comment by ubrayj02
03.22.10 - 8:52 pm
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Thank you for posting this.
TheDude responding to a
comment by ubrayj02
03.22.10 - 8:53 pm
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THEE F RIDE
TWO PACKS
FUN
AND
FAST
BE THERE
braydon03.22.10 - 8:54 pm
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EVERY FIRST FRIDAY
AT ECHO PARK BOATHOUSE
braydon03.22.10 - 9:01 pm
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Thanks. I can't remember who or what influenced this idea, but it has been really, really, really effective at getting the people that like to really hustle (and don't know where the fuck they're going) to do the ride they want.
It also allows the rest of us (i.e. the fucking MAJORITY of riders!) to hang back at our own pace, talk, socialize, take in the city and enjoy ourselves thoroughly.
You've got to have a knowledgeable (and fast) fast pack rider to lead them, but those people love the job and will show up every month just to be the badass in front.
It takes a lot of the stress out of "leading" the ride. All you've got to do is tell the fast group where the next stop is, and let them at it.
Please please please please please try this idea on your rides! I guarantee at least a partial victory over the angry rhetoric that was spewed on the other thread.
ubrayj02 responding to a
comment by palucha66
03.22.10 - 10:05 pm
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Dude, no offense or anything, but I think you're a little out of touch.
PC responding to a
comment by ubrayj02
03.23.10 - 3:57 am
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um, cough, hehe,,, Josef. Prickly Cunt was just joking. We appreciate your suggestion and will try to implement it. Perhaps into the next RWNN?
Joe Borfo03.23.10 - 4:23 am
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FUCK THAT SHIT, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE RWNN. AND AS FAR AS THE OUT OF TOUCH THING GOES, THERE ARE A LOT OF YOU FOOLS THAT ONLY COME OUT ONCE A MONTH, AND EVEN NEVER RIDE AGAIN, FUCK YOU. HOW CAN YOU STIPULATE HOW SOMEONE SHOULD RUN THEIR RIDE? SHIT IM ON MORE THAN 5 RIDES EVERY FUCKIN WEEK. AND I GO TO EACH BASED ON WHAT THAT RIDE HAS TO OFFER.
PLUS THAT PUSSY IS JUST LETTING OFF STEAM, HE KNOWS HOW MUCH WE LOVE HIS LAME ASS RIDE, SHE JUST NEEDS SOME POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT, I USE TO RUN A RIDE AND IT HELPS TO HAVE YOU BLEEDING HEARTS APPROVE THE RIDE.
IT'S NOT EASY, AND YOU KNOW IT, BURLEYE IS JUST A 'DRAMA QUEEN' NOTHING MORE......AND OH YA, HE HOLDS A NICE RIDE.
eddieboyinla03.23.10 - 4:46 am
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Whatever you guys do - DO NOT GIVE EDDIEBOY A MEGAPHONE!
Joe Borfo03.23.10 - 4:59 am
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Joseph, those are great ideas for a ride organizer if they're interested in that type of ride. RWNN won't be like that though....I'm not the first nor the last to do the style of ride RWNN is.....slow pace, stay behind the music....no flags, no light sticks,....just loud music. It's not a hard concept to adapt to...
barleye03.23.10 - 7:39 am
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eddie .you just don't get it....i'll stop talking about it i guess.....we still see the downfall of LACM cuz of the fast racers up front.....people follow them and it makes the pace....L.A.M.E.
BUT enough of that...the quality of the rides are suffering....it may not appear that way if you weren't the one taking the time to come up with a route and it constantly gets fucked with month after month. Why would anyone want to take on that responsibility? I do because if you want something done right, you need to do it yourself....I grew up that way as well as treating people as if you want to be treated....unfortunately not many people are genuinely nice to each other.
from the middle of the pack it seems fine i'm assuming....put yourself in the ride leader's mind for a minute and you might just possibly get it....
otherwise you're fine with people meeting at a certain place and time each month and letting the ride do it's thing? That's what you're essentially saying. I'm done on this topic unless there's anything positive to be come out of it.
barleye responding to a
comment by eddieboyinla
03.23.10 - 9:46 am
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Yeah barleye, the Spoke(n) Art Ride is basically the same thing - super slow, hang out and talk the whole time, just generally chill. It's just impossible to keep it that way when you get a more diverse crowd on the ride, unless you've got a crew that helps you produce each ride. if you're doing most of it solo, I've found this fast ride thing really works wonders and keeps everyone happy.
ubrayj02 responding to a
comment by barleye
03.23.10 - 1:48 pm
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SHOUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY, WAAAA WAAAAAA WWWAAAAWWWWAAAA WWWWW AAAAAWWWWWAAA.
eddieboyinla03.23.10 - 1:54 pm
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stop saying dumb stuff and i'll stfu...
barleye responding to a
comment by eddieboyinla
03.23.10 - 2:59 pm
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SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY, WAAAA WAAAAAA WWWAAAAWWWWAAAA WWWWW AAAAAWWWWWAAA.
eddieboyinla responding to a
comment by barleye
03.23.10 - 3:00 pm
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stop saying dumb stuff and i'll stfu...
barleye responding to a
comment by eddieboyinla
03.23.10 - 3:14 pm
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SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY, WAAAA WAAAAAA WWWAAAAWWWWAAAA WWWWW AAAAAWWWWWAAA.
eddieboyinla03.23.10 - 3:18 pm
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eddie boy and people like him are a big part of why i stopped organizing a monthly ride and for that matter why i really don't attend many rides. found it funny how many in the ridazz spotlight (that haven't just started riding) really don't attend many if any rides anymore as well.
i really don't think that things can get much better at this point without a change in the quality of riders attending, or for that matter organizing many of these rides increases . you can do everything possible to make a ride go smoothly but people will be people or kids will be kids and alot of times your efforts will be for not.
i commend brad or anyone who puts out the effort to organize (organize being the key word) a monthly ride.
Charlie responding to a
comment by barleye
03.23.10 - 4:07 pm
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WOW, I HAD NO IDEA THAT YOU STOPPED BECAUSE OF ME, LOL.
KINDA FUNNY HOW YOU ALWAYS SAY HELLO TO ME OFTEN, ( AND ME TO YOU ) HMMMM...
I SHOULDA KNOWN, ITS ALL GOOD. AND TO BE EXPECTED.
eddieboyinla03.23.10 - 4:13 pm
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OK, I'll be the one to say it:
MAKE OUT.
PC responding to a
comment by barleye
03.23.10 - 4:48 pm
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Ridazz Roulette!