MR ride question...
Thread started by
funanu at 12.15.08 - 3:16 pm
almost after every MR ride, i see a thread about the good and the bad of the ride. So that got me thinking, why not ask everybody how YOU think a ride should go.
One of biggest problems I always see and read about is the stops at rides. Its 1 of 2 things, the rest stop are waaay to long or to short. Also, hills and people riding too fast and ahead of the group.
Im only talking about the offical Midnight Ridazz ride which we all know is the 2nd friday of the month. Im asking because I want my ride, "Midnight Ridazz: Revenge Of The Nerds" to run smooth.
Please discuss. I will take everybodys opinion and thoughts into consideration for my ride.
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a lot of people are to shy to say if they want to go or not.
so get up on the megaphone like every 10min after all the food is bought if anyone wants to go or if people want to stay
aksendz12.15.08 - 3:24 pm
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The S&S formula is a good formula to follow. About 20 miles with two stops. Stops are long enough for everyone to get through the line of the stop. Give the route to just a couple of people. I know this is not what S&S did, but it works if only you know the route. Let everyone take care of other stuff. You just need to lead your ride.
User112.15.08 - 3:25 pm
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It's hard to guard against the fast packs besides letting people know verbally- which doesn't always work that well!
Maybe try to have a plan in case it happens... i.e. another [fast] person who knows the route / next stop- they could stay up front so it doesn't get hijacked.
Then you can be with the main group the whole time and not have to worry about it.
jonnyboy12.15.08 - 3:26 pm
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ooh ohh! i know!
Rest stops with either restrooms for the ladies OR at least some sort of inconspicuous bushes or corners to squat in. The former is preferable but I realize not always doable... so as long as the stop has some kind of dark hidden corner, I'm happy.
canadienne12.15.08 - 3:27 pm
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dude funanu, that sounds like an awesome ride.
however, doesn't seem like you can please every person here. i'm sure whatever you do will be fine.
despite the people getting bike jacked on the way home, the toy ride seemed pretty cool. i don't know what else organizers can do with a group of 500+ ridazz of varying levels of experience and intoxication.
i do still like the original principles of midnight ridin... leave no rida behind, leave no trace, etc etc. as long as these principles are passed down, mostly everything is good. i do miss having directions passed out pre-ride and would be willing to help print those out on regular paper.
sciencefriction12.15.08 - 3:27 pm
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Miguel,
You can never predict what will happen. You can't always control everything.
Make sure you DELEGATE some tasks to friends. - (Corking, designate a front person to pace the group who has the skill of knowing when to regroup and loud enough to command the crows to roll at a slower pace, Somebody ride in the back that you can call who will sweep and announce to the stragglers where we are going.)
Not too many breaks. Scout the route yourself or with others maybe a couple times. Sometimes the best routes are the simplest. Avoid as many left turns as possible.
Start your Spoke Card art early. Put the route on the card. Get people to help you!
DONT WORRY! Have Fun. RIDE ON!
Joe Borfo12.15.08 - 3:30 pm
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holy fuck. YOU are putting on revenge of the nerds?
damn funanu.
and i
already thought you were cool.
fuck.
i cant wait for that ride.
I think it comes down to being in tune with the pack. Hive mindset. talk to people while on the ride... if people want to stop, then do so. if not, then dont so.
And i think having surprises AT the stop makes everyone excited about it. using the same venues for stops = boring. id love to help you scout some new stopping grounds sometime if you would like. i have some rooftop ideas, but who knows what max capacity on those would be.
I think WIDE streets are KEY. (lets examine the recent failures of crankmob accidents)
Candy Cane12.15.08 - 3:37 pm
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Also make a nice FLYER and put it on top of the ride discussion thread!
Joe Borfo12.15.08 - 3:40 pm
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I have till March so I have more than enough time to plan this ride.
funanu12.15.08 - 3:42 pm
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Everything Borfo said up there is good advise.
Pretty much you can't please everyone- ever. My most important advise, after doing the Noche ride, is to have someone faster than you know the route and be able to lead people if you get behind. Dark corners are good, and uhhh... that's about it. I don't know how S&S managed to have people stay behind them, but that was really awesome.
imachynna12.15.08 - 3:45 pm
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what i've realized on the toy ride to stop hijacking is have a line of 5 ridazz at the front who would always be next to each other.
aksendz12.15.08 - 3:46 pm
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I base THE RIDE WITH NO NAME (which happens to be this Friday and every 3rd Friday of each month) on the Sins and Sprockets principles. I've never heard a negative thing about the SNS rides and they were my favorite. I hand out route slips to everyone and make it 2 stops. not a lot of hills and a chill pace. People seemed to respect the chill pace last month and it was cool to drop back a bit and talk with my friends instead of leading the ride like I did for the first 1/2.
The only complaints I ever have are the trash left behind at stops and the bmx'ers and mountain bikers doing jumps and wheelies, and people not giving up a lane to cars when it's easy to do so.
barleye12.15.08 - 3:46 pm
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Rides that get to the size of the Toy Ride are more likely to to have problems. A huge line of riders that block up intersections is more likely to really annoy people in less agile vehicles. We become a more easy target for bike thieves, and there is a huge range of varying level of skill riders. Despite all that, they are still a load of fun just for their huge scale, it's pretty impressive.
vor12.15.08 - 3:49 pm
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I dont know how this would work with anyone besides sins and sprockets, but having their logo on the backs of their jackets/ vests made it extremely easy to know who to follow and who was just trying to hijack, so maybe some kind of variation on that.
bone_yer_bike12.15.08 - 3:53 pm
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i like keeping the route slips for fun and frollic at later times.
it also helps the laggers not get quite as lost.
revolutionary12.15.08 - 3:57 pm
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Take us somewhere interesting. Show us something we didn't know we needed to see. Cut out steep hills--they're too turbulent with large groups. Please for the love of fuck, no long parking lot sessions.
PC12.15.08 - 4:18 pm
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"For the love of fuck."
I love it!
Graham12.15.08 - 4:20 pm
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What ^ said. Long liquor stops = zzz. One long stop someplace cool is fun though.
vor12.15.08 - 4:37 pm
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After speaking with Roadblock at the toy ride, the 2nd Friday ride should only have 1 stop and around 20 miles...it's not set in stone but is recommended.
barleye12.15.08 - 4:40 pm
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Hand me a route slip.
Usually on these larger rides, I'm able to quite easily ride up to the front and ward off any hijacking attempts with the use of my music.
I mean, who's going to follow what?
The anorexic man on the fixed-gear, or the Boss-Man bumpin' the Honky-Tonk?!?!?!?!?
bentstrider12.15.08 - 4:44 pm
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Having one nice break with an event in it is not a big problem.
I can see a belching contest?... (ok I shuttup now)
Joe Borfo12.15.08 - 4:48 pm
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borfo, your giving away my ideas for the ride!
funanu12.15.08 - 4:49 pm
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I agree with much of what has been said. Let me add a policy I think prudent for large rides, but which never seems to happen:
1. If a stop light is green when the front passes through, the whole ride should go through, even if it turns red in the middle -- unless 5-0 are present. This keeps the ride together. (This does usually happen.)
2. But if the front comes to a light that is already red, the ride should stop. This allows stragglers to catch up, is safer, and makes police happier. (This rarely happens.)
The general principle being to keep the ride together, safe, and not to run afoul of the law, if possible. We're in no hurry, we can stop every now and then.
Also:
Having a group of 4 or 5 riders in the front who can shout down any potential hijackers or overly zealous red-light-runners is not a bad idea. And identifying yourself as the ride's leader for the night could probably help too (everyone knew who was in control of SNS because of their jackets). Good to know whom to follow (and newbies might honestly not realize they are supposed to follow anyone).
theroyalacademy12.15.08 - 10:39 pm
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Just like bone yer bike and royalacademy said... the jackets worked. They looked cool and you knew who to follow. If you ever rode behind the S&S riders leading the way... you would always notice that no one would pass them. Like this wall of riders would just form but would never pass them. It just worked soooo well.
I wonder if there was a way to make MR logo vests (something big like the Team MR jerseys) that can always be available to the ride leaders/organizers... then pass the torch to the next ride. It would be cool and I bet would work really well. I'd pitch in for something like that.
digablesoul12.15.08 - 10:58 pm
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Tall-bike hauling a sound trailer and big-ass flag.
All three of those will kick a hijackin', hipsturd into the curb!!!
bentstrider12.16.08 - 12:59 am
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It's been said.. but a good group of riders helping out (between 5-10) will help herd in the loose cannons. And if not then they can go as fast as they want and get lost, as those same 5-10 people maintain the ride at the same pace.
Jazzy Phat Nastee12.16.08 - 8:33 pm
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Funanu- listen to Bentstrider!
Do something new, experiment with less booze, and don't base a ride on stops, base it on the journey, that's what separates 2nd Friday's from other fridays. Be an artist with it. Definitely scout out the whole route beforehand. There is no 15-30 mile route in LA that IS interesting and doesn't have at least one hill. Also 2nd friday doesn't attract as many wasted teenagers brand new to bikes as other rides, so live a little. And who cares about the haters? It's impossible to please everybody, especially all these spoiled riders these days.
Dang Miguel I remember when I met you at Starbux on my block. 2nd Friday? Wow! Props!
tallcans4tallbikes12.17.08 - 12:21 am
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@tallcans
Yeah, when quality ridazz and an epic-route are combined, it plays out just like any given episode of our selective, sci-fi choice of TV shows/movies.
1)The opening patrol-route scene with a fleet of ships, or fighters with a battle-cruiser.
2)Encountering the enemy/asshole of the week(fixed-geared hijackers, showboaters on DH bikes, bored LEO's, etc.,) and engaging them according to proven-doctrine.
3)Continuing on into the night, unmolested and to an eventual, refuel/rearming at a Starbase/Spacedock(Que Rico's, Cinco De Mayo, Dennys, Canters Deli, IHoP, someones house,.etc)
All to be followed up and continued on the next installment of "GateTrek: The MR Chronicles."
I'm going to get my balls busted for this one.
bentstrider12.17.08 - 1:08 am
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just make sure the ride doesn't go faster than 12 mph and isn't slower than 18. the stops should be at least an hour but no longer than 10 minutes. the music should be 1970s hardcore that everyone can dance to. the route should be secret--it's more fun that way--but print it on the spoke cards so nobody gets lost. the ride should start at pioneer chicken, dtla, and pan-american park. there should be at least 10 stops but don't stop more than once every 5 miles, and make sure the ride isn't more than 12-15 miles. hills are OK to go down, but not up, and not too steep. make sure the ride ends at the starting location!
stevestevesteve12.17.08 - 8:51 am
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Brilliant ride concept Funanu!
I'm so excited about a ride that I won't even have to dress up different to fit in.
Start planning early! (great start)
Get help. Nobody can do it all alone.
Communicate openly with everybody involved (from planazz to ridazz).
Make it safe and fun for the least experienced ridaa
Make it fresh for the OGs
TEST THE ROUTE at least once.
Make a route slip.
Plan stops, hills, turns, and regroups carefully so people don't get lost, and so that the ridazz don't cause too much of a traffic jam.
My number 1 gripe with most rides is that the front doesn't think about the back. People up front are burning yellows when there is people on cruisers 3 lights back stuck at a light. whenever possible, slow it down.
It takes good communication and ride leadership to get people to stop. If some jackass is riding off of the front of the ride, don't chase them, let 'em go, they'll figure it out. Slow it down. Think about the people in the back. No Ridaa left behind.
trickmilla12.17.08 - 9:33 am
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Remember it's no rida left behind, not no rida left in front. Let those dudes in front go where ever they want. They want to ride fast? They can do it catching up to us when they make a wrong turn!
User112.17.08 - 11:10 am
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Ridazz Roulette!
