top of page

Club Handbook

We (Tatton Velo) aim to organise bike rides for our members which are fun, friendly and inclusive. We recognise that we have a duty of care towards our members, including our ride leaders, and for that reason there need to be some ground rules and these are described here.

 

The rules to be followed by ride leaders are also included, both for the guidance of ride leaders and also so that everyone knows what to expect during a ride.

Only club rides and other club events are advertised on the Strava Tatton Velo page. (This can be found within the phone app by clicking on Groups, then Tatton Velo, then scrolling to the bottom of the posts.) They may additionally be advertised on other platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook which are also convenient places for members to post rides which they are organising as individuals. This is encouraged but it must be understood that these are not club rides and that Tatton Velo bears no responsibility towards them. To ensure that there is no confusion, a club ride will always be described as a “Club Ride” or similar when advertised other than on the Strava Tatton Velo page.

Which rides are club rides?

Who can come on a club ride?

Only club members are normally allowed to take part in club rides. Exceptions to this are made for prospective members who are allowed to take part in up to three club rides before joining. See also the section below on the involvement of juniors.

All club rides will be suitable for a road bike unless they are labelled as “gravel rides”. Other than gravel rides, all rides will be on roads or hard paths rideable two-abreast. Rides posted by individual club members, i.e. not club rides, might include other kinds of ride e.g. mountain bike rides.  When club rides are advertised they will describe their length, speed and difficulty, as well as any planned coffee stops. The title of the road ride will categorise it, A to D, with A being the most challenging. Gravel rides will be categorised with a G. The following are the guidelines for ride categories:

​

  • CAT A: 100km+, >1200m elevation gain, averaging 24-28kph

  • CAT B: 70-100km, 600-1200m elevation gain, averaging 22-24kph

  • CAT C: 40-70km, 200-400m elevation gain, averaging 20-22kph

  • CAT D: 20-40km, <200m elevation gain, averaging 18-20kph

  • CAT G: gravel ride

What kind of rides are provided?

How to sign up for a ride

Club rides are always advertised on Strava. Use the Strava Join Event button on the ride page in order to sign up. If possible do this at least the night before so that ride leaders know numbers. If you have to withdraw from a ride, use the Strava I’m Not Going button on the ride page so that ride leaders know not to wait for you. (The button is found by clicking first on You’re Going.) Withdrawals should be announced in this way as soon as possible.

  • Bike (obviously!) in good working condition and suitable for the ride

  • Helmet (this is a must!)

  • Tools and spares to cope with punctures and simple adjustments and repairs. The ride leader or other members of the group may be able to assist but you should aim to be self-sufficient. A pump or CO2 canister, spare inner tube, tyre levers and multitool would be sensible

  • Clothing suitable for the time of year and conditions

  • Food and water sufficient for the ride. Keeping hydrated and fuelled are the best ways to avoid running out of energy. Most people have around 90 minutes of “fuel” available for exercise. Beyond that, some refuelling of energy is required. Our rides usually last longer than 90 minutes so you should have water and something to eat with you. Most riders use electrolyte tablets in their drink to replace lost minerals. A banana, flapjack, energy bar or cereal bar are good sources of energy

  • A rear mudguard if in winter or if it is likely to be wet, for the benefit of the rider behind you. During winter (1 October to 31 March inclusive) the use of a rear full-length, "enclosed" (i.e. around the wheel) mudguard is mandatory. A standard full-length mudguard may be used; there is no requirement to add a mudguard extension to make it a specific length

  • Lights if you may be out after dark are a must. Many riders use a rear light even during the day

  • ICE (In Case of Emergency) contact details, preferably attached to the bike

What you should bring on a ride

During a ride

  • Follow the Highway Code

  • Observe the Country Code, and in particular dispose of food/gel wrappers etc. responsibly, or keep them with you

  • Ride with consideration for pedestrians and other road users. In addition to this being a good principle in general, you carry the reputation of the club with you on each club ride

  • Keep to the group formation as requested by the ride lead. This will normally be two-abreast although the group will single out if necessary for safety reasons. When singling out the outer rider moves into the gap ahead of the inner rider. See below for how ride leaders will usually manage the group

  • Keep the group reasonably tight and remain in formation at junctions, not bunched up

  • Do not use headphones or a mobile phone whilst riding. If you need to make or take a call urgently, ask the ride lead to stop

  • Pass signals up/down the group (see below)

  • Do chat and enjoy the ride. If you’re struggling for any reason, let the ride lead know

Most cyclists will not have full view of the road ahead while riding in a group. Riders should help fellow riders verbally and/or with hand signals (but only if safe) and pass any signals up/down the group:

  • “Car back” if a car is behind

  • “Car up” for oncoming traffic

  • “Hole left” or “gravel” along with pointing

  • “Car/horse/runner/…” along with hand behind back to alert following riders of a hazard on the left

  • “Slowing” along with arm moving up and down

  •  “Stopping” along with arm held up

  • “On your right” if overtaking. Always overtake to the right

Signals

Ride leadership

Club rides will normally have two ride leaders whose responsibility it is to ensure that riders are kept safe, that as far as possible the ride is enjoyed by all, and that riders are considerate of others. Ride leaders will be members who have been designated by the club committee as suitably trained. Ride leaders must:

  • ​Know who is on the ride

  • Know ICE contact details, or where they are recorded on the bikes of the group

  • Keep to advertised length and speed

  • Encourage the group to keep together and ride two abreast whenever safe to do so

  • Manage the group and in particular junctions as per British Cycling guidance (see below) unless otherwise agreed with the group

  • Perform a dynamic risk assessment on encountering an unexpected hazard

  • Report any significant incidents or near misses by filling in an incident form and sending it to the club secretary.

Ride leaders cannot exercise a duty of care towards cyclists who break away from a group. If cyclists separate from the group containing the ride lead, for example by riding off the front, without permission of the ride lead they are deemed to have left the group and Tatton Velo bears no responsibility towards them for the duration that they are separate.

Separating from the group

Becoming a ride leader

The club can only organise a range of club rides if there are sufficient, active ride leaders. If you are interested in becoming a ride leader please contact a member of the club committee or any ride leader. There are two routes to ride leadership:

  • British Cycle ride leadership course. From time to time the club arranges for a British Cycling trainer to come and deliver the practical part of this course. Note that prior to this practical element there is significant online training, and a first aid qualification is also required. From time to time the club also arranges first aid training.

  • Internal club training. This consists of the following:

    • Reading: becoming familiar with the ride leader guidance in this handbook

    • Practice: overview of guidance and Q&A by an appointed club tutor prior to a training session consisting of at least 30 minutes of tutored ride leading (perhaps immediately before or after a club ride), then debrief and Q&A

    • Supervision: leading at least two club rides in a supervised manner

    • Decision: taken by a committee member after consultation as necessary

Any significant incidents or near incidents on club rides must be reported. The Tatton Velo Incident Reports folder contains the form to be used. Ride leaders are responsible for ensuring that a form is completed as soon after the incident as practical. The club secretary will then check the form for completeness, ensure that the incident is raised at the next committee meeting so that lessons can be learned, and forward the form to British Cycling. The online incident reporting form is here

Incidents

Insurance

Membership of the club does NOT include any personal insurance or third party liability cover. It is strongly recommended that members (including ride leaders) arrange their own third-party cover. Personal membership of British Cycling or Cycling UK would provide this although you should note that there are different levels of membership with different levels of cover. 

 

Tatton Velo has affiliate club membership of British Cycling and Cycling UK which provides third party liability cover for ride leaders, but only in their role as ride leader, not in their role as rider.

Club membership is only open to adults of 18 years or over, and only club members or prospective club members are normally allowed to join club rides. Juniors under 18 may be permitted to join a ride on an exceptional basis provided that:

  • the junior is accompanied on the ride by a club member who is a parent or guardian, and

  • the parent or guardian agrees to take full responsibility for the junior for the entire time of the ride, and

  • the ride leader agrees that the ride is suitable for the junior, and

  • the junior is never left alone during the ride with a club member other than a parent or guardian.

Involvement of Juniors

Personal
Information

When you become a member of or renew your membership with Tatton Velo you will be registered for an online account with British Cycling. We will provide British Cycling with your personal data which they will use to enable access to an online portal for you (called My Dashboard) on the British Cycling website. British Cycling will use your personal data in accordance with its Privacy Notice.

 

British Cycling will contact you to invite you to sign into and update your dashboard (which, amongst other things, allows you to set and amend your privacy settings). If you have any questions about the continuing privacy of your personal data when it is shared with British Cycling, please contact compliance@britishcycling.org.uk.

As a club member your information may be shared on the club website, social media pages or in emails sent by the club. This data will only be shared if you have participated in a club ride or event. The data will be limited to your name, details of your involvement in the ride or event, and photographs and videos taken at the ride or event.

bottom of page