Remember when every blog used centered text? What a brave innocent world that was. Here’s a quick and easy guide to starting your own Slow Rollers chapter. But first let’s explain what Slow Rollers is and why we created it. If that jives, the read on to the DIY part.
Slow Rollers was hatched because bikes should be fun but many group rides are focused on type 2 fun, or even worse, ‘fitness’ or ‘exercising’. Slow Rollers is more like riding your bike when you were 11 mixed with a college camping trip where you had 20 dollars and a suitcase of Busch. Course you don’t have to drink, but in general a light tipple will help lubricate the conversation and make folks forget that they’re on the wrong side of 30/40/50/60 and that it’s still ok to skip stones or wear a dumb costume.
To this end, these rides need to be short, never more than 15 miles. Ideally you host more 5 mile rides than 10 mile rides and keep the 15 mile jaunts to a minimum. If there’s a 15 mile ride it needs to be super slow, have extended rest stops ideally involving ice cream, or swimming, or beer etc. Wanna do a camping trip? Great, this a Saturday thing. But most of these rides should be mid week, and if you have a local watering hole you like, partner with them if they’re up for it for post ride hangs to keep the party going. It’ll help the local economy out, and that’s obviously a good thing.
Ride leaders set the pace. The pace is slow. Barely above parade pace. It should be just above normal walking speed.
Ride leaders set the tone and the rules. The rules are simple: go slow, have fun, meet new people. Slow Rollers rides work like this: you have to talk to someone you don’t know or talk to someone you know the least. If you see people getting in their old comfortable groups, make a joke of it and break it up.
Regroup. Even slow rides break up. Regroup at every intersection.
Tell people the rough ride plan or even publish it pre ride on the gram.
Name tags are good. Reusable ones are better. They're cheesy but effective. No one can remember anyone's name. We suggest writing a first name on there and where you are from. We use pieces of canvas, safety pins and sharpies.
Make your own instagram. It should be SlowRollers_____. If you live in Ludlow, it’s SlowRollersLudlow.
When you post about a ride, do it at least 3 times in 3 different ways, including once the day of. I’d say the biggest ‘inconvenience’ of hosting a Slow Rollers event is that you NEED to have an active instagram to engage new riders.
I post using reels (very effective), stories and still pics as normal posts. Add music.
Take a ton of videos, and ask others to do the same. You have no idea how much content this needs, and if you take a dozen clips during the ride, good, but 30 is better. Have folks airdrop the pics to you at the end of the ride.
Make sure the ride is inclusive. Don’t put some gnar trail in there. It’s not a mountain bike ride. It’s a chill mixed surface ride. Can your 70 year old aunt who only rides the toe path do the ride? If not, rethink it. Be adaptable. If someone comes that clearly isn’t up for a 10 mile ride, make it a 5 mile ride. Don’t make a big deal about it, just say this week we’re riding 2 miles to the river and making stick boats.
Plan activities. We’ll have a list of ideas but feel free to add your own.
Once the ride gets going, plan a fundraiser so you can pay for things like Jell-O shots or extra tail lights to loan out.
Figure out your post ride game plan. Fire? Pub? Coffee shop?
Enlist a friend or two. Consistency with these rides is key, and one day you’re gunna wanna be outta town or whatever and the ride must go on. Having others invested in the ride will ensure it can happen consistently.
Here’s the test to see if you read all of that:
Wanna start your own chapter of Slow Rollers? First step is come to one of our Slow Rollers events. They’re weekly. Bit of a drive? Camp out that night. We’ll set you up with a spot. If you have fun on the ride, and are ok with the core principles, we’ll give our blessing to start that IG account and help you cross promote it. If you wanna come to a ride and need to camp, DM us on IG: @slowrollersvt. If you just wanna come, don’t need to camp, just head down!
-James
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