How to Build a Community
Being based in Southern California, we have the opportunity to ride close to 365 days out of the year with the SUPER73 community aka the Super Squad. Not only has it been a lot of fun, it has been a great way to connect with like-minded riders in the community, share resources, and help each other out!
This guide contains examples from group ride leaders and unofficial ambassadors to help you set up a community of your own. We’ll be exploring a few topics; creating your page, creating a ride, and running a ride. Not all the advice given in this post will apply to everyone. Every city has its own laws & nuances, so keep that in mind, and let’s get started!
Step 1: Create your page
Facebook/Instagram
One of the easiest ways to start your community is by creating an online forum where people can share information and create group rides. What we recommend, and what most communities have done, is to use a Facebook or Instagram page as the foundation for the group. You’ll find a lot of riders looking for groups in their own area just by searching.
Telegram/WhatsApp
As your community grows you might want to create a group in an instant messaging app such as Telegram or WhatsApp. The SoCal Super Squad Telegram group, for example, is where a lot of the more active users have daily conversations, share content, and help with more direct messaging when meeting for group rides. Jimmy V, Seattle Super Squad, has found it extremely valuable:
Create a Telegram group chat so riders can coordinate with each other, meet up, interact in real time, etc. You can make announcements on the group chat as well such as when demo events or group rides are. In our experience it tends to keep everyone constantly engaged & stoked. Our riders are on it literally all the time.
Community Growth:
To help your community grow, try to reach out to local riders on Instagram or other social media platforms. Let them know about the group and network so that people they might know with boards become aware of the community! Kelvin R, New York Super Squad, gave this advice:
Just start building and keep going! Set a recurring ride and post on social media/online channels and word of mouth! My first group ride had one person show up…today we have rides ranging for 30-100+ riders! Reach out to local SUPER73 retails/dealers and set up some giveaways to draw a crowd. Don’t be afraid to ask, people want to help!
Establish Rules and Guidelines
Lastly, it is important to establish a standard list of rules and guidelines for the community and your group rides. This creates a level of accountability and expectations for members of the group. Here is the set of rules that some groups have in place for reference:
Wear a helmet
Keep a safe following distance
Stagger yourselves while riding
Ride responsibly
Be a team player
Communicate
Come prepared
Obey traffic signals
Exercise caution
Ride Defensively
Avoid Road Rage
Keep some form of emergency contact info on your person
Do not ride drunk
We asked a trusted Super Squad member what the most rewarding part of leading the community was to him:
Watching the community grow and become self-supporting, seeing the community help each other, and putting on rides & events is the reward! :) I absolutely love the community!
Step 2: Creating a ride
Start Location
Now that you have a group page set up, it's time to plan your first ride. To start we will look at how to plan a route. You will want to meet at an easily accessible and neutral location. This is a place where people will be able to gather comfortably and charge their batteries if needed. Some groups use three types of locations.
1. Coffee Shop – They’re all over the place and tend to be in good locations. Bonus points if you connect with the manager to set up a discount for the squad. You bring in business and you have a meet-up spot. A win-win for both.
2. Outdoor space - This is a public location usually in a city park or plaza with ample room. If weather permitting these spots are great to meet and offer a relaxing atmosphere.
3. Your local bike shop - Try reaching out to your local bike shop that sells/services SUPER73. It helps create a relationship with the shop which could provide benefits, alongside potentially helping them with new customers. Make sure they are comfortable with the group meeting at the shop & potential battery charging.
Your Route
Next, we’ll take a look at the route itself. The best routes follow smooth pavement where you are the least likely to be affected by car traffic. It's recommended to pick streets with bike lanes and when possible use as many independent bike trails as you can. This will make the riders feel safer and provide a more relaxing ride. Distance will be a factor in the ride as well as you need to consider the range of everyone in the group. Some group rides usually average 15 miles to 18 miles in length. If anything further, pick a spot to charge along the route.
Your Destination
For your destination, you have a couple of options. You can pick a landmark or even a restaurant or bar. Stopping at a place with food/drink is great for the riders to bond and connect. Calling ahead is a plus to make sure there is ample room for the squad. This makes it easier to plan routes as you build relationships with the destinations that are happy to accommodate you!
Posting the Ride
Once you have your meeting location and destination planned, you can map out your route in Google Maps or Ride with GPS. You can then get a shareable link so that other people can view the route. Then you'll want to create an event on your group page or other platforms. This will allow for riders to see the ride information, share the event & route, and mark if they are coming. Luis G, Houston Super Squad shared this about creating the first group rides:
I remember creating my first couple of rides years ago! I didn't know if anyone would show up, I just posted it on IG and created a route I was comfortable with. I was humbled to see folks show up every time! The interest and eagerness to bond with such a cool new product on the market was apparent from the start.
Now to the logistics for creating the event! First step is timing, you will want to pick a time that works for the members of your group. You can do this by running a poll or simply trying it out. For example; Charlotte hosts rides on Monday nights that always start at 6:30pm. This gives most people enough time to go home and make their way to the meetup location. Monday night is also good because a lot of bars and restaurants are quiet, so they are happy to have the extra business. On the weekends we will do Saturday or Sunday rides usually starting around 11:00am - 1:00pm.
Tim S, Salt Lake City Super Squad says:
Pick out one day a week or once a month if possible & make it your group ride day. Announce it on every medium you have available. It'll start off slowly, maybe no one shows up or just one other rider, but over time if you keep at it, it'll grow. Everyone here loves knowing that at least once a week...most often twice a week...we have a group ride. It's become a staple. Everyone banks on it, tells their friends we always ride this day, you should come, etc.
An important note is that depending on your group size, if you make the event starting at 7:00pm, you stay at the start location until 7:15-7:20pm. This provides a window of error for people who might be late or people who rode to the stop and want an extra few minutes to charge. The event page description is where you can detail the important information about your ride.
Step 3: How to run a ride
Now we'll get into advice for being a group ride leader!
What to Bring
Aside from your riding basics like a tool kit, charger, and helmet, there are a couple other items that you should consider bringing when hosting a group ride.
Extra Charger - Helpful for those needing some extra charge before or after the ride.
First Aid Kit - You want to make sure that in case of an accident, you’re able to help provide the basic supplies needed to clean and bandage a wound.
Leading the Ride
Make sure you have your route down! Also don’t forget to take a photo of the whole group beforehand to share on your social media pages! It's also good practice to remind your riders of the destination and directions before heading out. Chris B. gave this advice:
Know your community and plan accordingly, don't leave people behind! Try to stay away from dangerous areas. Have at least a few people who know the route, have someone sweeping the rear, and if you can, a few blockers for intersections.
MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD. Running red lights, riding in the wrong lane of traffic, and other reckless riding will put your riders in danger. Remember that not every rider might be as skilled as you or be as comfortable on the road. As Matt H. put it:
Herding the cats is the most difficult part of the ride. Keeping everyone together, getting everyone rolling together, and keeping everyone safe…just general crowd management.
Make sure to call out your turns! If you’re going to take a right turn, call out “Taking a right!” and use hand signals. This helps ensure nobody gets lost and provides communication to the group. Hand signals are a great way to notify riders of turns, stops, and hazards. You should also call/point out large potholes, construction plates, and obstacles as you lead the route so that all riders can slow down or avoid them as necessary.
Remember to be kind, generous and welcoming on your rides. Most riders are happy to spread the stoke and won’t cause issues, but make sure you help set the tone of the community. Paul H. says:
Occasionally you may get that one person that causes issues. However, with a strong and responsible community, it can be addressed as a group.
Hope this guide provided some helpful information for those looking to start and grow your local Super Squad! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us and we’d be happy to help.