Update: October 29, 2019
The only thing better than heading out on a Saturday morning group ride is taking the morning to sharpen your bicycling leadership skills to help out others on future rides. That was the positive attitude of 27 cyclists who signed up for the Florida Bicycle Association’s (FBA) Ride Leader/Ride Marshall Training (RLRM) Program last Saturday.
Robert Accordino, a Florida Freewheeler who took the class commented, “Great class, very informative. Spot on information and a class every cyclist would gain a higher level of expertise from in this sport.” 
Cyclists from diverse groups and clubs such Florida Freewheelers, Seminole Cyclists, Women of Westside, Trek Clermont, Ocala Mountain Bike Association, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, just to name a few, learned new techniques and how to teach some of the skills we all might take for granted.
Mary Beth Garcia, RLRM program director for FBA, instructed the group of experienced cyclists on:
- Bike safety and Florida Bicycle & Pedestrian laws and cyclist rights on the road
- Preparation from your body to your bike, helmet fitting and nutrition
- Communication from hand signals to how to give great pre-ride tutorials, on the road coaching, and how to brand your club or organization through cycling professionalism
- Advanced cycling skills for 17+ group rides like paceline
- etiquette and how to control skill with speed
- Accident and rider-down tips and preparation
- Trail Riding etiquette
- Completion and passing of written test required for certification
As part of Mobility Week, the class was sponsored by Bike/Walk Central Florida, Florida Bicycle Association, FDOT’s Alert Today Alive Tomorrow and the City of Maitland.
Original story: October 14, 2019
Whether you lead rides or just share your favorite routes with friends, you can benefit from this training.
Ride leaders are the heart and soul of community, club and major charity rides. They inspire and motivate others and get them excited about bicycling! Central Florida bicycling clubs and organizations need experienced riders to share their love of cycling with others by becoming ride leaders and ride marshals.
To help prepare you or improve your skills if you are already taking the lead, Bike/Walk Central Florida, Florida Bicycle Association, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the City of Maitland are presenting a Ride Leader/Ride Marshall Program Training on Saturday, October 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Maitland Senior Center.
“If you have a passion for bicycling and enjoy teaching others to cycle safely, then this course and certification is for you,” said Bike/Walk Central Florida community outreach manager Barbara Giles. “Whether you lead rides or just share your favorite routes with friends, you can benefit from this training.”
BWCF’s amazing “Ride Ambassadors” helped share bike-friendly routes at Bike5Cities.
The Five-Hour Certification training includes:
- Bike safety and Florida Bicycle & Pedestrian laws and cyclist rights on the road
- Preparation from your body to your bike, helmet fitting and nutrition
- Communication from hand signals to how to give great pre-ride tutorials, on the road coaching, and how to brand your club or organization through cycling professionalism
- Advanced cycling skills for 17+ group rides like paceline
- etiquette and how to control skill with speed
- Accident and rider-down tips and preparation
- Trail Riding etiquette
- Completion and passing of written test required for certification
The education program is open to anyone, but experienced riders will get the most out of it. The Ride Leader/Ride Marshall Program Training is part of FDOT’s Mobility Week, an annual collection of outreach events intended to bring attention to safe multimodal transportation choices. Click here to see other Mobility Week Events in Central Florida.
For questions about the class, contact the instructor Mary Beth Garcia at [email protected]
Where: Maitland Senior Center 345 S. Maitland Avenue Maitland, FL 32751
When: October 26, 2019, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Cost: $20 for FBA members$35 for non-members
To register for this training, please visit: https://floridabicycle.wufoo.com/forms/mubitxc1nau854/
RLRM Flyer (with link) - 63162.12_Final (2)
