Meet Jason, British Cycling Ride Leader

Name: Jason Alcock

Ride leader since: April 2023

Number of rides: 26

Location: Bury St Edmunds (Suffolk)

Club: West Suffolk Wheelers 

Jason has been a ride leader at his local club, the West Suffolk Wheelers, since April 2023 after discovering different ride demands within the club. As a keen club rider himself, he was passionate about training as a ride leader with the hopes of sharing his love of cycling and inspiring others. “My thinking behind this was initially to get tips and tricks on leading club rides, as this can be quite challenging at times. Especially in larger groups (our maximum club ride group being 12 ).”

Thanks to posters at the local sports centre, Facebook groups and word of mouth, Jason’s first Guided Ride saw an attendance of 6 people. Since then, Jason has met so many great people who have attended his sessions, allowing him to understand that everyone’s outcome goals for the ride are different. The group consists of regulars and newcomers, some of whom may not have ridden a bike in years. “Some people who attend my rides might be on a weight loss journey, whereas others might be there for the social benefits too”. Over time, Jason has also created a Facebook group to stay connected to his riders and spread the word to more people about guided rides in their area. 

Ultimately, Jason enjoys seeing the visible progress people make from their first session onwards, whether that be their confidence in the group or in their ability to ride further distances, with encouragement playing a vital part in this. The most satisfaction he experiences as a ride leader is when helping people to get active, go outside and enjoy themselves on a bike. Giving back to his local community whilst also being able to ride himself is most rewarding.

Jason’s favourite rides to lead have recently been his “summer series” on Tuesday evenings. “Building up a bank of 5-6 different routes keeps it varied for the riders which allows us the make the most of the light in the evening. There are also lots of cycle paths from here to start and finish my rides safely and confidently which also means I can alter the routes to make them more accessible for less experienced riders”. Planning and trialling routes are essential in Jason’s ride leader routine, as well as staying vigilant to surroundings and “always having a plan B” in place. 

As a ride leader, Jason enjoys the “sprint finishes” amongst his participants which take place at the end of his rides. “There are usually a couple of riders that have their little sprint challenge to the last roundabout about half a mile from the end. I use my learnings from the ride leader course to keep my sensible head on and watch from behind at their enjoyment for the last little effort”. 

Jason’s favourite KETTLE flavour is Lightly Salted.