Tips for SAG drivers

My club just completed their annual century (400+ registered riders!)
and my second stint as SAG captain. Before our next event (a metric
in the spring) I'd like to produce a "SAG Drivers Manual" Nothing too
elaborate (if it's not brief, it won't be read!) but more a checklist
of items to have on-board and some "do's and don'ts" for SAG drivers.

If you were putting together such a document, what would you put in
it?

I'm pressed for time tonight, so I'll just post a few items which
immediately spring to mind. If I have time I'll add more later:

1) Carry a dual-head floor pump. Seems silly to have to bring it up, but I
have run into SAGs on rides who did not have a floor pump with them.

2) Know how to change a tire and carry the proper tools for doing so.

3) Carry a variety of tubes which can sold to riders who need them for a
nominal sum. If the club has a good relationship with a bike shop, the shop
might loan the tubes on consignment for the event. Riders WILL forget to
bring tubes or WILL run out of tubes.

4) Carry spare route sheets

5) Carry water and food for riders in need.

6) SAG should be provided emergency contact numbers and locations of nearest
medical facilities. Each SAG should also carry a basic first aid kit.

7) SAG should be provided with contact info for other SAGs (cell phone #'s
or radio call signs) to coordinate duties.

8) Additional bike tools are nice to have, but not necessary. Bikes needing
extensive repairs should be transported to the next rest stop where rest
stop personnel can work on it.

9) Designate one SAG to "sweep" the course and track last rider.

10) SAGs should be plainly marked. Magnetic signs on the door and back of
vehicle are good. I know one event which used vehicle mounted flags (same
design as the USA flags which you saw on many cars after 9-11, except these
said "SAG" - easily spotted!)

11) A smile and a friendly "Do you need help" are always welcome. If I rider
needs SAG help, they are probably having a bad day. A good SAG can turn that
around.


Chris Neary


"Science, freedom, beauty, adventu what more could
you ask of life? Bicycling combined all the elements I
loved" - Adapted from a quotation by Charles Lindbergh

"Ed Stevens" a écrit dans le message de
...
Comments embedded . . .


On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 05:20:46 GMT, Chris Neary
wrote:

I'm pressed for time tonight, so I'll just post a few items which
immediately spring to mind. If I have time I'll add more later:

1) Carry a dual-head floor pump. Seems silly to have to bring it up, but
I
have run into SAGs on rides who did not have a floor pump with them.

Already on the list. Since the drivers will have to supply most of
their own "kit" I can only suggest that their pumps be dual-headed
floor models, but thanks for reminding me to make a point of it.

Either that or having 2 pumps, because some of them don't convert easily.
Would the LBS have a few loaners?



8) Additional bike tools are nice to have, but not necessary. Bikes
needing
extensive repairs should be transported to the next rest stop where rest
stop personnel can work on it.
Yes. I don't want to scare off volunteers by making them think they
need to be full-service mechanics. I do ask them to have the usual
bike sized screw drivers, hex keys, and box wrenches. More to loan to
the cyclist than to do acutal repair themselves.


Chain riveting tool and short section of 8-speed and 9-speed chain?
Would a short, schematic repair book be an interesting thing to carry? I
don't know.



9) Designate one SAG to "sweep" the course and track last rider.

In fact, the one complaint I got from riders was that one of the radio
operators took it upon himself to sweep the last section of the
course. The rider didn't apprecieate the driver staying on his tail
the last 15 miles. Can't say as I blame him......

To what point does one need to sweep the course? What if an exhausted rider
prefers to stop for 1-2 hours, take a good rest and continue? I think that
you need to have a policy that states that "this checkpoint is staffed from
2 to 5 p.m." (for example). For late riders, you should give them the choice
of either being swiped by the SAG or knowing they won't have any more
support if they wish to continue on their own.


Do you carry the bikes of people who abandon? If so, are you able to take
care of special needs: tandems, trailercycles, child trailers, etc.

Regards,

Michel

On Wed, 27 Aug 2003 11:37:33 +0000, M Gagnon wrote:

Either that or having 2 pumps, because some of them don't convert easily.
Would the LBS have a few loaners?

Convert?* Most -- damn near all -- floor pumps have a dual chuck. Put the
valve in the right hole, and the air is directed there. No conversion.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | There is always an easy solution to every human problem - neat,
_`\(,_ | plausible, and wrong. --H.L. Mencken
(_)/ (_) |

On Wed, 27 Aug 2003 11:37:33 +0000, M Gagnon wrote:

9) Designate one SAG to "sweep" the course and track last rider.

In fact, the one complaint I got from riders was that one of the radio
operators took it upon himself to sweep the last section of the course.
The rider didn't apprecieate the driver staying on his tail the last 15
miles. Can't say as I blame him......

To what point does one need to sweep the course? What if an exhausted
rider prefers to stop for 1-2 hours, take a good rest and continue? I
think that you need to have a policy that states that "this checkpoint is
staffed from 2 to 5 p.m." (for example). For late riders, you should give
them the choice of either being swiped by the SAG or knowing they won't
have any more support if they wish to continue on their own.

There are liability issues here. We sweep the course, making sure no one
is out in the woods past 5:00. They _will_ sue the club, even if you tell
them they are on their own after a certain time.


Do you carry the bikes of people who abandon? If so, are you able to take
care of special needs: tandems, trailercycles, child trailers, etc.

There is always someone you can't take care of. I was SAGing our century
a couple years ago, but could not deal with this one guy's handcycle on
the rack. He understood, though.

You either need a big van or a special rack to handle things like tandems,
bents, handcycles. That is beyond the usual expectations of a sag vehicle.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Enron's slogan: Respect, Communication, Integrity, and
_`\(,_ | Excellence.
(_)/ (_) |

Ed wrote:
My club just completed their annual century (400+ registered riders!)
and my second stint as SAG captain. Before our next event (a metric
in the spring) I'd like to produce a "SAG Drivers Manual" Nothing too
elaborate (if it's not brief, it won't be read!) but more a checklist
of items to have on-board and some "do's and don'ts" for SAG drivers.

Lots of good ideas herein. How about a couple of cans of spray
paint, in case the route needs to change?
Also, a suggestion that the sag stop closing times, and attitudes,
be a bit more flexible. At Horsey this year I got caught in a storm
(and without a radio for a weather report in my room, this was
something of a surprise). Rather than wait it out, I sped up to try to
make the sag before its closing time. Got there just before it was
supposed to shut down, and it already was: food all packed up ("sorry
we already put it away"), canopy coming down ("we have to clear out of
here before we get wet"), and not much sympathy for a soaked chilly
rider (the folks were frankly very happy to be leaving). "All our cars
are full, so you'll just have to ride in," grinned one helper. One of
the guys did lend me a windbreaker (dark navy blue, perfect for a
rainy ride in rolling hills!).
Anyway, the closing time posted to riders might be 2 pm, but for the
help, make it 2:15 so they aren't packed up and rolling out of the
parking lot as someone who really needs the sag help is rolling in.
--Karen M.
who usually doesn't need a sag

On Wed, 27 Aug 2003 11:37:33 -0400, "M Gagnon" wrote:

"Ed Stevens" a écrit dans le message de
.. .
Comments embedded . . .


On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 05:20:46 GMT, Chris Neary
wrote:

I'm pressed for time tonight, so I'll just post a few items which
immediately spring to mind. If I have time I'll add more later:

1) Carry a dual-head floor pump. Seems silly to have to bring it up, but
I
have run into SAGs on rides who did not have a floor pump with them.

Already on the list. Since the drivers will have to supply most of
their own "kit" I can only suggest that their pumps be dual-headed
floor models, but thanks for reminding me to make a point of it.

Either that or having 2 pumps, because some of them don't convert easily.
Would the LBS have a few loaners?

All of our drivers are active club members -- hence, active cyclists.
So they all have good pumps. I just need to make sure it's on the
info sheet/checklist I give them. Which it is, now.


8) Additional bike tools are nice to have, but not necessary. Bikes
needing
extensive repairs should be transported to the next rest stop where rest
stop personnel can work on it.
Yes. I don't want to scare off volunteers by making them think they
need to be full-service mechanics. I do ask them to have the usual
bike sized screw drivers, hex keys, and box wrenches. More to loan to
the cyclist than to do acutal repair themselves.


Chain riveting tool and short section of 8-speed and 9-speed chain?
Would a short, schematic repair book be an interesting thing to carry? I
don't know.

Again, our drivers are expected to be able to lend assistance for
adjustments or flats. Anything more complex, and we transport. Some
may say a chain repair is 'minor', but I doubt most of our drivers
(myself included) know how.


9) Designate one SAG to "sweep" the course and track last rider.

In fact, the one complaint I got from riders was that one of the radio
operators took it upon himself to sweep the last section of the
course. The rider didn't apprecieate the driver staying on his tail
the last 15 miles. Can't say as I blame him......

To what point does one need to sweep the course? What if an exhausted rider
prefers to stop for 1-2 hours, take a good rest and continue? I think that
you need to have a policy that states that "this checkpoint is staffed from
2 to 5 p.m." (for example). For late riders, you should give them the choice
of either being swiped by the SAG or knowing they won't have any more
support if they wish to continue on their own.


This one's a tough question. The slow riders aren't the problem so
much as the ones who start as much as an hour after the official
starting time. Worse, those who are late, and slow to boot. We do
publish a time when all SAG support ends, but that, in itself, has
never been much of an issue. Usually by then we are down to just a
handful of riders who have cleared the last rest stop, so we keep a
driver out for them. The tricky one is the earlier sections and rest
stops. If the first rest stop is, say 15 miles out, even a 10-mph
rider should have reached that point an hour-and-half after the start.
But if you have a 10-mph rider starting 45 minutes late, and you've
got SAG and rest stop workers that are due to leap-frog to a later
section/stop . . . just how long do you wait? Or do you simply tell
people that check in after a certain time that you will not guarentee
support? An important question we are going to have to deal with.


Do you carry the bikes of people who abandon? If so, are you able to take
care of special needs: tandems, trailercycles, child trailers, etc.

We've never had to deal with anything more exotic than a soft-tail mt.
bike. We have several pickup trucks available, either being driven by
SAG people or owned by other workers. In a pinch, we could call for
one.

Regards,

Michel

Again, our drivers are expected to be able to lend assistance for
adjustments or flats. Anything more complex, and we transport. Some
may say a chain repair is 'minor', but I doubt most of our drivers
(myself included) know how.

Another issue is that if a driver is spending time in an involved repair, he
is not out on the route looking for other problems.

You have the right idea with transporting anything beyond a flat or simple
adjustment.


Chris Neary


"Science, freedom, beauty, adventu what more could
you ask of life? Bicycling combined all the elements I
loved" - Adapted from a quotation by Charles Lindbergh

What does SAG actually stand for?

"Ed Stevens" wrote in message
news
My club just completed their annual century (400+ registered riders!)
and my second stint as SAG captain. Before our next event (a metric
in the spring) I'd like to produce a "SAG Drivers Manual" Nothing too
elaborate (if it's not brief, it won't be read!) but more a checklist
of items to have on-board and some "do's and don'ts" for SAG drivers.

If you were putting together such a document, what would you put in
it?

In article , Warren May
wrote:

What does SAG actually stand for?


Support and Gear but you can just call us Saint and Gods.



The ride I do sag for every year is fundamentally a double century with
triple, quad and a tough almost a metric with lots of climbing
options.so most of the riders have enough experience to look after
themselves but always appreciate getting their tires up to full
pressure without using a lot of energy with their own pumps and getting
a refill of fresh cold water. I find that's 90 percent of the job. If
you know more and have more tools and know how great but with what I
mentioned above and a few extra tubes you can make most riders happy
most of the time.

In terms of sag driver behaviour one thing I haven't seen mentioned is
that when there isn't a parking lane, I try to park behind the rider so
that my truck and its hazard lights create a buffer between us and the
traffic. That is we work in the space out in front of the truck but
not so immediately in front that a rear hit would push the truck into
us.

Our club has pretty high ideals about sag and rest stops so even though
there's usually grumbling about late riders someone at least will sit
on a tailgate with a few essentials even if the supply truck has made
its pick-up. Later in the evening, (the ride is officially open till
4:00 a.m.) there's a core of about 3-4 driver for whom the ethic is
"if there's riders out on the course, I'll stay out until I know
they're safely in."

My favorite story about riders helping riders is when a fellow I was
bringing in from about 35 miles out on the double immdiately offered
his bike to a guy who had lost his derrailer in the dark with about 9
miles to go.

Kurt