How to start a cycling club?
 

When the local (very large) bike club decided not to launch last year amid the COVID pandemic, several of us started a WhatsApp group for coordinating rides in a nearby area. Since that time, the group has grown to 50+ people and we have started referring to ourselves as the [Area] Cycling Club. No dues, no formal structure, but we have been posting rides with routes on a regular basis with 20+ folks showing up at times for a given ride. Fast forward to this year and the local bike club still shows no signs of launching, so we are considering becoming an actual club. But with that comes a whole lot of questions.

Do we need to be a 501(c)(3)? If not, do we still need bylaws, officers and club insurance? What risks are involved if we do one or two of those things but not all? Basically, we're interested in knowing what our options are, and to understand the pros and cons of each as best we can. Unfortunately, my internet searches have been coming up frustratingly dry. Most articles I've found have been pretty vague and not all that helpful, and we haven't really found message board questions (like this one!) with responses to provide guidance.

So if any of you fine folks have started clubs before and have any insights or tips/tricks to offer, I would be extremely grateful. Any articles (preferably cycling-related) that get into some of the nitty gritty details would be awesome as well. Thanks so much!

I would start with some bread but make it something healthy like the Ezekiel bread (since it is for cyclists), maybe toast it and I would of course you Veganaise as it tastes quite delicious and then build as needed. Don't forget the frilly toothpicks ; )

Sorry I don't know anything about starting cycling clubs I just wanted to make a terrible joke but I do know one of the local people started a meetup group and has just run it through there. I think he has some people helping him at the this point and I am sure they chat with some regularity but no express formal structure.

A friend and I started a classic car club in the early 90’s. The issue with it becoming a formal club is liability. I can’t speak for bike clubs, but to protect us, we had to have club liability insurance. The more formal you become the more you need to protect yourself.

Running a club can be fun and a lot of work. Club events, club shirts (jerseys), a newsletter. Club dues and accounting. We piggybacked on a larger association. We never had to file anything with the IRS, but we ran Peachtree and provided reports to the members

This may be more involved than a bike club, but once you charge dues, you have to show where the money went.

John

You need a logo and jersey.

Our club of 3.
https://www.glenn-ring.com/emonda/bigrings.jpg

I would contact the current club. I have been running a club since the 1980’s. An to do it right requires a lot of people doing different jobs.
it’s a ton of work and just doing the easy bit. In this case saying we are having a ride of some many miles started at a certain time is the easy part. My local club has 5 rides a day. Has a ride with gps account for club members. So the riders can access the 300 different rides that we ride. There different groups in the club based on what various riders enjoy doing. Century club , speed club, MTB gravel.
work with the local government on cycling issues. We developed a 60 mile loop around the county that is car free for people to ride.
so much to do.

This thread could become useful information should a lot more knowledgeable folks chime in with there experiences.

I would think that a "club" that is not for profit, has minimal expectations of it's members, & has a stout waiver in place; would be low maintenance.

To add to the OP questions- How is an official club name achieved? Is it vetted in the city/town that it resides in? Is it like obtaining a website domain name (pay a fee, rubber stamped, done) ? Can that name only then be used in that area, or can the club attend or hold events in other States without reregistering there club name again? Does a club require a certain [minimum] amount of people?

You need beer.

There are a lot of things to consider, and some of these items have been touched on already.

As mentioned, liability is a big concern. If you are organizing rides, you can be held personally liable if someone is injured on the ride. There are a bunch of scenarios in which a lawyer could file a suit against you as the ride organizer, and while you may ultimately not be found liable by a court, the legal fees alone can be quite expensive. And yes, it has happened that people have sued others on group rides and charity rides.

For that reason, it can be worthwhile to incorporate as a club to put any liability on the club, and not you as an individual. To do this, you likely need to file incorporation papers with your state creating the club and laying out all your corporation's governance - board members, meeting requirements....

Once you are incorporated, you can then consider becoming a 501(c)3. You will need to work with the IRS to justify the nonprofit status. The application itself isn't difficult, but the follow up questionnaire's can be a bit nerve rattling. If your organization's annual revenue is less than $25k, you only need to file a postcard return each year attesting to your revenue. If it is more than $25k, I believe you have to file a full 990, which can be complicated and may necessitate and attorney.

After the club is official, the next consideration is if you want to be USAC sanctioned. It's not terribly expensive, and it does give you some benefits.

The first is the opportunity to purchase liability insurance. We found that the general liability policies through USAC were much cheaper than others. I believe we also get our officers and directors insurance through it as well. Both policies are good to have in place, and they will help defer legal costs should the organization be sued for any reason.

The second is that should you opt to hold an official event, such as a charity ride or race, you can have it sanctioned through USAC, which also gives you access to event insurance. Any time I have spoken with a property owner about hosting a cycling event at their property, they have asked about insurance. The USAC event insurance is pretty standard and solid.

You also have the option of charging dues. Depending on the size of your club, dues can be as little as $25-$35 a year. For our club, that generates enough revenue to cover the annual USAC fee and general liability and officers and directors insurance policies.

That's the quick summary of the process. I am pretty sure USAC has information on its site for how to go about forming a club.

One would think so, but I have not found that to be the case.

Just coordinating a kit order can be a real PITA.

First you have to check with the dominant club in the area. Make it clear with them whether you are starting a Cycling Club or a Riding Club. Are you going to fly a three piece patch or a one piece? Are your colors already being used by another Club? Are you going to claim territory? It's alot to think about.

Is it required to have a kit? If it is not required, it might be possible to send the club's logo the supplier & have the member's order them on their own. The cost might be slightly higher, but it might save on the royal heinie.

As one whose other half is alawyer that specializes in personal injury cases some of this is not true...

The act of joining people in a group to ride together as a sporting activity means that all participants have made an implied assumption of risk. They cannot be held liable to each other for ordinary negligence involving the inherent risks of cycling. Saying “Let’s ride on Saturday at 9 a.m. from Walmart parking lot” comes with no risk of liability. This holds true for both formal and informal rides.

We joined a "cycling club" last year. The head of the club had us sign and date a liability waiver. She turned the form into the guy that was the head of the club and told him..."You do know that this waiver means nothing in a court of law?"

Yeah, you're right, but just because it may come with no real risk of liability does not mean someone will not still try to file a suit against, which can cost you thousands of dollars in attorney fees to defend. And I probably should have phrased my original statement as such. The concern is not so much being held liable but the cost of having to defend yourself in court.

One thing I have learned from diving clubs is don't assume any role for participants safety. No "bike" safety checks or rules about helmets etc...

Once you assume a role for safety you assume the risk. If you want to keep it simple just make it a social club with no other role than to link individual riders with others. Each rider maintains their own responsibility for safety and risk.

Biker's are very territorial when it comes to colors and bottom rockers.

Also don't wear a 1% patch unless you're ready to prove it.

Thanks for all the info, folks. We are planning to meet with one of the local club's officers shortly.