Author: John Lyall

Sunday Road Tours | September 15 @ 8:00am

Weather looks great for the plans this Sunday. The Tour and GT will start together from the Y on Downey but we will split at the bottom of Townline at Avenue Road. The Tour will noodle through Cambridge over to Elgin, then head south, through the little train underpass and eventually hit Cheese Factory Rd (beauty). They’ll head across to Ayr for a stop at Tim’s.
At the Tour/GT split, the GT will head down to Sheffield and make their way down to Paris for coffee at Wincey Mill. The GT will then make its way up to Ayr where both groups routes will re-connect for the return passed the old Pioneer Tower. Bring money for a coffee stop and tail lights are a good idea.

Load the route on your bike computer if you have one, here’s how. Be sure to pay close attention to the route through Doon Valley Golf/Walter Bean Trail and over to the right turn onto the foot path from Deer Ridge to connect to Pioneer Tower Rd and Maplegrove Rd.

All rides need a minimum of 3 members signed up in order to officially run. If a ride has the required number of riders, but no Group Captain riding with them, that group ride will be considered cancelled. The group can decide among themselves to hold an ‘unofficial’ ride and follow the route. All group riders take it upon themselves to know the route and are responsible for their own safety.

Ride groups will be:

NameDistanceAverage Speed
Grand TourLonger Ride29-31 kph
Tour AMedium Length Ride29-31 kph
Tour BMedium Length Ride27-29 kph

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 8:00 AM

Start Location: ***YMCA lot on Downey Rd***

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: The Tour Medium Distance Ride will be following the map below

Route: The Grand Tour Longer Distance Ride will be following the map below

Sunday Road Tours | August 18th at 8am

WELL: Looks like at least the Tour is a go for today. Rain appears to be holding off.
Start location is the Hasty Market on Victoria Rd at Arkell Rd
I’m excited about this route, but not the forecast at the time of posting. Be sure to check in an hour before the start for any go/no-go updates. The plan is for both tours to head down to Waterdown. The Tour can make a rest stop at the Copper Kettle before making their way back to Guelph. The Grand Tour will continue down Snake Rd to North Shore along the Hamilton Harbour Bay before starting some of the return climbs. First up is King Rd back to Waterdown, then 14th up the escarpment in Milton. Should be a beauty as long as the weather cooperates. The GT is a shade on the long side for a Sunday, so officially, it starts from the Hasty Market at Victoria Rd and Arkell Rd and ends in Arkell. Bring money for Fritters at our coffee stop and tail lights are a good idea.

Load the route on your bike computer if you have one, here’s how.

All rides need a minimum of 3 members signed up in order to officially run. If a ride has the required number of riders, but no Group Captain riding with them, that group ride will be considered cancelled. The group can decide among themselves to hold an ‘unofficial’ ride and follow the route. All group riders take it upon themselves to know the route and are responsible for their own safety.

Ride groups will be:

NameDistanceAverage Speed
Grand TourLonger Ride29-31 kph
Tour AMedium Length Ride29-31 kph
Tour BMedium Length Ride27-29 kph

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 8:00 AM

Start Location: Hasty Market plaza on Victoria Rd at Arkell Rd

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: The Tour Medium Distance Ride will be following the map below

Route: The Grand Tour Longer Distance Ride will be following the map below

Sunday Road Tours | July 28 @ 8am

Weather was looking good at the time of this posting. The plan for the Sunday Tours this weekend will be to head S/W to some lesser travelled but very nice roads past the Pioneer Memorial Tower and a Grand River crossing. The groups will split just after Doon Valley Golf Course and the Tour will end up noodling back to Guelph for an 82k ride (rest stop in Hespeller at The Bishop’s Brew Cafe), while the Grand Tour will carry on to Ayr (rest stop). Once past Ayr, there will be some looping around the Glen Morris area to hit some great roads down there. Both groups officially end at FGB on Alma, but folks are welcome to split off as we get back into Guelph. Special attention to the start location this weekend for all the east enders!! We are rolling from the west end Zehrs on Paisley at 8am.
As usual, bring money for a coffee stop and tail lights are a good idea.

Load the route on your bike computer if you have one, here’s how.

All rides need a minimum of 3 members signed up in order to officially run. If a ride has the required number of riders, but no Group Captain riding with them, that group ride will be considered cancelled. The group can decide among themselves to hold an ‘unofficial’ ride and follow the route. All group riders take it upon themselves to know the route and are responsible for their own safety.

Ride groups will be:

NameDistanceAverage Speed
Grand TourLonger Ride29-31 kph
Tour AMedium Length Ride29-31 kph
Tour BMedium Length Ride27-29 kph

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 8:00 AM

Start Location: West End ZEHRS on Paisley at Elmira

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: The Tour Medium Distance Ride will be following the map below

Route: The Grand Tour Longer Distance Ride will be following the map below

Sunday Road Tours | July 7 at 8AM

Hopefully the weather holds for this weekend. For anyone sad about the cancelled Belfountain area ride last weekend, you’re in luck. This is a slightly modified option for that area. All groups will start from Flow State at 8am and follow the same route towards Glen Williams. You will absolutely need to download the route as it meanders through a bit of pedestrian path/park area once you enter G-Town. The Tours can make a re-fuel stop there (Kit’s or Main Street Market – both nice but the Market could be quicker to get in and out and also has great outdoor space). The Grand Tour won’t stop in G-Williams as we will continue on for a stop in Belfountain at the spruced up General Store. NOTE: Starting from Arkell at Flow State. Bring money for a coffee stop and tail lights are a good idea.
The Tours are 88k from Arkell to Arkell
The Grand Tour is 120k from Arkell and ending in downtown Guelph area.

Load the route on your bike computer if you have one, here’s how.

All rides need a minimum of 3 members signed up in order to officially run. If a ride has the required number of riders, but no Group Captain riding with them, that group ride will be considered cancelled. The group can decide among themselves to hold an ‘unofficial’ ride and follow the route. All group riders take it upon themselves to know the route and are responsible for their own safety.

Ride groups will be:

NameDistanceAverage Speed
Grand TourLonger Ride29-31 kph
Tour AMedium Length Ride29-31 kph
Tour BMedium Length Ride27-29 kph

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 8:00 AM

Start Location: FLOW STATE at the corner in Arkell

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: The Tour Medium Distance Ride will be following the map below

Route: The Grand Tour Longer Distance Ride will be following the map below

Sunday Road Tours | May 5, 2024 at CANCELLED

***UPDATE*** – Apologies for late notice. Not enough riders signed up for this one and it’s not looking like the greatest weather for a long one. This ride is officially CANCELLED, but for those who remain signed up, feel free to head out on your own for an unofficial road ride.
This Sunday the Grand Tour and medium option will start from the Guelph YMCA.
We’ll plan to head SW to Seaton Road. The Grand Tour will continue toward Glen Morris with a little new road to explore (well … new to me). Both routes will head back home up Foreman and offer a refuel stop at the 97 Station (tarts are great, but hope you’re not craving a Cuppa Joe – may wanna go for a cold fill here lol). The route continues toward home via Gore Rd and the Berg. We’ll officially end the ride in Arkell, but the route length includes heading back into Guelph to The Boathouse. Bring money for a coffee stop and tail lights are a good idea.

PS .. the sign-up link defaults to the Library, but we are meeting/starting from the Guelph Y.

Load the route on your bike computer if you have one, here’s how.

All rides need a minimum of 3 members signed up in order to officially run. If a ride has the required number of riders, but no Group Captain riding with them, that group ride will be considered cancelled. The group can decide among themselves to hold an ‘unofficial’ ride and follow the route. All group riders take it upon themselves to know the route and are responsible for their own safety.

Ride groups will be:

NameDistanceAverage Speed
Grand TourLonger Ride29-31 kph
Tour AMedium Length Ride29-31 kph
Tour BMedium Length Ride27-29 kph

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 11:00 AM

Start Location: Note that we will be starting from the Guelph YMCA – Hanlan and Downey

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: The Tour Medium Distance Ride will be following the map below

Route: The Grand Tour Longer Distance Ride will be following the map below

Sunday Longer Faster Road Ride | October 23rd – Starting at 9am on York Road

This Sunday promises to be a beauty and nice enough to have a reasonably early start. We’ll start at 9am from the Lost Aviator on York Road. The route is about 120km and heads S/E for a quick Espresso stop on Tremaine in Milton, then up and down the escarpment before heading towards Nemo and Cedar Spring. We’ll come north through Kilbride and Moffatt, then have a go up the Watsonberg, and hopefully end the ride (and almost the season) by raising a glass at Fixed Gear Brewing on Alma. Bring money for a coffee stop and for a pint at the end!!

Load the route on your bike computer if you have one, here’s how.

Speed will be between 29-31 kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 9:00 AM from Lost Aviator Coffee on York Rd at Hayes Ave

Start Location: Lost Aviator Coffee Company on York Rd at Hayes Ave

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: The Longer Faster Sunday Ride will be following the map below

Sunday Longer Faster Road Ride | October 2nd @ **9:00am**

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Fingers crossed for better weather this weekend. Lets get in at least one more nice long ride as this GCC season gets closer to an end. Apologies in advance, but I can’t start this ride any later than 9am so dress wisely …. it’ll warm up nicely. We’re meeting at Lost Aviator Coffee to start and then heading out toward some much less familiar roads through Reidsville and Ayr. Explored this route last weekend and loved it. Bring money for a refuel/coffee stop in Ayr. We’ll make our way back through Glen Morris; Scenic Drive and Sheffield. See you Sunday!!

Load the route on your bike computer if you have one, here’s how.

Speed will be between 29-31 kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 9:00 AM

Start Location: Lost Aviator Coffee on York Rd at Hayes Ave

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: The Longer Faster Sunday Ride will be following the map below

Thursday Advanced Road Ride | July 21st @ 6:30pm

Tonight’s Advanced ride should play into the breezier forecast at the start as we head up toward Oustic and down through Everton before returning to Arkell once the winds have died a little?? We’re also a month past the longest day of the summer, so it’s getting harder to push the distances and still make it home post-ride before it starts getting darker, so keeping this one on the shorter side tonight. R1; 2 & 3 will follow the same route to start, and then R1 will have a little extra around the Eden Mills area at the tail end of the ride.

Don’t forget lights especially for the end.

Load the route on your bike computer if you have one, here’s how.

Disclaimer: Depending on rider turn out, some Speed Groups may have to be combined.

The three Advanced Speed Groups on this ride are:

Hammerfest   R1       35-40 kph average plus some surges

Very Fast         R2       32-35 kph average

Fast                 R3       30-32 kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 6:30 PM

Start Location: East End Library at Starwood and Watson

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: The R1 Speed Group will follow this map:

Route: The R2 & R3 Speed Groups will follow this map:

Sunday Longer Faster Road Ride | July 10th at 8AM ***Starting from the Guelph YMCA

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Dundas Valley/Mineral Springs/Sulphur Springs/Ancaster/Waterdown – We haven’t made it all the way down there yet this year for one reason or another. This Sunday looks like the day to do it. The plan will be to leave from the Guelph Y – rolling at 8am for a 123km loop down into the winding/rolling roads of Dundas Valley. We’ll have a rest stop once we’ve made it through the toughest climbing and reach Waterdown. It’ll be a bit of a long ride so we’ll keep the break short so as not to burn up the whole day. Bring money for the coffee stop. Bringing lights is always a good idea.

Load the route on your bike computer if you have one, here’s how.

And the Club Kit is on sale again only until Wednesday. Click here for great GCC riding apparel!

Speed will be between 29-31 kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 8:00 AM

Start Location: Guelph YMCA on Downey Rd

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: The Longer Faster Sunday Ride will be following the map below

CANCELLED – Sunday Longer Faster Road Ride | June 12th @ 9am

Sunday Ride is cancelled. Weather is looking like it might improve for a different window, but isn’t looking good for a longer ride today.

Speed will be between 29-31 kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 9:00 AM

Start Location: The YMCA parking lot (Hanlon at Downey)

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

The YMCA parking lot (Hanlon at Downey)

Route: The Longer Faster Sunday Ride will be following the map below

Sunday Longer Faster Road Ride | June 5th @ 8am ***Starting from the Guelph Y

Last minute Sunday Road Ride option added. With the planned BGR, we weren’t going to host a road ride, but if anyone is still interested, I am posting a repeat of the road ride from several weeks ago down through Crooks Hollow in the Dundas area. Note the change in start location though. ***Starting from the Guelph Y and heading south around Valens and down through Crooks and up Snake Road into Waterdown before starting the trek back up to our official finish at City Hall. Bring money for a coffee stop as we will have that option at the Copper Kettle but it won’t be a long stop.
Please be sure to sign-up so I have a count of who to expect.

Speed will be between 29-31 kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 8:00 AM

Start Location: Guelph YMCA parking lot at Hanlon and Downey

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: The Longer Faster Sunday Ride will be following the map below

Sunday Longer Faster Road Ride | May 15 @ 8am (Note: starting from the Y)

Ok, 40% chance of showers or T-storms for the first couple of hours. That means 60% chance of fantastic weather, and only getting better through the day. This 110k ride will start at 8am from The Y parking lot off Downey Rd and we’ll head south to Crooks Hollow but won’t drop down into Dundas. We’ll head home through Waterdown with a chance for a rest stop at the Brown Dog (let’s compromise for those who don’t like stops and do a 15 minute in/out stop).

Don’t forget to check back here Sunday morning for any cancellation updates. Bring money for a coffee stop.

Speed will be between 29-31 kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 8:00 AM

Start Location: The Y parking lot (Hanlon at Downey)

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: The Longer Faster Sunday Ride will be following the map below

Thursday Advanced Road Ride | May 5th at 6pm

Weather looks good for this ride. We’ll head out toward Limehouse and the Acton Quarry. After the warm-up, lets work on short pulls to keep this ride within the advertised pace groups. Bringing lights is always a good idea especially for the tail end of the ride once we head home from Arkell. Disclaimer: Depending on rider turn out, some Speed Groups may have to be combined.

The three Advanced Speed Groups on this ride are:

Hammerfest   R1       35-40 kph average plus some surges

Very Fast         R2       32-35 kph average

Fast                 R3       30-32 kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 6:00 PM

Start Location: East End Library at Starwood and Watson

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: The R1 Speed Group will follow this map:

Route: The R2 & R3 Speed Groups will follow this map:

Thursday Advanced Road Ride | May 5th at 6pm

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Let’s take a rip out around the Acton Quarry this week. Hammerfest is pushing to 64k for distance, and the rest of us just shy of 60k, so after the warm-up, lets work on short turns on the front and work together the stay in the advertised pace for each group. Winter hasn’t been kind on the roads this year, so lets be clear calling out the hazards for everyone to hear. Bringing lights is always a good idea especially with weeknight rides getting us home after 8pm. Disclaimer: Depending on rider turn out, some Speed Groups may have to be combined.

The three Advanced Speed Groups on this ride are:

Hammerfest   R1       35-40 kph average plus some surges

Very Fast         R2       32-35 kph average

Fast                 R3       30-32 kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 6:00 PM

Start Location: East End Library at Starwood and Watson

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: The R1 Speed Group will follow this map:

Route: The R2 & R3 Speed Groups will follow this map:

Thursday Advanced Road Ride | May 5th @ 6pm

Weather looks great for this ride. Let’s work together in our groups to keep each ride in it’s posted pace. After the warm-up, we’ll work on taking short pulls in the paceline and also be sure to call out the hazards clearly ….. winter hasn’t been kind to a lot of the roads this year 🙁
We’re gonna head out toward Limehouse and the Acton Quarry area. Bringing lights is always a good idea especially for that final section to get home after the ride. Disclaimer: Depending on rider turn out, some Speed Groups may have to be combined.

The three Advanced Speed Groups on this ride are:

Hammerfest   R1       35-40 kph average plus some surges

Very Fast         R2       32-35 kph average

Fast                 R3       30-32 kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 6:00 PM

Start Location: East End Library at Starwood and Watson

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: The R1 Speed Group will follow this map:

Route: The R2 & R3 Speed Groups will follow this map:

Sunday Longer Faster Road Ride | April 24th at 9am

***NOTE CHANGE TO START TIME*** With the great forecast for Sunday, we are going to start this one closer to the late Spring start times.
Welcome back to Sunday Club Rides. Since this is the first Sunday ride, we’ll keep this one close to 100k. We’re gonna head out to Georgetown and Glen Williams. Bring money for a coffee stop in case we have any interest in that. I’m always up for a stop, but we’ll make this a quicker one. At this point the weather is looking perfect for this ride.

Speed will be between 29-31 kph average

GCC members only. To become a member join HERE

Advance sign-up required. Reserve your spot by clicking HERE

Start Time: please be ready to pedal at 9:00 AM

Start Location: East End Library at Starwood and Watson

Check here for weather cancellation posted no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: The Longer Faster Sunday Ride will be following the map below