Author: Meg T

DNR Ride | Aug 30 6:00PM

Squeezing in one more DNR ride before the evening-riding season ends. Special night, because it’s GCC’s oldest member’s birthday!!! All due respect please from those of you who have jut squeaked in to this elite group : ) .

Keeping the ride on the short side, and free of single track, so that we have plenty of time to socialize after. There is one wee stretch of gravel, but it’s hard-packed and lovely. Going to be a cool night, so bring some warm clothes for the patio after. If you’re riding to the start, come a bit early and throw your warm after-clothes into somebody’s car.

Special Note: We are starting (and ending) at Fixed Gear Brewing Canteen, how convenient!

These DNR rides are for those of us 60 and older. Route distances are selected to get us to the bar before our glaucoma starts to take affect. But bringing lights is always a good idea, just in case.

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

The Speed Groups on this ride are TBA based on the diversity of those who show up.

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: Fixed Gear Brewing Canteen 5 Edinburgh Rd S, Guelph, ON N1H 5N8

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

Route: All Speed Groups will follow this map:

Women Only Ride | Aug 23 6:00PM – CANCELLED

UPDATE: Sorry gals, I’m pulling the plug. The roads are wet, and the radar is showing some light rain moving back in. Combined with the temperature, it wouldn’t be a pleasant ride. I swear that the Weather God is a misogynist (and definitely not a Goddess). Email me at meg@guelphcyclingclub.ca if you want to go out for a drink instead!

Say it ain’t so! This is the final GCC Women’s Ride of the season. Hoping lots of you will show up for a nice straight-forward route. However, first check here to make sure it isn’t cancelled – we may get rained out (again : ( ). Cancellation, if needed, will be posted no later than 5 P.M.

Bringing lights is always a good idea.

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

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: Calvary Baptist Church, 454 Arkell Road

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

Route: The Women Only Route will follow this map:

Sunday Gravel Ride GUELPH| Aug 20th 8:00 AM

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For those of you who don’t have all day to ride hills, here’s a local route; you’ll just have to self-organize at the start.

Bring money for a coffee stop at the Bank Cafe in Fergus, and tail lights are a good idea.

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 Speed Groups on this ride are:

Advanced            G1        25-28   kph average

Intermediate     G2       23-25   kph average

Relaxed     G3       21-23   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 Youth Music Centre 75 Cardigan St

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

Route: All Speed Groups will follow this map:

Sunday Gravel Ride CREEMORE| Aug 20th 9:15 AM

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We are heading to Creemore for a good hilly ride! We went last year, wore ourselves out and had a blast! After the ride we’ll have a late light lunch in Creemore before we head back to Guelph. Here are the details…

Please sign up for the ride early – this will help immensely with logistics.

Please email meg@guelphcyclingclub.ca as soon as you can and let me know 1) If you can drive or need a lift, 2) how many people you can carry and 3) How many bikes you can carry.

Be sure to leave Guelph no later than 7:45 am to make the 9:15 am Pedal time in Creemore.

We will park / meet / start / finish at the Creemore Rec. Center 218 Collingwood St, Creemore, ON.

Bring your ride food and food for the trip up so we can get going early.

We’ll have a rest stop in Feversham which is at Kilometer 54.

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 Speed Groups on this ride are:

Advanced            G1        25-28   kph average

Intermediate     G2       23-25   kph average

Relaxed     G3       21-23   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 in Creemore at 9:15 AM

Start Location: Creemore Rec Centre 218 Collingwood St, Creemore, ON

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

Creemore Rec Centre – Click image for directions.

Route: All Speed Groups will follow this map:

Sunday Gravel Ride | July 9th 8:00AM

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We’re going to do the Laskonian route to Hillsburgh. It’s a nice mix of gravel road and rail trail, with a few heart-pumping hills to help prepare those of us doing the Reggie Ramble next week (what … taper?!)

We’ll stop at the Quick Pick convenience store in Hillsburgh for some yummy (OK .. tolerable) snacks.

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 Speed Groups on this ride are:

Advanced            G1        25-28   kph average

Intermediate     G2       23-25   kph average

Relaxed     G3       21-23   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 Youth Music Centre 75 Cardigan St

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

Route: All Speed Groups will follow this map:

Thursday Intermediate Road Ride | June 28th 6:30PM

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We’ll go wheeee all the way (up then) down Watson before heading west and hitting all the lovely new(ish) pavement on Conc Rd 7, Conc 2, Ellis Rd and Conc Rd 4. This is my atonement for the cobblestones I took us on last week!

Bringing lights is always a good idea.

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 Intermediate Speed Groups

Ride NameSpeed GroupAvg SpeedGroup Name
INT AR628-30Moderate
INT BR726-28Social
INT CR824-26Relaxed

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 Intermediate A & B Speed Groups (R6 & R7) will follow this map:

Route: The Intermediate C Speed Group (R8) will follow this map:

DNR Ride | May 31st 6:00PM

It’s looking like a great evening for a ride! We’re using last year’s route, with a slight modification to avoid the busy stretch of Downey Rd. This detour will involve a brief dismount and hike to get safely to Forestall Rd. Critical cross-training!!

These DNR rides are for those of us soon-to-be 60 and older. Route distances are selected to get us to the bar before our glaucoma starts to take affect. But bringing lights is always a good idea, just in case.

Special Note: We are starting (and ending) at Fixed Gear Brewing Canteen, how convenient! Some free beer and pizza for those who make it to the end!

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

The Speed Groups on this ride are TBD based on the diversity of those who show up.

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: Fixed Gear Brewing Canteen 5 Edinburgh Rd S, Guelph, ON N1H 5N8

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

Route: All Speed Groups will follow this map:

Thursday Intermediate Road Ride | April 13th 6:00PM

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Woohoo – the weather Gods are smiling on us! We’re keeping the routes short and simple for this first ride since the sun is still setting quite early. Note the new ride speed categories below; if you were R4 last year, you’re R6 this year (well …. provided you haven’t lost fitness over the winter like some of us), etc. Due to the setting sun, bringing lights is an especially good idea.

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 Intermediate Speed Groups on this ride are:

Intermediate 1          Moderate   R6       28-30 kph average

Intermediate 2          Social         R7       26-28 kph average

Intermediate 3          Relaxed      R8       24-26 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 R6 & R7 Speed Groups will follow this map:

Route: The R8 Speed Group will follow this map:

Ride Leaders Receive First Aid Training!

This past Sunday March 5th, 2023, thirteen Ride Leaders from the Guelph Cycling Club volunteered most of their day to receive training and certification in Emergency First Aid & CPR/AED level A (CSA Std. Z1210-17 – Basic). It was an informative and fun day together with old friends. There were riders from all disciplines and speed groups present. It is great to know that we have such committed individuals in GCC that want to keep our rides as safe as they are fun. We will offer this training again next year.

Mission, Vision, Values & Guiding Principles

Folks, we have just put the finishing touches on the Mission, Vision, Values & Guiding Principles for the GCC. We have been chipping away at this for at least a year. Below is the fruit of our labour. Please know that all this is living and breathing and can be altered – it’s not cast in stone. If you are a GCC member and think we have overlooked something that needs to be added, modified or updated, by all means, please reach out to a board member and let us know. This is your club and your input is valued.

MISSION – What We Do

Organize and promote safe, athletic cycling in the greater Guelph area.

VISION – Why We Do It

To foster, inspire and improve athletic cycling within the community.

VALUES – What’s Important To Us

  • Dignity and respect for all
  • High ethical standards
  • Social, financial and environmental responsibility
  • Openness and transparency
  • Excellence in all we do

GUIDING PRINCIPLES – How We Do It

  • Promote value for membership.
  • Create a safe, inclusive, high quality experience for members, equitably.
  • Nurture a positive presence in the community.
  • Support collaborative community leadership on and off the bicycle.
  • Provide opportunities for social interaction between members.
  • Encourage participation and GCC representation in competition.
  • Continually learn, improve and be ready to evolve. 
  • Embrace innovation and positive change.
  • Ensure organizational sustainability.
  • Regularly assess and adjust organizational practices.

As a registered non-profit organization, our first responsibility is to our membership, and these statements will help guide and measure our decisions in the operation of the club.

We hope to see you on your bike soon!

Sunday Gravel Ride | November 6th 10:00AM

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Note 10AM start due to the time change!

Not one of my more adventurous routes, but (1) we haven’t been over the 3rd line snowmobile bridge for awhile, and (2) I went to a fair amount of trouble earlier this summer to obtain permission for GCC riders to use the driveway just south of Elora that links to the Cottontail Trail and we haven’t used it yet! (Note that permission was happily granted by owners Doog and Nancy whilst attending WAY funner than expected Fork in the Road Music Festival, but that’s another story). We’ll do our usual coffee stop in Elora, so bring money for a coffee stop.

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 Speed Groups on this ride are:

Advanced            G1        24-26   kph average

Intermediate     G2       21-23   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 Youth Music Centre 75 Cardigan St

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

Route: Both the G1 & G2 Speed Groups will follow this map:

Sunday Gravel Ride | Oct 2nd, 11:00 AM

This is quite a Sunday for gravel riders – a lot of our regulars are at the Hardwood O-Cup CX race, the Bruce Gran Fondo, the Ganny Enduro … but for those of us staying local, it looks like a lovely, albeit cool, day and I look forward to sharing it with you! We’ll head up to Sandy Hills and Floradale, have some coffee in Elmira, and work our way home ending at Fixed Gear.

I haven’t checked out the route from the bottom end of Floradale to the KB trail, and am just trusting heat maps – my apologies if that bit doesn’t work out : )

G1 riders – you have no official ride leader, so make sure you 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 Speed Groups on this ride are:

Advanced            G1        24-26   kph average

Intermediate     G2       21-23   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 11:00 AM

Start Location: Guelph Youth Music Centre 75 Cardigan St

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

Route: Both the G1 & G2 Speed Groups will follow this map:

CANCELLED: Sunday Medium Moderate Road Ride | Sep 28th 9AM

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Unfortunately we have no ride leader for the M&M ride this week. Below is a shortcut version of the L&F route. Those who want to do this shorter ride can start with the L&F group, then follow the unofficial route below home. Be sure to load the route into your bike computer, here’s how.

Note this week’s start time is 9AM.

Go ahead and sign up if you want to do this – then you will know who else is coming! You can also use our new Discord app to communicate with each other.

Speed will be between 27-30 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 on the F&F posting no less than one hour before the ride begins

Route: The Medium Moderate Sunday Ride will be following the map below

The Last Thursday Intermediate Road Ride | Sept 8th 6:00 PM

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Ohhh … how can this be? The sun is setting so soon. Let’s show up in droves and rock these last official GCC weeknight rides!

But… there is still plenty of club riding. Sunday Road Rides will continue at least through October and Gravel Rides may go longer still. And don’t forget to sign up for our club’s last ‘BIG’ Event Ride of the year, the BIG100 Century Rides. Click and sign up here. And have we mentioned that #Cross is coming? More info on that coming soon.

And be sure to join the new GCC Discord ‘Server’, GCC’s new communications app for phone, web and desktop. With it you can organize, hear about and attend unofficial rides, access buy and sell, live chat during Zwift rides (when the weather takes us indoors), etc, etc, etc… Details on how to use it are in the club Newsletter you received on Tuesday Sept 6th.

Bringing lights is always a good idea.

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 Intermediate Speed Groups on this ride are:

Moderate   R4       28-30 kph average

Social          R5       26-28 kph average

Relaxed      R6       24-26 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 R4 & R5 Speed Groups will follow this map:

Route: The R6 Speed Group will follow this map:

No Sunday Aug 28 Road Rides

All of our GCC Sunday road ride leaders are off doing other things – how dare they put themselves first! : )

Anyway, we apologize, but there will not be any GCC road rides this Sunday, Aug 28th. If you’ve got one, grab your MTB and join the Big MTB Ride or your gravel bike and join the weekly Sunday gravel ride.

Final 2022 Women Only Ride & Social | Aug 24th 6:00PM

What happened?? This is our last GCC Women’s Ride for 2022, and we will mourn the occasion by finishing (and starting) at the Fixed Gear Canteen, where, thanks to the OCA and ON Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture, we will enjoy some post-ride pizza and refreshments. We have the most female GCC members in the history of the club, a great cause for celebration!

The Canteen is located at 5 Edinburgh Rd S. Bring some post-ride clothes if you wish, and we will lock them in somebody’s car. The route is fairly short so that we get back to the Canteen in good time. There is some gravel, but it’s nicely hard-packed. The main group will ride at an R5-ish pace; if you want to ride faster, be sure to load the route on your device, here’s how!

Bringing lights is always a good idea.

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: Fixed Gear Canteen, 5 Edinburgh Rd S

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

Route: The Women Only Route will follow this map: