Category: Uncategorized

The club executive would like to update
members on a few items (we meet every month, seriously.)

1. The format of Thursday rides will be
modified to accommodate a broader range of riders; this is based on
member feedback we've received, and was most welcome. The club has
grown substantially in recent years, and growing pains dictate that
we need to adapt to larger numbers. We'd like to start rides in two
waves: faster riders will leave first, followed by riders not willing
to participate in the driving speed that some have experienced in the
past weeks. The ride leader will remain with the second group, and
will pick up riders dropped from the first group; the second group
will stay together. Riders are free to choose which group they start
in, but are encouraged to ride within their limits. 

2. We will be
offering a brief, pre-ride skills session on group riding on
Wednesday rides for the next several weeks starting at 6 p.m., then join
in the 6:30 p.m. ride.

3. A friendly reminder that sprints and
KOM points of yesteryear and done and dusted. Please refrain from
blue sign sprints on any club ride.

4. Please treat the meeting place of
Planet Bean with respect. It is a local business who is willing to
allow us to meet in front of their building four times a week, and we
should not abuse that. Do not block vehicle or foot traffic in and
out of the building, and be courteous to staff and patrons. Get there
early and buy a coffee!

5. We will have our first
end-of-the-month club social, at the end of the Sunday ride of May
26th, stay tuned for details.

6. Last but not least, the club has
made a donation for George Vettor in your name, a great cycling
figure in Guelph, and Canada, who passed away last week doing what he
loved.

If you have any comments or feedback,
please leave feedback in the comments, or feel free to contact the
club exec as well.

Thanks for a great season so far!

– the SRCC executive

As designed by ride leader James S., an interesting route that should take us to new roads we've not explored.

We'll swing by Borealis at the end of the ride for the first month-end club social event, hopefully around 1:30pm.  Bring some cash for a brew and some/lots of carbs, hopefully it will get warm enough to sit on the patio.

REVISION NOTE AS OF 7PM Saturday, one section changed due to gravel.

Every so often, I’ll ride a recreational group ride. I love the comraderie of cyclists, the talk, the last minute pumps of air, the clicking in, and the easy drifting out as a peloton. “I miss riding in a group,” I’ll think to myself.

The magic ends by mile 10. The group will surge, gap, and separate, only to regroup at every stop sign. I’ll hear fifteen repeated screams of “HOLE!” for every minor road imperfection. And then no mention of the actual hole. Some guy in front will set a PR for his 30 second pull. Wheels overlap, brakes are tapped, and some guy in the back will go across the yellow line and speed past the peloton for no apparent reason. A breakaway?!

I curse under my breath, remembering why I always ride with only a few friends. Doesn’t anyone else realize how dangerous this ride is? How bad it is for our reputation on the road? There are clear rules of ride etiquette, safety, and common sense. Does anyone here know the rules? Who is in charge?

Worth a read.

4:08pm Edit: Rain very probable tonight, will have to cancel ride – but looks like there will be a dry window a bit earlier to get out, fyi.

Tentative with the weather, will make a call by 4:30pm. Oustic route:

UPDATE AT 6 PM: Weather had cleared, forecast looks good, RIDE IS ON.

UPDATE at 5 PM: Despite the current nasty weather, the satelite radar looks OK for 6:30 p.m. I will post another update at 6 PM with the final call.

First, a reminder of the new road cycling skills safety course
which is highly recommended for all riders participating in club
rides. The objective is to improve safety, enjoyment, and cycling
skills in group riding.

Offered every Wednesday until June 9, it leaves from
Planet Bean on Grange Road at 6 p.m. sharp and rides along
the same route as the Wednesday ride. A ride instructor will
cover the key points of group cycling and there will be frequent stops, a slow pace,
instruction and tips for efficient, safe and enjoyable group riding.

The group will be caught by the
Wednesday Night Ride about 6:45 and join in.

Content:

• Checking bike mechanical issues
(mechanical safety)
• Why a paceline? (effort, efficiency,
road safety, fellowship)
• How to ride in a group (spacing,
drafting, safe braking, rules of the road in groups, trust)
• Etiquette (looking after each other,
road hazards, communication, cars)
• Tips (gearing, cadence, eating and
drinking, efficiency)

For a full description of the topics covered in the skills course, please see our Group Ride Information page.

No need to sign up, just show up and for more information, contact
jim@guelphcyclingclub.ca.

Now, about the ride…

With Watson Road into Arkell under construction, I thought we'd try something a little different than the usual southern Wednesday loop.

70% pop/thunderstorms, so will have to cancel the ride for tonight.

This is a longish ride for the long weekend.  We will head out towards the Forks of the Credit.  Stopping for a mid ride snack near Belfountain.  We will try to ride as a group however there are several places to cut the ride short if necessary.

Going to head north now that the weather is warmer and with a strong northwest wind this route is going to be fast coming home.

Be advised we will be leaving in two groups, first group will be pushing the pace, second group will also get a great workout but will not be surging, maintaining the group atmosphere.
Cory

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for ALL RIDERS participating in club rides.

The objective is to improve safety, enjoyment, and cycling skills in group riding.

• Offered every WEDNESDAY. Leaves from Planet Bean on Grange Street.
• Assembles at 6PM sharp and rides along the same route as the Wednesday ride.
• A ride instructor and assistant will cover the key points of group cycling.
• Frequent stops, a slow pace, instruction and tips for efficient, safe and enjoyable group riding.
• The group will be caught by the Wednesday Night Ride about 6:45 and join in.

CONTENT:

• Checking bike mechanical issues (mechanical safety)
• Why a paceline? (effort, efficiency, road safety, fellowship)
• How to ride in a group (spacing, drafting, safe braking, rules of the road in groups, trust)
• Etiquette (looking after each other, road hazards, communication, cars)
• Tips (gearing, cadence, eating and drinking, efficiency)

No need to Sign Up, just Show Up

Questions? Contact jim@guelphcyclingclub.ca

Rain has cleared up and it looks like we’re in for a nice evening!

Based on member feedback and discussion among the club executive, there are a few reminders and updates on the Wednesday ride format:

• When reasonable, try to maintain the advertised avg. speed of 28km/h (on roughly flat sections). The ride leader will maintain this pace at the front of the group for the entire ride. If you find yourself alone, ahead of the pack then slow down 😉
• For the climb on Watson road between Stone Rd and Arkell, the pack should change from 2 column to single file. This is a good will gesture to the drivers that get stuck behind our group.
• On nights where 15 or more members attend, the ride leader will split the ride into two groups of roughly even size
• On Wednesday May 15, 22, 29 and June 7, 12 we will be running a skills and safety course, for details see: http://03c25d2.netsolhost.com/wp15/2013/05/new-road-cycling-skills-and-safety-course-wednesdays-may-15-22-29-june-7-12.html
• Please do review the latest club news posting: http://03c25d2.netsolhost.com/wp15/2013/05/14/latest-club-news/

Same route as last week, but in reverse (from Arkell):

The first of our 4 event time trial series!

Time trials are a great way to test your fitness.  It is a race against yourself and the clock. Riders start at 1 minute intervals and the challenge is to try to catch the rider ahead of you and not to be caught by the rider behind you!  No drafting is allowed. 

We use the same course for each of the 4 TT events allowing you to measure your training progression throughout the season.

The course is a 17km long out-and-back route on the rolling hills of Fourth Line East just north of County Road 51 (road to Ariss)

TIPS 

• maintain a steady power output and heart rate throughout the event
• have a smooth, regular pedalling technique
• position yourself to be extremely aerodynamic
• discipline yourself to operate just below your anaerobic threshold until near the end of the course.

REMINDER 

• please exercise caution during the TT, especially at the turn around, as the roads are open and vehicles can be expected
• please remember that while waiting for your start to not obstruct traffic
• please remember to bring your club membership card. 

Course Record:  Ryan Roth 22:08.49 – 46.07 km/hr  - July 18/12

Meeting Location:  Start Line – 4th Line East, just north of County Road 51 (road to Ariss)

Meeting Time:  Sign-in: 6:45pm, First rider start: 7:00pm

Check the posts below for all the latest club news and status updates on our weekly rides and please feel free to use the comments section. For questions or to have something added to the site, please email drew@guelphcyclingclub.ca.

Interval loop #2. We’ll aim for around 4 laps, see how people feel. Mix up of groups per lap, regrouping each time. 
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RIDE IS A GO. Although with probable rain in a few hours, we will change the route to this, keeping it shorter, and starting into the wind as opposed to coming back in it:

There is a small section of gravel on Maltby near Victoria. Also, we can bail out on Downey Rd if rain hits.

Familiar route, but BACKWARDS!  whoa!  Will go single file into Rockwood, but should otherwise be alright.

Please bring membership cards. Riders will regroup at stop signs. 58kms.

Just a reminder, there are NO sign sprints and NO KOMs

The days are getting longer, so the loop is up to 40kms this week. As with last week’s ride, we may split the group if more than 20 riders attend.

Please remember to bring your club card.