Great turnout to the rides this week ladies – even with the threat of bad weather! There were 14 women out to the ride on Saturday...the weather folks called for thunderstorms Saturday but the weather turned out to be great and we all got to eat a buttertart (or two). For those interested, I'll post the route map to Moffat either tonight or tomorrow on the blog.
Read on for updates about the upcoming week and other important Gears Girls news:
GENERAL INFORMATION:
2010 Membership Update:
Due to the overwhelming popularity of Gears Girls, we're no longer able to guarantee membership for the 2010 season. If you have friends hoping to join Gears Girls who are advanced/experienced cyclists interested in assisting on club rides on a regular basis, please ask them to drop me a line at gearsgirls@hotmail.com.
Weather Updates:
In case of bad weather, and if you're unsure whether the ride will go out as planned, please check the Gears Girls blog at http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com/. While I do always try to send an email advising re inclement weather and ride cancellations, it's not always possible; so please be sure to check the blog regularly!
Group Ride Basics:
For the most part, our rides have been great. But there are still things we need to work on as a group in order to ensure that our rides are safe, efficient and fun.
All Gears Girls rides will stress group riding skills and the necessity of working together as a team; important aspects of any good group ride. I've attached a great article written by Tom Kellogg. The article is a bit lengthy but pretty much outlines the elements involved in a perfect group ride! Please take the time to read the attached article before your next Gears Girls ride.
Here are a few basic things to keep in mind on each Gears Girls ride:
Pace - Pace will be determined early on in the ride and will be adjusted as the ride progresses. Members are asked to respect the pace set by the ride leaders. Gears Girls rides are NOT training rides and pace should therefore not be dictated by one or two overzealous riders. Please do not pass the lead rider at any time unless you've been asked to take a turn at the front! It's the lead rider(s)' responsibility to establish a comfortable, smooth pace for the entire group – if you find yourself at the front of the line please maintain a consistent pace, consistent cadence and smooth, predictable riding patterns.
Communication - Communication is key! We'll cover important communication aspects over the next couple of rides, but suffice it to say that a good group ride isn't any good if no one is communicating!
Drafting – Riding in a group is all about efficiency and safety; but only if you stay together as a group! Depending on location, we'll either ride in a single or double paceline. Please ride within one bike length of the rider in front of you (closer is preferable in order to take advantage of the drafting effect). Everyone did an awesome job on the Saturday ride – we even managed to stay together on all the hills…both on the ascent and the descent. The group communicated well, didn't pass other riders on the hills (up or down) and adjusted accordingly for terrain. Well done everyone!
Braking – One of the key mistakes people make in a group ride setting is to go too heavy on the brakes. Always remember that there are people behind and in front of you, so rather than slamming on the brakes, learn to anticipate what the riders ahead of you are going to do. Rather than braking full out, choose to feather your brakes lightly, soft pedal or switch to an easier gear. Tuesday and Wednesday night rides are perfect opportunities to work on braking techniques and other group ride skills.
Safety - Just because someone up the line yells "clear" doesn't mean the road will still be clear for you! Be responsible for yourself and for the riders behind you! Do not pull out of the line without checking for approaching vehicles, cyclists, runners, etc. Be aware of what's going on around you – both on the bike and on the road. A couple other important safety basics: if you have aero bars on your bike, please do not ride in them during any Gears Girls ride. Please do not wear headphones/listen to music while on a Gears Girls ride. Please ensure your bike is in good working order before each ride and that your tires are properly inflated and that you have equipment necessary for changing a flat (spare tube, CO2 cartridge, tire levers).
INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO THE WEEK OF MONDAY, JUNE 21ST:
Tuesday Beginner/Recovery Ride: Tuesday, June 22nd, 6:30pm
Last week marked the beginning of our Tuesday night beginner rides! We had about 8 women out for the ride and all thoroughly enjoyed themselves! My hope is that these rides will mimic the Wednesday night faster paced group rides but at a slower pace – perfect for those new to cycling or anyone looking for an easier recovery ride. During the Tuesday night rides we'll work on group ride basics and skills necessary to ride safely and efficiently in either a single or double paceline. We'll also work on cycling basics such as hill climbing, cornering, gear selection, etc. All are welcome to the Tuesday night rides!
Wednesday Night Faster Pace Ride: Wednesday, June 23rd, 6:30pm
Our Wednesday night ride last week was awesome! Pace was around 26km/ hour…everyone rode together like a pro peloton…all agreed the ride was great. If you're looking for a bit of a faster, tighter group ride then feel free to join us Wednesday nights. If you're not comfortable riding at faster speeds or in a close group, please ride with the Tuesday night group – at least until you're comfortable with drafting, single and double paceline basics.
Saturday Ride: Saturday, June 26th, 9am
Meet at Gears at 8:45am, ride at 9am. All members are welcome to attend! Lots of options in terms of distance and turn around points. The route (a version of the Bike 4 Betty ride) is approximately 75kms in total with lots of good options in terms of hills and rollers at about the 40km mark! I'm envisioning three turn around points allowing for rides of approximately 35, 50 and 75kms.
Looking forward to seeing all of you this week! Drop me a line if you have any questions re the above.
Ride with you soon!
Mel
http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com/
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