Hi Girls.
We'll have our regular Tuesday and Wednesday night rides from Gears (at 6:30pm) this week. NB: There will be NO Saturday ride on July 31st as many members will be out-of-town for the long weekend. We'll resume our regular rides on Tuesday, August 3rd. Please read on for important information and updates with regards to the Tuesday night rides and the club in general.
This weekend marked our 13th Saturday ride and this week will be our 9th week of riding. As we're more than half way through the season, I thought it was time to review some important aspects of the club and make a few changes to suit the developing needs of the members.
Let me start by saying that I'm truly impressed by the direction Gears Girls has taken over the past three months. My goal for the club has always been to develop a strong women's road group; something that is rarely seen on the roads not only in the area, but also the country. My vision has always been to create a true women's road group – one that is safe, efficient, social and always improving. I think we're definitely heading in the right direction!
What makes group riding challenging – and often times unsafe – is when people unfamiliar with the etiquette and skills needed to ride in a single or double paceline join the ride. I believe this is a challenge with all road groups – it's certainly not limited to Gears Girls. Riding in a paceline takes not only practice but also confidence in both yourself and your fellow rider.
I chose to stop accepting new members last month so the existing members would be able to work and develop together as a road group; I did this to ensure the safety and enjoyment of the group. The women who have been riding together regularly have made huge strides. Every time I head out on a ride with the club I'm proud of how hard everyone is working.
I chose to add a Tuesday night beginner ride because I knew that not all of our members could comfortably ride in a group or maintain a certain pace or ride a certain distance. I'm proud to say that the women that have been regularly attending the Tuesday night rides are, for the most part, no longer beginners and can now hold their own within the larger group! Kudos to you ladies – you've made me proud!
I also changed the Saturday rides so that members would have the option to ride various distances at various paces. This has worked extremely well and the women that have been attending the Saturday rides do seem to appreciate and enjoy the options.
I feel we're at a pivotal point in the season as members that have not been riding regularly with Gears Girls (or with another road group ) will no longer be able to keep pace or ride comfortably with what was once the beginner group or with any of the Saturday pace groups. I'm surprised that more of our members have not been taking advantage of the beginner nights or the shorter distance, slower-paced Saturday ride groups as they were started expressly for the newer riders or riders struggling with the pace of the Wednesday night rides or with the multi-paced Saturday rides.
With the above in mind, I have decided it is best for the group to make the following changes to the club:
TUESDAY NIGHT RIDES:
Because the majority of women that ride regularly on Tuesday nights are no longer beginners; and because it does not appear that any other beginner riders will be coming out to the rides, Tuesday nights will no longer be considered "beginner rides". The rides will always be a slightly slower version (approx. 25km/hr average) of the Wednesday night rides, but the pace will be dictated by the majority of the group and, unless unsafe to do so, double pace line rules will apply. We'll still work on skills development, but with the understanding that beginner skills have already been covered – these skills will be more fine tuning than anything else.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT RIDES:
Wednesday night rides will continue to be slightly faster and tighter rides. Again, the pace will be dictated by the majority of the group. Unless unsafe to do so, double pace line rules will apply.
NO-DROP POLICY:
Gears Girls has always had what's referred to as a "no-drop" policy. That is, if someone could not keep up with the group we would either slow the entire group down or someone would break off from the group and would ride with the slower rider. Again, this is something that is challenging for all groups. While I am certainly not revoking the "no-drop" policy, I believe it must be adjusted to suit the developing needs of the group as a whole.
In fairness to the group, please know your limits and ride within them. Please know that the group will ride at a pace and distance that is comfortable for the majority of the group. If you choose to attend a ride that is not within your comfort or ability range, please do not expect that the group will slow to your pace or turn around at your preferred location.
The above is not to say that we won't stop for mechanicals; for regrouping in certain locations; for injured or sick riders; etc. What it does mean is that members need to know their limits and ride within them. If you choose to attend a ride and you are unable to maintain the pace of the group or ride the entire distance, you may have to make your way back to the start of the ride on your own.
TRAINING OPTIONS:
People often ask me how they can become stronger and faster on the bike. The answer is pretty simple - spend more time on your bike. Time on the bike and consistency is the only way to improve as a cyclist. Don't worry about things like speed and distance if you're just struggling to put in the time – just get on your bike and ride it. If you're not comfortable riding alone, find friends that ride at a similar or slightly faster pace as you and start riding with them. If you're having trouble keeping up with Gears Girls, there are other cycling options out there that offer more "touring pace rides" such as the Oakville Cycling Club and the Toronto Bicycling Network. If you can't get outside to ride a couple times a week, consider a spin class – Gears Bike Shop offers spin classes 6 days a week.
Gears Girls is and always will be an inclusive club; the above adjustments are being made so that the group can ride safely together and so that it can continue developing and improving.
Please let me know if you have any questions or comments regarding the above information.
See you on the road!
Mel
http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com/
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