Gears Girls Update for the week of May 30th

Hi Girls.

Great job by everyone who participated in Bike 4 Betty yesterday! Lots of Gears Girls kits visible on the route...and lots of money raised for a great cause! Lisa uploaded the 75km route to the GG Facebook page - check it out if you're interested.

Gears Girls Jerseys and Jackets

If you ordered a jersey and/or jacket - they're ready for pick up from Gears. I can't wait to see everyone out sporting their Gears Girls colors!

Ride Information

 

Rides will take place as usual this week. Check the blog http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com for updates regarding cancellations due to rain or bad weather.

 
Important Information
 
Please remember to arrive on time and prepared for all rides. Many of you are arriving last minute to rides without having set up your bikes, pumped tires, filled water bottles, etc. Please be considerate of your fellow riders. If you don't own a floor pump with an easy to read pressure gauge I recommend investing in one - everyone who owns a road bike should also own a floor pump! Please also be sure to bring one (or ideally two) spare tube and one (or ideally two) C02 cartridge on every ride - if you do get a flat you'll need the tube and cartridge.
 
With the temperatures rising this week, it's very important to bring two full water bottles to each ride - one should be filled with a high-quality electrolyte powder. You should also bring some form of on-bike nourishment, such as a bar, gel or energy block; if you're riding longer than an hour it's a good idea to have a bite of something mid-way through a ride.  It's also very important that you pump you tires - with a floor pump - to the approrpriate psi prior to each ride. Air escapes from road tires (especially in warmer weather) at a surprisingly fast rate - if you ride 5 times a week, you should be filling your tires 5 times a week! It's quite likely that you'll get a flat if your tires are improperly inflated.
 
Also important to note - if you leave your bike inside your vehicle (or on the roof) during a warm/hot day (ie. if you bring your bike to work and then drive directly to Gears for a ride), empty some of the air out of the tires in the morning and then pump them back up just before the ride. In hot conditions, air expands inside a tube (think of how warm it gets inside a locked car or van) and could potentially cause the tube to blow while the bike is sitting inside the vehicle.

Forecast is calling for nice all week. I think we'll finally get to see the sun!

Mel

http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com/

Saturday Gears Girls ride cancelled

Hi girls.

Because the weather is not improving and because I only heard from 2 people re today I'm going to cancel the ride that was moved to 9:15. The fog is still thick and roads still quite wet. Might improve in a couple hours so you still may get a late day ride in!

Let's hope for better weather next week!

Mel

Gears Girls - Attn all Saturday riders - change of start time!

Hey Girls.

 

If you were planning on riding today - Saturday: the weather is currently damp, wet and foggy. Roads are quite wet. I'm not going to cancel the ride but am going to move the start time to 9:15am to allow time for the weather to improve and roads to dry. Weather forecast shows that wet weather is done as of 9am. Can you please email me to let me know if you'll be riding today - just so I know I'm not the only one heading over to Gears and have a sense of numbers.

 

Mel

 

 

Mel Crosby
Gears Girls Women's Road Cycling Group
http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com

Gears Girls - Club Clothing and Bike 4 Betty

Hi Girls.
 
Just a quick update:
 
Gears Girls Jerseys and Jackets
 
If you ordered a Gears Girls jersey and/or jacket...both will be available for pick up from Gears Bike Shop as of Sunday morning. If you are doing Bike 4 Betty and would like your jersey for the event, please let me know as soon as possible and I can see about having it ready for pick up tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon.
 
NB: the order was placed based on your individual size requests (per the sample sizes) - there was no overstock ordered. If you're jersey or jacket is too small or too large there's unfortunately no ability to exchange them. My suggestion, if you do want a different size, is to post something to the GG Facebook page and see if someone wants to swap. You never know :)
 
Bike 4 Betty
 
Bike 4 Betty takes place this Sunday, May 29th. The event starts and finishes at Memorial Park in Port Credit (http://www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=737). Start times are dependant on the distance you are riding.
 
If you are participating and would like to meet up with other Gears Girls members in advance of the event, I would suggest meeting by the check in/registration tent about 15 minutes prior to the start time . The 100km group leaves at 7am; the 75km group leaves at 8am; the 30km group leaves at 9am. I know there are members planning on riding all distances, so chances are you'll see other girls at the start or en route. Please wear your Gears Girls jersey for easy visibility! If you are participating and would like to know if anyone else is riding a specific distance either send me an email or post something to the GG FB page!
 
I believe you can still register if you do want to participate - check out the Bike 4 Betty website for details:  http://www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=695
 
Enjoy the weekend. Hope to see lots of you out for Bike 4 Betty!
 
Mel 


http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com/

Tonight - Thursday GG ride and rain

Hey Thursday riders.

I'm at gears and it just started raining. It may stop so I'm not yet going to cancel the ride. Like last night it will be a last minute call if the rain gets heavier. Sorry if you're already en route and didn't get this message in time. Use your discretion if you're nervous about riding in the rain!

Attn Wednesday riders!

Hey girls.

Just arrived at Gears - it's raining a bit but certainly not pouring. My phone is about to die so not sure I'll get another chance to email. So, i won't make the call (to ride or not to ride) until just before 6:30. It doesn't look too bad out - but who knows these days. I'm hoping for the best weather-wise!

Not sure who will be out tonight. Maybe just me....:)

Mel

Gears Girls Update - Week of May 23rd

Hi Girls.

Let's hope this week isn't quite as wet as last week! We got a couple rides in but still a couple cancellations.  If you are unsure about ride cancellations due to weather, please refer to the blog http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com/ for updates.

Rides this week will proceed as normal (weather dependant of course):

Monday: no ride due to holiday

Tuesday: Intermediate level/moderate pace/paceline and drafting techniques - 24-25km/hr average; 2 hour duration; approximately 45kms in distance; members choosing to ride Tuesdays should have at least one full season of road cycling (on a road bike) experience.

Wednesday: Advanced level/fast pace - 27-29km/hr average; 2 hour duration; approximately 50kms in distance; members choosing to ride Wednesdays must have ridden previously with another experienced road group and have strong paceline and drafting skills.

Thursday: Beginner level/touring pace - 21-23kms/hr average; 2 hour duration; approximately 40kms in distance.

Saturday: Advanced level/long distance ride - 26 to 29kms/hr average (dependant on terrain); 4+ hours duration; approximately 100kms in distance; members choosing to ride Wednesdays must have ridden previously with another experienced road group and have strong paceline and drafting skills.

Notes about rides:

Please arrive on time and ready to ride. Meet at Gears for 6:15pm and ride at 6:30pm for all evening rides; meet at 8:15am and ride at 8:30am for Saturday rides. Please come prepared for all rides: tires need to be pumped (should be pumped to the appropriate psi before every ride) and bike set up and ready to go for 6:30pm; please bring two full water bottles, a cell phone, an energy bar and/or gel, a spare tube, a C02 cartridge and an adapter.  Please ensure that you eat and hydrate appropriately prior to each ride - as temperature, distance, pace and intensity increases this will become even more important!

If you find the pace or distance too fast and/or too far on any ride please ensure that you know where you are and how to safely return to Gears in case you lose sight of the group and need to return to Gears on your own or with another member.

Other points of interest:

Jerseys and Jackets:

The order is due to arrive middle of the week. I will send an email with details once jerseys and/or jackets are ready for pick up.

Bike 4 Betty:

Bike 4 Betty takes place this Sunday, May 29th. This is a great charity event and has a distance for everyone. Check out the Bike 4 Betty website for details or to register: http://www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=695. Feel free to join the Gears Girls team - the team will not necessarily ride together as some members will be doing the 30km, 75km or 100km route (at different paces) but there are loads of people on the course so lots of people to ride with! This is a fun and very worthwhile event!

Other opportunities to ride:

Looking for other opportunities to ride? The more cycling you do the stronger you'll get! The following clubs and club rides are all great options for Gears Girls members:

1) Oakville Cycling Club: http://www.oakvillecc.com/

2) Brampton Cycling Club: http://bramptoncyclingclub.com/

3) Midweek Cycling Club/Saturday "ladies ride": http://www.midweekclub.ca/

Hope to see lots of you out this week!

Mel

Mel Crosby
Gears Girls Women's Road Cycling Group
http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com/

Midweek Cycling Club Women's Rides

Hey Girls! 

Looking for another great opportunity to ride on Saturdays? Michelle from Midweek Cycling Club has started a "ladies club ride" on Saturdays. You have to be a member of Midweek to join the ride, but still another great opportunity. Midweek also offers an awesome "learn to ride", "learn to race" and criterium series that you might want to check out. See below for details about the midweek ladies ride, pace, distance, club website, etc. 

Hello everyone!
 
Our "Ladies" ride will be leavingtomorrow morning, rain or shine, at 8:30 am from the Rona parking lot at the Northeast corner of Winston Churchill and Eglinton Ave.  Please arrive early enough to get yourself geared up so that we can depart rightat 8:30.  Please ensure that you have water to drink and food to eat during the ride so that you don't bonk out and get tired.  If anyone wants to join, please go to the website www.midweekclub.ca and click on the join link, fill it out, print it off and bring it with you tomorrow.  Especially the insurance waivers.  If you have any questions re: what you have to pay, please contact Craig Fagan at cfagan@sympatico.ca and he'll advise you.  We will be riding for approximately 3 to 3 1/2 hours and probably travelling at 20 - 25 kms/hour.  Whatever is a comfortable speed for us all.  
 
NOTE:  Saturday May 28th I will not be there to guide you.  You may ride as a group on your own if you wish.  That is up to you all.  My team for The Ride to Conquer Cancer is holding a large garage sale to raise money for our fundraising goals.  You're welcome to attend that as well!  There will be furniature, tv's, sterios, and all sorts of other goodies. 341 Dickson Park Cres. (Hwy 10/QEW) Come on by and support Cancer rearch!
 
Also, you please don't feel obligated to call me to let me know you won't be able to attend the ride. If you can come out, great!  If not, absolutely no worries!  I won't be taking attendance!!  It's all just for fun and for the love of riding!  If I don't see you tomorrow, please have a wonderful long weekend and remember..."rubber side down"!
 
Cheers!

 
Michelle Payne
Midweek Cycling Club

No GG ride on holiday Monday

Hey Girls.

I forgot to include this in the weekly GG update - there will not be a GG ride Monday night (May 23) because of the holiday. Enjoy the long weekend!

BTW, great ride tonight! Finally some sun!

Mel

Wednesday Gears Girls Ride - ride update/cancellation

Hey Girls.
 
Unless I hear differently from enough Tempo 2 women wanting to ride tonight (those who usually ride Wednesdays), I'm cancelling tonights ride. Miserable forecast + wind + chance of thunderstorms = no one terribly intent on riding. Drop me a line if you still want to brave the elements and I'll hook you up with the other brave souls. Or, even better, post something to the GG FB page and see if you can find web-footed friends to ride with.
 
Let's hope for better weather tomorrow evening (sadly, not looking likely though).
 
Mel


http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com/

Tuesday Gears Girls ride - yet more rain!

Hi Girls!

The weather again is wet and miserable so for safety (and enjoyment) reasons I'm going to have to cancel the ride. If you're hardcore and really, really wanting to ride you can either do a spin class at Gears (Darren's Tuesday night classes are great!) or send me an email and I can let you know if any other hardcore Tuesday riders are thinking about heading out!

Hopefully all this rain will end in time for the long weekend!

Stay dry!

Mel

Monday GG ride weather update

Hi Girls.

Another cold, damp and miserable evening! I am in port credit and it's raining and miserable and not looking like it's improving. Because most of you coming out tonight are beginners, and because most of you don't have wet weather gear or experience riding in the rain, I'm going to cancel the ride.

If you were planning on riding regardless of weather send me an email and let me know. I am at gears getting a bike fit so MAY be convinced to ride in the rain - maybe. Please though, if you are a new rider, nervous about riding in the rain or lacking warm/wet weather clothing please don't come out - I don't want anyone getting sick or injured! Lots of time to ride this season in warm and dry weather!

Let's hope for better weather tomorrow!

Mel

Gears Girls Update for the week of May 16th

Hi Girls.

 

Another great week - with only two rides cancelled due to rain! Not sure what the coming week has in store for us weather wise...let's hope for the best though.

 

Gears Girls Membership Update

 

Because of the overwhelming success of Gears Girls and due to present membership numbers, we'll no longer be accepting new members this season. What this means for all of you is that as a group we'll be able to work on improving skills, pace and fitness as the season progresses. Regardless of what night you ride on, provided you come out regularly, you will see improvement in both your own fitness and skills levels as well as within the group you're riding with. 

 

What's coming up this week (besides more rain in the forecast)

 

Starting this week, we're going to start teaching the Monday and Thursday groups basic group riding techniques.  Each ride for the next couple of Mondays and Thursdays (weather permitting) will start with "skills and drills" - either in a parking lot or in a park - and will end with a ride to practice what was just taught. Because the Monday and Thursday rides are so well attended, it's very important - from a safety, support and efficiency perspective - that we get everyone riding together in either a single or double paceline.  Over the coming weeks, we'll work on skills that will help keep the group together (such as proper starting, stopping and braking techniques used within a group) as well as skills that will allow you to ride not only behind another cyclist but also next to another cyclist. If you still need to work on more basic techniques such as clipping in and out of pedals and shifting and selecting gears, check out the clinics being offered by Gears Bike Shop: http://www.gearsbikeshop.com/.  The Tuesday night group is a a faster and tighter/closer version of the Monday and Thursday rides and will continue working on intermediate level group riding skills in the coming weeks.

 

If you have not yet come out to a Gears Girls ride, and if you are not currently riding with another experienced road group ( such as Chain Reaction or Brampton Cycling Club), I would ask that you ride on either Monday or Thursday. If you are an intermediate road cyclist (minimum experience required is one full season of road cycling on a road bike) and would like to ride on Tuesdays, please drop me a quick email and we can chat about your current road experience and skill level. Please email me prior to your first Tuesday evening ride.

 

Jerseys and Jackets

 

For those of you waiting for jerseys and/or jackets: both should be in the week of May 20th. I will send out an email once everything has arrived and you can pick your jersey and/or jacket up from Gears.

 

In case of rain

 

As with previous rides, I will send out an email and/or update the blog if we do need to cancel a ride due to rain at least one hour before the start of the ride.

 

If you can't ride outside, why not ride inside?

 

If the weather is such that rides are cancelled this week, consider attending a spin class at Gears! Gears offers spin classes 7 nights a week at various times throughout the day. Check out the schedule for details: http://www.gearsbikeshop.com/PDF/PC-IndoorCycling.pdf. Another great indoor cycling option is a trainer or rollers - super easy to take your bike on or off either a trainer or rollers. And no more excuses that you don't have time to get to the gym or a spin class! If you're hardcore and not afraid of a little (or a lot) of rain, post something to the Gears Girls FB group to see if there are other hardcore types looking for a wet ride.

 

Check the blog for updates about rain cancellations or if you are looking for last weeks Gears Girls rides - which I've uploaded to Mapmyride and posted to the blog.

 

Let's hope for great weather this week!

 

Mel

 

 

 

Mel Crosby
Gears Girls Women's Road Cycling Group
http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com

Saturday Gears Girls Ride Cancelled

Hi Girls.

 

Due to the current foggy conditions and the wet, rainy forecast for the rest of the day, for safety reasons I'm going to have to cancel today's ride (Saturday, May 14). If you're hardcore and looking to ride, post something to the GG Facebook Group to see if there are other fog and rain lovers out there. Please use caution if riding on wet, slick roads or in fog!

 

Here's hoping for better weather this coming week!

 

Mel

 

 

Mel Crosby
Gears Girls Women's Road Cycling Group
http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com

Gears Girls ride cancelled tonight due to rain

Hi Girls.

In light of the current weather (raining fairly steadily in Oakville) I'm canceling tonight's ride (Thursday May 12). If the weather improves and you're keen to ride without the group, post something to the GG Facebook site to see if anyone else is interested in riding.

Let's hope for better weather next week!

Mel

Correction re OCC/Gears Girls Invitation date - Sunday, May 15th

Hi Girls.

My apologies - it was pointed out to me yesterday that the date of the OCC/Gears Girls invitational (see details below) was wrong in my email below. The correct date is Sunday, May 15th. All other details remain the same.

If you would like to attend, please send me a quick email so that I can let the ride organizers know to expect you.

Thanks!

Mel

http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com/

---

Hi Gears Girls!

The first official week of Gears Girls is behind us. With the exception of the Tuesday night ride (which was cancelled due to rain) weather (and of course the company) was great.

Please carefully review the email  below as it contains important information and updates about the club as well this weeks' Gears Girls rides. Please pay particular notice if you are are a Monday, Tuesday or Thursday rider.
Monday and Thursday rides:
We have had a chance to assess skills and fitness levels of most members that will be coming out to Monday and Thursday rides. The vast majority of members appear to be high beginners through to intermediate level cyclists this year. As our rides are designed to suit the majority of the members coming out, we will be making the following slight adjustments to the Monday and Thursday rides:

Pace:  Pace on all rides will be approximately 21 to 23kms/hr. I believe this was the average most members were very comfortable riding at last week. As the season progresses and fitness levels rise this average will naturally increase.

For safety and support reasons (and for the enjoyment and progression of the group as a whole) we will not be splitting the group up during any of the rides. If the pace is too fast for you - you are welcome to continue riding the same route as the group, please though ensure that you know where you are (in case you lose sight of the group) and how to safely get back to Gears on your own (or with another member) if necessary. If you do not want to continue riding the same route as the group, please ensure that you safely make your way back to Gears either on your own or with a group of other members.  Please ensure that you have a cell phone and flat repair kit on you at all times. Please try to let one of the members helping with the ride know that you are turning back.

Skill level requirements:  It appears that the majority of the women coming out for Monday and Thursday rides already have fairly strong beginner to intermediate level road skills. We will thus be planning our rides presuming that the group is already comfortable clipping in, shifting and selecting gears, riding close to one another, signaling, etc. For safety and advancement reasons of the group we will start teaching and enforcing single and double paceline techniques over the coming weeks as many members appear eager to want to learn this very important and necessary cycling technique.

Gears Girls is first and foremost a road cycling club. While we do certainly work with members to improve upon existing skills and techniques, we are not a replacement for great  learning opportunities such as the Gears Bike Shop cycling clinics. If you are a brand new road cyclist that is not yet comfortable with the abovementioned skills or if you are a slower rider who just needs a boost of confidence, please consider taking one of the learn to ride/cycling 101 clinics offered by Gears Bike Shop. If you are currently enrolled in one of the clinics, please consider finishing the clinic prior to riding with the club as your pace, skill level and comfort on the bike will be more in sync with the rest of the group after the clinic. If you are taking one of the clinics and are unsure if you should also be concurrently riding with Gears Girls, please talk to one of the clinic leaders or to myself at gearsgirls@hotmail.com.

If you are a slower paced rider unable to keep up with the group please do not be discouraged!  As in any sport, only time and effort will make you faster, stronger and more confident. Because skill and fitness levels vary within all groups, it is not always possible to accommodate every single rider.  Keep in mind that the only way to get stronger and faster is to ride regularly and consistently either by yourself or with other cyclists. Even if you can only keep up with the Monday or Thursday Gears Girls groups for 1 or 2 kms - aim for 3 kms the following week, 4kms the week after that, etc. As the season progresses, provided you are riding on your own or with others regularly and consistently, you will find that your own fitness levels and pace will naturally improve. I have started posting the routes to the Gears Girls blog; please feel free to follow them whenever you wish! Please also take advantage of the Gears Girls Facebook Group - we have started the group so that members can communicate with one another and look for other members to ride with over and above the posted Gears Girls rides.

NB: Gears Bike Shop is looking into offering a slower paced ride once a week but details and dates are not yet finalized. I will keep you posted of details once they are known.

Tuesday night rides:Because we have such a large and strong group of intermediate level members this year, please note the pace of the Tuesday night rides will also be adjusted accordingly.

Who should come out: Tempo 1 and/or Tempo 2 women looking for a recovery ride

Members wishing to ride Tuesday nights must be intermediate level riders and must have already mastered gear selection, riding with one hand, clipping in and out, etc. It is recommended that you have already been road cycling for at least one full season if you would like to ride Tuesday nights.

Tuesday riders need to be able to ride comfortably at a minimum pace of 23kms per hour over a distance of approximately 40kms, and be comfortable riding close to other cyclists. Drafting, single and double paceline techniques will be taught and enforced on all Tuesday rides. These rides will be faster than Monday and Thursday rides so please come prepared to work hard!

Wednesday and Saturday rides:

Wednesday and Saturday rides will remain unchanged. Women wishing to ride Wednesdays and Saturdays must be advanced level cyclists that have been riding with another experienced road group for at least one year. Single and double pacelines are enforced on all rides. Pace will depend on the group but will average 27-29kms/hr Wednesday nights (45kms to 55kms) and 26+ kms/hr on Saturday's depending on distance and terrain (typically 75 to 100+kms).

Sunday, May 5th - Oakville Cycling Club Invitational RideThe Oakville Cycling Club (OCC) has generously offered to host a Sunday ride open to all OCC and Gears Girls members. Pace and distance will be suited to Monday and Thursday riders. See below for details:

Date: Sunday, May 5, 2011

Start time: 9 am

Start location: Boyne Community Centre (Britannia Road and Bronte) (http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=2287+Britannia+Rd.+At+Regional+Road+25,+milton&aq=&sll=49.95122,-97.119141&sspn=21.582688,86.220703&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=2287+Britannia+Rd+W,+Milton,+Ontario+L9T+2X5&z=15)

Distance: 35 to 45kms depending on which of the two pace groups you choose to ride with.

If you would like to attend, please drop me a quick email so that I can let the ride organizers at OCC know approximate numbers.

The OCC is another great ride opportunity - particularly for women riding looking for additional opportunities to ride. In addition to a touring group that is suited to most of our Monday and Thursday riders, there is also a group with a pace slightly slower than our touring group that rides Tuesdays and Sundays - a great way for our slower riders to get more saddle time! Check out their website for details: http://www.oakvillecc.com/.

Looking forward to another great week on the road with everyone!

Mel

Mel Crosby
Gears Girls Women's Road Cycling Group
http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com/

Gears Girls Update for the Week of May 9th

Hi Gears Girls!

The first official week of Gears Girls is behind us. With the exception of the Tuesday night ride (which was cancelled due to rain) weather (and of course the company) was great.

Please carefully review the email  below as it contains important information and updates about the club as well this weeks' Gears Girls rides. Please pay particular notice if you are are a Monday, Tuesday or Thursday rider.

Monday and Thursday rides:

We have had a chance to assess skills and fitness levels of most members that will be coming out to Monday and Thursday rides. The vast majority of members appear to be high beginners through to intermediate level cyclists this year. As our rides are designed to suit the majority of the members coming out, we will be making the following slight adjustments to the Monday and Thursday rides:

Pace:  Pace on all rides will be approximately 21 to 23kms/hr. I believe this was the average most members were very comfortable riding at last week. As the season progresses and fitness levels rise this average will naturally increase. 

For safety and support reasons (and for the enjoyment and progression of the group as a whole) we will not be splitting the group up during any of the rides. If the pace is too fast for you - you are welcome to continue riding the same route as the group, please though ensure that you know where you are (in case you lose sight of the group) and how to safely get back to Gears on your own (or with another member) if necessary. If you do not want to continue riding the same route as the group, please ensure that you safely make your way back to Gears either on your own or with a group of other members.  Please ensure that you have a cell phone and flat repair kit on you at all times. Please try to let one of the members helping with the ride know that you are turning back.

Skill level requirements:  It appears that the majority of the women coming out for Monday and Thursday rides already have fairly strong beginner to intermediate level road skills. We will thus be planning our rides presuming that the group is already comfortable clipping in, shifting and selecting gears, riding close to one another, signaling, etc. For safety and advancement reasons of the group we will start teaching and enforcing single and double paceline techniques over the coming weeks as many members appear eager to want to learn this very important and necessary cycling technique.

Gears Girls is first and foremost a road cycling club. While we do certainly work with members to improve upon existing skills and techniques, we are not a replacement for great  learning opportunities such as the Gears Bike Shop cycling clinics. If you are a brand new road cyclist that is not yet comfortable with the abovementioned skills or if you are a slower rider who just needs a boost of confidence, please consider taking one of the learn to ride/cycling 101 clinics offered by Gears Bike Shop. If you are currently enrolled in one of the clinics, please consider finishing the clinic prior to riding with the club as your pace, skill level and comfort on the bike will be more in sync with the rest of the group after the clinic. If you are taking one of the clinics and are unsure if you should also be concurrently riding with Gears Girls, please talk to one of the clinic leaders or to myself at gearsgirls@hotmail.com.

If you are a slower paced rider unable to keep up with the group please do not be discouraged!  As in any sport, only time and effort will make you faster, stronger and more confident. Because skill and fitness levels vary within all groups, it is not always possible to accommodate every single rider.  Keep in mind that the only way to get stronger and faster is to ride regularly and consistently either by yourself or with other cyclists. Even if you can only keep up with the Monday or Thursday Gears Girls groups for 1 or 2 kms - aim for 3 kms the following week, 4kms the week after that, etc. As the season progresses, provided you are riding on your own or with others regularly and consistently, you will find that your own fitness levels and pace will naturally improve. I have started posting the routes to the Gears Girls blog; please feel free to follow them whenever you wish! Please also take advantage of the Gears Girls Facebook Group - we have started the group so that members can communicate with one another and look for other members to ride with over and above the posted Gears Girls rides.

NB: Gears Bike Shop is looking into offering a slower paced ride once a week but details and dates are not yet finalized. I will keep you posted of details once they are known.

Tuesday night rides:

Because we have such a large and strong group of intermediate level members this year, please note the pace of the Tuesday night rides will also be adjusted accordingly.

Who should come out: Tempo 1 and/or Tempo 2 women looking for a recovery ride

Members wishing to ride Tuesday nights must be intermediate level riders and must have already mastered gear selection, riding with one hand, clipping in and out, etc. It is recommended that you have already been road cycling for at least one full season if you would like to ride Tuesday nights.

Tuesday riders need to be able to ride comfortably at a minimum pace of 23kms per hour over a distance of approximately 40kms, and be comfortable riding close to other cyclists. Drafting, single and double paceline techniques will be taught and enforced on all Tuesday rides. These rides will be faster than Monday and Thursday rides so please come prepared to work hard!

Wednesday and Saturday rides:

 

Wednesday and Saturday rides will remain unchanged. Women wishing to ride Wednesdays and Saturdays must be advanced level cyclists that have been riding with another experienced road group for at least one year. Single and double pacelines are enforced on all rides. Pace will depend on the group but will average 27-29kms/hr Wednesday nights (45kms to 55kms) and 26+ kms/hr on Saturday's depending on distance and terrain (typically 75 to 100+kms).

Sunday, May 5th - Oakville Cycling Club Invitational Ride

The Oakville Cycling Club (OCC) has generously offered to host a Sunday ride open to all OCC and Gears Girls members. Pace and distance will be suited to Monday and Thursday riders. See below for details:

Date: Sunday, May 5, 2011

 

Start time: 9 am

Start location: Boyne Community Centre (Britannia Road and Bronte) (http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=2287+Britannia+Rd.+At+Regional+Road+25,+milton&aq=&sll=49.95122,-97.119141&sspn=21.582688,86.220703&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=2287+Britannia+Rd+W,+Milton,+Ontario+L9T+2X5&z=15)

Distance: 35 to 45kms depending on which of the two pace groups you choose to ride with.

If you would like to attend, please drop me a quick email so that I can let the ride organizers at OCC know approximate numbers.

The OCC is another great ride opportunity - particularly for women riding looking for additional opportunities to ride. In addition to a touring group that is suited to most of our Monday and Thursday riders, there is also a group with a pace slightly slower than our touring group that rides Tuesdays and Sundays - a great way for our slower riders to get more saddle time! Check out their website for details: http://www.oakvillecc.com/.

 

Looking forward to another great week on the road with everyone!

 

Mel

Mel Crosby
Gears Girls Women's Road Cycling Group
http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com

Sunday in May Gears Girls Rides - important information

Hi Girls.

 

My apologies (I must be the worst daughter in the world) but I completely forget that this Sunday was Mother's Day! As such, the training ride that I had originally announced has been cancelled. My apologies.

 

For the remaining Sundays in May - at this present time - I have been unable to secure ride leaders to assist with the two rides.  As the Sunday in May rides are not part of the "official" Gears Girls ride days, I'm going to have to cancel them...unless of course I am able to come up with committed ride leaders. I will keep everyone posted but at this point please consider the Sunday, May 15th and Sunday, May 22nd rides cancelled. Bike 4 Betty is the last Sunday in May - I encourage all of you to participate and ride whatever distance you feel comfortable riding. Check out the Bike 4 Betty website for details and to register.

 

If you would still like to ride this Sunday (or any day for that matter) and you are looking for women to ride with, I encourage all of you to post a message on the Gears Girls Facebook Group - please include details such as distance, pace, meeting location, type of ride, etc. so that others can gauge accordingly.

 

Thanks for your understanding.

 

Mel

 

Mel Crosby
Gears Girls Women's Road Cycling Group
http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com

Thursday, Saturday and Sunday GG ride updates

Hi girls.

 

Awesome ride tonight! So great to finally get some nice (although windy) weather.

 

I won't always be sending out emails prior to rides - just this week and next to get everyone familiar with the ride nights and days. Going forward, I'll be sending out a weekly update only. If you are looking for additional information about the rides or group descriptions, please refer to the Gears Girls blog: http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com. If you are a new member that only recently joined, please review the blog postings for details about the club.  Here are the details for the Gears Girls rides taking place Thursday, Saturday and Sunday:

 

Thursday, May 5th

Recreational/Touring Ride

Who should attend: All members welcome (Touring 1 and 2; Tempo 1 and 2)

Focus on: Beginner to intermediate level road cycling skills

Skills required to ride Thursday nights: While all members are welcome to ride, at minimum members should be able to clip in and out of pedals and be familiar with braking, gearing and basic gear selection. If you are a brand new road rider and are unfamiliar with basic road cycling skills, please consider attending one of the Gears Bike Shop clinics: http://www.gearsbikeshop.com/Clinic.html prior to coming out on your first Gears Girls ride.

Start time: Meet at 6:15pm, ride at 6:30pm

Approximate Distance: 30kms

Approximate Pace: 20 to 23kms/hr

Approximate Duration: 1.5 hours

What to bring: 2 water bottles (one with water, one with water plus an electrolyte powder), a bar or gel, lights for your bike (if you have them) and appropriate cycling clothing. Please be sure to pump your tires either before the ride or when you arrive at Gears.

 

Saturday, May 7th

Faster pace, long distance ride

Who should attend: Tempo 2 women only

Skills required to ride Saturday mornings: Members must be experienced group cyclists and proficient riding in single and double pacelines. It is expected that members riding Wednesdays or Saturdays have ridden with another road group prior to Gears Girls and be familiar with drafting and paceline techniques. 

Start time: Meet at 8:15am, ride at 8:30am

Approximate Distance: 70 to 100kms

Approximate Pace: 26+kms/hr

Approximate Duration: 3.5 to 5.0 hours depending on length of the ride (includes time to stop for coffee mid-ride)

 

Sunday, May 8th

Sundays in May only, we'll be offering training rides for women participating in Bike 4 Betty and/or Ride to Conquer Cancer - if you're not participating in either of those events but would like to ride on Sundays, please send me a quick email at gearsgirls@hotmail.com to confirm your attendance

Who should attend: Touring 2, Tempo 1 and Tempo 2 women only

Skills required to ride Sunday mornings in May: Members should be intermediate level cyclists who are comfortable on their bikes and with intermediate road cycling skills.

Start time: Meet at 9:15am, ride at 9:30am

Approximate Distance: 55 to 60kms

Approximate Pace: 23-24kms/hr

Approximate Duration: 3.5 hours (includes a coffee and snack stop mid-ride)

What to bring: 2 water bottles (one with water, one with water plus an electrolyte powder), a bar or gel, lights for your bike (if you have them) and appropriate cycling clothing. Please be sure to pump your tires either before the ride or when you arrive at Gears. Please also bring a cell phone (particularly if you plan on turning back early) and some money as we will stop mid-ride for coffee and a snack.

 

IN CASE OF RAIN

Please always check the blog http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com for updates about ride cancellations due to inclement weather. I do try to also send an email but can't always guarantee that I have access to a computer. In case of rain, I will post something to the blog at least one hour (sometimes more) prior to the start of the ride.

 

Gears Girls Facebook Group

If you haven't yet joined the Gears Girls Facebook group, please join! The group is a closed group and it does sometimes take sometime for the approval to go through - best to submit your request to join the group as soon as possible! If you're looking for other members to ride with during the week or on weekends outside of posted Gears Girls rides, the Facebook group is the place to post a message looking for other members to ride with.

 

Let's hope for good weather over the next 4 days!

 

Mel

 

Mel Crosby
Gears Girls Women's Road Cycling Group
http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com

Tuesday night ride cancelled due to rain!

Hi Girls.


In light of the current weather, I think it’s safe to presume the rain isn’t stopping anytime soon. As such, tonight’s ride is cancelled.

If you’re planning on riding tomorrow, here’s a reminder about the ride:

Wednesday Night Faster Pace Tempo/interval workout

Who should attend: Tempo 2 women only (refer to the group descriptions page on the GG blog for details)

Skills required to ride Wednesday nights: Members must be comfortable riding in a tight group and must be proficient riding in both single and double pacelines. Intermediate level road cyclists new to the club (who would like to learn paceline basics) must attend the Tuesday night drafting and paceline basics ride until they are comfortable and able to ride in a group at higher speeds. It is recommended that you have at least one season of riding with an established, experienced road group prior to joining the Wednesday night ride.

Start time: Meet at 6:15pm, ride at 6:30pm

Approximate Duration: 2.0 hours

Approximate Distance: 45 to 55kms

Approximate Pace: 25-26kms+/hr

If you have any questions about tomorrow's ride please drop me a line. Let’s hope for better weather over the coming days!

Tuesday Gears Girls ride information

Hi Girls.

 

Great first ride of the season! We had an awesome turnout tonight - I think there were close to 20 members that showed up for our first Monday night ride. Focus tonight was on basic skills and of course just getting out there! The first couple of rides after the winter are always hard, but come out regularly and I promise you'll get stronger and faster!

 

Here are some details for tomorrow's Group Ride/Paceline basics ride:

 

Focus on: Drafting and paceline basics

Skills required to ride Tuesday nights: Members choosing to ride Tuesday nights must be intermediate level road cyclists (you should have at least one full season of road cycling behind you) already proficient in terms of basic road bike skills including but not limited to gearing and clipping in and out of pedals. The pace and distance of the Tuesday night rides will be faster and farther than the Monday and Thursday night rides. If you are a new road cyclist or a road cyclist riding at a slower speed or shorter distance, please come out to the Monday or Thursday rides. 

Start time: Meet at 6:15pm, ride at 6:30pm

Approximate Distance: 40kms

Approximate Pace: 24 to 25kms/hr

Approximate Duration: 1.5 hours

 

Because of the size of the club and because of the range of skill and fitness levels of all riders, it is important that you choose your ride days or nights accordingly. All members have at least two opportunities a week to ride - please know your own limit and ability level and ride within it.

 

If you have not yet joined the Gears Girls Facebook group, and if you are looking for other members to ride with outside of the posted Gears Girls rides, upload ride pictures, comment on rides, etc.  then please do so as soon as possible. Membership to the Facebook group is limited to Gears Girls members so it's a great way to communicate with one another!

 

In case of rain tomorrow (or before any ride), please check the blog http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com to see if the ride has been cancelled. As of right now, it's calling for rain all day and into the evening, but these days one never knows .

 

Mel Crosby
Gears Girls Women's Road Cycling Group
http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com

Gears Girls update for the week of May 2nd - and Gears Girls Facebook Group

Hey Girls.

 

The season has begun!

First ride (weather dependant) is on Monday!  Because we have new members joining all the time, it's difficult to ensure that the email distribution list is updated on a daily basis.  I would therefore ask that you check the blog http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com for weather and ride updates.  They're calling for rain tomorrow but nice the rest of the week. Let's hope we can get out there tomorrow though!

 

Gears Girls Facebook Group - Please join!

New this year...the Gears Girls Facebook group! Post rides, pictures, comments, questions, etc! The Gears Girls group will be the only way to post for rides outside of the organized and advertised Gears Girls rides; if you want to look for other members to ride with, to participate in cycling events, etc. the group page is exactly the place to do. Membership to the group is closed and is only available to Gears Girls club members and supporters. It might take me us a couple days to update all the requests, so if you're interested please go to Facebook and request membership to Gears Girls (group) as soon as possible. If you don't have a Facebook account and want to participate in the group, you'll have to set an account up. Gears Girls is a social club as much as a cycling club - we're really hoping that members get out to ride together over and above the posted Gears Girls rides!

 

Ride Nights/Days:

Please remember to be realistic when choosing your ride days - know your limit, skill-level and comfort zone and ride within it. If you are a new or beginner rider, please join us Mondays and Thursdays (everyone else is welcome too!). If you are an intermediate level cyclist who has been riding (a road bike) for at least one season and who has already mastered basic road cycling skills and you're looking to learn paceline, drafting and group riding basics, please join us Tuesdays. If you're a faster, advanced level cyclist already comfortable riding in a single or double paceline, definitely check out the Wednesday night rides or the longer distance Saturday rides. Check the blog for additional details about ride nights, ride descriptions, start times, etc.

 

The first week or two will be all about getting to know one another and about club etiquette, guidelines, etc. It'll take a couple rides before we fall into the swing of things so pace and distance will be adjusted accordingly as the rides progress. Our number one priority on all rides is rider safety; we will therefore spend time at the beginning of each ride this week reviewing hand signals, rules of the road, etc. 

 

Let's hope for good weather for our first official week of the 2011 Gears Girls season!

 

Mel

 

PS The new Gears Bike Shop Leaside store is now open - 109 Vanderhoof Avenue, Toronto!

 

 

Mel Crosby
Gears Girls Women's Road Cycling Group
http://gearsgirls.blogspot.com