Ride description:
(Sundays _ 8:00 AM) meet at Mineola Bike parking lot.
* Every rider must fill out a waiver form before riding.
Parking is available in the municipal lot off of Beebe Road.
These rides are intended to be fun and exciting yet challenging. We will be riding new and varied routes every Sunday which will test everyones riding abilities. Some will include lots of climbs and descends while others will be mostly flat. We will be riding at an average of 16 to 18 mph in the early part of the season and increasing as we improve. Most rides will be between 25 and 50 miles long. Every ride will be posted on the website as a link to www.gmap-pedometer.com so that you can become familiarized with them before you ride with the group. There will also be cue sheets available on the website. Its always better to know what to expect so that you can pace yourself and be mentally prepared for tough sections.
It is essential to ride as a pack and to not leave large gaps between riders in order to benefit from drafting. Since the riders in the front are battling the wind, drafting behind them allows riders located in the middle and back of the pack to rest. The stronger riders will naturally end up riding toward the front making it easier for the less experienced riders. Please be adviced that everyone is responsible for themselves if not able to stay with the group. Please bring a cue sheet with you in case you fall behind so that you can get back to the store. Its also a good idea to get familiarized with basic bike repairs such as changing out a flat tire, fixing a chain, basic derailleur adjustments, etc., in case you encounter mechanical problems.
Equipment:
In order to have an enjoyable time, it is important that you have the proper equipment including a mechanically sound road type bike with thin wheels, a helmet (you will not be permitted to ride without a helmet), a basic repair kit along with at least one spare tube in case of a flat tire, and comfortable riding attire. Things like padded cycling shorts or pants and cycling gloves can make all the difference between a great ride and a torturous experience. Although its possible to ride with a mountain bike, comfort bike, BMX bike, etc., we dont recommend it because you will be doubling or tripling your riding efforts.
Riding with Caution:
Everyone has experienced that frustrating feeling when driving behind someone who is oblivious to the world where you just want to jump out of your car and scream at them. I think they call that road rage or something. Well, the frustration we feel is usually a reaction to someone breaking the rules of appropriate driving such as not signaling, driving in the shoulder, making right turns from the left turning lane, etc. Here are a couple of suggestions to avoid having a collision with one of these morons.
Ride Etiquette:
First of all, dont be a moron cyclist! Be sure to follow traffic laws. Stop at red lights, signal when making turns, and stay in the shoulders or as close as possible to the right side of the road. Motorists will appreciate this and youll avoid loud obnoxious honking or worse. Well, youll avoid this most of the times, anyway. Also, communication is key on group rides. Make everything very clear to your fellow cyclists. Theyll really appreciate it especially when drafting because the riders behind the leader will not have a clear sight line of the road ahead of them. It is the responsibility of the person at the front of the group to point out any dangerous situation. If you are leading the ride at any point, simply point out any potholes, cracks in the road, sand, or potentially dangerous objects to your fellow cyclist. Either call it out or literally point at the problem on the road with your finger. All other riders should relay each message back to the other riders in the same fashion so that everyone is aware. Do not let go of your handlebar if you dont feel comfortable doing so because its better to go over a pothole or sand with both hands on the bar than to risk a crash just to get a message back to the group. In this situation, its better to just call out hole or Sand so that the rider behind you can be on the lookout. We will sometimes ride on roads that have no shoulders and or blind turns and it is important to call out any motor vehicle that you see. If a vehicle is coming from the front toward the group you should call out car up and if its coming from the back you should call out car back. This is extremely important when planning to pass on the left for obvious reasons.
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