100K: starts at 7 AM
50K: starts at 7:45 AM
10K Family Fun Ride: starts at 8 AM
The Gila Inner Loop Bicycle Tour
Safety Tips: When Crossing Cattle Guards
El Tour GABA Team To Be Selected at September Meeting Monday, Sept. 8
Cochise County Cycling Classic
El Tour Bike Patrol Needed for El Tour XXI
Let Us Show You a Good Time on this Very Scenic Ride!
Eating and Drinking While Cycling
Welcome, New and Renewing Members!
Basic Drafting & Pace Line Skills
Mental Work When Training for an Event
By Pam Cullop
Have you given some thought to participating in the Grand Canyon to Mexico Tour, but wish there was a way that you could make it a little more affordable?
Well, your wish has come true! It is simple, just gather up 5 of your buddies, each of you completes a registration form, then with 5 paid ride fees - one person can ride for free! All registration forms must come in one envelope, with the entire amount due.
If any person in that group cannot make the ride for whatever reason, a replacement rider must be found by the others, or the ride fees for the remaining group revert back to the original amount due.
Such a sweet deal, how can you let this one pass you by? If you have any questions, please contact one of the following people: Donna Lewandowski, Registration Coordinator at gabamail@comcast.net or at (520) 749-9014; or Pam Cullop, Ride Chair at pjcullop@comcast.net or at (520) 290-4321.
Saturday, Sept. 20th, 2003.
By Bill Scott, GABA Member spending half the year in Pinetop!
There are four challenge courses:
1) 66 mile single track trail race -for the very tough seasoned rider.
2) 52 mile trail challenge - strong experienced riders.
3) 41 mile trail odyssey for experienced riders.
4) 35 mile forest service road tour for fit riders.
Plus:
A 10-mile untimed breeze ride! Free kid's bike rally! Plenty of rest stops with food and drinks! Prizes and awards for all groups! Raffle for a $1600 Giant Mountain bike!
For more details or to get a registration form, go on-line to www.nrmc.org/twm.htm
Or write to NRMC Foundation, 2200 E. Show Low Lake Rd., Show Low AZ 85901.
For more info, contact Bill Scott at scottsb@cybertrails.com or write to 6886 Forest Ave. #88 , Lakeside, AZ 85929.
Phone: 1 [928] 532-1768.
Sept. 13 & 14, 2003
The Silver Spokes Bicycle Club of Silver City, New Mexico, will again sponsor the Gila Inner Loop Bicycle Tour. This 2-day event has been held yearly for more than a decade!
Beautiful vistas, light traffic and winding mountain roads make for a fabulous tour, suitable for intermediate and experienced cyclists. Well-stocked food and beverage stops, a satisfying dinner and breakfast at Camp Thunderbird, and the after-dinner bonfire keep many riders coming back year after year.
Cyclists ride 43 miles on the 1st day, from Silver City to Camp Thunderbird. Those desiring a greater challenge may add 17 to 43 more miles by taking a side trip to the Clinton P. Anderson Vista or the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
On the 2nd day, rider return to Silver City along the Mimbres Valley, with optional side trips through San Lorenzo and to the Kneeling Nun Vista. Distance ranges from 35 to 52 miles on the 2nd day, for a 2-day total of 78 to 138 miles.
Registration is $45 per rider. There is a limit of 100 riders. Registration forms are available from Twin Sisters Cycling and Fitness, 303 N. Bullard St., Silver City, NM 88661. For more information or to have a form mailed to you, call Annie at Twin Sisters at 505-538-3388, or e-mail twinsisters@gilanet.com
by Mike Morross
Phoenix GABA President
Like any other non-profit group, the various GABA chapters could not function without the voluntary efforts of its members in many different capacities.
Think that leading a ride seems like too much work? Imagine having to go to the PO Box several times a week. Imagine having to maintain an ever-growing membership database. Imagine having to create, repro-duce, and distribute a newsletter - every month! Imagine your phone ringing at all hours of the day and night because some member's mailing label is not indicating membership as being renewed yet!
I'm not complaining here, and I certainly don't mean to scare off any future volunteers. The point I'm trying to make is that ALL the functions that keep your Club running are done by uncompensated volunteer members
We've had several chapters at or near death recently because the "old guard" - the people who kept everything running - had decided that enough was enough, and that it was someone else's turn to take the reigns. If no one steps forward to do that, YOUR CLUB DIES!
I think all of us are member of GABA because we love to ride! I also know first-hand that GABA cannot exist without the efforts of its officers, ride leaders, and other volunteers from the membership. The meager dues that you pay to belong, in most cases, don't even cover the expenses of producing the newsletter and insuring training and recreational rides.
Ask yourself these questions: How long have you been a member? Ever volunteered for or led a ride? Have you ever served on the Board of your Club in any capacity? Most of the chapters will be holding elections in the next few months. Perhaps now is the time for you to give something back to bicycling. . . .
By Richard E Corbett,
Certified Effective Cycling Instructor & Coach
This article is meant to help everyone remember and practice safe riding techniques every time you approach and cross a cattle guard.
Cattle guards have been a part of the western landscape for about a hundred years. Cyclists have been around here even longer than that. Unfortunately, the two continue to come together occasionally in ways where the cyclists end up "losing". This article is meant to help you better understand the ways to avoid problems with cattle guards.
ALWAYS cross cattle guards straight, not at an angle!
Hold the handlebar firmly and coast if crossing a cattleguard that is wet. Consider dismounting and walking across if in doubt as to your ability to cross safely.
Do not slow down too much! Slow speed can cause you to lose control if your front tire slips on the metal rail(s).
Rise off the saddle as you cross a cattle guard, using your knees and elbows as shock absorbers.
Be alert as you approach the cattle guard, in case there is a structural condition that could cause you to have a problem. These could include: (1) GAPS BETWEEN THE GRATES parallel to your direction of travel; (2) Gaps between the grates and the pavement, perpendicular (at a right angle) to your direction of travel, on both the near and far sides; and (3) differences in the height of adjacent grates, parallel to your direction of travel. AVOID these if they are present!
Many cattle guard problems occur when cyclists are riding in a group, so here are some special considerations for the group setting.
The lead cyclist in a group must see and call out a cattle guard well in advance. This gives enough time for every member of the group to see, evaluate, decide, and steer an individually chosen path across the cattle guard.
ALWAYS CHOOSE YOUR OWN path over a cattle guard. When riding with someone else, especially when in a group, move apart enough so every member of the group has their own clear view of the cattle guard, in plenty of time to pick a different path. Don't rely on someone else to pick your path; they need to concentrate on their own, and they don't have as much invested as you do (in exactly where you ride).
Clearly, everyone, whether riding alone or in a group, must see, evaluate, decide, and steer their own path across cattle guards.
By the way, most of these points also apply to crossing railroad tracks.
Please do ride enjoyably and safely !
September 27, 2003
The MS Corona de Marana Bike Tour offers 3 options all starting and ending at the Marana Town Park, at Lon Adams & Barnett Rds. in Marana.
|
100K: starts at 7 AM |
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50K: starts at 7:45 AM |
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10K Family Fun Ride: starts at 8 AM |
For more info, call 747-7472 or check their website at: www.dsw.nmss.org. This ride is a Fundraiser for the MS Society.
A 5-member El Tour GABA Team will be selected at the September Meeting.
The Team is composed of a Team Captain, and 4 Team Members. Two alternates will also be picked, in case someone on the Team cannot make it.
You do not have to be a fast rider to be on the GABA Team! All you agree to is to ride to the "Best" of your ability, and, of course, to be able to finish the Event.
Saturday, October 4
The 16th Annual Cochise County Cycling Classic is around the corner! All options start & end at the 10th Street Park in Douglas. Challenge yourself! See how far you can really go!
Four options are available:
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252 miles - perimeter of Cochise County |
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157 miles - perimeter of Dragoon Mtns |
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92 miles - perimeter of Potter Mountain |
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45 miles - no perimeter, just a circle! |
Organized by PBAA to benefit Douglas Assoc. for Retarded Citizens. For information, call PBAA, (520) 745-2033, or check their website at www.pbaa.com
Bike Patrol are experienced cyclists who make the commitment to ride the "El Tour" route assisting cyclists with mechanical and first aid, as well as offering encouragement. It is not a race for them!
Bike Patrols must have a current certification, good for 2 years. To be certified, you must attend a certification class. Sessions run 2 hours. As Bike Patrol, your El Tour registration fee is waived, but a processing fee of $15 (Must be paid before 11/13) is required to cover cost of T-shirt, medical supplies and support on the route. For more information and to register, call PBAA, 745-2033., or www.pbaa.com
Bike Patrol Certification Classes:
9/23 (Tue) 7 PM - 2609 E. Broadway - Basic Skills
10/29 (Wed) 7 PM -2609 E. Broadway - Basic skills
11/13 (Thu) 7 PM - 2609 E. Broadway - Basic Skills
11/17 (Mon)7 PM - 2692 E. Broadway - Advanced Topics
11/18 (Tue) 7 PM - 2609 E. Bdwy -Advanced Mechanics
11/21 (Fri) 4:30 PM -Tucson Conv. Ctr -Late & Out of Town Only
As Flag Riders, the "Goodwill Ambassadors" of El Tour, you will ride the entire route while carrying the Flag of El Tour - a symbol of "cycling in pursuit of helping children living life- threatening illnesses".
There are around 60 Flag Rides this year, starting in September. Your name and to whom you are dedicating your Flag Ride will be listed in the Tail Winds. Flag Ride Days are assigned on a first come, first served basis. No more than 4 riders per day. but one person may ride on one or more days.
All Flag Riders receive a special El Tour Flag Ride T-shirt and a packet filled with sponsor-donated items.
The Flag Rides will start on September 22 and run through November 22. Reserve your date as soon as possible to ensure that you will be a part of our unique tradition. There is a fee for doing a Flag Ride. For more information or to sign up, call PBAA at 745-2033, or check www.pbaa.com.
September 27th - October 5th
It is our goal to treat every ride participant on the GABA Tour with the utmost consideration. After all, this is your vacation. You pay good money to come and enjoy yourself, and that is what we want you to do!
We begin this "pampering" by supplying each person who is on the optional bus trip from Phoenix to Tusayan, with a sack lunch including cold drinks, and reading material for the 4-5 hour trip up to the southern entrance to the Grand Canyon, our starting point.
The "special treatment" doesn't stop there! Each evening meal will include entrees that both meat-eaters and vegetarians will find not only delicious and appealing, but plentiful as well.
At the evening meals, we will have some fun activities, which will include some "giveaways" as our way of saying: "Hope you are having a great time, and thanks for joining us". We have also arranged for some after-dinner entertainment in various locations, which we think you will enjoy.
Evening meals are nearly always in the dining room of our selected hotel/motel, and the afternoon Social Hour will be set up near the campsites on the grounds of the hotel/motel each day. In a couple of the hotels, a continental breakfast comes with each paid room, so we are also providing that breakfast to our campers on those same days.
Every day at each rest stop you will find a wide assortment of food items to choose from. The choice will vary at each stop, giving you well-rounded nourishment throughout the day. No need to worry about shelling out extra money for lunch, as you may choose from selected meats, cheeses, peanut butters or jellies to build yourself a mouth-watering sandwich.
During the riding hours, our conscientious ride crew will carefully monitor your progress. Anyone needing assistance will be attended to without a moment's hesitation. The focus of our friendly and courteous ride crew is that every person on this tour is important; it is the standard we uphold.
Motels and camping locations have been selected and designed to promote togetherness. With only one exception - that being at the Grand Canyon - tents will be pitched on motel/hotel property. Showers/restrooms will be located inside those motels, and these rooms will be kept open all night long for your convenience.
On the trip back up to Phoenix from the Americana Hotel in Nogales, all the food left over from the SAG stops of the week will be available to one and all to take along. Choose whatever you will need to get you through the morning (or longer) until you catch your flight/car ride home.
At check in on Tour Opening Day, each ride participant will receive a colorful commemorative T-Shirt from "Beefy-T", a pair of GABA Tour personalized "D-Feet" socks, 2 GABA water bottles, a 2003 Route Guide, a name and bike badge, a Grand Canyon Pass (good for 7 days) and more!
Come along on this grand 7-day vacation! Don't forget, this package includes one entire day to visit and play and sightsee at the Grand Canyon on Sunday, Sept. 28th; and 500-miles of some pretty terrific scenery to enjoy, uphill and downhill adventures to experience, and people from all walks of life and of all ages to meet. Put your registration form in the mail today - you will be ever so glad you did!
Tour Participants!
Fellow Tucsonans, if you are still thinking about signing up for this year's Grand Canyon to Mexico tour, but haven't figured out the logistics of getting your bike to Phoenix, and back from Nogales; we have a deal for you! This is a first-come, first-served offer, and for Tucson riders only!!!
We will transport a limited number of bicycles in the tour baggage truck (after supplies and food), to the Best Western Airport Inn in Phoenix on Friday, September 26th, and back to Tucson from the Americana Hotel in Nogales on October 5th. Of course, from Phoenix, you will board the Tour Bus to the starting point at the southern entrance of the Grand Canyon National Park.
To get your bike ready for transporting: please cushion it with insulation wrap, or something we can easily carry for a week (for those who need the return transportation), and have it at a yet-to-be determined location on Friday, Sept. 26, for placement on the baggage truck. We will not be able to take responsibility for any damaged bicycles, so please wrap it carefully.
We will also be able to carry a limited number of passengers from Tucson to Phoenix, and from Nogales back to Tucson at the end of the Tour, on a first-come first-served basis, in our tour support vehicles.
Hurry! Don't delay... make your reservations today!
Contact: Donna Lewandowski, E-Mail: gabamail.org
Or Pam Cullop, Phone: 349-5932, E-mail: pjcullop@comcast.net
By Richard E Corbett, Certified Instructor and Coach
Always ‘Eat before you are hungry’ and ‘drink before you are thirsty’. If in doubt, consult with a professional nutritionist (Mary Lyons, for example, who presented at the June meeting), as this is a more complex subject than most realize. I present the important basics here:
∑ Drink 16 to 28 ounces of water per hour as you ride. The exact amount will depend on your size, the temperature, how hard you are riding, the altitude, and other lesser factors
∑ Test energy drinks carefully to determine your ability to drink them when you are hot, tired, and/or mentally down- something that you will experience later, as your rides get longer. As a general rule, plan on at least half of your liquid intake being water.
∑ Carry no less than two large (28 oz) water bottles, and be prepared, on some rides, to carry extra water (one to 1 _ liters). You can do this most easily by carrying the extra water in a collapsible container(s), such as a Platypus water bag (available at outdoor stores), which won’t take very much room in your jersey pocket after its empty.
∑ IF you feel slightly nauseated after riding for some time, it is almost always a sign of early dehydration. You can ‘come back’ from this condition by eating something(s) salty, resting a while, and then increasing your liquid intake.
∑ Eat simple, easy to carry foods that are high in carbohydrates and low (less than 30%) in fat.
∑ High carbohydrate foods include cereal, bread, pasta, beans, rice, potatoes, corn, fruit and vegetables, and pancakes (with only small amounts of butter, margarine, or oil). If you choose mostly refined carbohydrates (white bread, white pasta, white rice) you will get fewer vitamins and minerals, so a supplement may be required.
∑ Experiment with different foods, to find out what works best for you when you are hot, tired, and/or mentally down. What tastes good at home may not taste good on the ride !
∑ Your food should provide three important things: (1) relatively quick energy ) a higher glycemic value); (2)electrolytes (salt, potassium, etc.); and (3) sustaining energy.
∑ Some food ideas: pretzels, fig bars, crackers (especially saltines), bananas, oranges (pre-peeled), grapes, baked potatoes (add only a salty spicing, such as ‘cajun spice’), and various flavors of rice cakes are all good.
By Steve Wilson
GABA President
As I sit here writing this column I'm going through Tour de France withdrawal. I have to give OLN (Outdoor Life Network) another A+ for their coverage of the Tour. Listening to Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin call the Tour for 2 hours a night was just a pleasurable experience. Or in the morning if you got up to catch it live. (or both if it was a particularly good stage)
How could anyone watch the Tour and not be in awe of the incredible athletic abilities of Lance Armstrong and Jan Ullrich. 20 miles into the final individual time trial they were each averaging over 35 miles per hour!! Just for grins Donna and I tried to get up to 35 mph on a flat stretch of Pima before we pooped out - we didn't make it. Perhaps the most amazing statistic to me is the average speed for the 2,100+ miles - over 25 miles per hour! When you consider the seven days in the Alps AND the Pyrenees, that is simply amazing.
In case you want to compare yourself to Lance, here's a factoid for you. Given his sustained rate of climb of over 5,000 feet per hour, he would average over 20 miles per hour going up Mt. Lemmon. Think about that next time you are cruising up to 7 Cataracts.
Another thing I like about watching the Tour is the remarkable level of sportsmanship that is constantly on display. From 2 years ago when Lance waited for Ullrich after he crashed, to Ullrich waiting on Lance after he crashed this year, it's just nice to see. No trash talking about your opponents, no in-your-face antics. Just a strong mutual respect for one's opponents that is a pleasure to see. Add to it the selfless acts of teamwork by the domestiques supporting their team leaders. It's not hard to imagine the wailing one would hear if a NBA or MLB player were asked to do the same.
So maybe we'll think of Lance and Jan on next weekend's ride and pedal a little faster, imagining the call of Phil Liggett as we make the turn on to the Champs Elysees!
I guess it's time to start the debate - can Lance make it 6???
By Richard E Corbett, Certified Instructor & Coach
There are four basic components to effective training:
Aerobic training (HR 60-80% of maximum, or pace that allows brief conversation)
Lactate threshold training (HR 80-90% of maximum, or pace high enough that can say single words but not whole sentences)
Anaerobic training (Hill work, weight training)
Rest (Easy rides or days off during the week, plateaus at one level of work before moving on to the next higher level)
Most of the early rides are aimed at developing your aerobic engine. A good aerobic base is the foundation upon which the rest of the training program is built. Aerobic rides train your body to utilize glycogen and fat stores more efficiently and improve your oxygen delivery system by conditioning your heart to pump more blood volume with each heartbeat. Over time this translates to an increased cycling efficiency, allowing you to use less energy for the amount of work done (or do more work for the same amount of energy). You will develop excellent endurance.
Long group rides and the weekly training rides done at “pace”, the steady speed at which you intend to ride the event, develop your aerobic capacity.
Once you have a good aerobic base, we will start training your body to remain aerobic at higher work levels. We’ll accomplish this by doing repeated short intervals of harder work with easy recovery in between. During these intervals, you will be breathing heavily, your muscles will ache, and you will feel fatigued. Intervals will be followed by a rest day (day off or a day of easy riding). The rest days are crucial to help your body adapt to this new type of work. The intervals themselves train your muscles to continue functioning despite rising lactic acid levels. It is while you are resting, though, that your body makes the adaptations that allow you to remain aerobic longer while working harder. It does this by developing new networks of blood vessels to feed the muscles. Better blood flow to the working muscles means more oxygen is delivered and waste products are flushed away faster. Both these changes allow you to work harder, longer, before you feel fatigued.
Three to five repeats of 5-12 minute intervals done at 80-90% max heart rate and interspersed with 2-5 minutes of rest (or until HR returns to about 60% of max) will give this type of lactate threshold training. Sustaining a steady “brisk” pace 2-4 mph faster than your planned event pace for a ride of an hour or so is another way to produce similar results.
Anaerobic training is critical for racers, but not as important for recreational riders. This type of training increases muscular strength needed for sprinting and hill climbing. It recruits a different type of muscle fiber than that used for aerobic work, and trains the body for short bursts of very intense effort.
Attacking hills, charging up them at full effort, is one type of anaerobic training. Short sprints are another (interval work done at full effort). Do this type of training with a riding partner to keep your enthusiasm up. It is punishing work! Lifting weights in a gym will also develop muscle strength but will not raise your lactate threshold as hill attacks and sprint intervals will. If you choose to lift weights, seek the advice of a qualified trainer. Eliminate weight lifting as the event draws closer.
Rest is crucial to your development as a cyclist. Rest allows muscle tissue to rebuild, blood vessels to grow, and keeps you mentally fresh. Rest for 2 days each week. One of these days should be “active recovery”, spinning along easily at low effort. Use this day to ride with slower or beginning friends, or to explore new neighborhoods or visit new places at a leisurely pace. Keep your distance moderate and your heart rate just below 60% of maximum. You should be able to chat easily and sing out loud (if you are so inclined!). Pick a beautiful, low traffic route at a nice time of day and just enjoy being out there on your bike. This is why you love to ride!
By Steve Wilson
GABA will once again be providing training rides to help you get ready for the big event. The training rides, led by GABA president Steve Wilson and GABA members Craig Gordon and Mike Wood, begin the weekend of September 7th, and will continue through the weekend of November 16th.
The rides will start with a distance of 30-40 miles and steadily increase each week to 90 miles the weekend before El Tour. This year we will continue to offer shorter route options for those that will be doing the shorter El Tour routes.
The training rides are designed to gradually increase your riding distance and endurance, familiarize you with the El Tour route, let you practice your ride strategy and ride with others who are at your riding skill level. With the exception of the two centuries, there is no cost for the training rides. These centuries are fully supported with three or four SAG stops with lots of good food.
This year GABA will offer 2 starting locations:
The first is the same as last year: at the northeast corner of Grant and Silverbell.
The second will be at Udall Park.
Details of the rides will be in the GABA monthly newsletters and on the GABA website (www.bikegaba.org). Information about the two centuries can be found in upcoming GABA monthly newsletters or on our website (www.bikegaba.org).
Perimeter Bicycling is expecting 6,000 or more riders for this year's event. Early sign-ups are already coming in. Check the Perimeter Bicycling website (www.pbaa.com) for sign-up information and entry forms. Note when the registration fees go up and sign up early and save some money.
So get ready to start putting in the training miles. Come join us for the training rides and we'll see you at the start line at sunrise on November 22nd!
JOSEPH SESTEAGA
LAURA BRIGGS
DENNIS/LAURA TALLENT
TEALA SMITH
ESTEBAN DRUM
JESUSITA RUIZ
DION STAPLETON
YVETTE GIMBRES
MARK OLIVA
VICTORIA REES.
Claude & Teresa Bippert-Plymete,
Richard Burns
Glenn Marks
Michael & Laurie Coppola
Rex Scofield
SHARON/RICK SCOFIELD
AUGUSTA BRITT
JENNIFER NYE
CHRISTY SANDMAN,
Joanne Alegria
Fred Blatt
Jim; Donna, Sean & Zane Culver,
Mary AnneFacelli
Christina P & Roland Fox
GEORGE MUNCRIEF
Bob & Lori Poppa
Family Toussaint,
Ron Fullerton
Bill Schreiber.
By Richard E. "Rich" Corbett, Certified Cycling Instructor and El Tour de Tucson Bike Patrol Director
As we near the 20th El Tour de Tucson, reviewing basic drafting and paceline skills is important, as most of the crashes that happen on El Tour result from cyclists running into each other, and most of these are when someone's wheel touches a wheel in front of them. So, read on, and be safer!
DRAFTING - riding closely behind the rider who is in front of you.
Start out by staying within one bicycle length of the rider ahead. Once you feel confident in your bike handling skills, and know the riding habits of the person you are following, you may close the gap more, and ride within one foot of the person ahead of you.
Drafting saves you energy - this is very important over long distances! A person riding in a paceline will use 25% less energy for the same speed compared to someone riding alone. Riding in the center of a pack boosts this energy savings up to 30-40%!
Looking at it another way, drafting allows you to go 2-4 mph faster than you can or will alone, for the same energy expenditure.
PACELINE ETIQUETTE
Because a paceline involves several cyclists riding single file at higher speeds, often with less than 12 inches between wheels, everyone in the line has certain responsibilities to everyone else in the line. Let's look at what these are:
The lead (front) rider gives hand signals (mostly) or calls out verbally to point our road hazards to those behind. Each following rider sees the signal and repeats it for the riders behind him, on down through the end of the line.
The lead rider maintains a steady pace, one that keeps the line moving briskly and prevents it from breaking up.
The lead rider pulls or rides at the front for 30 seconds to 5 minutes, depending on the difficulty of the pace and terrain, and on the lead rider's strength. Do not pull longer than is comfortable, or so long that the pace drops.
When ready to drop off the front of the line, the leader looks over his shoulder to see that the path is clear, signals left, and moves to the left of the line. The leader then (and only then) slows down, drifting to the back of the line. When even with the last rider in the line, he begins to pedal more briskly, and pick up speed. When his front wheel is even with the hub of the last rider's rear wheel, he begins moving slightly toward the last rider, and when the last rider passes, he quickly and smoothly moves behind him, into his slipstream.
The rider assuming the lead checks his speeds as the old leader drops off the front, then maintains the same speed. He does not speed up or surge forward to replace the old leader - doing so disrupts the line. He also checks his clock or cyclometer to know roughly how long he should pull.
Watch the shoulders of the person ahead of you. This will help keep you aware of potential problems or changes ahead of you in the line. Do NOT watch their rear wheel!
Ride a steady pace. Do not abruptly accelerate or decelerate with someone riding just inches behind you! If you slow abruptly and someone brushes your rear wheel, you will stay up but the rider who touched your wheel will fall. You don't want to be responsible for bringing down the rider behind you!
If you must slow or stop, signal this to the riders behind you (arm down and back with open palm toward the rider behind), or if you can't take your hands off the bars, call out slowing! or stopping!. Signal all turns as well (straight arm pointing in the direction of the turn, either right or left). Everyone in the line behind you should repeat your signal as they. too, slow, stop or prepare to turn.
Riders in the paceline should separate a little as everyone prepares for turns or stops. Cyclists should separate enough so everyone can see where they're going, and there is no danger of touching wheels or running into someone.
by Lori Sabado & Julie Johnson
(Reprinted from Cascade Courier, July 98)
Have a plan. Estimate your time to complete the ride, including rest stops, bad weather, flat tires, etc. Give yourself a variable of 30-60 minutes.
Ride your ride. Know your comfortable pace and train with compatible riders. You may be less efficient when going faster or slower than your norm. Learn to listen to your body. Know when it is appropriate to hang on with a fast group, or when it is better to ride by yourself, or hook up with a slower group. Will you have the energy and reserves to hang on? Will you bonk before the end? Know how much energy you have and know when it is used up.
Ride with a heart monitor. Ride a constant effort versus a constant speed: 15 miles per hour in a head wind is much different than in a tail wind!! If you don't have a heart monitor, use perceived exertion and cadence. Keep your cadence at 80-100 rpm, and the resistance should remain the same even if terrain and weather change.
Practice riding pace lines before the event. (If you are planning to do so.) Know the appropriate etiquette and safety precautions.
Learn to eat and drink regularly while on the bike. This helps to keep your energy at a constant level and avoids sugar highs and lows.
What to do when you hit those lows? Have a plan to motivate yourself when all you want to do is get off the bike and never see it again! One example is imagery. Remember a ride when you felt like you had all the energy in the world! Recapture that feeling!
Learn to stay on your bike. Go into your stops with a plan. What do you need to do: get water, mix drinks, use the toilet, rest, etc. Give yourself a set amount of time to accomplish this, and then hit the road.
Nothing should be new to you on the day of your event. You should have experienced all sorts of weather, being fatigued, different terrain, food, etc. Be prepared physically and mentally and have a great time!
By John Arle, GABA Phoenix
Several Club members have expressed concerns to me regarding safety on our group rides, well, actually the occasional lack thereof. Since these issues have been brought to my attention on more than one occasion, I felt they deserved some attention.
Pacelines are the issue. First, how much of the roadway should we take? With a bike lane, we should be able to ride in double formation and still remain within the lane. If the far right of the lane has debris, and riding double results in the left line being outside the bike lane, then the group should have the collective wisdom to single out.
Moving the line to the left of the bike lane is a mistake that will promote disfavor from our wheeled friends with whom we share the road. There is enough unreasonable, un-knowing, and unaware behaviors exhibited toward cyclists. Our riding habits should make every effort to minimize aggravation, not stimulate it!.
How should we ride when there is no bike lane? Common sense should dictate singling out. Some of our routes are relatively narrow. Many of these roads are not heavily driven by cars, but nonetheless, riding double consumes the entire lane! When sharing a single lane, this simply isn't wise; we should, once again, single out.
I am certain I am guilty of these violations myself. Our social nature compels us to ride side-by-side so we can talk and enjoy each other's company. This, however, will be a little consolation if, or when, an accident occurs. We have all seen close calls! This is one of the reasons I now limit the number of "race" zones on the Spin Cycle rides. The competition was com-promising safety
A secondary issue is the consistency of our pacelines. Both the Spin Cycle and Saturday Cycling rides break into speed groups. These pacelines need to work together to establish a consistent speed. Frequently, the lines fluctuate as much as 3 to 4 miles per hour. Often, a strong rider evolves to the front and bumps the pace up 5 mph only to be followed by a weaker rider that drops the pace right back down. This is brutal at the back of the line, creating "yo-yo-ing" that causes wheels to overlap and riders to go down.
The answer is simple: find a good pace for everyone in the paceline and hold it. Don't pick up the speed when it's your turn at the pull unless "the team" can do it! If you have been in the line working at your maximum and you tire, just break off the back and wait for the trailing group to catch you. Nine times out of ten, someone else is tiring too and will break off with you.
A spin-off of the pace problem is what commonly happens at stop-lights. Try to keep in formation. Slower riders shouldn't slide up past faster riders. This just causes them to have to pass as soon as the light changes. Again, this is courtesy that is easily accomplished if we just pay attention.
Lastly, point out those road hazards! We've had several accidents as of late, that were directly caused by hazards that were not pointed out. This is the initial responsibility of the lead rider. Then, each following rider must pass the signal back. The lead rider must give the hazard a generous berth and start to move away from it early and gradually. Obviously, the leader's eyes must be down on the road! The safety of everyone behind you depends on it.
We all know these cyclists truths to be self evident. And yet, on any given weekend, we can find examples of them being broken. What do we do? What should we do? Do we sound like jerks if we say anything? An accident will retro-spectively answer all of these questions for us. We surely want to avoid that. Each of us need to take the initiative to keep the group, and the individuals in it, as safe as possible. Speak up! Say what needs to be said, but do it in a courteous and caring way. We'll all be safer for it.
By Suzanne Couvrette
For the last couple of years, Bridget Owers was my Assistant Editor, the one I could count on whenever I was out of town, unable to put the Update together.
Bridget resigned recently, as she is spending more and more time in Seattle, where she has been hired to do the kind of work she excels at and at a much better salary than she could ever make here!
Bridget is a well-trained computer person, and her knowledge enables her to navigate all kinds of software easily, and to solve all the problems associated with computers.
We will miss Bridget, who was also a good cyclist very knowledgeable about bicycles! Everywhere she went, it was on her bicycle!
Last year, she devoted countless hours to making a wonderful poster for the raffle! We hope that her many talents will be very appreciated up in Seattle, and wish her clear weather riding up in the Pacific Northwest!