Ride Routes 30th September – 6th October

SPR Friday — One of the things I love most about SPR is the way it has adapted over time to better meet the needs of it members (and all the other people who ride with us 😎). One of my first rides with SPR was a Thursday ride in the very early days of the club – on that ride, Peter Mah had the group wait for me as I was struggling through Dalkeith. That was then. Suffice it to say that the Thursday ride has evolved, and is known for it pace and tempo. When I get dropped, I stay dropped.

So our rides can change. One thing we have done though, is measure those changes against our values. Safe. Organised. Inclusive. Social.

That brings me to SPR Friday. SPR Friday has become one of our most inclusive rides of the week, accessible to riders from a wide range of our groups and viewed by a number of regulars as their favourite ride of the week.

Equally, with its popularity we have seen a consistent size such that we most often split the group into two if not three – with the result being that the first group is markedly faster than the others. This has worked fine to the point where numbers have dipped (winter and rain anyone?) and we have seen a single group going at a pace that has seen some of our regulars dropped.

We’ve taken the time at Committee to discuss this, and where we have landed is this: When there are sufficient riders for two groups, the first group will be at least Main 1 pace, and the second group will be a solid Main 2 pace. When there is only one group the riders will determine an appropriate speed but will still be at least a solid Main 2 pace.

Let me add one other small but important detail that is particularly applicable when a group has a wider range of riders participating: You don’t have to roll. Sitting at the back of a group that is rolling is perfectly normal. Simply call forward that you are not rolling, and the riders that are “rolling” will adjust the rotation.

See you out on the bike.

Daniel

French Alps 24 EOI — The Col d`Izoard, pictured above, is one of the many mountain passes in the beautiful French Alps along the Route des Grandes Alpes, a trip being offered by the Club in September 2024. The trip was proposed by our own Christophe Borrel Ducroz who will be one of two guides for the trip from Geneva to Nice targeted at main 2 level riders. A reverse 9-day trip from Nice to Geneva is also being offered, depending on meeting the minimum numbers and will be guided by the organising tour company founder, Aigars. One of the best parts of cycling is participating with friends in a safe and well organised event, key lived values for the Club.

Inclusions: 3 or 4 star accommodation, all breakfasts and picnic lunches, a fully equipped support van, mechanical assistance, coaching and advice as needed throughout the trip, sports supplements, luggage transfers, airport transfers, pre-departure information, welcome pack and photos of the trip. High quality Sarto bikes are available to rent for AU$850 and AU$650 for the 14 and 9 day trips respectively.

Costs: 14-day main 2 level ~AU$5,700 per person double occupancy, single supplement $1500. 9-day trip for main 1 /fast riders ~AU$4,300 per person double occupancy, single supplement is $950; final prices will be in Euros.

EOI: The 14-day trip for main 2 level riders has nearly reached its minimum number of participants so if you are interested please complete an EOI as soon as possible.

French Alps EOI

Tour De Gracetown — The Tour De Gracetown is on Saturday 28 October. It is not only a well organised road cycling event with three distances to choose from, it’s a wonderful weekend away with fellow cyclists and partners. To top it off there is also a recovery ride on the Sunday with coffee at the Berry Farm.

Some accommodation is still available in Margaret River which you can book via the SPR shop; $75 per person in a twin share room. Contact Carol if you have any questions.

The cost is $125 for all distances if you register by 16 October.

Women Talking Cycling — After a very successful and well organised Womens 100 ride last Sunday by the SPR Chicks committee, they are back at it again organising an afternoon for women to come together and talk about cycling.

The event will be held on Sunday 8th October at the John McGrath Pavilion in South Perth from 2pm.

We will have two guest speakers Dr Julie Pham from Star Physio and Mel Raybould from Fuel to Perform. The event is free with afternoon tea supplied but please register so we know who to expect.

Register Here

I have heard that the event has been very generously supported by Shozk, Premax, Winners and  Pure Sports Nutrition and there will lots of prizes and samples to give away.

 

Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.

1. WCMCC Splendid Park – Grade Criterium Race

Juniors Ride — On Saturday the 30th we will ride from Como to Shelley and stop at the Lo Quay Cafe on Fern Rd, where adults can get a coffe and kids could get a well deserved treat for the effort.

The route is this https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/210106883 and the appointment is at the Holy Family Catholic Church car park at 10.30am.

From the Ride Coordinator — Red lights have a tendency to split bunches when riding in large groups. That’s one reason why we try and limit group sizes to around 15 riders. It’s just right for rolling through, and manageable for a car to pass if they need to drive around the group.

If the group does get split, remember to call SPLIT loudly, and then the front group should ride easy until the bunch is back together. The last thing we want is riders shooting red lights because they don’t want to be left stranded.

Maddington on Saturday – lets hope the South-Wester carries us sweetly down the back straight – instead of the tough crosswind we often see with the Easterlies.

Stay safe and enjoy the riding.

Saturday 30th September

Sunday 1st October

Monday 2nd October

Tuesday 3rd October

Wednesday 4th October

Thursday 5th October

Friday 6th October