so this is a roundabout near my house.  the friday ride route passes by here and the sunday rides regularly come through here from the other direction.  have a look at the middle left of the picture and you will see a traffic sign that says “all bicycles”.  on friday, we don’t obey the sign.  i totally understand why the council/main roads would do this.  for the mummy and daddy riders, a roundabout can be a tricky experience.  especially a double lane roundabout like this one.  however, what i see it doing is giving drivers a free pass to not look out for cyclists as they have already been forced off the road.  the riders in this example would need to stop twice and give way to traffic before continuing down the road.  if they stayed on the road, they would only need to give way to any traffic coming from the right.  again, my view is that a potentially dangerous situation is “fixed” by taking the vulnerable road user off the road rather than forcing all road users to be responsible for their actions and therefore actually looking out for cyclists.  as i move around the city i am seeing more and more of these examples coming up.  by making cyclist have to stop and start in order to “protect their own safety” does not actively promote the sport or the correct behaviours in other road users.

ride leader sponsor –The ride leader sponsor for March is Babylon Pump & Power LTD.  They provide specialist equipment rental, diesel rebuild/maintenance and project support to the resources sector.

junior jersey policy – In order to further encourage junior participation the Committee has resolved to offer all junior members a free club jersey!  And in recognition that juniors will keep growing, the policy allows for one jersey per year (as  long as they are a member) until 18 years of age. Please see the previous post for more details.

memberships new changes – there has been quite a big change with memberships in 2019.  cycling australia have moved to a new system to keep track of memberships and this has allowed a few new benefits as well.  firstly there are a few different types of licences. for us the two main ones are ride+ and race.  obviously if you want to race, get the race one and if you just want coverage while riding with the club, get the ride+ one.  links can be found here.  while there is a cheaper ride basic option, it won’t cover you for much if you have an accident on a club ride.  there is also a new billing system where you can elect to pay monthly instead of annually.  for those that don’t appreciate the big hit for a elite race licence, you can split this across the year.  the minimum amount is for 12 months, though, so you still have to pay even if you don’t race.  there is also a 7day race licence that replaces the 3 day licence.  this can be purchased online and will be needed for event like the tour of margs, or if you just want to try out a crit or two.  it is only $38 but i am not sure how many you are allowed to purchase over a year.  finally, for those that want to transfer clubs there are two options.  firstly, if you current licence has expired, you now have the option to select a new club when renewing.  for those that want to join or leave spr for a mid year transfer, then you need to contact cycling australia memberships directly as the clubs cannot provide this service any more.

spr 10 year anniversary – south perth rouleurs 10th anniversary celebrations on the 6th of april 2019 will be in the form of not one, but two events! starting at 7am, we will conduct a suitably nostalgic, guided river ride where we will take in some of the significant landmarks and spots-of-significance that represent important milestones of the club’s growth and development. in keeping with our south perth heritage, we have secured the PS Decoy to steam us around…you guessed it…a river loop with a difference!  This will be a black-tie evening not to be missed.   see the previous post for more details.  tickets for the river cruise event are now being sold.  check out the previous post for links.

anniversary quiz – To get everyone in the mood for April 6th, we thought it might be a good idea to look back at the last 10 years of SPR history in the form of…you guessed it…a quiz!!  The quiz has been designed to test your knowledge of both the history of the Club as well as current events, people, geography and general knowledge.  There will be prizes for the most number of correct answers down to 3rd place…but there’s a catch! To be eligible to win one of the prizes, you MUST be on the PSS Decoy on the night of April 6th; no exceptions!  Entries close midnight April 3rd, 2019! TAKE ME TO THE  QUIZ!

saturday start locations – we have revamped the group start locations on saturday morning.  please have a look at the map so you know where your group will congregate.  this makes it easier for ride leaders to give you a briefing before the ride starts.  see the previous post for more details.

spr juniors – juniors is getting bigger.  more kids, more hill climbs, more pancakes and more bacon.  seriously, pancakes with bacon seems to be the food of choice.  under 10’s or over 10’s welcome with parents.

from the ride coordinator – our new ride coordinator is greg jones, so from now on you can blame him if you come home into a headwind – This week’s forecast is for strong easterly winds, so as you head out into the teeth of it, suggest you channel your best Jen’s Voight who is known to have said “ When my legs hurt I say ‘Shut up legs ! Do what I tell you to do’”.
Oh and enjoy the ride home and the coffee that you deserve when you finish.

saturday 30th march

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special

all rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am

juniors (with parent) – kings park juniors 23.72km spr saturday

development group –  novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday

transitional 1/2 – trans benara 39.90km spr saturday

fast/main – benara rd 50.76km spr saturday

sunday 31st march

rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am

development group – coffee ride

short – khna weir 72.23km spr sunday

long – khna trnr obs 101.76km spr sunday

monday 1st april

ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am

south stock 33.76km spr monday

tuesday 2nd april

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

spr tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

wednesday 3rd april

ride starts raffles bike path at 5:30am

interval training – stock road repeats

thursday 4th april

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

see previous post for ride groups

spr thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

ride starts frasers ave at 5:45am

development group – interval training kings park

friday 5th april

ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am

spr friday 42.01km (shelley)

friday training/recovery ride

so if you weren’t there at the beginning over 10 years ago, i encourage you to take a bit of a stroll back through the blog to see just how much this club has changed.  this photo is of a typical saturday ride when we probably had only one group and could all sit around the one table at the coffee shop.  nowadays this would be the type of turn out we expect when it is bucketing down with rain.

ride leader sponsor –The ride leader sponsor for March is Babylon Pump & Power LTD.  They provide specialist equipment rental, diesel rebuild/maintenance and project support to the resources sector.

notice of annual general meeting – the south perth cycle club annual general meeting (agm) will be held on saturday,   23 march 2019 at 9am.  This will be held at Dome Westralia Plaza (5/167 st georges terrace, perth) following the usual saturday ride in conjunction with a club breakfast ($15). please check the previous post for more info especially if you would like to be involved with the running of the club.

new kit day – if you ordered kit before the last close off you can grab it from the DOME after the saturday ride this week (23/03).  the boxes will be there between about 9:00am. and 10:15am.

junior jersey policy – In order to further encourage junior participation the Committee has resolved to offer all junior members a free club jersey!  And in recognition that juniors will keep growing, the policy allows for one jersey per year (as  long as they are a member) until 18 years of age. Please see the previous post for more details.

women’s crit racing – throughout the entire ring series davina has been riding in c grade to act as a coach/mentor during the races.  nancy and faye have been  the main spr beneficiaries but her services have been for all women that wanted to step up to racing.  at renae’s race this weekend and the rccc 10 yr crit, there will be a “come and try” event.  this is a great opportunity for any female rider to get a feel for how crit racing is run without the pressure of a full on race.  davina will also provide in race coaching for C/D grade.  if any spr women are interested feel free to get in contact with davina  as the aim is to increase the number of women turning up to race events.  hopefully this will slowly filter up to an increase in the higher grades as well as teach racing skills and tactics which only makes racing more exciting.

renae’s race 2019 – if you have heard or even raced in renae’s race but have never understood what the race is about, then claire tyrrell goes through the history of the event for you.  this weekend is a great opportunity for any women that want to come and try crit racing.  please see the previous post for more details.

memberships new changes – there has been quite a big change with memberships in 2019.  cycling australia have moved to a new system to keep track of memberships and this has allowed a few new benefits as well.  firstly there are a few different types of licences. for us the two main ones are ride+ and race.  obviously if you want to race, get the race one and if you just want coverage while riding with the club, get the ride+ one.  links can be found here.  while there is a cheaper ride basic option, it won’t cover you for much if you have an accident on a club ride.  there is also a new billing system where you can elect to pay monthly instead of annually.  for those that don’t appreciate the big hit for a elite race licence, you can split this across the year.  the minimum amount is for 12 months, though, so you still have to pay even if you don’t race.  there is also a 7day race licence that replaces the 3 day licence.  this can be purchased online and will be needed for event like the tour of margs, or if you just want to try out a crit or two.  it is only $38 but i am not sure how many you are allowed to purchase over a year.  finally, for those that want to transfer clubs there are two options.  firstly, if you current licence has expired, you now have the option to select a new club when renewing.  for those that want to join or leave spr for a mid year transfer, then you need to contact cycling australia memberships directly as the clubs cannot provide this service any more.

spr 10 year anniversary – south perth rouleurs 10th anniversary celebrations on the 6th of april 2019 will be in the form of not one, but two events! starting at 7am, we will conduct a suitably nostalgic, guided river ride where we will take in some of the significant landmarks and spots-of-significance that represent important milestones of the club’s growth and development. in keeping with our south perth heritage, we have secured the PS Decoy to steam us around…you guessed it…a river loop with a difference!  This will be a black-tie evening not to be missed.   see the previous post for more details.  tickets for the river cruise event are now being sold.  check out the previous post for links.

anniversary quiz – To get everyone in the mood for April 6th, we thought it might be a good idea to look back at the last 10 years of SPR history in the form of…you guessed it…a quiz!!  The quiz has been designed to test your knowledge of both the history of the Club as well as current events, people, geography and general knowledge.  There will be prizes for the most number of correct answers down to 3rd place…but there’s a catch! To be eligible to win one of the prizes, you MUST be on the PSS Decoy on the night of April 6th; no exceptions!  Entries close midnight April 3rd, 2019! TAKE ME TO THE  QUIZ!

saturday start locations – we have revamped the group start locations on saturday morning.  please have a look at the map so you know where your group will congregate.  this makes it easier for ride leaders to give you a briefing before the ride starts.  see the previous post for more details.

spr juniors – juniors is getting bigger.  more kids, more hill climbs, more pancakes and more bacon.  seriously, pancakes with bacon seems to be the food of choice.  under 10’s or over 10’s welcome with parents.

from the ride coordinator – It is the AGM this Sat, don’t forget to bring your cash for breakfast. To get all the groups back together as early as possible for breakfast and presentations we will be splitting the Main ride into 2 routes. Main 2 and Main 3 will leave Coode st first, followed by Trans, then F, F2 and M1 will take a different direction. Please be prepared to go when your group needs to roll out.

saturday 23rd march

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special

all rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am

juniors (with parent) – kings park juniors 23.72km spr saturday

development group –  novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday

transitional 1/2 – trans canning vale 42.34km spr saturday

main 2/3 – south st 51.23km spr saturday

fast/main1 – holmes rd 50.42km spr saturday

sunday 24th march

rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am

development group – coffee ride

short – wlsh weir 62.23km spr sunday

long – wlsh weir kal 101.71km spr sunday

monday 25th march

ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am

south stock 33.76km spr monday

tuesday 26th march

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

spr tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

wednesday 27th march

ride starts raffles bike path at 5:30am

interval training – stock road repeats

thursday 27th march

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

see previous post for ride groups

spr thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

ride starts frasers ave at 5:45am

development group – interval training kings park

friday 28th march

ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am

spr friday 42.01km (shelley)

friday training/recovery ride

a splash of light and colour.  it still surprises me just how many people we get to a thursday morning ride.  it is now definitely dark at 5:30 with the sun not rising till after 6am.  i know that this will change as the days get colder, but for now, getting my arse handed to me at 50km/hr on mounts bay road is the highlight of my riding week.  so glad that there is a group behind to scoop me up.

ride leader sponsor –The ride leader sponsor for January is Babylon Pump & Power LTD.  They provide specialist equipment rental, diesel rebuild/maintenance and project support to the resources sector.

notice of annual general meeting – the south perth cycle club annual general meeting (agm) will be held on saturday,   23 march 2019 at 9am.  This will be held at Dome Westralia Plaza (5/167 st georges terrace, perth) following the usual saturday ride. please check the previous post for more info especially if you would like to be involved with the running of the club.

 

new kit day – if you ordered kit before the last close off you can grab it from the DOME after the saturday ride this week or next (16/03 & 23/03).  the boxes will be there between about 9:00am. and 10:15am.

criterium state championships – entries close midnight tonight for the state championships.  there are 18 different divisions so something for everyone who want to race.  registration is available via the website, and a race programs show what time all the events are on if you are looking at heading down to support.

women’s crit racing – throughout the entire ring series davina has been riding in c grade to act as a coach/mentor during the races.  nancy and faye have been  the main spr beneficiaries but her services have been for all women that wanted to step up to racing.  at renae’s race next weekend and the rccc 10 yr crit, there will be a “come and try” event.  this is a great opportunity for any female rider to get a feel for how crit racing is run without the pressure of a full on race.  davina will also provide in race coaching for C/D grade.  if any spr women are interested feel free to get in contact with davina  as the aim is to increase the number of women turning up to race events.  hopefully this will slowly filter up to an increase in the higher grades as well as teach racing skills and tactics which only makes racing more exciting.

memberships new changes – there has been quite a big change with memberships in 2019.  cycling australia have moved to a new system to keep track of memberships and this has allowed a few new benefits as well.  firstly there are a few different types of licences. for us the two main ones are ride+ and race.  obviously if you want to race, get the race one and if you just want coverage while riding with the club, get the ride+ one.  links can be found here.  while there is a cheaper ride basic option, it won’t cover you for much if you have an accident on a club ride.  there is also a new billing system where you can elect to pay monthly instead of annually.  for those that don’t appreciate the big hit for a elite race licence, you can split this across the year.  the minimum amount is for 12 months, though, so you still have to pay even if you don’t race.  there is also a 7day race licence that replaces the 3 day licence.  this can be purchased online and will be needed for event like the tour of margs, or if you just want to try out a crit or two.  it is only $38 but i am not sure how many you are allowed to purchase over a year.  finally, for those that want to transfer clubs there are two options.  firstly, if you current licence has expired, you now have the option to select a new club when renewing.  for those that want to join or leave spr for a mid year transfer, then you need to contact cycling australia memberships directly as the clubs cannot provide this service any more.

spr 10 year anniversary – south perth rouleurs 10th anniversary celebrations on the 6th of april 2019 will be in the form of not one, but two events! starting at 7am, we will conduct a suitably nostalgic, guided river ride where we will take in some of the significant landmarks and spots-of-significance that represent important milestones of the club’s growth and development. in keeping with our south perth heritage, we have secured the PS Decoy to steam us around…you guessed it…a river loop with a difference!  This will be a black-tie evening not to be missed.   see the previous post for more details.  tickets for the river cruise event are now being sold.  check out the previous post for links.

saturday start locations – we have revamped the group start locations on saturday morning.  please have a look at the map so you know where your group will congregate.  this makes it easier for ride leaders to give you a briefing before the ride starts.  see the previous post for more details.

spr juniors – juniors is getting bigger.  more kids, more hill climbs, more pancakes and more bacon.  seriously, pancakes with bacon seems to be the food of choice.  under 10’s or over 10’s welcome with parents.

from the ride coordinator – We are almost at the autumnal equinox, with nights as long as days. Don’t forget to charge up and use your lights for your commutes and morning rides.

saturday 16th march

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special

all rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am

juniors (with parent) – kings park juniors 23.72km spr saturday

development group –  novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday

transitional 1/2 – trans shelley 40.59km spr saturday

fast/main – maddington 51.87km spr saturday

sunday 17th march

rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am

development group – coffee ride

short – brktn weir 82.89km spr sunday

long – f’berg urch obs 96.16km spr sunday

monday 18th march

ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am

south stock 33.76km spr monday

tuesday 19th march

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

spr tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

wednesday 20th march

ride starts raffles bike path at 5:30am

interval training – stock road repeats

thursday 21st march

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

see previous post for ride groups

spr thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

ride starts frasers ave at 5:45am

development group – interval training kings park

friday 22nd march

ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am

spr friday 42.01km (shelley)

friday training/recovery ride

in the past ten years of the clubs existence, there have been a number of people that have come and gone as their situations have changed.  some have quietly disappeared as they have moved for work and others have just decided that they are not riding their bikes anymore.  way back in 2008 a young mining engineer from germany came to work in my office.  it was mentioned that he rode bikes but hadn’t brought his with him, so we scrambled together a bike, helmet, shoes and pedals to get him going. at the time we described him as a “young jens voight” and since we know the german’s don’t have a sense of humour, i had to explain to him that aussies all love jens, so it was a compliment.  i did a search and the first mention of heiko was a saturday ride way back in august 2008.  back then, the saturday rides attracted about 30 people and were written like a race report.  below is a snippet from the blog post of his first mention –

i introduced heiko, our german vacation student, to the rest of the group and talked him up so everyone thinks he is a young jens voigt……..

…….heiko, held his own well today and showed some glimpses of jens voigt with some strong riding. i think he will do ok.

think he will do okay!!!  what was i thinking.  over the years heiko has transformed into a beast on the bike.  so much so, that if you are searching the blog for references of him, you need to look for the name “panzerwagon” instead.  now he is moving back to germany and taking louise with him.  some personal reasons have meant that he may be over there for the next couple of years, but hopefully they will be back to perth after that.  if you see him or louise this weekend, make sure you take your chance to say goodbye so they don’t slip away unnoticed.

ride leader sponsor –The ride leader sponsor for January is Babylon Pump & Power LTD.  They provide specialist equipment rental, diesel rebuild/maintenance and project support to the resources sector.

notice of annual general meeting – the south perth cycle club annual general meeting (agm) will be held on saturday,   23 march 2019 at 9am.  This will be held at Dome Westralia Plaza (5/167 st georges terrace, perth) following the usual saturday ride. please check the previous post for more info especially if you would like to be involved with the running of the club.

the ring finale – Sunday is the final round of The Ring Criterium Series. SPR has several racers in contention for their Grade champs!!! This week is at Northbridge starting at 12:30, details on the website.  SPR SuperVan will be in attendance. Bring your cowbells.

memberships new changes – there has been quite a big change with memberships in 2019.  cycling australia have moved to a new system to keep track of memberships and this has allowed a few new benefits as well.  firstly there are a few different types of licences. for us the two main ones are ride+ and race.  obviously if you want to race, get the race one and if you just want coverage while riding with the club, get the ride+ one.  links can be found here.  while there is a cheaper ride basic option, it won’t cover you for much if you have an accident on a club ride.  there is also a new billing system where you can elect to pay monthly instead of annually.  for those that don’t appreciate the big hit for a elite race licence, you can split this across the year.  the minimum amount is for 12 months, though, so you still have to pay even if you don’t race.  there is also a 7day race licence that replaces the 3 day licence.  this can be purchased online and will be needed for event like the tour of margs, or if you just want to try out a crit or two.  it is only $38 but i am not sure how many you are allowed to purchase over a year.  finally, for those that want to transfer clubs there are two options.  firstly, if you current licence has expired, you now have the option to select a new club when renewing.  for those that want to join or leave spr for a mid year transfer, then you need to contact cycling australia memberships directly as the clubs cannot provide this service any more.

spr 10 year anniversary – south perth rouleurs 10th anniversary celebrations on the 6th of april 2019 will be in the form of not one, but two events! starting at 7am, we will conduct a suitably nostalgic, guided river ride where we will take in some of the significant landmarks and spots-of-significance that represent important milestones of the club’s growth and development. in keeping with our south perth heritage, we have secured the PS Decoy to steam us around…you guessed it…a river loop with a difference!  This will be a black-tie evening not to be missed.   see the previous post for more details.  tickets for the river cruise event are now being sold.  check out the previous post for links.

saturday start locations – we have revamped the group start locations on saturday morning.  please have a look at the map so you know where your group will congregate.  this makes it easier for ride leaders to give you a briefing before the ride starts.  see the previous post for more details.

spr juniors – juniors is getting bigger.  more kids, more hill climbs, more pancakes and more bacon.  seriously, pancakes with bacon seems to be the food of choice.  under 10’s or over 10’s welcome with parents.

from the ride coordinator – a chance of rain this saturday morning, but still looking like it will be warm.  don’t forget that the sunday hills ride has now moved back to a 7am start and for the time being there will be no sunday earlybird.  also this sunday the long hills will be a heiko special for his last ride.  there is a lot of climbing, but it centres around kalamunda, so you have options for shortcuts or aborts.

saturday 9th march

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special

all rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am

juniors (with parent) – kings park juniors 23.72km spr saturday

development group –  novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday

transitional 1/2 – trans reabold 38.69km spr saturday

fast/main – tv stations 50.29km spr saturday

sunday 10th march

rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am

development group – coffee ride

short – wlsh weir 62.23km spr sunday

long – heiko’s final hills ride

monday 11th march

ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am

south stock 33.76km spr monday

tuesday 12th march

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

spr tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

wednesday 13th march

ride starts raffles bike path at 5:30am

interval training – stock road repeats

thursday 14th march

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

see previous post for ride groups

spr thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

ride starts frasers ave at 5:45am

development group – interval training kings park

friday 15th march

ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am

spr friday 42.01km (shelley)

friday training/recovery ride

so during a heated email “discussion” the other week, i was told the that only reason that i was still president of the club was because of ego. the insinuation stemmed from me not responding to some emails due to being on a family holiday at the time.  i explained that i didn’t think that the issues were life threatening and was going to respond when i returned.  i also explained that all positions within the club were of a purely voluntary basis and therefore we dealt with things on our own personal time.  apparently this was not good enough and the demand was that running the club like a business should be more important.  so, is it ego??? i am fiercely proud of what i started and then what others have help grow.  i am proud of what this club has become but i wouldn’t say that it is something that i use to stroke my own ego.  being president is not always a fun job.  in fact there are many parts that are downright frustrating.  this club wasn’t started to show off, it was started to provide a service for people that want to ride bikes together. we are into our 10th year and this make us very young compared to many other clubs in perth.  however, we are also one of the biggest clubs for a number of reasons.  our agm is coming up soon and there are committee positions available.  if you want to be one of the reasons for the club being successful have a chat with one of the current committee members.

ride leader sponsor –The ride leader sponsor for January is Babylon Pump & Power LTD.  They provide specialist equipment rental, diesel rebuild/maintenance and project support to the resources sector.

notice of annual general meeting – the south perth cycle club annual general meeting (agm) will be held on saturday,   23 march 2019 at 9am.  This will be held at Dome Westralia Plaza (5/167 st georges terrace, perth) following the usual saturday ride. please check the previous post for more info especially if you would like to be involved with the running of the club.

spr racing – Entries close tonight for the Pemberton Classic for this long weekend.
There has been no feedback on a request for driving the SPR SuperVan to the Pemberton Classic, so at this time we will not be attending with full Race@SPR set up. If you turning up for drinks and shelter regularly but are not volunteering to assist, feel free to have a think about the contributions your Club Mates are making week after week for your benefit.  See previous race reports HERE  and HERE. Check out the event website with links to registration.

the ring reports – race 4 was at subi last weekend and the racing was fast and flowing.  check out the latest race report from the mo in the previous post.

memberships new changes – there has been quite a big change with memberships in 2019.  cycling australia have moved to a new system to keep track of memberships and this has allowed a few new benefits as well.  firstly there are a few different types of licences. for us the two main ones are ride+ and race.  obviously if you want to race, get the race one and if you just want coverage while riding with the club, get the ride+ one.  links can be found here.  while there is a cheaper ride basic option, it won’t cover you for much if you have an accident on a club ride.  there is also a new billing system where you can elect to pay monthly instead of annually.  for those that don’t appreciate the big hit for a elite race licence, you can split this across the year.  the minimum amount is for 12 months, though, so you still have to pay even if you don’t race.  there is also a 7day race licence that replaces the 3 day licence.  this can be purchased online and will be needed for event like the tour of margs, or if you just want to try out a crit or two.  it is only $38 but i am not sure how many you are allowed to purchase over a year.  finally, for those that want to transfer clubs there are two options.  firstly, if you current licence has expired, you now have the option to select a new club when renewing.  for those that want to join or leave spr for a mid year transfer, then you need to contact cycling australia memberships directly as the clubs cannot provide this service any more.

spr 10 year anniversary – south perth rouleurs 10th anniversary celebrations on the 6th of april 2019 will be in the form of not one, but two events! starting at 7am, we will conduct a suitably nostalgic, guided river ride where we will take in some of the significant landmarks and spots-of-significance that represent important milestones of the club’s growth and development. in keeping with our south perth heritage, we have secured the PS Decoy to steam us around…you guessed it…a river loop with a difference!  This will be a black-tie evening not to be missed.   see the previous post for more details.

saturday start locations – we have revamped the group start locations on saturday morning.  please have a look at the map so you know where your group will congregate.  this makes it easier for ride leaders to give you a briefing before the ride starts.  see the previous post for more details.

spr juniors – juniors is getting bigger.  more kids, more hill climbs, more pancakes and more bacon.  seriously, pancakes with bacon seems to be the food of choice.  anyway, summer is here so suns out, sons out (daughters welcome too).  under 10’s or over 10’s welcome with parents.

from the ride coordinator – Good luck to all team green heading to Pemberton for racing &/or supporting this weekend.

saturday 2nd march

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special

all rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am

junior juniors (under 10 with parent) – kings park juniors 23.72km spr saturday

juniors (10 – 15 yrs with parent) – kings park juniors 23.72km spr saturday

development group –  novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday

transitional 1/2 – trans shelley 40.59km spr saturday

fast/main – canning vale & welshpool 49.74km spr saturday

sunday 3rd march

rides start at coode st carpark at 6:00am

development group – coffee ride – Summer Sundays at Six am (Dec to Feb)

short – kal goose 67.63km spr sunday

long – kal chook obs 89.74km spr sunday

monday 4th march – labour day public holiday

ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am

south stock 33.76km spr monday

all rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am

fast & main – public hol 58.97km spr special

tuesday 5th march

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

spr tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

wednesday 6th march

ride starts raffles bike path at 5:30am

interval training – stock road repeats

thursday 7th march

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

see previous post for ride groups

spr thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

ride starts frasers ave at 5:45am

development group – interval training kings park

friday 8th march

ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am

spr friday 42.01km (shelley)

friday training/recovery ride

last weeks blog write up caused a bit of a stir with some people within the club.  some people felt that i may have been targeting them over behaviours that may be considered not in line with the club’s ethos.  there was also a question about why it was done in a public manner, i.e. on the blog.  if anyone did feel aggrieved by what i wrote, then i do wholeheartedly apologise.  the intent on putting these type of things on the blog is similar to what i am doing now.  it is all about transparency.  this allows others that may have seen a similar issue but not spoken up feel that there is some action happening.  there were two main issues being addressed and they centred around how we communicate during rides.  the intent of the blog post was just to be a general “catch all” to ensure that all parties understand where the club stands.  it was not a public, targeted approach to disciplining someone.  there have been numerous personal phone calls and emails addressing some of these issues, so we just wanted to ensure the membership knew that we actually do follow up with issues.  how we communicate during rides is extremely important as this sets the tone for how we are viewed.  ever the diplomat, i witnessed rob ramsden come up to someone on this mornings ride and gently explain to them about how they were riding in an unsteady manner and what they could to to correct it.  we all can’t be as smooth as rob, but for interaction between any riders in the club, it all comes down to what type of club do we want people to see.

ride leader sponsor – february’s ride leader sponsor is Melody Wheels who are a multiple return sponsor for the club.  they are a wheel building specialists in the same way as one might distinguish a medical specialist from a gp.  they do precision wheel building and wheel repairs, and that’s the only thing they do.

notice of annual general meeting – the south perth cycle club annual general meeting (agm) will be held on saturday,   23 march 2019 at 9am.  This will be held at Dome Westralia Plaza (5/167 st georges terrace, perth) following the usual saturday ride. please check the previous post for more info especially if you would like to be involved with the running of the club.

spr racing – The Pemberton Classic staged over the March Labour Day long weekend has opened entries. SPR has headed down in numbers for previous years, and this continues to be a great weekend away. The beautiful bushland surrounds, local cafes, pubs, wineries (and a brewery!), not to mention the ENTIRE town getting behind this one makes it pretty special. See previous race reports HERE  and HERE. Check out the event website with links to registration.

Locally, The Ring Criterium Series continues this Sunday at Subi.  Davina Summers will again be mentoring women in the C/D race, so if you are unsure about racing, here is an excellent opportunity to get some “on the job” direction and advice.  entries close tonight and rego can be found here.

the ring reports – race 3 was at northam last weekend and the racing was fast and flowing.  check out the latest race report from the mo in the previous post.

memberships new changes – there has been quite a big change with memberships in 2019.  cycling australia have moved to a new system to keep track of memberships and this has allowed a few new benefits as well.  firstly there are a few different types of licences. for us the two main ones are ride+ and race.  obviously if you want to race, get the race one and if you just want coverage while riding with the club, get the ride+ one.  links can be found here.  while there is a cheaper ride basic option, it won’t cover you for much if you have an accident on a club ride.  there is also a new billing system where you can elect to pay monthly instead of annually.  for those that don’t appreciate the big hit for a elite race licence, you can split this across the year.  the minimum amount is for 12 months, though, so you still have to pay even if you don’t race.  there is also a 7day race licence that replaces the 3 day licence.  this can be purchased online and will be needed for event like the tour of margs, or if you just want to try out a crit or two.  it is only $38 but i am not sure how many you are allowed to purchase over a year.  finally, for those that want to transfer clubs there are two options.  firstly, if you current licence has expired, you now have the option to select a new club when renewing.  for those that want to join or leave spr for a mid year transfer, then you need to contact cycling australia memberships directly as the clubs cannot provide this service any more.

spr 10 year anniversary – south perth rouleurs 10th anniversary celebrations on the 6th of april 2019 will be in the form of not one, but two events! starting at 7am, we will conduct a suitably nostalgic, guided river ride where we will take in some of the significant landmarks and spots-of-significance that represent important milestones of the club’s growth and development. in keeping with our south perth heritage, we have secured the PS Decoy to steam us around…you guessed it…a river loop with a difference!  This will be a black-tie evening not to be missed.   see the previous post for more details.

saturday start locations – we have revamped the group start locations on saturday morning.  please have a look at the map so you know where your group will congregate.  this makes it easier for ride leaders to give you a briefing before the ride starts.  see the previous post for more details.

spr juniors – juniors is getting bigger.  more kids, more hill climbs, more pancakes and more bacon.  seriously, pancakes with bacon seems to be the food of choice.  anyway, summer is here so suns out, sons out (daughters welcome too).  under 10’s or over 10’s welcome with parents.

from the ride coordinator – From the RC: In addition to existing detours and diversions on the Mitchell and Kwinana freeway PSPs, commencing Monday there will also be detours and diversions on the Fremantle PSP. For a moderate degree of detail on all the relevant projects and maps of the detours and diversions click on the following link.

saturday 23rd february

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special

all rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am

junior juniors (under 10 with parent) – kings park juniors 23.72km spr saturday

juniors (10 – 15 yrs with parent) – kings park juniors 23.72km spr saturday

development group –  novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday

transitional 1/2 – spr retro roll 41.60km

fast/main – karrinyup 52.14km spr saturday

sunday 24th february

rides start at coode st carpark at 6:00am

development group – coffee ride – Summer Sundays at Six am (Dec to Feb)

short – brktn weir 82.89km spr sunday

long – carr peet obs 97.72km spr sunday

monday 25th february

ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am

south stock 33.76km spr monday

tuesday 26th february

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

spr tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

wednesday 27th february

ride starts raffles bike path at 5:30am

interval training – stock road repeats

thursday 28th february

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

see previous post for ride groups

spr thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

ride starts frasers ave at 5:45am

development group – interval training kings park

friday 1st march

ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am

spr friday 42.01km (shelley)

friday training/recovery ride

so, a couple of issues to be dealt with today. firstly, although summer is still here and the days are still quite hot, the sunrise times have slowly crept up to overtake the start of the earlybird ride.  officially tomorrow sunrise is not till 5:54am with first light at 5:28am.  this means that the start of the earlybird ride will be very close to in the dark.  the official stance from the club is that when the sunrise time is later than the start time of the ride, then lights are needed while riding.  now this doesn’t mean that you need a 6 million lumen retina burning multi-million dollar set of lights on your bike.  just a small flasher to get to the start with the capability to switch to solid during the ride.  it is eventually daylight during the ride and you generally need sunnies on for the last part, but lights for the start.  crazy times and a pain in the arse, but it is just that time of the year.  now again, the official stance is because it is law.  much like being told you cannot ride with us if you turn up without a helmet, the same applies to lights when the ride is before sunrise.  from an insurance perspective, if it is proven that you were not following the law at the time of an accident, then there is a chance that your claim can be rejected.  this is not just something that applies to cycling insurance, but also health and  3rd parties car insurance if you are involved with a vehicle.

secondly, the growing trend within the club of people yelling at each other.  unlike many group rides in perth, we often have ride leaders or club officials on the rides that are there to keep the group in an orderly manner for the safety of all riders.  now these leaders are also people, so it is understandable that as people you can get frustrated and raise your voice.  however, this should not be the default position especially when trying to improve someones behaviour.  not saying that there is not a place for a loud warning, especially when someone is doing something potentially dangerous, but gentle guidance will generally get a better response.  at the same time we are happy for others to raise their voice in the interest of safety, but yelling at someone for not rolling through, or dropping a wheel, or not cornering as fast as you would like, is not acceptable.  we all started somewhere on the bike and there are not many people that just rolled out of bed and became a pro rider.

at the end of the day, the rides are there for your enjoyment.  it is more enjoyable when accidents are not involved and everyone is playing nicely.  we are an inclusive club, but there has been a number of times that we have asked a rider not to ride with us anymore.  it is not something we enjoy but we have rules and etiquette guides to make sure that the rides are enjoyable for all.

ride leader sponsor – february’s ride leader sponsor is Melody Wheels who are a multiple return sponsor for the club.  they are a wheel building specialists in the same way as one might distinguish a medical specialist from a gp.  they do precision wheel building and wheel repairs, and that’s the only thing they do.

spr racing – The Pemberton Classic staged over the March Labour Day long weekend has opened entries. SPR has headed down in numbers for previous years, and this continues to be a great weekend away. The beautiful bushland surrounds, local cafes, pubs, wineries (and a brewery!), not to mention the ENTIRE town getting behind this one makes it pretty special. See previous race reports HERE  and HERE. Check out the event website with links to registration.
More locally, The Ring Criterium Series continues this weekend at Northam. Dr J and Vanessa will be out with the SPR Van so to those of you racing, make sure you get there early enough to assist in the set up. Check out the Race Reports from the first two rounds HERE.

memberships new changes – there has been quite a big change with memberships in 2019.  cycling australia have moved to a new system to keep track of memberships and this has allowed a few new benefits as well.  firstly there are a few different types of licences. for us the two main ones are ride+ and race.  obviously if you want to race, get the race one and if you just want coverage while riding with the club, get the ride+ one.  links can be found here.  while there is a cheaper ride basic option, it won’t cover you for much if you have an accident on a club ride.  there is also a new billing system where you can elect to pay monthly instead of annually.  for those that don’t appreciate the big hit for a elite race licence, you can split this across the year.  the minimum amount is for 12 months, though, so you still have to pay even if you don’t race.  there is also a 7day race licence that replaces the 3 day licence.  this can be purchased online and will be needed for event like the tour of margs, or if you just want to try out a crit or two.  it is only $38 but i am not sure how many you are allowed to purchase over a year.  finally, for those that want to transfer clubs there are two options.  firstly, if you current licence has expired, you now have the option to select a new club when renewing.  for those that want to join or leave spr for a mid year transfer, then you need to contact cycling australia memberships directly as the clubs cannot provide this service any more.

minimum passing distance survey – The WA Government is working to improve cycle safety and has introduced the Minimum Passing Distance regulation. Cardno has been appointed by the Road Safety Commission to conduct research on this regulation over a two year period to ascertain levels of compliance and any trends in passing behaviour.  Please find the survey linked here.

perth arena psp –the psp behind the perth arena was shut a number of years ago due to safety concerns.  those concerns have been met but the path is still not open.  this forces cyclists and pedestrians to go the long way around the arena and are forced to negotiate the typical obstacles around a public space.  please sign the petition linked here to try to get the path open again.

spr 10 year anniversary – south perth rouleurs 10th anniversary celebrations on the 6th of april 2019 will be in the form of not one, but two events! starting at 7am, we will conduct a suitably nostalgic, guided river ride where we will take in some of the significant landmarks and spots-of-significance that represent important milestones of the club’s growth and development. in keeping with our south perth heritage, we have secured the PS Decoy to steam us around…you guessed it…a river loop with a difference!  This will be a black-tie evening not to be missed.   see the previous post for more details.

saturday start locations – we have revamped the group start locations on saturday morning.  please have a look at the map so you know where your group will congregate.  this makes it easier for ride leaders to give you a briefing before the ride starts.  see the previous post for more details.

spr juniors – juniors is getting bigger.  more kids, more hill climbs, more pancakes and more bacon.  seriously, pancakes with bacon seems to be the food of choice.  anyway, summer is here so suns out, sons out (daughters welcome too).  under 10’s or over 10’s welcome with parents.

from the ride coordinator (with help): In the spirit of Saint Valentine – take some time this week to ponder on why you fell in love with cycling. Here’s some things to reflect on:
– What were the specs of your first bike, no not the first road bike, the one you learned to ride on, with training wheels – I imagine you were more concerned with the colour, than how heavy it was, or accessories of spokie-dokies, a plastic basket and streamers rather than computers and power meters.
– Do you remember your first commute – maybe it was to school. Were you thinking about how fast you were going, or the annoyance of having to navigate a footpath or other mini commuters and their parents? Or did you focus more on ringing your bell, waving at the neighbours, and stopping at the intersections so you didn’t get yelled at by a grown up or cleaned up by a car.
Let’s bring the love back into our rides this week, let’s ride like it’s the first time, but with more skill (extra point for anyone with streamers on their handlebars this Saturday).

saturday 16th february

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special

all rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am

junior juniors (under 10 with parent) – kings park juniors 23.72km spr saturday

juniors (10 – 15 yrs with parent) – kings park juniors 23.72km spr saturday

development group –  novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday

transitional 1/2 – trans canning vale 42.34km spr saturday

fast/main – south st 51.23km spr saturday

sunday 17th february

rides start at coode st carpark at 6:00am

development group – coffee ride – Summer Sundays at Six am (Dec to Feb)

short – khna weir 72.23km spr sunday

long – can mills peet obs 90.30km spr sunday

monday 18th february

ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am

south stock 33.76km spr monday

tuesday 19th february

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

spr tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

wednesday 20th february

ride starts raffles bike path at 5:30am

interval training – stock road repeats

thursday 21st february

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

see previous post for ride groups

spr thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

ride starts frasers ave at 5:45am

development group – interval training kings park

friday 22nd february

ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am

spr friday 42.01km (shelley)

friday training/recovery ride

on the tuesday ride i had a small incident which resulted in a double flat.  luckily i always carry two tubes but i still required a bit of gas powered assistance from rob (with lots of moral support from vanessa).  what caused the flats was not glass, or tacks but rather a metallic item about the size and shape of a hub freewheel.  it was a hollow cylinder and must have been sitting upright and i have hit it directly with both wheels causing a dual pinch flat.  maybe it could have been worse if it was on it’s side as my front wheel may not have ridden over it quite a well.  so it was either luck or my skill that kept me upright…i’m going to go with skill.   this was a relatively small item on the road and being 2nd last wheel, i didn’t even see it.  however, it was apparently called at the front of the group but no idea how far that call went down the line. in a group riding situation we rely on each other to keep everyone safe.  calls should be repeated up and down the group as necessary.  a call of “car back” should not just make it as far as the last persons’ voice can carry into the wind but should be repeated until the front people have heard it.  there are too many times that we have been on narrow roads and after the call the back half of the group have tightened up but the front half had not heard the call.  same with calling obstacles on the road.  if someone has let you know that there is something you need to avoid, make sure you look after the people behind you and pass it on.

ride leader sponsor – february’s ride leader sponsor is Melody Wheels who are a multiple return sponsor for the club.  they are a wheel building specialists in the same way as one might distinguish a medical specialist from a gp.  they do precision wheel building and wheel repairs, and that’s the only thing they do.

summer racing in perth – Summer is rolling on (well, kind of. Not like a non-stop Perth 40deg+ week) and racing is cranking along. See Race@SPR’s info about the ongoing and upcoming race events happening in and around Perth over the Summer in the previous post.

memberships new changes – there has been quite a big change with memberships in 2019.  cycling australia have moved to a new system to keep track of memberships and this has allowed a few new benefits as well.  firstly there are a few different types of licences. for us the two main ones are ride+ and race.  obviously if you want to race, get the race one and if you just want coverage while riding with the club, get the ride+ one.  links can be found here.  while there is a cheaper ride basic option, it won’t cover you for much if you have an accident on a club ride.  there is also a new billing system where you can elect to pay monthly instead of annually.  for those that don’t appreciate the big hit for a elite race licence, you can split this across the year.  the minimum amount is for 12 months, though, so you still have to pay even if you don’t race.  there is also a 7day race licence that replaces the 3 day licence.  this can be purchased online and will be needed for event like the tour of margs, or if you just want to try out a crit or two.  it is only $38 but i am not sure how many you are allowed to purchase over a year.  finally, for those that want to transfer clubs there are two options.  firstly, if you current licence has expired, you now have the option to select a new club when renewing.  for those that want to join or leave spr for a mid year transfer, then you need to contact cycling australia memberships directly as the clubs cannot provide this service any more.

minimum passing distance survey – The WA Government is working to improve cycle safety and has introduced the Minimum Passing Distance regulation. Cardno has been appointed by the Road Safety Commission to conduct research on this regulation over a two year period to ascertain levels of compliance and any trends in passing behaviour.  Please find the survey linked here.

perth arena psp –the psp behind the perth arena was shut a number of years ago due to safety concerns.  those concerns have been met but the path is still not open.  this forces cyclists and pedestrians to go the long way around the arena and are forced to negotiate the typical obstacles around a public space.  please sign the petition linked here to try to get the path open again.

spr 10 year anniversary – south perth rouleurs 10th anniversary celebrations on the 6th of april 2019 will be in the form of not one, but two events! starting at 7am, we will conduct a suitably nostalgic, guided river ride where we will take in some of the significant landmarks and spots-of-significance that represent important milestones of the club’s growth and development. in keeping with our south perth heritage, we have secured the PS Decoy to steam us around…you guessed it…a river loop with a difference!  This will be a black-tie evening not to be missed.   see the previous post for more details.

saturday start locations – we have revamped the group start locations on saturday morning.  please have a look at the map so you know where your group will congregate.  this makes it easier for ride leaders to give you a briefing before the ride starts.  see the previous post for more details.

spr juniors – juniors is getting bigger.  more kids, more hill climbs, more pancakes and more bacon.  seriously, pancakes with bacon seems to be the food of choice.  anyway, summer is here so suns out, sons out (daughters welcome too).  under 10’s or over 10’s welcome with parents.

from the ride coordinator –Forecast is another scorcher, make sure you keep your hydration levels up, and don’t forget the sunscreen.

saturday 9th february

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special

all rides start at coode st carpark at 7:00am

junior juniors (under 10 with parent) – kings park juniors 23.72km spr saturday

juniors (10 – 15 yrs with parent) – kings park juniors 23.72km spr saturday

development group –  novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday

transitional 1/2 – trans abernethy 39.96km spr saturday

fast/main – abernethy rd 48.21km spr saturday

sunday 10th february

rides start at coode st carpark at 6:00am

development group – coffee ride – Summer Sundays at Six am (Dec to Feb)

short – wlsh weir 62.23km spr sunday

long – wlsh obs cam goose 88.67km spr sunday

monday 11th february

ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am

south stock 33.76km spr monday

tuesday 12th february

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

spr tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

wednesday 13th february

ride starts raffles bike path at 5:30am

interval training – stock road repeats

thursday 14th february

ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am

see previous post for ride groups

spr thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

ride starts frasers ave at 5:45am

development group – interval training kings park

friday 15th february

ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am

spr friday 42.01km (shelley)

friday training/recovery ride