All posts by elPrez

Ride routes 14th – 20th November

The Tour of Margaret River is a special race for the WA racing scene as it gives people of all abilities a chance to compete over a multi-day, multi-stage event. Most of the big races in Australia tend to cater only for the elite end of the sport with very few stage races available for the average rider. SPR has been sending teams to the Tour for years. So long, in fact, that I can’t even remember when I did my first Tour. For those of you that don’t know the format, the first stage is a team time trial which is used as the basis for seeding the teams into different divisions. Yes, it does give certain teams an opportunity to “sand-bag” but usually it works out quite well. Within most divisions (of 10 teams) there was only about 2 min between the first and last team over 28kms. All of our teams (4 men, 1 women’s) rode extremely hard over the 5 stages. This year our Men’s 2 team came away with the silverware taking out Division E where they fought off 3 different Midland teams. Interestingly, this was the most well matched division as there was only 50 sec difference between 1st and 10th after the initial time trial. So well done to the team and the rest of the SPR teams that “enjoyed” the weekend down south.

The Rules – just a reminder that it isn’t business as usual.

As we progress through WA’s phased approach to reopening, how the club interacts within itself and the wider community will also change.
Rightly or wrongly, the lack of community transmission in the state has meant that a lot of the social distancing rules have disappeared. As such we want to streamline what the requirements are from a club perspective. Basically there are 3 main things we want people to keep in mind.

  • The virus can spread via human contact, so minimise the amount of touching between people and each others bikes/helmets etc.
  • No spitting, snotting or sneezing within the group. If you need to, move to the back of the group, but please look behind you to make sure that it is clear of traffic. That is all traffic, not just bikes. We don’t want some dash-cam footage of someone blowing their nose on a car.
  • Personal hygiene becomes very important in the spread of the virus so make sure that you either wash your hands whenever you can or carry a small container of hand sanitiser. Limit your exposure to common surfaces (chairs, tables) and don’t be sharing items.

Club Kit Order– The latest kit order will open this weekend and be open for the next couple with final orders on the 20th Nov. The sizing kit will be available at R&D cycles from Saturday afternoon. Please speak to the shop assistants if you have trouble locating any of the sizing kit. Their will be an update to the material used on the pockets of the standard & slim fit jersey, to provide less sag under “heavily loaded conditions” We won’t be accepting returns/changes on sizes for this or subsequent orders, so it’s important that club members confirm their sizing prior to placing their order.

Thursday Group Ride – There is now a fourth group available during the Thursday training ride leaving from the cityside of the narrows at 5:30am. This will be a Main 2+ speed and not the frantic pace of the rest of the Thursday groups. If you are interested in having a go at the Thursday ride and have thought it would be too fast, there is now an option for you.

Our commitment to Core Values – We are a diverse club that made a point early on of committing to a number of core values to which we have built everything upon. These are – Safe, Inclusive, Organised & Social. It is under these values that we want all club interaction to occur, whether on the road or in cyberspace. Please read the previous post so you understand what we as a club, expect from you as members.

Sunday Summer Hills Start – As per the results of the feedback from the last few year, the Sunday hills rides now starts at 6am and continues this way until the end of February. The extra sunlight early on and the hotter days means a more pleasant riding experience for all. Yes, you miss out on a slight sleep in, but you will be home earlier and can have a nanna nap on the couch instead.

Where do i need to stand again?

Saturday Start Locations – In order to adhere to the new gathering regulations, we need to slightly change the meeting points of the groups. There is a 100 person gathering limit and when all groups are combined, we often exceed that when everyone is waiting for the start. There was a discussion about different start times for different groups, but what we settled on was moving half the groups to different sides of the carpark. This is not ideal as there are usually more cars using the eastern most parks, but we will just have to work around that for now. We understand that the COVID risk isn’t high, but it is more about how the club is viewed from outside. So, please congregate in the assigned locations, so we can continue to hold group rides in the future.

From the Ride Coordinator –  The ride coordinator, Greg, is off sick at the moment, so i have made this weeks selections. Sorry if there has been an early repeat of a route, i may not have been keeping a close eye the last weeks leading up to ToMR. We are going to continue the Saturday hills rides so there is one scheduled for this weekend, however, the expected rain might put a dampener on most cycling activities.

Saturday 14th November

Sunday 15th November

Monday 16th November

Tuesday 17th November

  • Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
  • Ride starts Frasers ave at 5:45am
    • Development group – interval training kings park

Wednesday 18th November

Thursday 19th November

Friday 20th November

Ride routes 7th – 13th November

As a five teams of riders prepare to start the Tour of Margaret River tomorrow morning, SPR had just as many representing the club last weekend at the Tour of Gracetown. The club is made up of a diverse group of people and not everyone wants to pin a number on and race. Our demographics show that we have more recreational riders within the club than those with a race licence. Although we are happy to provide a pathway for those that want to get into racing, it is important to also recognise those that just ride for fun, or sightseeing or just social company. The Watertower Challenge provides an outlet for those riders and offers a supported challenge for those that want to achieve the century. That, however, is just one type of event. For the non-racers amongst you, what type of event would you like to see the club provide?

The Rules – just a reminder that it isn’t business as usual.

As we progress through WA’s phased approach to reopening, how the club interacts within itself and the wider community will also change.
Rightly or wrongly, the lack of community transmission in the state has meant that a lot of the social distancing rules have disappeared. As such we want to streamline what the requirements are from a club perspective. Basically there are 3 main things we want people to keep in mind.

  • The virus can spread via human contact, so minimise the amount of touching between people and each others bikes/helmets etc.
  • No spitting, snotting or sneezing within the group. If you need to, move to the back of the group, but please look behind you to make sure that it is clear of traffic. That is all traffic, not just bikes. We don’t want some dash-cam footage of someone blowing their nose on a car.
  • Personal hygiene becomes very important in the spread of the virus so make sure that you either wash your hands whenever you can or carry a small container of hand sanitiser. Limit your exposure to common surfaces (chairs, tables) and don’t be sharing items.

Club Kit Delivery – The latest kit order has arrived, so if you opted for a pick up, it should now be available at R&D Cycles in Claremont. If you selected postage, you probably already have it now, so what are you reading this for???

Cycling research study – An Honours research student at Curtin University is seeking participants to join the study “Handling of Bicycles”. Participants must have at least 1 years’ experience in competitive road cycling or equivalent. If you fit this description, then they want to hear from you!
The objective of this study is to analyse road cyclist’s performance during typical cycling manoeuvres including accelerating, decelerating, ascending, descending, and cornering. This will involve placing sensors on your whole-body to record changes in your movement patterns, muscle activity and posture. You will be required to attend 1x session of approximately 2 hours in duration. 
Please contact Caitlin via email at caitlin.hillier@student.curtin.edu.au for more information.

Thursday Group Ride – There is now a fourth group available during the Thursday training ride leaving from the cityside of the narrows at 5:30am. This will be a Main 2+ speed and not the frantic pace of the rest of the Thursday groups. If you are interested in having a go at the Thursday ride and have thought it would be too fast, there is now an option for you.

Our commitment to Core Values – We are a diverse club that made a point early on of committing to a number of core values to which we have built everything upon. These are – Safe, Inclusive, Organised & Social. It is under these values that we want all club interaction to occur, whether on the road or in cyberspace. Please read the previous post so you understand what we as a club, expect from you as members.

Sunday Summer Hills Start – As per the results of the feedback from the last few year, the Sunday hills rides now starts at 6am and continues this way until the end of February. The extra sunlight early on and the hotter days means a more pleasant riding experience for all. Yes, you miss out on a slight sleep in, but you will be home earlier and can have a nanna nap on the couch instead.

Where do i need to stand again?

Saturday Start Locations – In order to adhere to the new gathering regulations, we need to slightly change the meeting points of the groups. There is a 100 person gathering limit and when all groups are combined, we often exceed that when everyone is waiting for the start. There was a discussion about different start times for different groups, but what we settled on was moving half the groups to different sides of the carpark. This is not ideal as there are usually more cars using the eastern most parks, but we will just have to work around that for now. We understand that the COVID risk isn’t high, but it is more about how the club is viewed from outside. So, please congregate in the assigned locations, so we can continue to hold group rides in the future.

From the Ride Coordinator –  Great weather is forecast for this weekend which is a big one for cycling in WA with the Tour of Margaret River on. SPR will be well represented with 5 official teams as well as countless other members and regular riders in the 130 teams that have entered for the event. We wish all our members and friends who have entered all the best in probably one of Australia’s largest cycling events this year.
For everyone riding this Saturday in Perth, please note there will be no ride lead Saturday Hills ride option for this weekend. The clubs committee will be discussing our commitment to this option next week so stay tuned for more information in this blog next week. In the interim, it will be almost all hands on deck for led rides due to the ToMR.  Whatever riding you are doing this weekend make it safe and enjoyable.

Saturday 7th November

Sunday 8th November

Monday 9th November

Tuesday 10th November

  • Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
  • Ride starts Frasers ave at 5:45am
    • Development group – interval training kings park

Wednesday 11th November

Thursday 12th November

Friday 13th November

Ride routes 31st Oct – 6th Nov

As we slowly do more kit orders over the next year or so, we will see a change in our look out on the road. There are already smatterings of the new in amongst the old and sometimes even the original kit makes an appearance. Most of my really old kits are not the most comfortable to be sitting on as the chamois has seen better days. However, no matter which kit you may be seen in, you are being identified as a rider from SPR. Your actions when wearing the kit are how the club is judged. You personally may not hear about it, but over the years the club has copped a bit of feedback from the general public. Some of it is unwarranted as some people just look for someone to blame, but others, when investigated don’t always make the club look too good. These incidents are generally not during club rides, but either before or after and cover everything from traffic interactions to personal interactions. Now the club has been running for over 10 years and the number of rides and number of riders over that time would be tremendous, so this is not an everyday event. However, just remember that you are representing the club when you wear the kit and we require you to act responsibly at all times.

The Rules – just a reminder that it isn’t business as usual.

As we progress through WA’s phased approach to reopening, how the club interacts within itself and the wider community will also change.
Rightly or wrongly, the lack of community transmission in the state has meant that a lot of the social distancing rules have disappeared. As such we want to streamline what the requirements are from a club perspective. Basically there are 3 main things we want people to keep in mind.

  • The virus can spread via human contact, so minimise the amount of touching between people and each others bikes/helmets etc.
  • No spitting, snotting or sneezing within the group. If you need to, move to the back of the group, but please look behind you to make sure that it is clear of traffic. That is all traffic, not just bikes. We don’t want some dash-cam footage of someone blowing their nose on a car.
  • Personal hygiene becomes very important in the spread of the virus so make sure that you either wash your hands whenever you can or carry a small container of hand sanitiser. Limit your exposure to common surfaces (chairs, tables) and don’t be sharing items.

Club Kit Delivery – The latest kit order has arrived, so if you didn’t have a jersey for Tour of Margs, you now won’t have to ride naked. This is the full order (not just the ToMR items) and it will be available at the coffee shop after the Saturday ride. After that, it will be available at R&D cycles or posted out as per the option you selected.
As an added extra bonus, also available will be a selection of the previous kit (socks and gloves) as part of Ballam’s Bargain Basement Sale. We still have a little bit of stock to move, so if you are after these never to be seen again items, see Andrew after the ride. No need to bring cash, you will be invoiced by the club.

Cycling research study – An Honours research student at Curtin University is seeking participants to join the study “Handling of Bicycles”. Participants must have at least 1 years’ experience in competitive road cycling or equivalent. If you fit this description, then they want to hear from you!
The objective of this study is to analyse road cyclist’s performance during typical cycling manoeuvres including accelerating, decelerating, ascending, descending, and cornering. This will involve placing sensors on your whole-body to record changes in your movement patterns, muscle activity and posture. You will be required to attend 1x session of approximately 2 hours in duration. 
Please contact Caitlin via email at caitlin.hillier@student.curtin.edu.au for more information.

Our commitment to Core Values – We are a diverse club that made a point early on of committing to a number of core values to which we have built everything upon. These are – Safe, Inclusive, Organised & Social. It is under these values that we want all club interaction to occur, whether on the road or in cyberspace. Please read the previous post so you understand what we as a club, expect from you as members.

Sunday Summer Hills Start – As per the results of the feedback from the last few year, the Sunday hills rides will change to a 6am start time this week as it is the 1st of November and continue that way until the end of February. The extra sunlight early on and the hotter days means a more pleasant riding experience for all. Yes, you miss out on a slight sleep in, but you will be home earlier and can have a nanna nap on the couch instead.

Where do i need to stand again?

Saturday Start Locations – In order to adhere to the new gathering regulations, we need to slightly change the meeting points of the groups. There is a 100 person gathering limit and when all groups are combined, we often exceed that when everyone is waiting for the start. There was a discussion about different start times for different groups, but what we settled on was moving half the groups to different sides of the carpark. This is not ideal as there are usually more cars using the eastern most parks, but we will just have to work around that for now. We understand that the COVID risk isn’t high, but it is more about how the club is viewed from outside. So, please congregate in the assigned locations, so we can continue to hold group rides in the future.

From the Ride Coordinator –  We’ve had a really strong response to our call out to members for our 2020 ride lead programme with 6 budding leaders locked in and a further 5 in serious consideration of joining us. If you are amongst the 5 that have said yes, be sure to complete the process by formally providing your expression of interest so that we can include you in this years programme. Training kicks off after the tour of Margs. Look out for the newbies “spreading their wings” throughout December and be sure to provide them plenty of support. The ride lead programme is one of the key things that sets our club apart from others and is there to assist us all in holding safe and fun group riding for all.
On a separate note, remember that the SPR Chicks ride is in tomorrow (Friday 30th) leaving from the north side of the narrows at 6am. Sounds like we are set for big numbers so don’t miss out if you are thinking of going. Also good luck to all members who will be heading south this weekend for the Tour of Gracetown which is the traditional lead up event to Tour of Margs.

Saturday 31st October – Halloween

Sunday 1st November

Monday 2nd November

Tuesday 3rd November

  • Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
  • Ride starts Frasers ave at 5:45am
    • Development group – interval training kings park

Wednesday 4th November

Thursday 5th November

Friday 6th November

Ride routes 24th – 30th October

Two weekends in a row of successful events for the club signals the culmination of a lot of behind the scenes work. The type of events also reflects the type of riders we have in the club. We are not a racing club, nor are we a recreational club. Our diverse collection of riders means that we need to try to provide for all wide range of abilities. The WaterTower Challenge was setup to provide a safe and supported platform for people to achieve the goal of a century ride. The Beverley, this year, is a primer event for the Tour of Margaret River teams. The club has never really been big on events, and if you are ever involved in the organisation and setup of any of these, you will understand why. However, with the changes that are happening within the organisational level of our sport, we may need to be more proactive about what we want in this state. Luckily we have such a deep pool of enthusiastic volunteers to make this happen.

The Rules – just a reminder that it isn’t business as usual.

As we progress through WA’s phased approach to reopening, how the club interacts within itself and the wider community will also change.
Rightly or wrongly, the lack of community transmission in the state has meant that a lot of the social distancing rules have disappeared. As such we want to streamline what the requirements are from a club perspective. Basically there are 3 main things we want people to keep in mind.

  • The virus can spread via human contact, so minimise the amount of touching between people and each others bikes/helmets etc.
  • No spitting, snotting or sneezing within the group. If you need to, move to the back of the group, but please look behind you to make sure that it is clear of traffic. That is all traffic, not just bikes. We don’t want some dash-cam footage of someone blowing their nose on a car.
  • Personal hygiene becomes very important in the spread of the virus so make sure that you either wash your hands whenever you can or carry a small container of hand sanitiser. Limit your exposure to common surfaces (chairs, tables) and don’t be sharing items.

Cycling research study – An Honours research student at Curtin University is seeking participants to join the study “Handling of Bicycles”. Participants must have at least 1 years’ experience in competitive road cycling or equivalent. If you fit this description, then they want to hear from you!
The objective of this study is to analyse road cyclist’s performance during typical cycling manoeuvres including accelerating, decelerating, ascending, descending, and cornering. This will involve placing sensors on your whole-body to record changes in your movement patterns, muscle activity and posture. You will be required to attend 1x session of approximately 2 hours in duration. 
Please contact Caitlin via email at caitlin.hillier@student.curtin.edu.au for more information.

Thursday detour – Claremont Cres westbound in Swanbourne will be closed for quite a few months. Our Thursday ride will start to follow the detour by going up Shenton Rd, but will continue on until the end of the road and then head left to the traffic lights. You now get the added bonus of a longer harder hill.

2020 SPR Ride Leaders program calls for expressions of interest – Since its inception in 2009, a key feature of the feedback the Club receives is the need to improve the way our group rides are led. With more consistent, trained and visible ride leaders, the result will be safer, more enjoyable ride experiences for all. We are now seeking Expressions of Interest from SPR members who would like to be part of our second public Ride Leader Development Program.
If you are interested, check out the previous post for more details.

Our commitment to Core Values – We are a diverse club that made a point early on of committing to a number of core values to which we have built everything upon. These are – Safe, Inclusive, Organised & Social. It is under these values that we want all club interaction to occur, whether on the road or in cyberspace. Please read the previous post so you understand what we as a club, expect from you as members.

SPR Chicks Social ride is back – Every last Friday of each month, the ride will start at the Narrows Bridge (city side) and end in Kings Park at Fraser’s restaurant for coffee. This is an approx 25km distance, 25km/hr easy pace, no drop ride. End of ride coffee is the key priority  All riders are welcome and encouraged.
A Club kit is encouraged but not essential. If you don’t have a club kit that’s ok but you may lose out on a chance to win a prize!!  Find out more details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/668254434092767/

Sunday Summer Hills Start – As per the results of the feedback from the last few year, the Sunday hills rides will change to a 6am start time at the beginning of November and continue that way until the end of February. The extra sunlight early on and the hotter days means a more pleasant riding experience for all. Yes, you miss out on a slight sleep in, but you will be home earlier and can have a nanna nap on the couch instead.

Where do i need to stand again?

Saturday Start Locations – In order to adhere to the new gathering regulations, we need to slightly change the meeting points of the groups. There is a 100 person gathering limit and when all groups are combined, we often exceed that when everyone is waiting for the start. There was a discussion about different start times for different groups, but what we settled on was moving half the groups to different sides of the carpark. This is not ideal as there are usually more cars using the eastern most parks, but we will just have to work around that for now. We understand that the COVID risk isn’t high, but it is more about how the club is viewed from outside. So, please congregate in the assigned locations, so we can continue to hold group rides in the future.

From the Ride Coordinator –  So its the first weekend in a while that both days will be warm/hot since we’ve come back from our COVID break earlier in the year. Added to that for Saturday is a forecast for “moderate” easterly winds. A couple of weeks ago, I posted a “getting ready for the hot weekends” ahead by ensuring you drink plenty of fluids and slip on the sunscreen, so in true Perth fashion we get thrown straight from the cold to the hot, so please be careful out there this weekend whatever you do.

On another note, the club is going “back to the future” by reinstating a monthly SPR Chicks ride the last Friday in every month with the first of these starting next Friday 30th October at 6am. If you’re interested then you can find details on SPR Chicks Facebook page. Be great to get as many women along for the first one in a while so be sure to pencil it in for next week.

Saturday 24th October

Sunday 25th October

Monday 26th October

Tuesday 27th October

  • Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
  • Ride starts Frasers ave at 5:45am
    • Development group – interval training kings park

Wednesday 28th October

Thursday 29th October

Friday 30th October

Ride routes 17th – 23rd October

An absolutely perfect day for riding last weekend and an excellent day for finding some Watertowers. We are hoping that we get the same this weekend for the Beverley TTT to complete the back to back weekend events. Both of these are neatly constructed with set team sizes for safety and control. Keeping riders safe at all times is our priority and we strive to do that on all our rides. As such, when we split groups at the start of a ride, this is for exactly those reasons. Safety and Control. It has nothing to do with you as a rider and it is not a slight against your perceived ability. We want to make sure that you have a positive riding experience and bigger groups make that hard. Roll throughs are more difficult, getting though traffic lights are more difficult and the number of uncontrollable things goes up significantly. So, when the ride leaders split the group, and you decide that you are going to go in the other group, because (insert lame reason here), just remember that you have now added to the unpredictability of that group. We also realise that some of those people do not read the blog, so it is up to everyone else in the club to assume control via peer pressure. Don’t just accept that behaviour, call it out.

The Rules – just a reminder that it isn’t business as usual.

As we progress through WA’s phased approach to reopening, how the club interacts within itself and the wider community will also change.
Rightly or wrongly, the lack of community transmission in the state has meant that a lot of the social distancing rules have disappeared. As such we want to streamline what the requirements are from a club perspective. Basically there are 3 main things we want people to keep in mind.

  • The virus can spread via human contact, so minimise the amount of touching between people and each others bikes/helmets etc.
  • No spitting, snotting or sneezing within the group. If you need to, move to the back of the group, but please look behind you to make sure that it is clear of traffic. That is all traffic, not just bikes. We don’t want some dash-cam footage of someone blowing their nose on a car.
  • Personal hygiene becomes very important in the spread of the virus so make sure that you either wash your hands whenever you can or carry a small container of hand sanitiser. Limit your exposure to common surfaces (chairs, tables) and don’t be sharing items.

Cycling research study – An Honours research student at Curtin University is seeking participants to join the study “Handling of Bicycles”. Participants must have at least 1 years’ experience in competitive road cycling or equivalent. If you fit this description, then they want to hear from you!
The objective of this study is to analyse road cyclist’s performance during typical cycling manoeuvres including accelerating, decelerating, ascending, descending, and cornering. This will involve placing sensors on your whole-body to record changes in your movement patterns, muscle activity and posture. You will be required to attend 1x session of approximately 2 hours in duration. 
Please contact Caitlin via email at caitlin.hillier@student.curtin.edu.au for more information.

Thursday detour – Claremont Cres westbound in Swanbourne will be closed for quite a few months. Our Thursday ride will start to follow the detour by going up Shenton Rd, but will continue on until the end of the road and then head left to the traffic lights. You now get the added bonus of a longer harder hill.

2020 SPR Ride Leaders program calls for expressions of interest – Since its inception in 2009, a key feature of the feedback the Club receives is the need to improve the way our group rides are led. With more consistent, trained and visible ride leaders, the result will be safer, more enjoyable ride experiences for all. We are now seeking Expressions of Interest from SPR members who would like to be part of our second public Ride Leader Development Program.
If you are interested, check out the previous post for more details.

Our commitment to Core Values – We are a diverse club that made a point early on of committing to a number of core values to which we have built everything upon. These are – Safe, Inclusive, Organised & Social. It is under these values that we want all club interaction to occur, whether on the road or in cyberspace. Please read the previous post so you understand what we as a club, expect from you as members.

SPR Chicks Social ride is back – Every last Friday of each month, the ride will start at the Narrows Bridge (city side) and end in Kings Park at Fraser’s restaurant for coffee. This is an approx 25km distance, 25km/hr easy pace, no drop ride. End of ride coffee is the key priority ☕️???? All riders are welcome and encouraged.
A Club kit is encouraged but not essential. If you don’t have a club kit that’s ok but you may lose out on a chance to win a prize!! ???? Find out more details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/668254434092767/

Sunday Summer Hills Start – As per the results of the feedback from the last few year, the Sunday hills rides will change to a 6am start time at the beginning of November and continue that way until the end of February. The extra sunlight early on and the hotter days means a more pleasant riding experience for all. Yes, you miss out on a slight sleep in, but you will be home earlier and can have a nanna nap on the couch instead.

Where do i need to stand again?

Saturday Start Locations – In order to adhere to the new gathering regulations, we need to slightly change the meeting points of the groups. There is a 100 person gathering limit and when all groups are combined, we often exceed that when everyone is waiting for the start. There was a discussion about different start times for different groups, but what we settled on was moving half the groups to different sides of the carpark. This is not ideal as there are usually more cars using the eastern most parks, but we will just have to work around that for now. We understand that the COVID risk isn’t high, but it is more about how the club is viewed from outside. So, please congregate in the assigned locations, so we can continue to hold group rides in the future.

From the Ride Coordinator –  So rider numbers might be a little skinny this week with the club hosting the TTT at Beverley this weekend and there is a big contingent of SPR members riding in SPR team colours as well as for other teams. But for those not heading East, the show still goes on in Perth this Saturday morning with one of our more popular northern routes riding westward (with a nice easterly tail wind) along Morley Drive. Good luck to all those club members participating this weekend in Beverley and a big shout out to Steve Burns who has worked tirelessly to get the event into shape this year. Hope it all goes well.

Saturday 17th October

Sunday 18th October

Monday 19th October

Tuesday 20th October

  • Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
  • Ride starts Frasers ave at 5:45am
    • Development group – interval training kings park

Wednesday 21st October

Thursday 22nd October

Friday 23rd October

Ride routes 10th – 16th October

Julian on his way to a podium finish (see the green blur way at the back, that is me being dropped). Photo – Nick Cowie

Racing is still going strong in post-covid WA with big fields filling the startlists. Part of me wonders whether people don’t know what they have until it is taken away, so now they are trying to get their fill before we lose it again. Regardless, SPR did well on the hilly course around Jarahdale. We had 5 of the 6 podium positions in Women’s A & B and 3 spots across Men’s A, B & C. There were even some green kits amongst those with Nancy and Craig winning their respective B grade races. We will soon come to the end of our truncated road season with the first of the crits just around the corner next month. However, the Tour of Margs will be the focus for some until then. On a non-racing note, the Tour of WA is currently underway with some of our members negotiating the 6 day 660km circuit around the south-west. The weather is getting better and the mornings are getting lighter, it’s time to get out and ride.

The Rules – just a reminder that it isn’t business as usual.

As we progress through WA’s phased approach to reopening, how the club interacts within itself and the wider community will also change.
Rightly or wrongly, the lack of community transmission in the state has meant that a lot of the social distancing rules have disappeared. As such we want to streamline what the requirements are from a club perspective. Basically there are 3 main things we want people to keep in mind.

  • The virus can spread via human contact, so minimise the amount of touching between people and each others bikes/helmets etc.
  • No spitting, snotting or sneezing within the group. If you need to, move to the back of the group, but please look behind you to make sure that it is clear of traffic. That is all traffic, not just bikes. We don’t want some dash-cam footage of someone blowing their nose on a car.
  • Personal hygiene becomes very important in the spread of the virus so make sure that you either wash your hands whenever you can or carry a small container of hand sanitiser. Limit your exposure to common surfaces (chairs, tables) and don’t be sharing items.

SPR Watertower Challenge – Good luck to those participating in the return of the WaterTower Challenge. Well, the re-try of the re-boot of the challenge, anyway. The weather is looking fantastic on Sunday and we have over 30 teams entered so it should be a good day. Thanks to the volunteers for making this happen and thanks to those that have entered to support the club.

The Beverley Race – The club is again holding this event as part of the Heroic weekend, but this year we have changed the format of the road race. As the perfect preparation for the Tour of Margaret River and it’s 3 team time trials, this years Beverley will be a Team Time Trial of between 4-6 riders. No special TT bikes or fancy helmets allowed, just ride your bike hard. Register your teams today via EntryBoss.

The Beverley Heroic – The Heroic is usually a celebration of cycling covering many aspects spanning the weekend of the 17th and 18th of October. On top of the aforementioned team time trial, there is usually a cyclo-cross race, gravel race and heroic ride. However, after 6 years incident free, MainRoads have decided that the traffic management for the Heroic and new Gravel ride are insufficient and require more much traffic management than initially thought. The cost of this and the time it would take to organise, have made the Sunday events (Gravel & Heroic) uneconomic and have therefore been cancelled. The Team time trial and CX race will still go ahead on the Saturday. This is an unfortunate situation and has meant that over 200 people will now not be coming to support the local economies around Beverley and York.

Volunteers – Thank you to those that have volunteered for the WaterTower Challenge. If you have entered the Challenge, make sure you thank the volunteers for their time and effort in keeping you hydrated and fed.

We also require a few more volunteers for the Beverley Race on the 17th October. If you can assist the club, send an email through to club to let us know what you can do. Roles include marshalling, lead car, rego desk and SAG wagon.

Cycling research study – An Honours research student at Curtin University is seeking participants to join the study “Handling of Bicycles”. Participants must have at least 1 years’ experience in competitive road cycling or equivalent. If you fit this description, then they want to hear from you!
The objective of this study is to analyse road cyclist’s performance during typical cycling manoeuvres including accelerating, decelerating, ascending, descending, and cornering. This will involve placing sensors on your whole-body to record changes in your movement patterns, muscle activity and posture. You will be required to attend 1x session of approximately 2 hours in duration. 
Please contact Caitlin via email at caitlin.hillier@student.curtin.edu.au for more information.

Thursday detour – Claremont Cres westbound in Swanbourne will be closed for quite a few months. Our Thursday ride will start to follow the detour by going up Shenton Rd, but will continue on until the end of the road and then head left to the traffic lights. You now get the added bonus of a longer harder hill.

2020 SPR Ride Leaders program calls for expressions of interest – Since its inception in 2009, a key feature of the feedback the Club receives is the need to improve the way our group rides are led. With more consistent, trained and visible ride leaders, the result will be safer, more enjoyable ride experiences for all. We are now seeking Expressions of Interest from SPR members who would like to be part of our second public Ride Leader Development Program.
If you are interested, check out the previous post for more details.

Our commitment to Core Values – We are a diverse club that made a point early on of committing to a number of core values to which we have built everything upon. These are – Safe, Inclusive, Organised & Social. It is under these values that we want all club interaction to occur, whether on the road or in cyberspace. Please read the previous post so you understand what we as a club, expect from you as members.

Where do i need to stand again?

Saturday Start Locations – In order to adhere to the new gathering regulations, we need to slightly change the meeting points of the groups. There is a 100 person gathering limit and when all groups are combined, we often exceed that when everyone is waiting for the start. There was a discussion about different start times for different groups, but what we settled on was moving half the groups to different sides of the carpark. This is not ideal as there are usually more cars using the eastern most parks, but we will just have to work around that for now. We understand that the COVID risk isn’t high, but it is more about how the club is viewed from outside. So, please congregate in the assigned locations, so we can continue to hold group rides in the future.

From the Ride Coordinator –  Just had a quick look at the BOM weather forecast and we are (finally) looking at a run of double digit overnight temps! Yay, things are starting to warm up. So I thought it was a good time to go back to my “spotlight on safety” messages. Just as a reminder, so far we’ve focussed on importance of knowing the ride route, the importance of calling hazards up and down the line and communication, the importance of regular bike maintenance and so this week is the importance of hydration, nutrition and sun protection as we move into some warmer weather. So temperatures during some rides this weekend may hit the mid 20’s. Do you need a second water bottle? Do you need a hydralyte kick in your water? For longer rides, do you have adequate snacks/food to keep you going (particularly important for water tower and hills rides). Is it time to “slip slop slap” on the sunscreen if you’re still out in the late morning when the UV is more intense? You thinking about the answers to these types of questions just might be the difference between an enjoyable ride or a downright slog. So from this weekend on, don’t just “jump on the bike”, give some consideration to the environment that you will riding in and look after yourself. Enjoy the riding whatever you do

Saturday 10th October

Sunday 11th October

Monday 12th October

Tuesday 13th October

  • Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
  • Ride starts Frasers ave at 5:45am
    • Development group – interval training kings park

Wednesday 14th October

Thursday 15th October

Friday 16th October

Ride routes 3rd – 9th October

Skippy the bushranger

It has not been a particularly good week for the club as far as accidents have been concerned. There were 3 incidents on Saturday and luckily all were bike vs bike interactions with only one requiring medical attention. Sunday, however, was a bike vs kangaroo during a descent which resulted in a concussion, bruises and a destroyed bike. Tuesday then saw a couple of members (not during an SPR ride) hit from behind by a light truck resulting in some serious bone fractures and other injuries but luckily both these riders didn’t end up under the vehicle.
So, what is the best we can we do to try to avoid these incidents? We have a range of situations in these examples and there is lots that we don’t have control over. Kangaroos, for example, are notoriously stupid animals that will change direction multiple times when trying to avoid a predator (bike, car). They are unpredictable, so we need to account for that as much as possible. Being spatially aware of your surroundings and situation can allow you just a bit more reaction time in case you need it. For the bike vs bike incidents, are you watching the bike in front or watching what the group ahead is doing? For the bike vs vehicle, where in the lane are you riding, do you have good lights and are wearing bright clothes?
I am in no way blaming the riders in these incidents for the resultant crashes, and sometimes no matter how aware you are or how prepared you are, things just happen. However, we know that riding bikes can be risky due to the fact that there are so many things out of our control. Just make sure you are aware of the risks and control the things you can, to give yourself the best chance.

The Rules – just a reminder that it isn’t business as usual.

As we progress through WA’s phased approach to reopening, how the club interacts within itself and the wider community will also change.
Rightly or wrongly, the lack of community transmission in the state has meant that a lot of the social distancing rules have disappeared. As such we want to streamline what the requirements are from a club perspective. Basically there are 3 main things we want people to keep in mind.

  • The virus can spread via human contact, so minimise the amount of touching between people and each others bikes/helmets etc.
  • No spitting, snotting or sneezing within the group. If you need to, move to the back of the group, but please look behind you to make sure that it is clear of traffic. That is all traffic, not just bikes. We don’t want some dash-cam footage of someone blowing their nose on a car.
  • Personal hygiene becomes very important in the spread of the virus so make sure that you either wash your hands whenever you can or carry a small container of hand sanitiser. Limit your exposure to common surfaces (chairs, tables) and don’t be sharing items.

SPR Watertower Challenge – So you may have heard that the WaterTower Challenge had to be postponed due to the sub-par riding conditions. 30-40km/hr winds gusting to 60+ on the coast would have made the event not very pleasant. We have therefore postponed to the 11th October with all entries honoured for that date. If you have already entered and that date doesn’t work for you, head back to the EntryBoss website and you can scratch your entry for a full refund. If you now are available to ride, you can put in a team via the same link.

The Beverley Race – The club is again holding this event as part of the Heroic weekend, but this year we have changed the format of the road race. As the perfect preparation for the Tour of Margaret River and it’s 3 team time trials, this years Beverley will be a Team Time Trial of between 4-6 riders. No special TT bikes or fancy helmets allowed, just ride your bike hard. Register your teams today via EntryBoss.

The Beverley Heroic – The Heroic involves many aspects of cycling spanning the weekend of the 17th and 18th of October. On top of the aforementioned team time trial, there is a cyclo-cross race, gravel race and heroic ride.

Volunteers – Thank you to those that have volunteered for the WaterTower Challenge, we will double check this week to make sure you are still available for the new date. If you have entered the Challenge, make sure you thank the volunteers for their time and effort in keeping you hydrated and fed.

We also require a few more volunteers for the Beverley Race on the 17th October. If you can assist the club, send an email through to club to let us know what you can do. Roles include marshalling, lead car, rego desk and SAG wagon.

Cycling research study – An Honours research student at Curtin University is seeking participants to join the study “Handling of Bicycles”. Participants must have at least 1 years’ experience in competitive road cycling or equivalent. If you fit this description, then they want to hear from you!
The objective of this study is to analyse road cyclist’s performance during typical cycling manoeuvres including accelerating, decelerating, ascending, descending, and cornering. This will involve placing sensors on your whole-body to record changes in your movement patterns, muscle activity and posture. You will be required to attend 1x session of approximately 2 hours in duration. 
Please contact Caitlin via email at caitlin.hillier@student.curtin.edu.au for more information.

Thursday detour – Claremont Cres westbound in Swanbourne will be closed for quite a few months. Our Thursday ride will start to follow the detour by going up Shenton Rd, but will continue on until the end of the road and then head left to the traffic lights. You now get the added bonus of a longer harder hill.

Kit order distribution – The missing items from the last kit distribution had finally turned up after cutting a lap of Australia first. If you ordered a winter jacket, long sleeve jersey or skinsuit they will be posted out if that is the option you selected. For pick up, they are now available at R&D Cycles.

2020 SPR Ride Leaders program calls for expressions of interest – Since its inception in 2009, a key feature of the feedback the Club receives is the need to improve the way our group rides are led. With more consistent, trained and visible ride leaders, the result will be safer, more enjoyable ride experiences for all. We are now seeking Expressions of Interest from SPR members who would like to be part of our second public Ride Leader Development Program.
If you are interested, check out the previous post for more details.

Our commitment to Core Values – We are a diverse club that made a point early on of committing to a number of core values to which we have built everything upon. These are – Safe, Inclusive, Organised & Social. It is under these values that we want all club interaction to occur, whether on the road or in cyberspace. Please read the previous post so you understand what we as a club, expect from you as members.

Where do i need to stand again?

Saturday Start Locations – In order to adhere to the new gathering regulations, we need to slightly change the meeting points of the groups. There is a 100 person gathering limit and when all groups are combined, we often exceed that when everyone is waiting for the start. There was a discussion about different start times for different groups, but what we settled on was moving half the groups to different sides of the carpark. This is not ideal as there are usually more cars using the eastern most parks, but we will just have to work around that for now. We understand that the COVID risk isn’t high, but it is more about how the club is viewed from outside. So, please congregate in the assigned locations, so we can continue to hold group rides in the future.

From the Ride Coordinator – This weekend, the hills will be alive with the sounds of SPR. We have a put on a feast for those that love inclines and descents. It all starts Saturday with the second of our Saturday Hills ride trials up Welshpool road. Just to remind you if you have forgotten, the ride will kick off at Coode Street meeting with the rest of the riders at 7am. Based on the numbers and capabilities of riders for the last one, it’s likely there will be 2 groups, a ever so slightly faster group (suitable for those who regularly ride M1 and up) with the second group based around M2 speed/capability. These will be lead by Laurensia and Christophe, so look for them in the usually vacant middle lane of the car park.
But this week, the hills fun doesn’t stop there as we have a special treat for regular riders of the Sunday Hills. Whilst the ZigZag remains open to climb for just another month, we have created a short hills and long hills option that goes up this iconic Perth road and continues further into the hills. If you love hills riding then this may be the one and last time that you get the chance to go up and not down on a group ride. So don’t miss this potential one off opportunity.
For the rest of us, on Saturday, South Lake beckons now that roads works along Jandakot road are considered safe enough for groups to navigate, so this will also be new to everyone.
Whatever you choose this weekend, please look after yourself and those in your group. Enjoy the riding.

Saturday 3rd October

Sunday 4th October

Monday 5th October

Tuesday 6th October

  • Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
  • Ride starts Frasers ave at 5:45am
    • Development group – interval training kings park

Wednesday 7th October

Thursday 8th October

Friday 9th October

Ride routes 26th Sept – 2nd Oct

Rainbow Inception

There was a vote over the weekend in which 6 of the 8 state cycling bodies voted to disband Cycling Australia and join AusCycle. Westcycle abstained from voting on the grounds that none of their concerns had been answered. Some of this had to do with governance other had to do with who gets the money. At the moment this leaves us in a middle ground and we (being the WA clubs) have until the 1st November to work out what we are doing. As members of the broader organisation, you are riders are still covered regardless, but how this is structured moving forward is still under serious discussion. As for the day-to-day running of the club, nothing much changes. We will still be there on Saturday and every other day of the week. Hopefully, though, we see a rainbow coming out of this potential storm.

The Rules – just a reminder that it isn’t business as usual.

As we progress through WA’s phased approach to reopening, how the club interacts within itself and the wider community will also change.
Rightly or wrongly, the lack of community transmission in the state has meant that a lot of the social distancing rules have disappeared. As such we want to streamline what the requirements are from a club perspective. Basically there are 3 main things we want people to keep in mind.

  • The virus can spread via human contact, so minimise the amount of touching between people and each others bikes/helmets etc.
  • No spitting, snotting or sneezing within the group. If you need to, move to the back of the group, but please look behind you to make sure that it is clear of traffic. That is all traffic, not just bikes. We don’t want some dash-cam footage of someone blowing their nose on a car.
  • Personal hygiene becomes very important in the spread of the virus so make sure that you either wash your hands whenever you can or carry a small container of hand sanitiser. Limit your exposure to common surfaces (chairs, tables) and don’t be sharing items.

SPR Watertower Challenge – So you may have heard that the WaterTower Challenge had to be postponed due to the sub-par riding conditions. 30-40km/hr winds gusting to 60+ on the coast would have made the event not very pleasant. We have therefore postponed to the 11th October with all entries honoured for that date. If you have already entered and that date doesn’t work for you, head back to the EntryBoss website and you can scratch your entry for a full refund. If you now are available to ride, you can put in a team via the same link.

The Beverley Race – The club is again holding this event as part of the Heroic weekend, but this year we have changed the format of the road race. As the perfect preparation for the Tour of Margaret River and it’s 3 team time trials, this years Beverley will be a Team Time Trial of between 4-6 riders. No special TT bikes or fancy helmets allowed, just ride your bike hard. Register your teams today via EntryBoss.

The Beverley Heroic – The Heroic involves many aspects of cycling spanning the weekend of the 17th and 18th of October. On top of the aforementioned team time trial, there is a cyclo-cross race, gravel race and heroic ride.

Volunteers – Thank you to those that have volunteered for the WaterTower Challenge this weekend. If you have entered the Challenge, make sure you thank the volunteers for their time and effort in keeping you hydrated and fed.
The next event is the Beverley Race on the 17th October. If you can assist the club, send an email through to club to let us know what you can do.
Volunteer numbers and positions are still being organised and we will let you know what the roles are.
Positions announced soon – Fiona Williams, Andrew Williams.

Thursday morning street sweeper – As some of you may be aware the Thursday earlybird group has had a few altercations with the street sweeper along Marine Parade in Cottesloe. We sent a letter to the Town of Cottesloe expressing our concern that these incidents could result in some very serious injuries. We received a letter from the Executive Manager Engineering Services and have been told that the contractor that runs the street sweeper has had the matter discussed with them. They raised our concerns and have been told that the drivers have been briefed. Please continue to observe caution when interacting with the street sweepers as they don’t always have good field of vision, but at the same time, if there are any more altercations, please report them through to the club.

Thursday detour – Claremont Cres westbound in Swanbourne will be closed for quite a few months. Our Thursday ride will start to follow the detour by going up Shenton Rd, but will continue on until the end of the road and then head left to the traffic lights. You now get the added bonus of a longer harder hill.

Kit order distribution – The missing items from the last kit distribution had finally turned up after cutting a lap of Australia first. If you ordered a winter jacket, long sleeve jersey or skinsuit they will be posted out if that is the option you selected. For pick up, they will be at Dome lunchtime Firday and after the ride on Saturday. They will then be taken to R&D Cycles midday Saturday.

2020 SPR Ride Leaders program calls for expressions of interest – Since its inception in 2009, a key feature of the feedback the Club receives is the need to improve the way our group rides are led. With more consistent, trained and visible ride leaders, the result will be safer, more enjoyable ride experiences for all. We are now seeking Expressions of Interest from SPR members who would like to be part of our second public Ride Leader Development Program.
If you are interested, check out the previous post for more details.

Smart active transportation survey – A PhD candidate at the School of Design and the Built Environment at Curtin University is researching active transportation (walking/cycling) and its relationship with technology, and how technology can improve and assist walking/cycling. As part of the study, there is a survey to understand peoples idea about the active mode of transportation. Please help out and spend a few minutes to fill in the survey here.

Club Van – We are currently looking for a new location for the club van to reside. After a few years at Laurensia’s (which we are very appreciative about), it is looking for a new home. If anyone has any spare garage space and would be willing to have our club van sit quietly, then please contact the club and let us know. Either residential or commercial properties are okay, as long as we can access it for events.

Our commitment to Core Values – We are a diverse club that made a point early on of committing to a number of core values to which we have built everything upon. These are – Safe, Inclusive, Organised & Social. It is under these values that we want all club interaction to occur, whether on the road or in cyberspace. Please read the previous post so you understand what we as a club, expect from you as members.

Where do i need to stand again?

Saturday Start Locations – In order to adhere to the new gathering regulations, we need to slightly change the meeting points of the groups. There is a 100 person gathering limit and when all groups are combined, we often exceed that when everyone is waiting for the start. There was a discussion about different start times for different groups, but what we settled on was moving half the groups to different sides of the carpark. This is not ideal as there are usually more cars using the eastern most parks, but we will just have to work around that for now. We understand that the COVID risk isn’t high, but it is more about how the club is viewed from outside. So, please congregate in the assigned locations, so we can continue to hold group rides in the future.

From the Ride Coordinator – How good was that Tour De France! And how good was Mr Porte. Talk about inspirational! The whole spectacle just makes you want to go and ride in Europe and see some of those wonderful sights. Hopefully we can dream again for a visit for the next European summer. In the interim, it does inspire you to want to get back out on the road to do your little thing in the WA cycling community. Good luck to all those who are going a little off-road this weekend with the Seven event on down south.  Just a reminder too, the club will be holding its second Saturday Hills trial ride next Saturday October 3rd, so if you do want to start training and dreaming of a European Summer cycling trip, perhaps this is a good ride to start with.

Saturday 26th September

Sunday 27th September

Monday 28th September

Tuesday 29th September

  • Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
  • Ride starts Frasers ave at 5:45am
    • Development group – interval training kings park

Wednesday 30th September

Thursday 1st October

Friday 2nd October

Ride routes 19th – 25th September

Photo: ZW Photography

It’s not easy being green, but it certainly makes it better if you win your race. SPR had a number of podiums last weekend at the State Championships with 6 medals out of the 24 club members that entered. 4 of them were 1st place with Teneal Attard, Andrew Lilley, Sam Smith and Fiona Whelan taking out their divisions. This weekend the focus is on the more recreational side of events with the WaterTower Challenge taking place on Sunday. Whether its the Metric or Imperial Century, it is a challenge and an opportunity for some to complete the distance. Throw in some nice climbs and some navigational skills, and I am sure that everyone that finishes will feel a sense of achievement.

The Rules – just a reminder that it isn’t business as usual.

As we progress through WA’s phased approach to reopening, how the club interacts within itself and the wider community will also change.
Rightly or wrongly, the lack of community transmission in the state has meant that a lot of the social distancing rules have disappeared. As such we want to streamline what the requirements are from a club perspective. Basically there are 3 main things we want people to keep in mind.

  • The virus can spread via human contact, so minimise the amount of touching between people and each others bikes/helmets etc.
  • No spitting, snotting or sneezing within the group. If you need to, move to the back of the group, but please look behind you to make sure that it is clear of traffic. That is all traffic, not just bikes. We don’t want some dash-cam footage of someone blowing their nose on a car.
  • Personal hygiene becomes very important in the spread of the virus so make sure that you either wash your hands whenever you can or carry a small container of hand sanitiser. Limit your exposure to common surfaces (chairs, tables) and don’t be sharing items.

SPR Watertower Challenge – We have 92 riders entered into the WaterTower Challenge with 18 teams doing the Metric Century and 13 teams tackling the Imperial Century. Rider instructions and start times will be emailed out tonight. Good luck to all, and for those in the Imperial Challenge, please don’t hate me too much.

The Beverley Race – The club is again holding this event as part of the Heroic weekend, but this year we have changed the format of the road race. As the perfect preparation for the Tour of Margaret River and it’s 3 team time trials, this years Beverley will be a Team Time Trial of between 4-6 riders. No special TT bikes or fancy helmets allowed, just ride your bike hard. Register your teams today via EntryBoss.

The Beverley Heroic – The Heroic involves many aspects of cycling spanning the weekend of the 17th and 18th of October. On top of the aforementioned team time trial, there is a cyclo-cross race, gravel race and heroic ride.

Volunteers – Thank you to those that have volunteered for the WaterTower Challenge this weekend. If you have entered the Challenge, make sure you thank the volunteers for their time and effort in keeping you hydrated and fed.
The next event is the Beverley Race on the 17th October. If you can assist the club, send an email through to club to let us know what you can do.
Volunteer numbers and positions are still being organised and we will let you know what the roles are.
Positions announced soon – Fiona Williams, Andrew Williams.

Thursday morning street sweeper – As some of you may be aware the Thursday earlybird group has had a few altercations with the street sweeper along Marine Parade in Cottesloe. We sent a letter to the Town of Cottesloe expressing our concern that these incidents could result in some very serious injuries. We received a letter from the Executive Manager Engineering Services and have been told that the contractor that runs the street sweeper has had the matter discussed with them. They raised our concerns and have been told that the drivers have been briefed. Please continue to observe caution when interacting with the street sweepers as they don’t always have good field of vision, but at the same time, if there are any more altercations, please report them through to the club.

Thursday detour – Claremont Cres westbound in Swanbourne will be closed for quite a few months. Our Thursday ride will start to follow the detour by going up Shenton Rd, but will continue on until the end of the road and then head left to the traffic lights. You now get the added bonus of a longer harder hill.

Kit order distribution – The latest run of kit has mostly landed and is being readied for distribution. When you purchased kit, there were 2 options: pickup at R&D cycles, or delivery via post. The posted deliveries you should have received already. The rest will be at R&D. Certain items have not arrived yet but we will let you know when they arrive.

2020 SPR Ride Leaders program calls for expressions of interest – Since its inception in 2009, a key feature of the feedback the Club receives is the need to improve the way our group rides are led. With more consistent, trained and visible ride leaders, the result will be safer, more enjoyable ride experiences for all. We are now seeking Expressions of Interest from SPR members who would like to be part of our second public Ride Leader Development Program.
If you are interested, check out the previous post for more details.

Smart active transportation survey – A PhD candidate at the School of Design and the Built Environment at Curtin University is researching active transportation (walking/cycling) and its relationship with technology, and how technology can improve and assist walking/cycling. As part of the study, there is a survey to understand peoples idea about the active mode of transportation. Please help out and spend a few minutes to fill in the survey here.

Club Van – We are currently looking for a new location for the club van to reside. After a few years at Laurensia’s (which we are very appreciative about), it is looking for a new home. If anyone has any spare garage space and would be willing to have our club van sit quietly, then please contact the club and let us know. Either residential or commercial properties are okay, as long as we can access it for events.

Our commitment to Core Values – We are a diverse club that made a point early on of committing to a number of core values to which we have built everything upon. These are – Safe, Inclusive, Organised & Social. It is under these values that we want all club interaction to occur, whether on the road or in cyberspace. Please read the previous post so you understand what we as a club, expect from you as members.

Where do i need to stand again?

Saturday Start Locations – In order to adhere to the new gathering regulations, we need to slightly change the meeting points of the groups. There is a 100 person gathering limit and when all groups are combined, we often exceed that when everyone is waiting for the start. There was a discussion about different start times for different groups, but what we settled on was moving half the groups to different sides of the carpark. This is not ideal as there are usually more cars using the eastern most parks, but we will just have to work around that for now. We understand that the COVID risk isn’t high, but it is more about how the club is viewed from outside. So, please congregate in the assigned locations, so we can continue to hold group rides in the future.

From the Ride Coordinator – OK, so the local weather isn’t playing ball with my desire to go out and ride this weekend. After “Roaring for Ritchie” for the last 2.5 weeks and being mesmerized with the power of Caleb Ewan, I was keen to get out there moving from the couch peloton to an actual one. Hopefully we just manage to squeeze a ride in before the rain but as I’m writing that’s not the forecast.
So the “spotlight on safety” item for this week has to be bike maintenance. If it is a wet weekend it’s even more important to check tyres for wear and pressure and brakes for the same. How’s your chain going? Has it been checked for the right tension? Has it been oiled. There’s a massive amount of moving parts that we all take for granted that helps drive the bike and they all need to be checked regularly. So, a bit like checking the ride route on a Friday, it’s always good to do the same the night before a ride. If you do get out this weekend, hope you are safe and most importantly that you enjoy it.

Saturday 19th September

Sunday 20th September

Monday 21st September

Tuesday 22nd September

  • Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
  • Ride starts Frasers ave at 5:45am
    • Development group – interval training kings park

Wednesday 23rd September

Thursday 24th September

Friday 25th September

Ride routes 12th – 18th September

Family is especially important at this time

So, today is R U OK day. It is a special day that has been running for a number of years and for most people it has passed by without question. However, 2020 isn’t any normal year and people are not necessarily going about their lives as they had in the past. Although we are extremely lucky in WA, there are still a large number of people that have been out of work, or have the threat of that happening soon with changes to government support. These people especially may appreciate the question being asked. Not because they are necessarily struggling financially right now, but because that threat can cause them to struggle in other way, especially mentally and emotionally.
Ironically a few years ago on R U OK day, I had a mental breakdown at work due to sub-par leadership, and ended up a blubbering mess. I was fairly good at hiding any issues, left it too way long and was hit pretty hard. My solution was a fairly simple one of changing who i was working for, but the situation became quite an emotional roller-coaster which dragged on for a long time.
Not everyone is good at hiding it, though, and you may have noticed some changes in peoples emotional state. From experience, I know that it is easier said than done to tell someone that they just need to talk about it, however, just open with the question – R U OK?

The Rules – just a reminder that it isn’t business as usual.

As we progress through WA’s phased approach to reopening, how the club interacts within itself and the wider community will also change.
Rightly or wrongly, the lack of community transmission in the state has meant that a lot of the social distancing rules have disappeared. As such we want to streamline what the requirements are from a club perspective. Basically there are 3 main things we want people to keep in mind.

  • The virus can spread via human contact, so minimise the amount of touching between people and each others bikes/helmets etc.
  • No spitting, snotting or sneezing within the group. If you need to, move to the back of the group, but please look behind you to make sure that it is clear of traffic. That is all traffic, not just bikes. We don’t want some dash-cam footage of someone blowing their nose on a car.
  • Personal hygiene becomes very important in the spread of the virus so make sure that you either wash your hands whenever you can or carry a small container of hand sanitiser. Limit your exposure to common surfaces (chairs, tables) and don’t be sharing items.

SPR Watertower Challenge – It’s back. The WaterTower Challenge is set to run in September this year after a couple of years hiatus. Choose from the Metric (103km) or Imperial (170km) challenge. Ride against the clock in group of 3 around the suburbs of Perth. Find WaterTowers that you never knew existed and visit suburbs you don’t usually ride through. Check out the event page on Facebook, organise some mates and pencil in the 20th September. Entries are now open via EntryBoss (click here).

The Beverley Race – The club is again holding this event as part of the Heroic weekend, but this year we have changed the format of the road race. As the perfect preparation for the Tour of Margaret River and it’s 3 team time trials, this years Beverley will be a Team Time Trial of between 4-6 riders. No special TT bikes or fancy helmets allowed, just ride your bike hard. Register your teams today via EntryBoss.

The Beverley Heroic – The Heroic involves many aspects of cycling spanning the weekend of the 17th and 18th of October. On top of the aforementioned team time trial, there is a cyclo-cross race, gravel race and heroic ride.

Volunteers – We have two events coming up where the club will need assistance from the members to ensure they run successfully. Firstly is the WaterTower Challenge on the 20th Sept and secondly is the Beverley on the 17th October.

The WaterTower Challenge has the following volunteers –
2 x Registration Desk – Jason Gordon, Mandy McEvoy
2 x Feedzone 1 – Adrian Emilsen , Debbie Bertolatti
2 x Feedzone 2 – Greg Murray, Fiona Williams
1 x SAG wagon – Steve Burns & Holly


If you can assist the club, send an email through to club to let us know what you can do.
The Beverely Race requires the following volunteers –
Positions announced soon – Fiona Williams, Andrew Williams.

Thursday morning street sweeper – As some of you may be aware the Thursday earlybird group has had a few altercations with the street sweeper along Marine Parade in Cottesloe. We sent a letter to the Town of Cottesloe expressing our concern that these incidents could result in some very serious injuries. We received a letter from the Executive Manager Engineering Services and have been told that the contractor that runs the street sweeper has had the matter discussed with them. They raised our concerns and have been told that the drivers have been briefed. Please continue to observe caution when interacting with the street sweepers as they don’t always have good field of vision, but at the same time, if there are any more altercations, please report them through to the club.

Thursday detour – Claremont Cres westbound in Swanbourne will be closed for quite a few months. Our Thursday ride will start to follow the detour by going up Shenton Rd, but will continue on until the end of the road and then head left to the traffic lights. You now get the added bonus of a longer harder hill.

Kit order distribution – The latest run of kit has mostly landed and is being readied for distribution. When you purchased kit, there were 2 options: pickup at R&D cycles, or delivery via post. To assist in getting the new kit out there especially before the state champs race this weekend, there will be a special distribution at the coffee shop after the Saturday ride. The postage option will have been dispatched today and anything not collected on Saturday, will be available at R&D cycles.

2020 SPR Ride Leaders program calls for expressions of interest – Since its inception in 2009, a key feature of the feedback the Club receives is the need to improve the way our group rides are led. With more consistent, trained and visible ride leaders, the result will be safer, more enjoyable ride experiences for all. We are now seeking Expressions of Interest from SPR members who would like to be part of our second public Ride Leader Development Program.
If you are interested, check out the previous post for more details.

Smart active transportation survey – A PhD candidate at the School of Design and the Built Environment at Curtin University is researching active transportation (walking/cycling) and its relationship with technology, and how technology can improve and assist walking/cycling. As part of the study, there is a survey to understand peoples idea about the active mode of transportation. Please help out and spend a few minutes to fill in the survey here.

Club Van – We are currently looking for a new location for the club van to reside. After a few years at Laurensia’s (which we are very appreciative about), it is looking for a new home. If anyone has any spare garage space and would be willing to have our club van sit quietly, then please contact the club and let us know. Either residential or commercial properties are okay, as long as we can access it for events.

Our commitment to Core Values – We are a diverse club that made a point early on of committing to a number of core values to which we have built everything upon. These are – Safe, Inclusive, Organised & Social. It is under these values that we want all club interaction to occur, whether on the road or in cyberspace. Please read the previous post so you understand what we as a club, expect from you as members.

Where do i need to stand again?

Saturday Start Locations – In order to adhere to the new gathering regulations, we need to slightly change the meeting points of the groups. There is a 100 person gathering limit and when all groups are combined, we often exceed that when everyone is waiting for the start. There was a discussion about different start times for different groups, but what we settled on was moving half the groups to different sides of the carpark. This is not ideal as there are usually more cars using the eastern most parks, but we will just have to work around that for now. We understand that the COVID risk isn’t high, but it is more about how the club is viewed from outside. So, please congregate in the assigned locations, so we can continue to hold group rides in the future.

From the Ride Coordinator – Early feedback from last Saturday’s hills ride was very positive which is great to see. The next trial Saturday’s hill ride will be the first weekend in October, so if you missed the first one, be sure to make the next one. Your committee will be reviewing the approach for possible options for Saturday Hills rides after the next ride.
Week before last I hinted at a “weekly” “spotlight/focus” safe riding item to think about as we prepare for some great weather conditions this weekend. This week it’s the ride route. So if you are reading this and you don’t normally read beyond this point in the blog, do yourself a favour and keep scrolling as the next section details which routes are picked for this weekend. I’m not sure how many near misses I’ve seen riding in groups when people get confused about when and where to turn but it is numerous. It can also add lots of confusion when conflicting calls are made because someone doesn’t know which way the designated route goes. It’s always the safest option to take a little time tonight or tomorrow night to familiarise yourself with the planned route and take control of your own safety. When you combine it with calling up and down the group then it goes a long way to helping you get back to enjoy that much deserved coffee.

Saturday 12th September

Sunday 13th September

Monday 14th September

Tuesday 15th September

  • Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
  • Ride starts Frasers ave at 5:45am
    • Development group – interval training kings park

Wednesday 16th September

Thursday 17th September

Friday 18th September