All posts by Daniel Harvey

Ride Routes 31st July – 6th August

We are back for the SPR Water Tower Challenge 2021 Edition after a great event last year.

Ride against the clock in teams of 3, through the Perth suburbs in search of water towers. You will likely find water towers that you never knew existed and visit suburbs you do not usually ride through.

And remembering that water towers are built on the top of hills, you will have the opportunity to do some climbing as well 😀 – choose either the Imperial (170km and 1,800m of climbing) or the Metric tonne (103km and 1,300m of climbing).

This is a fundraiser for the club and helps support the Rider Leaders Programme that both members and non-members enjoy 365 days a year.

The event is open members and non-members.

To whet your appetite I’ve included some photos from my team’s attempt last year.

All of the details are on the EntryBoss event page, which is where you sign up!

Find a team and get involved.

Inaugural Gravel Ride – Don’t forget our first gravel/dirt ride this weekend (weather permitting!) – we have prepared an easy route that starts at the Darlington post office where we travel north to Lake Leschenautia across to Chidlow and return on the northern side of the heritage trail to Bellevue and then back to the Darlington Post Office.  The total distance is 56ks along fairly easy going trails.  If anyone is not keen on going to the Lake there will be an alternate option of just the Heritage Trail.  This is a no drop ride so everyone is welcome to come along and enjoy the scenery. With all the rain that we have had there are plenty of streams flowing and frogs croaking to enjoy.  Please remember to bring enough water and food for the journey and spare tubes.

All the details below.

SPR Women’s Health Talk & Afternoon Tea – Female cyclists can often encounter health issues that require careful monitoring or maintenance. Come join Dr Rachel McCormick and PhD Scholar Serene Lee to discuss these issues and how they can be managed to lessen the impact they can have on your cycling and health.

The club will be putting on afternoon tea!

Now fully subscribed – thanks everyone for supporting the club – but for more information see the full post here.

SPR Tour de France Dinner – The SPR Committee is pleased to announce that we are this year again holding our Tour de France dinner. This year at Chez Pierre.

With the recent lockdown, this has been re-scheduled to Thursday 5th August (after the Tour has finished but the best we could do!). Enjoy the night!

Sorry, sold out.

From the Ride Coordinator – So if you’re anything like me and really sick of the weather (my road bike is suffering from separation anxiety) then neither I or the BOM have good news for you this weekend with yet another front (or two) due to pass over the greater Perth area. Let’s hope there is a enough of a break to get our Saturday ride in.

However, we are hopeful that we get enough respite from the combo of heavy rain and driving winds to kick off our inaugural regular gravel ride around the Heritage trail with optional extension to Chidlow.  So if it’s “just lightish rain” as opposed to the stuff we have been experiencing, then come and meet us at 7.30am on Sunday departing from the car park opposite the Darlington post office for a bit of fun on the Heritage trail. We have a couple of options to choose from if the numbers stack up. One that does the Heritage Trail loop only, and one that goes further up to Chidlow. So if you’ve ever wanted to give gravel riding a go, this may be the weekend to try it. If the weather is looking too difficult to hold, a call will be made Saturday evening at around 7-7.30pm so keep an eye out on Facebook for confirmation it is on. If it is and you are driving to the start, remember to pack a change of clothes or at least a towel.

Saturday 31st July

Sunday 1st August

Monday 2nd August

Tuesday 3rd August

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

Wednesday 4th August

Thursday 5th August

Friday 6th August

Ride Routes 24 – 30th July

Over the life of the club, we have evolved and changed what we provide for members.

You will be pleased to know that this is happening again, and we have something new to offer.

The gravel is calling.

There has been an increase in people riding gravel and MTB bikes (Dean wonders if it is just him, we think that while he has been taking his gravel riding very seriously recently, there are probably more of you).

What we have come up with is the monthly SPR Sunday Gravel Ride.

The rides will be lead by Dean Roser (Mr Training and Development) and will usually run on the last Sunday of each month, although we will be starting them next week (Sunday 1 August). We will be publishing the routes, but expect the route to be approx 60km and start “on location” (e.g. Darlington Post Office).

The rides will be open to everyone, and will be no-drop rides.

If you have any questions, please feel free to speak with Dean at coffee or reach out via email/website/Facebook.

SPR Women’s Health Talk & Afternoon Tea – Female cyclists can often encounter health issues that require careful monitoring or maintenance. Come join Dr Rachel McCormick and PhD Scholar Serene Lee to discuss these issues and how they can be managed to lessen the impact they can have on your cycling and health.

The club will be putting on afternoon tea!

Now fully subscribed – thanks everyone for supporting the club – but for more information see the full post here.

SPR Tour de France Dinner – The SPR Committee is pleased to announce that we are this year again holding our Tour de France dinner. This year at Chez Pierre.

With the recent lockdown, this has been re-scheduled to Thursday 5th August (after the Tour has finished but the best we could do!). Enjoy the night!

Sorry, sold out. Well actually, we’ve found one more ticket. Grab it in the shop if you’re keen.

From the Ride Coordinator – Is that rain finally starting to clear or is the immediate forecast just an aberration in an otherwise very wet winter. As I see more and more Strava ride posts boasting of finally being able to get outside, let’s take the glass half full view and say at least we should be able to ride more.

For those that have already ventured out into the semi dry sandy expanses of our metro road system, one thing is for sure, the chances of getting flat tyres has definitely increased with all the rubbish that has floated over the surface washed down by the rain. I know from recent experience that some of that rubbish includes things like little shafts of metal or flora including leafs/branches/sticks that are not conducive to your tyres remaining fully inflated. 

So a couple of things for all our riders to consider focusing on this weekend.

First is the preparation for the ride. Do you have good tyres or are they worn. Do you have spare tubes, canisters etc that will help you get on your way again. It’s a good time of year to check these things because of the higher chance of finding one of those spiny little suckers on the road.

The second is good communications whilst we are group riding. Calling things like potholes, water on road, debris is vital for group safety at the driest of times, in mid winter it’s essential. Road surfaces are changeable at this time of year. I’ve already noticed a couple of sneaky potholes appear on regular roads that I ride that weren’t there a few weeks back. At best these can lead to flat tyres, worse still, injury to your fellow riders. So please, please call these up the line so everyone in your group maximizes the chances of staying upright. Please leave the “I’m too cool to call” attitude for other rides if that’s your thing. We prefer to have everyone back safely, sipping coffee at the coffee shop.

Saturday 24th July

Sunday 25th July

Monday 26th July

Tuesday 27th July

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

Wednesday 28th July

Thursday 29th July

Friday 30th July

Ride Routes 3rd July – 9th July

With the announcement from the Premier that we move out of lockdown from midnight tonight, the Committee has read through the detail and decided that we ride from tomorrow. We fit under the category of outdoor community sport, with some care needed before and after. Good news!

Each of us does need to take care to abide by the restrictions put in place by the State Government, so please take note.

In the car park at the start of the ride, we need to ensure that group sizes are kept to 20 people and that masks are worn. To assist in spacing of the groups, we will revert to the more spread out layout in the car park. Please pay some attention in this regard as we congregate.

Similarly, at the end of the ride, masks are a requirement. Additionally, Dome has a restriction of 20 patrons so many of us won’t get to sit down, but takeaway will be available. 

See you out on the road.

From the Ride Coordinator – All I can say is thanks god for the TdF! Whilst there were rumblings coming from NSW last week, it’s nothing that we haven’t heard before from over east and usually the tyranny of distance from our east coast friends has been enough to keep the nasties at bay. Unfortunately this hasn’t been the case this week, but it’s allowed us to stay up a bit later to watch the stages of Le Tour. And yes, if the carnage that played out this week isn’t enough to keep safety at the forefront of your mind when group riding, I guess it never will.

So to this weekend’s ride route, with a gentle North Eastely behind us, we plan to tackle Morley Drive. Please note that the Saturday Hills ride option is going into hibernation during winter as we didn’t get one rider this time last month and the poor ride leaders scheduled had to get out of their warm beds 30 mins earlier than they needed to. We will look to advertise when we boot it up again in Spring. Whilst we are talking hills, the Sunday “social” short hills ride (try say that fast 10’ times over) is continuing throughout winter. It follows the short hills ride route at a slower pace than the main group, so if you wan to give it a go, if numbers and weather allows, ask around at the car park on Sunday.

So, if your reading this, then we are allowed to ride but please look after yourself and the safety of your fellow riders. In this case we don’t want to be like the pros over in France. We just want you back for coffee safely .

Saturday 3rd July

Sunday 4th July

Monday 5th July

Tuesday 6th July

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

Wednesday 7th July

Thursday 8th July

Friday 9th July

Not the Ride Routes

We’ve been here before. Able to get out and ride, thankful for that, but a little unsure when we will next get to ride with friends.

Personally, I got out for a ride today, and I was reminded of times in the recent past when our riding was similarly restricted. The photo above was me out for a solo night ride the last time we did this lockdown thing. I was reminded of the water that has gone under the bridge since the last time we were required to lock down – with vaccination and the Delta Variant topical issues this time round. And with lots of opinions being expressed by almost everyone, from our leaders on down. This latest variant is highly infectious, and I am glad that it is being taken seriously by our leaders. I also know that many in our community, both SPR and wider, are being hit hard by the lockdown.

In this middle of all of that, I am thankful for the opportunity to get out on the bike. Physically, and for the sake of my mental health.

If you have the space, take the opportunity. 

A couple of things to close out. First, we know the lockdown period is set to end Friday midnight, but with all of the activity around the country, we think the best strategy is to await the Premier’s press conference tomorrow before announcing ride routes for the next week. We’re keen to ride, so look for the blog post if we get an all clear from the Premier tomorrow.

Keep an eye out also regarding the Tour de France Dinner that was originally to be held tonight. As soon as we have some clear sight of when the lockdown is ending we will seek to re-book. It is only week 1 of the Tour so we have our fingers crossed that we can get together before the Champs-Élysées in Paris.

We also have tickets still available for the SPR Yoga for Cycling Course.

Ride Routes 12 – 18th June

So I don’t know about all of you reading this, but whilst I am not a sugar cube – dissolving at the first drop of water I come into contact with – the wet weather certainly affects my riding.

I don’t like to leave for a ride in heavy rain, and on weeks like the last couple, this does make it difficult to get enough training kilometres into my week, especially with a few work constraints coming into play.

And if it wasn’t wet, it was cold. I like the cold, but it is not every day that we have “10 degrees, feels like 3 degrees” reports from my Weather App.

Welcome to winter.

If you are looking for cycling opportunities, whether it is a fondo or racing, there is plenty on. Many SPR riders were racing last weekend in the Goldfields Cyclassic or the Margaret River XCO, and this weekend Midland Cycle Club are running one of their classic races, the Midland 100. And in the WestCycle WA State Fondo Series there is Round 1 Swan Valley this Sunday. Entries have closed for the fondo, but the Midland 100 is open until midday tomorrow (Friday).

One more reminder, we are keen to close out our TOMR 2021 teams in the near future, so if you are interested, please get in touch via the Race Subcommittee (Steve) or Women’s Interests Subcommittee (Amanda). And keep your eye out for a survey next week.

Let me finish with some footage from the Goldfields Cyclassic last weekend. This is SPR’s Kate Bonner leading out the finish for Darcie Richards for the Velofit Australia Racing Team, complete with commentary.

Enjoy.

SPR Tour de France Dinner – The SPR Committee is pleased to announce that we are this year again holding our Tour de France dinner. This year at Chez Pierre.

There are not many tickets (sorry, this is what we could arrange), but there are about a dozen still available!

Read me and get your ticket here.

From the Ride Coordinator – Well it is winter now and we know we get most of our precious rainfall in the next 3 months but I just hope that those sunny “windows” appear on Saturday and Sunday mornings instead of mid week. So last weekend we were lucky, this weekend is looking a little “iffy” (yes that’s a bureau of meteorology technical term) but I am ever hopeful of getting the rides in that we have planned after a what has been a wet and windy week.

Recently we’ve had a spate of rides heading through our northern suburbs with favorable wind conditions for those rides but this week we will put “The South” back into South Perth Rouleurs by sticking close to our namesake and enjoying the Canning Vale and Welshpool route. Please do yourself a favour and have a quick glance at the route so you know where you are going. Feedback from some groups last week was that a few took a wrong turn so for your own peace of mind and the safety of there group, please make sure you know where you’re going. Garmin doesn’t always get it right! Whatever cycling you do, enjoy it and look out for each other.

Saturday 12th June

Sunday 13th June

Monday 14th June

Tuesday 15th June

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

Wednesday 16th June

Thursday 17th June

Friday 18th June

Ride Routes 5th – 11th June

Today, we have another wonderful SEVEN story to share with you. This one comes from Nicki du Plessis, and is an inspirational read. Enjoy!

As you may have heard or read by now, SEVEN is a very special event. Not only does it offer many of the challenges any all-round cyclist can hope for, it also offers breathtaking vantage points and majestic views that stretch for miles. As I have often quipped to anyone that will listen, if offers very vivid glimpses of utopia – picturesque landscapes that one can only dream of.

Anyway, as I have probably used up all the poetic licence any cyclist worth their VO2 max can bear, SEVEN offers a range of challenges across 3 unique courses fondly referred to as THREE (approx. 50km and 1100m climb), FIVE (approx. 85km and 1700m climb) and SEVEN (approx. 124km and 3800m climb).

I entered THREE for the first time in 2020 without much training beforehand, and managed to finish the almost 52km route, including 1,020m elevation, in 4hrs and 7 minutes. I must admit it included several walking breaks, pushing my MTB up those pesky hills, but at least it gave me the opportunity to take in my surroundings, commiserate with other riders who were struggling with me and appreciate what preparation I will need if I wanted to attempt SEVEN one day…in the distant future…

This year I decided to enter THREE again with a mindset of not walking at all. In February, I started training cycling coach, Sarah Hunter, from Hunter PT, and together we worked on improving my power and making me stronger through a variety of indoor and outdoor, road and MTB cycling workouts.  My husband (Herman) and I also visited Nannup a number of times in the lead up to the event to complete training rides on parts of the actual course – this was invaluable as I felt well prepared, not just physically but mentally too.

When race day finally arrived, we were greeted by a beautiful day – not too hot or too cold – just right as Goldilocks would say.  As I had set myself the target of completing the event in under 4 hours I was somewhat disappointed when I reached the first hill and got off the bike to walk the last little effort – did I mention that I do take a while to warm up – that’s my excuse anyway!

Once the first serious ascent was out of the way I felt more relaxed and comfortable, and tried to make up for lost time by completing the descents as quickly as possible by relying on my Scott Spark’s trusty full suspension and just going for it – with a slight degree of caution of course!

When I reached the 32km mark, I was slightly disappointed when I cycled over Reveley bridge which signalled that I had exited the forest plantations and was now on my way back to Nannup. The worst of the hill climbing was behind me although I still encountered a few little short, shart “surprises” along the way – but as I was heading home I was focussed on completing the race in under 4 hours.

When I reached the single track, I realised I had clear air ahead of me and just tried to smash it out as fast as I could in order to reach the finish line.  I am happy to report I finished in 3 hours and 17 minutes and 3rd female in my age group.

Next year I will be attempting FIVE, the 85km route, and who knows what 2023 holds… perhaps I will be ready to tackle SEVEN, after all as a Dad told his little girl when she asked how many hills were left, “it’s all downhill; except for the uphill bits!”

Photo credit: Race finish photo by Daniela Tommasi Photography.

Swan Valley Fondo – The Swan Valley Fondo is back as part of the WestCycle WA series, and coming up on Sunday 13 June 2021.

Gather a few like-minded cyclists and create a team or just jump in yourself.

Read the full post here, and reach out to Carol on the Community Development email address (comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au) if you have any questions.

Kit Order Closing Soon – The current order is closing soon – midnight on 7 June to be specific.

Check out all of our kit, including the new range of socks, with a special mention to the SPR Chicks socks.

And for those of you waiting on an order delivery, you should have received an email letting you know that orders have arrived and are available for pickup at R&D Speedshop (unless you had it posted, of course).

From the Ride Coordinator – Chapeau to those 8-9 brave souls who ventured out into the weather last Saturday for the main ride (you know who you are 👏👏 ) You were probably still cleaning the gunk off the bike by the time the second front hit on Sunday but that doesn’t take away from your adventurous spirit.

This week it’s looking a lot better so hoping those that are yet to brave a chilly morning or anyone spending too much time as part of the couch peloton for the Giro/Dauphine double, can come riding with us this week.

I looked back on when we last scheduled this ride (Alexander Drive) and it was end of June 2020 as we were climbing out of the national lock down and getting back to our “COVID normal”. Whilst lots has changed in the world since then, it appears 12 months on, we are still literally a breath away from lockdowns and/or potential worsening health so we should appreciate the opportunity to ride when we can.

Speaking of such, this weekend the club is providing a plethora of choices to ride starting with the monthly Saturday Hills ride (note start at 6.30 from the car park) and finishing with the long weekend public holiday ride on Monday. It’s a great state we live in, so let’s ride to celebrate it. Whatever ride you choose to do this weekend make sure it’s a safe one, enjoy it and be thankful we can share it with others.

Saturday 5th June

Sunday 6th June

Monday 7th June

Tuesday 8th June

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

Wednesday 9th June

Thursday 10th June

Friday 11th June

Ride Routes 8th – 14th May

It seems like we’ve been here before. Take 2: Transitioning out of lockdown the repeat edition. But you won’t hear me complaining, I am just glad to be able to ride this weekend, mask not required. Benara Road anyone??!!

In reading through the Premier’s announcement, and the details of the significant easing of restrictions, the part that stood out for me most was this: “People will be able to have up to 100 people in their homes, up from 30.” I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve rarely if ever had 30 people over, let alone 100 – even when SPR Breakfasts were held at Peter’s house I don’t think we got to 100 bikes in Peter’s garage 🙂

A couple of things to mention; first up, we would love for you to join us for our Giro D’Italia Dinner. We’ve sold nearly half of the tickets, so plenty of space for you to come along, but keep in mind that Cafe Bella Rosa has a hard limit on space so we cannot increase the number of tickets once they have sold out.

Secondly, congratulations to everyone who raced in the 78th Tom Lowry Memorial Road Race held Saturday just gone by Collie Cycle Club. We had a huge turnout from the club, with 36 riders from the club racing across the grades. We achieved podiums in Women’s A Grade (congratulations Teneal Attard and Sarah Fowler!), Women’s B Grade (congratulations Larissa Boon and Di McAuliffe!), Men’s D (Darren Wallis!) and Men’s A (Mat Wardynec making the extended podium!) with strong performances across the board.

Check out the full results here and here. And there are some amazing photos here thanks to PB Photography.

Saturday Start Locations – As announced last week, we are moving back to the older and more condensed layout in the carpark at Coode Street for the start of the ride.

This makes communication and organisation that little bit easier.

Bike Maintenance Session – Check out this post for an invite to SPR women who want to learn the basics when it comes to fixing and maintaining their road bike.


The Rules – just a reminder that it isn’t quite business as usual – As the past week’s lockdown has shown us, it is definitely not business as usual just yet. Please keep in mind our social distancing and personal hygiene:

  • Whilst we are during the transition out of lockdown, masks are required indoors and outdoors if you cannot social distance.
  • 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.

SafeWA registration – Remember that for many locations and venues contact registration is mandatory. If you want to sit down for a coffee you must register your details at that premises. There are 2 ways to do this, register on a paper form, or scan a QR code on an app.
So, how do I get the app? Download the WA Government free app – SafeWA and sign up as an individual.
– Android users click here
– Apple phone users click here

Thursday Group 3 & 4 – The last few weeks we have been formalising and supporting the group 3 and 4 rides on Thursday. SPR Thursday has a reputation of being a hard and fast ride and the size of the first group today was a good indication of it’s popularity. However, we also want to provide an opportunity for people to develop and progress through the ranks, so to speak. As such the group 3 and 4 rides on Thursday now have ride leaders assigned to them to help guide people. The expected average speeds for the groups are 34k/hr and 30 k/hr or less average, respectively, so you can make a call as to which will suit you best. Organically developing rides to provide for what the needs of the group is what has contributed to the growth of the club. This is just another step along that path.

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.S

From the Ride Coordinator – Now that those strong winds we’ve experienced across the Summer and early Autumn are abating, it opens up a few more of our ride options to choose from – or you might think? It’s often an interesting jigsaw to pull apart and put back together for the chosen route every week. There’s many variables to consider, including member preference, when was stage last time we rode the route, wind, weather conditions, sun in your eyes etc etc. Right now though, our biggest challenge to a lot of our routes are road works. I mentioned it a few weeks ago when we had the unexpected closure of Thomas street and the safety concerns that such an event can have on the ride. Well this week’s route is another of those that is impacted by road works. This time it’s the corner of Coode and Whatley due to the metro net construction around Bayswater Station. So as you crest the brow of the hill on Coode keep an eye out for any disruption or congestion ahead caused by the work that is going on because this can be a fast little stretch heading towards the Whatley intersection. Hopefully there are no issues  but at the moment, it might be better to “expect the unexpected” again and play it a little cautious around there. We hope to see everyone back safe for coffee.

Saturday 8th May

Sunday 9th May

Monday 10th May

Tuesday 11th May

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

Wednesday 12th May

Thursday 13th May

Friday 14th May

Ride Routes 1st – 7th May

The Premier has tonight announced what is hopefully the final transition out of lockdown. This is good news, as is the report that there has been no community transmission.

This means that we can ride. And we can have coffee afterward. Very good news.

There are a few things to keep in mind though, please. Bring a mask – we are required to wear masks indoors and if we can’t social distance outdoors for the next week. Social distancing may be necessary at Coode Street for the start of the ride and at least some of the time at Dome for coffee (required indoors but not outdoors in the alfresco area).

Toby has confirmed that Dome will be open.

It’s been a hard week for CBD hospitality businesses, and Dome has been no exception, so come along and make sure Saturday morning bucks the trend 🙂

Saturday Start Locations – As announced last week, we are moving back to the older and more condensed layout in the carpark at Coode Street for the start of the ride.

This makes communication and organisation that little bit easier. Keep in mind that with the transitional arrangements, if you can’t adequately social distance you will need to wear your mask as we gather before the ride starts.

Bike Maintenance Session – Check out this post for an invite to SPR women who want to learn the basics when it comes to fixing and maintaining their road bike.


The Rules – just a reminder that it isn’t quite business as usual – As the past week’s lockdown has shown us, it is definitely not business as usual just yet. Please keep in mind our social distancing and personal hygiene:

  • Whilst we are during the transition out of lockdown, masks are required indoors and outdoors if you cannot social distance.
  • 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.

SafeWA registration – Remember that for many locations and venues contact registration is mandatory. If you want to sit down for a coffee you must register your details at that premises. There are 2 ways to do this, register on a paper form, or scan a QR code on an app.
So, how do I get the app? Download the WA Government free app – SafeWA and sign up as an individual.
– Android users click here
– Apple phone users click here

Thursday Group 3 & 4 – The last few weeks we have been formalising and supporting the group 3 and 4 rides on Thursday. SPR Thursday has a reputation of being a hard and fast ride and the size of the first group today was a good indication of it’s popularity. However, we also want to provide an opportunity for people to develop and progress through the ranks, so to speak. As such the group 3 and 4 rides on Thursday now have ride leaders assigned to them to help guide people. The expected average speeds for the groups are 34k/hr and 30 k/hr or less average, respectively, so you can make a call as to which will suit you best. Organically developing rides to provide for what the needs of the group is what has contributed to the growth of the club. This is just another step along that path.

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.S

From the Ride Coordinator – Just a short note for me this week as the conditions should be similar to last week (albeit a little cooler) so we will run the same routes as we were going to do last weekend.

Couple of things to note:

  1. It is the first Saturday in the month so we will be running the short hills on Saturday option that we missed last month due to Easter. Ride leaves Coode Street 30 mins earlier at 6.30am.
  2. Last weeks note about the intersection of Scarbs Beach and Loftus is worth another mention. This routes goes straight across onto London Street, it does not turn left onto Scarbs Beach. Please familiarise yourself with the route so you know what to do there and avoid any confusion which can lead to accidents.

We often take it all for granted (given what happened last weekend) so please enjoy your riding when you can. Whatever you choose to do, do it safely.

Saturday 1st May

Sunday 2nd May

Monday 3rd May

Tuesday 4th May

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

Wednesday 5th May

Thursday 6th May

Friday 7th May

Resuming Group Rides during Interim Restrictions

The government released the formal (legal) direction regarding this week late yesterday, and the Committee has given it a careful read. There seems to be some confusion, but our read is that the 20-person gathering limit does not apply for sporting activities – provided that we do not have spectators.

On this basis, we will proceed with group rides this week.

The Committee will continue to monitor the situation and should advice change to the contrary we will advise as soon as possible. In the interim, stay safe and keep an eye out for further updates.

Important: Please ensure that you bring a mask to the ride to wear whilst waiting at the start and finish of the ride.

See you out on the bike.

Daniel

For those interested in a little light (!) reading:

  1. Announcement – End of lockdown in Perth and Peel
  2. The formal bit – Safe transition for Western Australia Directions (No 2)

Ride routes 17th – 23rd April

We had our first committee meeting tonight (so this blog is a little behind schedule). I am pleased to announce the new roles that committee members have taken on.

May I introduce:

  • Membership & Communications – Claire Tyrrell
  • Community Development – Carol Dowse
  • Women’s Interests – Amanda Nabi
  • Race – Steve Burns
  • Ride Coordinator – Greg Jones
  • Training & Development – Dean Roser
  • Kit – Andrew Ballam
  • General – Tom Goerke

I would also like to put out a call for subcommittee members for:

  • Community Development Subcommittee
  • Women’s Interests Subcommittee
  • Race Subcommittee
  • Kit Subcommittee
  • Ride Leader Subcommittee

This is a great opportunity for members to get more involved in SPR. Not only do you have the opportunity to contribute to the life of the club, but you have a forum to input into and influence the direction of these aspects of SPR.

If you are interested, please contact us via Messenger on our Facebook page or email admin@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

Bike Maintenance Session – Check out this post for an invite to SPR women who want to learn the basics when it comes to fixing and maintaining their road bike.

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.

SafeWA registration – As the state opens up to more interstate travelers, the risk of community spread could possibly increase. Contact tracing is an important way to contain the virus in case it finds it’s way into the community. If you want to sit down for a coffee you must register your details at that premises. There are 2 ways to do this, register on a paper form, or scan a QR code on an app.
So, how do i get the app? Download the WA Government free app – SafeWA and sign up as an individual.
– Android users click here
– Apple phone users click here
We have had it pretty good in WA so far. Lets make sure that we can open up safely.

AusCycling Memberships – As of November last year, Cycling Australia ceased to exist and AusCycling was formed to combine multiple disciplines of cycling together. To be part of the national organisation, our club has joined Auscycling and memberships and renewals are now available though it. As such we have updated the memberships page to reflect the membership types and approximate costs. There are now 4 types of licence – Lifestyle, Race off-road, Race all discipline & Non riding. On top of this there is also a Club Add-On where you can join SPR if you are a member of another club, like Peel or RCCC. This is similar to our Extraordinary membership (which still exists for other orgs) but has been formalised a bit.

EDIT: There has been a bit of confusion around the clubs relationship with Westcycle as some people have opted for a Westcycle licence and have linked to SPR as their club. Our club is affiliated with the national body which is AusCycling, but we do have a tenuous link back to the state body which is Westcycle. We are currently working out what that means for members in regards to the rights that they have within the club (voting, committee positions, etc). Until we clarify that, just be assured that your insurance is still valid and you are still free to ride with the club.

Community Cycling Survey 2021 – The WA government (the Office of the Auditor General) is conducting a survey to help inform a current audit on cycling in the Perth area. It focuses on 2 key areas: (a) the bicycle network, and (b) state and local government work to promote cycling as a safe and viable mode of transport.

The survey is particularly interested in the cities of Perth, Cockburn, Bayswater and Kalamunda but invites contributions more broadly.

It will only take about 15 minutes to complete, so check it out. You have until 4 pm on 19 April 2021.

https://audit.wa.gov.au/auditing-in-wa/have-your-say/

Thursday Group 3 & 4 – The last few weeks we have been formalising and supporting the group 3 and 4 rides on Thursday. SPR Thursday has a reputation of being a hard and fast ride and the size of the first group today was a good indication of it’s popularity. However, we also want to provide an opportunity for people to develop and progress through the ranks, so to speak. As such the group 3 and 4 rides on Thursday now have ride leaders assigned to them to help guide people. The expected average speeds for the groups are 34k/hr and 30 k/hr or less average, respectively, so you can make a call as to which will suit you best. Organically developing rides to provide for what the needs of the group is what has contributed to the growth of the club. This is just another step along that path.

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 facilitate any expected changes to gathering rules, the Saturday start location were modified when group riding resumed in 2020. We still want to maintain the separation between groups as much as possible and as such will continue to start the fast and main 1 on one side of the carpark with main 2-3, trannies & novice on the other. If you are new to our Saturday group rides, click on the photo to see where each group needs to congregate.

From the Ride Coordinator – What a difference a week makes to the weather forecast. Unfortunately last weekend proved to be challenging for riders with a strong easterly on Saturday and a wash out Sunday. Because of this we will push “repeat” for the choice of Hills rides with the Zig Zag again on the menu. Whilst the easterly will be with us again on Saturday, it shouldn’t be nearly as strong so Morley Drive will be the choice. Expect numbers will be up this week as it looks like it’s going to be great riding conditions. If you choose to ride with us this weekend, make it a good one and enjoy your cycling.

Saturday 17th April

Sunday 18th April

Monday 19th April

Tuesday 20th April

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

Wednesday 21st April

Thursday 22nd April

Friday 23rd April