All posts by Daniel Harvey

Ride Routes 14 – 20th October

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

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

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

We still have some spaces so if you are interested, please get in touch with Carol.

Women Talking Cycling — The SPR Chicks committee hosted another very successful event last Sunday afternoon “Women Talking Cycling” for an enlightening discussion with Sports Podiatrist and Physiotherapist Julie Pham from Star Physio and Sports Dietitian Mel Raybould from Fuel to Perform.

Julie and Mel gave informative presentations, which were both very well received by all the women who attended. Thankyou to Leanne from Giant Cannington for the display of some very beautiful Giant LIV bikes, hopefully we’ll see some of our ladies riding a new bike on our club rides in the near future.

We are also very grateful for our sponsors: Shokz, Premax, Pure Sports Nutrition and Winners for donating some wonderful prizes. Congratulations to the lucky chicks who were able to take home a prize (or two), enjoy.  Additionally, thanks must go to The Amy Gillett Foundation for the jerseys, aiming to increase rider visibility from 2% to 90%, while out on the Aussie roads.

PS One of the event’s sponsors, Shokz, has a promotion where we can win up to ten pairs of SHOKZ for our club members.  It’s a social media most Likes competition – head to our Facebook and add your Like to our post here. And feel free to share. But do it before 13 October (tomorrow).

The three clubs who receive the most likes on Facebook or Instagram by 13 Oct will be the winners. 

1st prize: 6*OpenRun Pro + 4*OpenFit 

2nd prize: 3*OpenRun Pro + 2*OpenFit 

3rd prize: 1*OpenRun Pro + 1*OpenFit 

 

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

1. PDCC Peel Classic 2023 incl State Road Champs

Juniors Ride — This Saturday we will meet at the Wireless Park car park at 11am (https://maps.app.goo.gl/is8CupgwtzfVVsmn8). The plan is to warm up by riding around the park a few times and then the kids will be challeged with a climbing time trial. The climb will be ~200m (see picture below).

From the Ride Coordinator — Goldilocks weather for us to enjoy this weekend, but with the temperatures rising it’s a good time to think about hydration, and perhaps carry an extra bottle with some electrolytes.

Good weather also means bigger groups, and sometimes that means a tail-end rider/s getting unintentionally dropped . Often it’s a rider struggling on the day who will be  picked up by the next group, but it could be due to a mechanical issue, or even an accident. We don’t like leaving people on their own, particularly if it’s a busy road, or they are have a problem, so let’s all help by checking back regularly and passing on any info to the ride leader and/or the rest of the group. When it’s safe, the group can then pull over if necessary to assess the situation and respond appropriately. It makes for safer and more inclusive rides – two of SPR’s key pillars.

IMPORTANT: We change the start time of our Sunday Hills rides this week back to our summer time of 6am. Take note‼️

Saturday 14th October

Sunday 15th October

Monday 16th October

Tuesday 17th October

Wednesday 18th October

Thursday 19th October

Friday 20th October

Ride Routes 7 – 13th October

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

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

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

Register Here

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

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

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

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

 

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

1. WCMCC Chidlow A Road Race (incl Age Championships)

2. PDCC Peel Classic 2023 incl State Road Champs

Juniors Ride — No juniors this weekend, sorry! Check back next week.

From the Ride Coordinator — As the weather improves, we see more riders on all rides. Many are getting stronger in the leadup to TOMR, so we see even bigger numbers in the F2/M1/M2 groups. With a finite pool of ride leaders, we need to adapt accordingly. This may mean some groups are slightly larger than in recent weeks – we’ll try and limit them to 20. You can help by cooperating with the ride leaders and moving up or back as directed, to even out the group sizes. Think about your ability on the day and pick a group that you can roll with at a pace that keeps the group together. It also helps at the start if everyone gathers with their group in the mustering areas, rather than joining from the side at the last minute as the group pulls away.

Sunday’s short hills has an unusual return via Zigzag and Maidevale instead of Welshpool, and long hills does the Chookenberg – you have been warned! (there is a bypass option). With larger numbers on Sundays, we may choose to separate into smaller groups at the start – to avoid splits at traffic lights on the way out to the hills. On the Welshpool climb, the two groups may mix, and then split again, based on climbing strength.

We don’t have official ride leaders on Sundays so please work with the experienced riders who take charge on the day (there usually are a few ride leaders) to maximise safety and enjoyment for all.

Saturday 7th October

Sunday 8th October

Monday 9th October

Tuesday 10th October

Wednesday 11th October

Thursday 12th October

Friday 13th October

Ride Routes 30th September – 6th October

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

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

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

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

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

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

See you out on the bike.

Daniel

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

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

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

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

French Alps EOI

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

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

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

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

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

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

Register Here

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

 

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

1. WCMCC Splendid Park – Grade Criterium Race

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

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

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

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

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

Stay safe and enjoy the riding.

Saturday 30th September

Sunday 1st October

Monday 2nd October

Tuesday 3rd October

Wednesday 4th October

Thursday 5th October

Friday 6th October

Ride Routes 23rd – 29th September

1 Comment

New SPR Ride Leader Volunteers 2023 — This weekend is the last weekend of the club’s 2023 Ride Lead Development Program which will see us roll out the final observation rides for our 4 new leaders, Daniel, Julia, Andy and Danielle. If you join them on the ride or see them in the coffee shop afterwards, please extend a warm congratulations and thank you to these wonderful people who join our already fantastic ride leader bunch who volunteer their time each Saturday morning to assist in keeping our rides social, organised, inclusive and above all safe.

In the near future, you will hear more from these 4 ride leaders as we get to know them a bit more but for now, on behalf of the SPR Committee and all members, welcome aboard and thanks so much for helping to make a difference for our great club.

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

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

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

Register Here

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

View from Col d’Izoard (2,361 m ),Hautes-Alpes, France

The Col d`Izoard is in the beautiful French Alps in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region along the Route des Grandes Alpes. This is one of the many mountain passes in the Alps, the destination for a proposed 14-day trip in September 2024 being offered to our members. The trip was proposed by our own Christophe Borrel Ducroz who will also guide the trip, hence it is targeted at main 2 level riders*. To ensure our faster riders do not miss out, a reverse 9-day trip from Nice to Geneva is also being offered and will be guided by the organising tour company founder, Aigars. One of the best parts of cycling is participating with friends in a safe and well organised event, key lived values for the club. This is the main driver for the club’s support of this activity; these two tours take the event to a whole new level.

Each trip includes 3 or 4 star accommodation, all breakfasts and picnic lunches, a fully equipped support van, mechanical assistance, coaching and advice as needed throughout the trip, sports supplements, luggage transfers, airport transfers, pre-departure information, welcome pack and photos of the trip. High quality Sarto bikes are available from the organising tour company for an additional charge of $850 and $650 for the 14 and 9 day trips respectively.

To keep the riders safe, the 14-day trip for main 2 level riders has a maximum of 16 participants, minimum of 12 and costs ~$5,700 per person double occupancy; the single supplement is $1500. The 9-day trip for main 1 /fast riders has a maximum of 16, minimum of 8 participants and costs ~$4,300 per person double occupancy; the single supplement is $950; final prices will be in Euros.

So we can determine the level of interest please complete the non-binding EOI survey.

French Alps EOI

 

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

1. WCMCC Herne Hill Graded Road Race

Juniors Ride — Unfortunately, there will be no junior ride this Saturday as some of our young riders will be participating in the “Bike It To Ballidu Gravel” family ride.

We wish them to have a great time and the best of luck in their endeavour to win one of the extravagant prizes such as the “Best Needle in the Haystack Scavenger Hunt”!

From the Ride Coordinator — We may see a little moisture on the early bird on Saturday, but should be fine by the time the main groups head out for Stock and Shelley – a popular route. It’s helpful to drop your tyre pressure by 10 psi when riding on wet roads. Besides being a bit more comfortable, the extra rubber on the road gives more grip. Slowing down a bit on corners and roundabouts also helps.

Both Sunday hills rides do an unusual loop from Welshpool Rd to Lesmurdie (nice and quiet with a few pinch climbs), with Short Hills also doing a new section from the servo at the top around to Lawnbrook.

As always, check the route before heading out, and enjoy the rides.

Saturday 23rd September

Sunday 24th September

Monday 25th September

Tuesday 26th September

Wednesday 27th September

Thursday 29th September

Friday 29th September

Ride Routes 16th – 22nd September

Two things worthy of your special attention this week. Number one: We have white arm warmers 💚 Some of you will recall that white arm warmers have not been on the menu for several years, but with this year’s Tour of Margaret River Kit design now finalised (we think you’ll like it) we are pleased to announce they are now available.

Check them out.

IMPORTANT: The kit shop is still taking orders for all items (not just the new arm warmers), but must close Sunday night. If you want something, get in now!

Two, the Rapha Women’s 100 is this weekend. All the details below.

Daniel

Women’s 100 Perth 2023 — In conjunction with Rapha Women’s 100, we’re celebrating a sisterhood that stretches beyond borders and breaks down barriers, the Women’s 100 returns for another year. And whether going the distance is challenge enough, or you’re taking it up a gear to push your limits, it’s all about riding it your way. Off road or on, uphill or down, no two riders are the same and nor should your ride be. Up the stakes and up the elevation, or enjoy every minute and tick off a milestone – carve your own path and celebrate in style.

On Sunday 17th September, we’re challenging you to ride 100km in one day, a global connection of shared experience. You in?

Meet: Coode Street Car Park, South Perth Foreshore
Time: 7.30am
Distance: 100km

Heading out to Guilford, into Swan Valley before returning back to South Perth via the Northern Suburbs. There will be a brief stop mid ride with morning tea supplied.

Sign up for Women’s 100 Perth 2023

 

Join the Strava Challenge here or find out more about the Rapha Women’s 100 here.

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

1. WCMCC Casuarina Graded Road Race

Juniors Ride — Our junior ride on 16/9 will start as usual from the Holy Family Catholic Church car park at 10am. The plan is to ride ~20km to Fremantle (https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/194134285).

We will ride some parts in roads shared with normal traffic, so the presence of parents is fundamental.

We will then have a nice lunch in Freo all together before returning home with the train or, for the bravest, by riding back home.

 

From the Ride Coordinator — With a bit of luck Saturday will be dry for a Reverse Hale Rd loop. Its a straightforward route with very familiar roads for most of us. Take note of the three turns around the 26km mark, from Midland Ridge Hill – Watsonia – Gooseberry Hill. If you’re reading this, then you’re part of the solution, but we still have many who don’t know the route on the day, so lets speak to our groups to make sure everyone knows where we’re going, stays together and reads the blog next week.

Sunday should be good weather, and both short and long hills are great courses. Long Hills is a classic with spectacular roads and scenery between Albany and Brookton Hwys. Some testing climbs, including a tough first one – Carawatha Rd. Short is a newer one, with an amazing new loop at the top of Brookton Hwy with a few extra pinch climbs. Perfect for this time of the year. Whichever you choose, enjoy your riding and stay safe.

Saturday 16th September

Sunday 17th September

Monday 18th September

Tuesday 19th September

Wednesday 20th September

Thursday 21st September

Friday 22nd September

Ride Routes 9 – 15th September

This week we have another inspirational cycling story. If you haven’t seen it already, please take the time to read Nancy’s story (photos included!) recounting her journey to and experience that was the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships.

Please note that we have needed to cancel the La Vuelta Family Day 10 September – not enough takers unfortunately. The Committee will do a review – the event was quite popular last year but no so this time round it would seem.

See you out on the bike.

Daniel

Women’s 100 Perth 2023 — In conjunction with Rapha Women’s 100, we’re celebrating a sisterhood that stretches beyond borders and breaks down barriers, the Women’s 100 returns for another year. And whether going the distance is challenge enough, or you’re taking it up a gear to push your limits, it’s all about riding it your way. Off road or on, uphill or down, no two riders are the same and nor should your ride be. Up the stakes and up the elevation, or enjoy every minute and tick off a milestone – carve your own path and celebrate in style.

On Sunday 17th September, we’re challenging you to ride 100km in one day, a global connection of shared experience. You in?

Meet: Coode Street Car Park, South Perth Foreshore
Time: 7.30am
Distance: 100km

Heading out to Guilford, into Swan Valley before returning back to South Perth via the Northern Suburbs. There will be a brief stop mid ride with morning tea supplied.

Sign up for Women’s 100 Perth 2023

 

Join the Strava Challenge here or find out more about the Rapha Women’s 100 here.

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

1. PDCC State Champs (Junior/Kermesse/Para)

2. WCMCC Neerabup Graded Road Race

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Juniors Ride — Next ride with the juniors is going to be a relaxed tour in the area of Waterford and Salter Point (https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/192045627). The ride will start from the Holy Family Catholic Church car park in Como at 10.30am. We will end our ride at Comer Reserve Park where we will play some games together with the parents.

It is going to be an easy ~13km ride considering the 5 week break, so the kids can slowly build up again some training.

I am pleased to share with you that some of the kids that rode with us in the past weeks, will take part to the Ballidu gravel family ride in the end of September and the next coming rides will be very useful to overcome the 12km ride in the dirt at Ballidu!

 

From the Ride Coordinator — Looks like we may just get lucky with the rain this weekend. Saturday takes us to Bernara Rd – which has a lot of roundabouts. We still see too many avoidable incidents on roundabouts, so maybe time for another reminder:

#1 Slow down on the approach to the roundabout

#2 Stay in your lane as the group goes through the roundabout. Don’t cut corners – as this puts pressure on riders and cars alongside you.

There is a good article here about how to ride through single and dual lane roundabouts.

Reminder for Friday ride: – there are roadworks just after the bike path at the end of Shelly. You may need to stay on the bike path till the bridge.

Enjoy the riding!

Saturday 9th September

Sunday 10th September

Monday 11th September

Tuesday 12th September

Wednesday 13th September

Thursday 14th September

Friday 15th September

Ride Routes 2nd – 8th September

If you haven’t already, make sure to read about David Menarry’s trip to Glasgow. David always puts in a lot of work training for these events with the side benefit that he gets to travel to some amazing places – huge kudos David 💚

We don’t have many sign-ups for our La Vuelta Family Day 10 September – if you’re interested, speak up now!

For anyone racing in the Peel Womens and Junior Tour 2023 this weekend, all the best!

Daniel

Women’s 100 Perth 2023 — In conjunction with Rapha Women’s 100, we’re celebrating a sisterhood that stretches beyond borders and breaks down barriers, the Women’s 100 returns for another year. And whether going the distance is challenge enough, or you’re taking it up a gear to push your limits, it’s all about riding it your way. Off road or on, uphill or down, no two riders are the same and nor should your ride be. Up the stakes and up the elevation, or enjoy every minute and tick off a milestone – carve your own path and celebrate in style.

On Sunday 17th September, we’re challenging you to ride 100km in one day, a global connection of shared experience. You in?

Meet: Coode Street Car Park, South Perth Foreshore
Time: 7.30am
Distance: 100km

Heading out to Guilford, into Swan Valley before returning back to South Perth via the Northern Suburbs. There will be a brief stop mid ride with morning tea supplied.

Sign up for Women’s 100 Perth 2023

 

Join the Strava Challenge here or find out more about the Rapha Women’s 100 here.

See our earlier blog for details and tickets (direct shop link) to our La Vuelta inspired SPR Family Day.

Kit Order — Another reminder is that the Kit Shop is open now for the next order, closing Wednesday 6 September.

If you need kit for the Tour of Margaret River, now is the opportunity. Not to mention that knicks are discounted at the moment.

Get on it!

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

1. Peel Womens and Junior Tour 2023

2. WCMCC Dog Hill Graded Road Road

Juniors Ride — Juniors rides will resume on September 9th, 2023, and we look forward to continuing our cycling adventures

 

From the Ride Coordinator — A few old classic ride routes this weekend, including TV Stations on Saturday and Welsh-Weir on Sunday short hills – what used to be called the “standard” hills ride. Lets hope the rain stays away so that we can welcome Spring in style.

#1. Rides are always more enjoyable when the group stays together, and shares the “work” evenly. This requires planning, self awareness, and sometimes some sacrifices. SPR does the planning, and arranges several groups for our most popular ride – the 7am on Saturday, but also on some weekday rides. It’s up to all of us to make sure we ride with the group that best matches our ability and training plans on the day.

#2. Don’t be a Lemming – and follow other riders blindly. Each one of us is responsible for our safety and that of the riders around us so please remember to check for oncoming traffic at intersections – don’t rely on the “Clear!” call made by the first rider.

#3. Note for Friday’s ride – there are roadworks just after the bike path at the end of Shelly. You may need to stay on the bike path till the bridge.

Enjoy the riding!

Saturday 2nd September

Sunday 3rd September

Monday 4th September

Tuesday 5th September

Wednesday 6th September

Thursday 7th September

Friday 8th September

Ride Routes 26th August – 1st September

CX Nationals — Last weekend, a large team from WA Cyclocross travelled to Ballarat to compete in the AusCycling National Cyclocross Championships. 

The course was a large, relatively flat one, with long sections of thick slippery mud, and one steep technical hill known as the mound. 

I was racing in the U13s – and we were lucky enough to have participants from most states on the start line. 

The first lap was hectic. About half way through the first lap, I’d managed to build up a small gap after running one of the mud sections, only to loose it all when my front wheel slipped out and I got tangled up in the course tape. 

My battle at the front continued for the next two laps, but I finally managed to get away on one of the steep climbs up the mound. After that I was able to slowly build a nice gap and rode across the finish line about 45 seconds in front of second place. 

It was really nice to be able to race against the other states, and the results across the rest of the team show how strong the cyclocross community here in Perth is. 

I would like to thank Louise and Stewart (van der) Carson for the work they have done to establish such a great community of CX racing.

It would be great to see more SPR riders at the CX racing, and it’s a great way to maintain your speed when the weather gets cold.

Oscar


SPR’s freshly minted U13 National CX Champion 💚

See our earlier blog for details and tickets (direct shop link) to our La Vuelta inspired SPR Family Day.

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

1. WCMCC Chidlow A Graded Road Race

2. Peel Womens and Junior Tour 2023 (2/Sep – see below)

Juniors Ride — Juniors rides will resume on September 2nd, 2023, and we look forward to continuing our cycling adventures

 

From the Ride Coordinator — As the temperatures rise and the roads dry out, we expect to see more people turning up for rides. Choosing the right group makes for a better experience for everyone; it may be a good idea to drop a group back when making a return if you haven’t ridden for a while.

Remember that the last group to leave riding the Main course on Saturdays is always a NO-DROP group.

Note for Friday’s ride – there are roadworks just after the bike path at the end of Shelly. You may need to stay on the bike path till the bridge.

Enjoy the good weather and stay safe as we hopefully bid winter farewell…

Saturday 26th August

Sunday 27th August

Monday 28th August

Tuesday 29th August

Wednesday 30th August

Thursday 31st August

Friday 1st September

Ride Routes 19 – 25th August

Good evening all. The weather looks good for the weekend, so make sure you find some time on the bike 💚

Just a couple of things to put in front of you this evening. First up, we have put out an EOI for coming onto the team as an SPR Ride Leader – do consider if this is a contribution that you would willing to make. Having a good-sized group of Ride Leaders with new people coming onto team helps us to maintain what is in many ways the centrepiece of what makes SPR … SPR.

Give it some thought, and do not hesitate to reach out to Greg Jones on development@southperthrouleurs.com.au if you have any questions or fill in any EOI – link in last week’s blog.

Second, don’t forget to sign up for our SPR Family Day… La Vuelta style… see below.

Final note, there are some good opportunities for riding coming up in the Canola Classic (see our post several week’s back) and the Bike it to Ballidu Gravel (apparently, the early bird is back).

Enjoy your riding, and hopefully see you for coffee.

Daniel

See our earlier blog for details and tickets (direct shop link) to our La Vuelta inspired SPR Family Day.

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

1. CCC 98th Collie to Donnybrook & Return Cycling Classic

Hopefully, you’ve entered the Collie to Donnybrook as entries have closed. If you are racing, I wish you all the best and every success in this classic race!

Juniors Ride — Juniors rides will resume on September 2nd, 2023, and we look forward to continuing our cycling adventures

 

From the Ride Coordinator — More good riding weather on the way this weekend – not quite Goldilocks temperatures yet, but we’ll take it any day! Perfect for those starting their TOMR training – a double on Saturday and/or Sunday hills is ideal training for the event – just adapt your pace/group to match your ability as your fitness builds.

Whatever rides you choose to do, please familiarise yourself with the route. Whether that’s reading up the night before, loading it into the Garmin/Wahoo, or putting a sticky note on your crossbar, make sure you know which way the group is going, and if you’re not sure about an upcoming turn, ask someone in the group ahead of time – we’re there to help each other.

Roadworks are still ongoing in Applecross on Melville Beach Pde and the Strand so if you haven’t been doing early morning rides, take note and expect detours.

Saturday 19th August

Sunday 20th August

Monday 21st August

Tuesday 22nd August

Wednesday 23rds August

Thursday 24th August

Friday 25th August

Ride Routes 12 – 18th August

SPR Ride Leader Program Call for Expressions of Interest — SPR’s training rides set us apart as a cycling Club; we are one of the few clubs in Australia that is not affiliated with a bike shop facilitating a broad range of opportunities for people to cycle in a group every day. Since its inception in 2009, a key feature of the feedback the Club receives is the value delivered by our organised and regular training rides. A key part of running these training rides is our ride leadership programme. Consistent, trained and visible ride leaders results in safer, more enjoyable ride experiences for everyone.

To this end, the Club developed a ride leader development program, with the objectives of:

  1. Developing SPR ride leaders’ knowledge and skills of both ride leadership and core cycling skills
  2. Building the confidence of ride leaders to ensure ride consistency and enhanced decision making during group rides
  3. Growing the pool of capable, confident ride leaders

We are now seeking Expressions of Interest from SPR members who would like to be part of our next public Ride Leader Development Program. The Program consists of four separate but related components:

  1. Theory: covers the core knowledge and skills required to be an effective ride leader for group rides across the Main, Transition and Development rides conducted by SPR (+/- 2hrs personal time)
  2. Skills Sessions: out on the bike, learning all about what it takes to be a good ride leader as well as having the opportunity to practice your skills and ideas in a “safe” environment. (2 x 2.5/3 hours sessions)
  3. Online Scenario Discussion: covering a few common scenarios that you may find in ride leading and joined by experienced ride leaders sharing their knowledge and stories when exposed to similar scenarios. (1 x 1.5/2 hour session)
  4. Ride Leader Observations: This will involve you being the ride leader for two(2) to three (3) separate SPR training rides with an observer to determine how you go about deploying your skills and knowledge in the “real world” environment. (2 – 3 ‘normal’ training rides, weekdays or weekends as required)

As a participant, you will get:

  1. New Skills: You will learn new skills and knowledge about cycling as well as ride leadership.
  2. Kudos: Be part of the “qualified” ride leader team out on the road.
  3. Stuff: Upon successful completion, Program participants will receive a custom SPR Ride Leader jersey to be worn whenever you are leading a SPR ride.
  4. On Going Development: Access to private discussion groups; coaching and skills development; ride-leader only events.

In return, once you have completed the Program, we will expect your commitment to the following:

  1. Lead a minimum of 2 Saturday main rides* per month throughout the year
  2. Be a role model for ride behaviour on ALL rides you participate in
  3. Assist in the recruitment and mentorship of future ride leaders
  4. Assist in training/observing people for their readiness to take on the role of Ride Leader.

* All prospective ride leaders should note that, from time to time, they will need be called on to lead rides of a lower skill &/or fitness level than their own. This means putting the interests of the Club and other riders before their own.

We are now seeking expressions of interest from SPR members who regularly ride with any group ie Main 1, 2, 3 & 4 as well as Transition and Development groups. While the ability to ride at or above the level of the group you are leading is important, just as critical is the constructive attitude and sound communication skills that are brought to the role. Empathy, care and the ability to encourage others is essential to the success of the ride leader.
In the event we are over-subscribed, the Development and Training sub-committee will use the quality & content of the EOI’s as well as the need to balance the mix of ride leaders to select the required number of participants. Anyone who is not selected shouldn’t be discouraged; it’s a numbers thing (us) rather than a capability thing (you).

As part of your EOI, we’d like you to outline:

  1. What you hope to get out of being a SPR ride leader
  2. Why you feel you will make a good contributor to ride leader team
  3. Which SPR group you usually ride with (M1, M2, M3, M4, T), and
  4. Your statement of commitment to the role of ride leader in terms of time to complete the Program and to lead the requisite number of rides per month

We anticipate kicking the Program off in the last week of August (with access to the theory being provided) and completing it by the end of September with the last weekend in August and the first weekend in September being critical in terms of availability for the two (2) skills sessions as well as the online discussion forum (this will be weather dependent).
If interested, please submit your EOI via this form before Sunday 20th August:

Submit Expression of Interest

There is space for questions as part of the EOI, but if you have any questions about the Ride Leader Program before submitting your EOI, please send them through to development@southperthrouleurs.com.au and we will get back to you ASAP.

SPR Ride Leaders 💚

See last week’s blog for details and tickets (direct shop link) to our La Vuelta inspired SPR Family Day.

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

1. CCC 98th Collie to Donnybrook & Return Cycling Classic

Juniors Ride — Juniors rides will resume on September 2nd, 2023, and we look forward to continuing our cycling adventures

 

From the Ride Coordinator — On Saturday the transitional group will once again be joined by some tandems through a collaboration with WATCAC, who promote the integration of blind and vision impaired cyclists into the cycling mainstream using tandems. After good feedback both tandem riders and regular Transitional Group riders last time, we’re keen to continue this venture.

Sunday’s hills groups have been smaller lately, which means a wider range of ability among fewer people, and that requires some compromise from stronger and weaker riders. Some days there will be an option to drop back from long to short hills on the first climb, but not always. The Social Hills group is always an option if you don’t think you’re up to the pace of the regular long or short hills groups, and if you’re feeling strong on the day, do an extra loop afterwards rather than pushing hard and splitting the group. Good communication at the start and during the ride means plans and expectations are adjusted to match the group on the day, and the group finishes together.

Saturday 12th August

Sunday 13th August

Monday 14th August

Tuesday 15th August

Wednesday 16th August

Thursday 17th August

Friday 18th August