Pace for the ride is Main 1ish and there will be SHORT regroups after each climb, as time is of the essence to make it to Wungong Dam for the morning tea and photo opportunity.
There will likely be a Medio Hills ride on offer for those who think that then main ride might be a little out of their reach. The plan would be for the medio ride to to join us at Wungong Dam for morning tea.
Approximate route for the Medio Ride is here – SPR VP’s Good Friday Ride – Medio edition, but it is subject to adjustment depending on interest. Medio ride will be a 7am meet ate the Coode Street carpark.
Preferred dress code is SPR national kit or any other variation of official SPR kits.
Please respond to the Facebook event (or leave a comment below if Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t have all of your details yet) to let us know if you’ll be coming…we want to make sure there is a hot cross bun for everyone!
If anybody is available to assist with the logistics of the morning tea we would be very keen to hear from you!
So it has been an eventful week. The end of the crit season is upon us with the States this weekend. The Cyclocross season begins with Party in the Park – CX O’Day 23 this weekend (if you’re new to CX, do reach out – many SPR members are very experienced and would be happy to talk you through it all). And the start of the road season is imminent.
It’s all happening. And that does not cover the incident on our most recent Sunday Hills ride. More on that below.
But first I want to send out 💚 and kudos to SPR green on the podium with the PDCC 22-23 Summer Criterium Race 5 last weekend:
B Grade – Claire Rapson 1st
Plus a special mention to Elar Kalda, back on the bike and placing 6th after crashing out at the Perth City Criterium several weeks back.
Now to less enjoyable but equally important topics. Following our discussion last week regarding safety, we unfortunately had a relatively serious accident last Sunday descending Welshpool. The accident occurred at speed (70+km/h) on the main section of the descent, and resulted in three riders coming off. Two riders ended up in hospital with broken bones and some serious gravel rash. We are thankful that it was not more serious, and in particular offer thanks to the SPR riders who assisted at the scene and arranged transport and assistance.
The Committee met on Monday evening, and as would be expected, this event – and the safety implications – were discussed in some detail. Whilst some of what occurred last Sunday is still being ascertained, we do have a some thoughts I would like to share.
Firstly, whilst we have removed some routes from our Sunday Hills catalogue due to risks associated with descents, that is not our assessment in this case. Welshpool Road is a fast descent, but is also one of the safest on the SPR list, with an excellent surface, good visibility and lots of room for cars and bikes on the dual carriage way. Not to mention that it is the descent we use most by a significant margin, and this is the first accident of this type we have on record (and we have kept very good records since 2017).
Having said that, please take care when descending, particularly fast descents like Welshpool Road. Some comments with particular emphasis on Welshpool:
Stay in the left lane (leave the right lane for other vehicles).
Look ahead and maintain situational awareness of other riders in the group, and of the traffic in the right-hand-lane.
Maintain a safe distance to the rider in front of you, allowing for the speed at which you are travelling.
Stay left where possible, allowing other riders to roll past on your right to come to the front.
Keep your hands on drops and fingers on the brakes, being careful to brake carefully (you do not want the brakes to grab at speed).
Pay attention to you posture on the bike when descending fast, remembering to relax as this gives better control.
Please ride safely.
Final reminder that our AGM is coming up on the Saturday 25 March (with voting running online this week closing tomorrow night). Details will be in your email – get in touch if you have not received them.
And a reminder to register for our upcoming Water Tower Challenge. All the details below.
Daniel
B Grade PodiumWomen’s B
SPR Water Tower Challenge 2023 — It’s back!! After some scheduling issues last year, we are pleased to announce that SPR’s epic adventure – available in both imperial and metric editions – has been locked in for Sunday 2 April 2023.
Read our previous blog post or sign up on EntryBoss now, and choose from two all new courses.
This is a fundraiser for the club and helps support our Ride Leader Program that both members and non-members enjoy 365 days a year.
Party in the Park – CX O’Day 23 — Cyclocross is back in WA, time to inflate the 33mm tyres, lube the chain and remember what it is like to race in the red, on grass, hop over barriers whilst smiling.
Grades (Women and Men together)
CX Freshers (20mins), First time CX Racer – this grade is for you (we at WACX really hope that you will love cross as much as well all do.)
Keeping the US college theme going… CX Sophomore (30 mins), Done a couple of CX racers (not more than seven) want to remember what is required and how much fun CX is.
CX Senior (40mins), Raced more than seven, please self seed at the start line.
The U13 will have the opportunity to ride the whole course, U9 will be doing the half lap (to save their parents backs!)
Licensing – All riders including U9 & U13 will need a Race Off Road which is $50 for the year – unfortunately no valid license no start in 2023.
Please plan ahead, please enter early – you have been warned.
From the Ride Coordinator — With the AGM on Saturday, we’d like to get everyone back to Dome by 9am, so we have one of the shortest (and oldest) rides, Canning Vale & Welshpool. Fingers crossed for green lights and not too many cross winds.
Many of the recent spate of crashes have occurred at roundabouts – both large and small, so please take extra care at the roundabouts on Nicholson and William Rd, before and after we cross Albany Hwy. Remember that the road camber (sideways slope) on roundabouts is almost always the wrong way – so slow down, give each other space, and enjoy the ride.
On Sunday we have our third and final Dams Training session open to all participants. Please work with the ride leaders to ensure a good experience for all.
Saturday 25th March
Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
We have a few things to cover in tonight’s blog. On serious note, please read though our piece on safety below – SPR take safety very seriously, and in view of some recent incidents (unfortunately including riders coming off during our rides) the Committee would like to put a focus on the subject in our blog tonight.
There is also a round-up of the amazing Perth City Criterium – if you love racing, you will know that the energy of inner city closed roads is a highlight. Also, for anyone that attended (as a racer or spectator) please fill this survey in. It will make a significant contribution to getting support for the event in future years.
Final reminder that our AGM is coming up on the Saturday 25 March (with voting running online the week prior). This means nominations close Friday week (17 March). If you are interested in getting involved, have a read of the blog post here, and get in touch (myself, Tom or any of the Committee).
And a reminder to register for our upcoming Water Tower Challenge. All the details below.
See you out of the bike.
Daniel
Safety — We know that safety is a top concern for all of us when we hit the roads on our bikes. We want to make sure that we are doing everything we can to reduce the risk of harm to ourselves, other cyclists, and our beloved bikes. That’s why at SPR, safety is one of our core pillars, along with being organized, inclusive, and social.
You may not be aware of all the work that goes on behind the scenes to make our rides as safe as possible, so we want to take a moment to highlight some of the things we do.
First up, we have our Ride Leader Program. You may have seen these dedicated volunteers leading the way on our Saturday and Sunday rides. These ride leaders go through extensive training, both in theory and practice, to ensure they are equipped to handle any situation that may arise. We are constantly reviewing and updating our Ride Leader Program to make sure it’s as effective as possible.
Next, we have our route maintenance and review process. Our ride coordinators carefully select and review routes with safety in mind. We try to avoid right-hand turns across multiple lanes of traffic, and we take member feedback into consideration when planning our rides. Recently, we made a change to our Friday morning ride based on member feedback, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
Rider briefings are a regular part of all our rides, whether it’s a weekday spin or a longer weekend route. We take the time to go over specific hazards and dangers, with a particular emphasis on current risks like damp roundabouts.
Finally, we capture crash statistics and review them regularly. We started recording crash data in 2017 and have since logged over 200 crashes. This information helps us identify patterns and understand the reasons behind crashes, which in turn allows us to take action to reduce risk.
All of this work is done by volunteers who are passionate about making our rides as safe as possible for everyone. But we also want to remind you that each of us has a responsibility to ride safely and be accountable for our own actions.
So the next time you’re out on a ride and hear your ride leader briefing about road conditions or obstacles, please pay attention and take heed. By working together, we can make our SPR rides safer and more enjoyable for all.
Perth City Criterium — We have to offer our thanks to Peel Districts Cycling Club, WestCycle, and AusCycling WA for putting on this inner city closed roads race! We loved it. Not to mention, Perth City Council and the Department of Local Government, Sports and Cultural Industries who contributed significant grant funding to enable the additional expenses
Well done to everyone that raced. Again, SPR had over 20 members racing.
We had lots of riders across the grades in both mens and womens, but it was the women who had podium success on the day. Well done!
We love your work 💚
B Grade – Corrie Johnstone 1st, Katrina McLennan 2nd, Rebecca Kelly 3rd
Regretfully, we send out condolences to Toby and Elar – both looking well positioned going into the last lap before coming down. Recover well gents.
Full results are here and check out the photos below.
B Grade PodiumC/D Grade PodiumSPR Women in actionC Grade MenSmiles before the painMore smiles💚ReadyMmmm
SPR Water Tower Challenge 2023 — It’s back!! After some scheduling issues last year, we are pleased to announce that SPR’s epic adventure – available in both imperial and metric editions – has been locked in for Sunday 2 April 2023.
Read our previous blog post or sign up on EntryBoss now, and choose from two all new courses.
From the Ride Coordinator — From time to time while riding or racing in a group, you may hear someone call, “Hold your line!”. This means stay in the same part of the lane throughout the corner or roundabout. Take a group with two lines of riders and a roundabout with two lanes. Assume you’re going straight on; the left line needs to stay hard left (outside) all the way round, so that the right line of riders is not forced into the right (inside) lane. Similarly, going around a left hand bend, the right line needs to stay wide to give the riders in the left lane enough space to avoid the kerb.
Stay safe!
Saturday 18th March
Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
Sending a shoutout Team SPR (officially “SPR Mixed”) who are heading off on the Canteen ride this weekend. They have done a huge job on the fundraising front (ranked 4th at last count so I here!). At this stage, it is just the riding part left to do. Enjoy the weekend!
Read below for a roundup of the MCC State Criterium Series from last weekend, including the results of the series. Some excellent results for SPR members in both women’s and men’s.
For those in Perth this weekend, it’s too late to enter, but I encourage you to come down on the day for the Perth City Criterium Championship – closed road racing in the City of Perth does not happen very often and should be a great event to watch!
A reminder also that our AGM is coming up on the Saturday 25 March (with voting running online the week prior). This means nominations close Friday week (17 March). If you are interested in getting involved, have a read of the blog post here, and get in touch (myself, Tom or any of the Committee).
And a reminder to register for our upcoming Water Tower Challenge. All the details below.
And not to mention, we have ride routes.
Daniel
MCC Criterium and State Criterium Roundup — Well done to everyone that raced last weekend in Midland’s State Criterium Series race. SPR had over 20 riders in this mix.
Congratulations to John Ingham and Gilbert Moore for picking up a podium spots D Grade – 1st and 2nd respectively. For the women, congratulations to Manou, landing 1st and Nikki Pursell 2nd in D Grade. And finally, well done to Amy Currie taking out 3rd in C Grade.
Kudos one and all 💚.
And with this race being the final in the series, we are proud to announce the SPR members who placed in the series overall:
D Grade – Manou 1st, Nikki 2nd and Belinda Evans 3rd
C Grade – 2nd, Amy Currie
D Grade – 1st, John Ingham and 2nd, Gilbert Moore
C Grade – 1st, Phil Barnes
SPR Water Tower Challenge 2023 — It’s back!! After some scheduling issues last year, we are pleased to announce that SPR’s epic adventure – available in both imperial and metric editions – has been locked in for Sunday 2 April 2023.
Read our previous blog post or sign up on EntryBoss now, and choose from two all new courses.
Women’s racing was in the spotlight on the weekend just gone with Renae’s Race 2023 Edition taking place on Sunday 26 February.
Many thanks to Roues Chaudes for putting on this excellent race, and thank you to all the women who competed, not least those in green 💚
It was a huge result with 13 Rouleurs competing in the women’s racing that was the highlight of day, and 4 club members making podiums across the grades.
Congratulations to:
D Grade – 2nd – Nikki Nicola Pursell
C Grade – 2nd – Claire Tyrrell
B Grade – 3rd – Rebecca Kelly
Renae’s Race – 3rd – Kate Bonner
Renae’s Race – 6th – Amanda Nabi
SPR 💚Our Bec, making the others chase!Looking good in greenRace dayD Grade PodiumC Grade PodiumB Grade PodiumRenae’s Race Podium
SPR Water Tower Challenge 2023 — It’s back!! After some scheduling issues last year, we are pleased to announce that SPR’s epic adventure – available in both imperial and metric editions – has been locked in for Sunday 2 April 2023.
Read our previous blog post or sign up on EntryBoss now, and choose from two all new courses.
From the Ride Coordinator — From this Sunday (5th March) the Hills rides will start at 7am.
Red lights mean stop. If you’re at the front of a group, then orange lights mean stop. Make the call loud and clear, so that the riders behind have time to respond. If for any reason the group splits due to a red light, then ride really easy until the “All on” call is heard. Riders are less likely to run the lights if they know the group will wait.
Enjoy the good weather this long weekend.
Saturday 4th March
Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
SPR Water Tower Challenge 2023 — It’s back!! After some scheduling issues last year, we are pleased to announce that SPR’s epic adventure – available in both imperial and metric editions – has been locked in for Sunday 2 April 2023.
Sign up on EntryBoss now, and choose from two all new courses.
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 north and south of the Swan River.
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 SPR Water Tower Challenge is a participation event designed to challenge riders of any ability. Whether it is to traverse the course in the fastest time or just record a century, this event is for you. There are two routes to choose from: the imperial century (101 kms) and the metric century (160 kms).
Make sure you read the full details on EntryBoss.
And if you are not able to ride on the day, please consider helping out as a volunteer.
From the Ride Coordinator — Last Friday’s SPR recovery ride had a slight route change to improve safety. We used to turn right from Manning Rd into Kent St, at around 32km. Instead, we now turn left just before Kent St, followed by two right turns, and then straight across Manning. See the route here. Feedback from all groups who rode last week was positive.
This Sunday sees our second of three open training rides. We’ve invited anyone riding the 2, 3 or 5 Dams rides, to join us for a training ride with SPR in a safe, organised, inclusive environment. We’ve taken some lessons from the first session and will aim to have more balanced groups in both long and short courses, to avoid long waits. Courses have been chosen to provide similar hill training to that which riders will experience in the Dams rides. Please cooperate with committee members/ride leaders at the start who will brief riders on how the ride will progress.
There are roadworks that will affect Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday early rides rides on Canning Beach Rd in Applecross just before Raffles, from 23 Feb to 21 April. This will probably result in a diversion via Moreau Mews onto Kintal for the last few hundred metres. Please avoid sprinting after the Yacht Club roundabout until these are complete.
Heads up – ALL Sunday Hills ride start times change from 6am to 7am from Sunday 5th March. That’s in two week’s time. Aaah – that extra hour of sleep at last.
Saturday 25th January
Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
The South Perth Cycle Club Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Saturday 25th March 2023 at 9:00am. The AGM will take place at DOME Westralia Plaza (5/167 St Georges Terrace, Perth) following the usual Saturday ride.
Each year at the AGM, all office holder and general committee positions are declared vacant. In order to keep the club moving forward and meet the needs of all our members, it is important that the SPR committee is representative of our broad membership.
For this reason, we ask to all to consider joining the committee, regardless of how often you ride or how long you have been a member of SPR.
Initial indications are that the club will need at least 3 new committee members for 2023.
Positions on the committee include:
President
Vice-President
Treasurer
Secretary
Race committee representative
Ride Coordinator committee representative
Women’s Interest committee representative
Kit committee representative
Community Development committee representative
Training and development representative
Membership & Communications representative
General committee members
There is also an opportunity to assist the club on the following sub-committees, and new volunteers are always welcome:
Race sub-committee
Kit sub-committee
Community sub-committee
Women’s interests sub-committee
Training and development sub-committee
With the exception of the office holder positions, all nominations are as a general committee member and all other roles are agreed/assigned by the committee at the first meeting after the AGM.
If you are interested in joining (or continuing on) the main committee or one of the sub-committees, please email admin@southperthrouleurs.com.au.
Please note that to be a committee member or to vote at the AGM you must be a current financial member. You can sort your membership out here.
Nominations are due by Friday, 17th March 2023.
After the success of online voting from previous years, online voting will be used for our Committee election, with the results being declared at the AGM. Voting will commence on 18th March 2023 and conclude on 24th March 2023. All members eligible to vote will receive an email at the beginning of the voting period to advise them on how to place their votes.
A brief blog today. Enjoy the weather, and the riding/racing opportunities this weekend.
Don’t forget the open to everyone SPR Chicks event this Sunday.
Daniel
SPR Chicks Dinner at Dusk (Point Walter Edition) — SPR Chicks are heading to Dinner at Dusk – Point Walter on Sunday 19th Feb!
Due to the popularity and feedback from the last food truck night, this event is open all members and their families.
If you would like to ride across to Point Walter, pub ride style, meet at Coode St carpark for a 5pm departure. We’ll swing by Raffles and collect along the way, ideally getting to Point Walter for 5:30pm.
Alternatively, meet us there at 5:30pm.
Don’t forget sleeves if it’s cool, a blanket to sit on, and lights for riding home.
Kit Sale — MAYEUR have just added a limited range of spare ‘series 1’ SPR clubline kit to their webshop.
There’s limited sizes available, but it’s a great opportunity to grab a bargain on some of the original range, with the prices all reduced by 50%. All orders of the original range will be postage only.
From the Ride Coordinator — More glorious cycling weather coming up – expect lots of people once again. We’ve seen a spike in crashes the last few weeks, so please stay vigilant – especially at roundabouts and corners. With so many riders gathering at the Coode St car park for the start, and the end of Saturday EBR its worth remembering the rules in place around the improved cycle path running through South Perth. Riders on the cycle path have right-of-way crossing Coode St as it approaches the car park. Many of our riders approach via Coode St, and there have been some close calls where riders on the road have not yielded to riders on the bike path. Lets do the right thing, and remind others in the group when approaching this crossing. Sunday’s short hills is a new route – which includes Turner rd (ridden by long hills last week), and a new stretch between Glenisla and Lawnbrook roads, along Palmateer Rd, and a return to Welshpool Rd via Pommeroy which many will have done in the other direction. As always, its best to familiarise yourself with the route, and load it into your bike computer before heading out on unfamiliar routes.
Friday recovery ride: There have been some issues with the right turn from Manning Rd into Kent St, with groups often splitting around this point. To improve safety, we’ve made a slight change. We will turn left into Drogheda Way, about 200m before the lights at Kent St, and then right at the roundabout and right again before crossing straight over Manning road at the lights. Updated route is here. Please treat this detour as a neutral zone.
Enjoy the rides this week, and look out for each other.
Saturday 18th January
Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
This year has seen a real increase in the local racing opportunities across the summer season, and it looks like we are going to finish the season with a bang. Within SPR, we’ve seen a real increase in race participation across the grades – many regulars plus lots of new participation – I want to send out thanks to Steve and the Race Subcommittee for fostering both a competitive spirit combined with support for those new to racing. As ever, please get in touch if you are interested or have any questions.
And if you take a look at the interim points for the AusCycling WA 2023 Criterium Series after Round 2 you will see the green well represented. Kudos all.
SPR Chicks Dinner at Dusk (Point Walter Edition) — SPR Chicks are heading to Dinner at Dusk – Point Walter on Sunday 19th Feb!
Due to the popularity and feedback from the last food truck night, this event is open all members and their families.
If you would like to ride across to Point Walter, pub ride style, meet at Coode St carpark for a 5pm departure. We’ll swing by Raffles and collect along the way, ideally getting to Point Walter for 5:30pm.
Alternatively, meet us there at 5:30pm.
Don’t forget sleeves if it’s cool, a blanket to sit on, and lights for riding home.
Coffee Shop Etiquette — Each and every Saturday, SPR descends on Dome Westralia Square en masse to enjoy the company and hospitality put on offer. I for one, enjoy the opportunity.
However, may I take this opportunity for a gentle reminder to think and be considerate. Keep in mind that whilst most locals know what 8:30am on a Saturday morning looks like at Dome, there are often travellers in town or others not used to our cycling habits. So please – stay dressed, think about the fact that there is a lot of lycra in one place and be considerate of the fact that Dome is a family friendly restaurant.
Kit Sale — MAYEUR have just added a limited range of spare ‘series 1’ SPR clubline kit to their webshop.
There’s limited sizes available, but it’s a great opportunity to grab a bargain on some of the original range, with the prices all reduced by 50%. All orders of the original range will be postage only.
From the Ride Coordinator — Judging by the numbers we’re seeing in the groups, we’re in peak riding season. More riders out there means more concentration required on the bike to avoid the most common cause of crashes – inattention.
A reminder too to ensure your bike is well maintained – either by yourself or your local bike shop. Tyre, brake pads, derailleurs and shifters are the most obvious, but all bearings, cables, chains, and even the frame itself need regular checking. If you hear something strange on a bike in the group, let the rider know – they might not have noticed. If necessary pull over with them when it’s safe to do so, and investigate further. Better safe than sorry.
Saturday takes the main groups back to an old favourite – mainly because it’s short and flat – Canning Vale & Welshpool. Take extra care along William Road (after Albany Hwy), there are a few small roundabouts, and listen for guidance from the ride leader on when to go in single file.
Sunday’s Long Hills takes us up Turner Rd – a testing 2.5km climb on a mostly unused pitted old road in Roleystone with heaps of character. If you don’t mind venturing off the beaten track, give it a go. Stay safe and enjoy the (slightly) cooler weather.
Saturday 11th January
Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
MAYEUR have just added a limited range of spare ‘series 1’ SPR clubline kit to their webshop.
There’s limited sizes available, but it’s a great opportunity to grab a bargain on some of the original range, with the prices all reduced by 50%. All orders of the original range will be postage only.
