ride routes 23rd feb – 1st march

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

saturday 23rd february

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

early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special

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

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

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

development group –  novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday

transitional 1/2 – spr retro roll 41.60km

fast/main – karrinyup 52.14km spr saturday

sunday 24th february

rides start at coode st carpark at 6:00am

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

short – brktn weir 82.89km spr sunday

long – carr peet obs 97.72km spr sunday

monday 25th february

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

south stock 33.76km spr monday

tuesday 26th february

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

spr tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

wednesday 27th february

ride starts raffles bike path at 5:30am

interval training – stock road repeats

thursday 28th february

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

see previous post for ride groups

spr thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

ride starts frasers ave at 5:45am

development group – interval training kings park

friday 1st march

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

spr friday 42.01km (shelley)

friday training/recovery ride

The Ring Criterium Series – Round 3, Northam

We open this race report with the breaking news of a Consumer warning advice message – there’s another Wiggins on the way. U13 Fay Wiggo placed 2nd. There are more Wiggins Wins in the future. You have been warned.

Northam, Land of an amazing pub. Of a Visitors Centre cafe that does one of the best coffees healthy breakfasts we’ve had in regional Australia. And land of some wide, open roads primed for Crit-ting. Cue the music………….

Photo: M.Bonner

Women’s C grade, and our perennial race report inclusion (so it seems!) FDJ (our Faye, not the team of Frenchies) romped home with a 5th place, with Nancy close by in 6th. For some context, Faye and Nancy’s Best lap speed of 36.5km/hr was up there with previous B grades, with the winner over 37km/hr! Definitely a fast finishing bunch.

Token nickname time, back in the grade where all this malarkey began – C grade Men. The boys cracked nearly a 45km/hr best lap speed – there’s some serious speed to be had on this course, it seems. This round saw another podium for Mark Claydon with a 2nd – where’s your jersey?! (I guess it’s OK if you’re in the Series Leaders jersey, to be fair!). Other SPRouleurs were Ben Fairclough in 14th, with NumbersMan and SuperCoach a way back.

Woj, happy with life choices. Photo: M.Bonner

Mens B Grade provided all the pain faces – thank you Rumpelstiltskin and Woj. The rest of those boys need to pick it up. Best place for SPR was Team Columbia in 7th. Dome finished with Thorman, Woj and Half-a-Banabi wincing from 11th down. Get that crew a double espresso, pronto.

 

Photo: M.Bonner

Women’s B grade – the seriously spectator ready grade – gave up another mixed bag of possible place options. Heavily contested, this week it was again E Wiggo for the win, suiting those young track legs in a flying finish. For SPR, More Moore took 2nd with a teeny tiny margin between. And The Librarian for 4th AGAIN! If anyone could make 4th the new black, we knew it was Ness. Flockers, with no excuses to offer, wasn’t on the start line. Oooowwwhhh – that’ll come back to haunt me.

Men’s A again hosted the PEOPLE’s CHAMP – Freiby*! (* – People’s Champ, in that I can’t think of anyone that hasn’t got a photo with him in the National Champs jersey). This week was the lone SPRouler of Elar, one half of Check 1-2, representing and finishing a creditable 10th for Dome. When will we see the SuperGroup of Check 1-2 reunited on stage? Craig, Elar – what will it take? A GoFundMe? A Change.Org petition? Ahhh, those were the glory days….

Women’s A grade showed where this season’s peak form seems to be remaining. It was a sneaky sprint up the left that gave D Wiggins the win with Teneal Attard in Chaotic livery with ANOTHER podium and 2nd place, retaining the series leaders jersey. Bonner V2.0 nabbed a 4th place. There were a few notable non-starters, whom shall be ribbed all week for no reason other than my own amusement….;). Half a Banabi – I’ll show you sneaky yet…..

Tough times when the VP and Librarian have to rough it in the SPR Van. Photo: M.Bonner

In the Club based Series, points stand with MCC leading on 116, Peel on 76 and and SPR on 59 points. Watch this space though.

This week is Subiaco. Roads are closed. The travel there is less than 70km (yay!!!). It has a hill. Hmmmmmm. Rumour has it there may be a cowbell or two. Or eleven.

Notice of Annual General Meeting 2019

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The South Perth Cycle Club Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Saturday,   23 March 2019 at 9am.  This will be held at Dome Westralia Plaza (5/167 St Georges Terrace, Perth) following the usual Saturday ride.

There will also be the usual breakfast at Dome on this morning from 8:40am onwards. $15 (cash only) will get you a drink and access to the famous Dome SPR breakfast buffet.

Please RSVP in the comments section of this post so we know how many people to cater for.

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, it is important that the SPR committee is representative of our broad membership.

Initial indications are that the club will need at least 2 new committee members for 2019.

Positions on the committee include:

  • President
  • Vice-President
  • Treasurer
  • Secretary
  • Race committee representative
  • Kit committee representative
  • Social committee representative
  • Training and development 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
  • Social and sub-committee
  • Training and development sub-committee

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 renew your membership here.

Nominations are due by Sunday, 17 March 2019.

ride routes 16th – 22nd february

not quite sunrise

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

saturday 16th february

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

early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special

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

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

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

development group –  novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday

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

fast/main – south st 51.23km spr saturday

sunday 17th february

rides start at coode st carpark at 6:00am

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

short – khna weir 72.23km spr sunday

long – can mills peet obs 90.30km spr sunday

monday 18th february

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

south stock 33.76km spr monday

tuesday 19th february

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

spr tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

wednesday 20th february

ride starts raffles bike path at 5:30am

interval training – stock road repeats

thursday 21st february

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

see previous post for ride groups

spr thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

ride starts frasers ave at 5:45am

development group – interval training kings park

friday 22nd february

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

spr friday 42.01km (shelley)

friday training/recovery ride

The Ring Criterium Series – Round 1 & 2 Race Reports

The Ring Criterium Series Race 1 – Mandurah

The Ring kicked off the season with a round on a new course in Mandurah. The first round of the year had a smaller field with SPR making up a large proportion of wheels. A hotdog format with a few roundabouts thrown in, it was likely to be a tough day out.

Men’s D grade saw Andrew “Big Willie” Williams time trialley styley to finish. Not bad for a bloke that before R-Adelaide hadn’t ridden up a hill since Varese in September. Men’s C had SPR field a few, with newbie Mark Claydon nabbing a podium 3rd in his first outing in race mode. T-Bo SuperCoach, Numbers Man and B Fairclough rounding out the finishers, but not the podium.

Women’s B too had a host of usual suspects – The Librarian, More Moore and Flockers, FlockFart, FlockingFast (hang on, we’re confusing ourselves) representing. Librarian was one place late returning and collected a fourth place for the day – nothing by a half a second in it, and less to More Moore in 5th. For the record, a New Wiggo is in B-Grade Town and Emily took the win.

Men’s B on paper looked like a true Young Vs Old (all offense intended). Ballam had a belter, attacking and hanging onto the fast lead bunch to the finish, Team Columbia close behind. This round was taken by Young, but with a Glasby and a Depiazzi in there too, there’s more kick from the Good Ol’ Boys yet. To B continued.

Men’s A looked like a slug-fest, with the best SPR-related finish a 3rd to Dome’s Tim Sellar – a far stretch!

Women’s A too boasted a number of Young ‘Uns. The hotdog format suited a hitter with a KICK! And so it was that a Chaotic finish (Chapeau on the wordplay!) had Teneal Attard take the win to a coupla Young ‘Uns. An Attard sambo, flanked by two Haines’. ½ a BaNabi a mere 0.01 seconds to 4th. A finish tighter than a frogs bum. Not to mention a Wiggo looming large in A grade. Hmmm.

 

The Ring Criterium Series Race 2 – Wellard

Last Sunday the Ring Series returned to Wellard. As it was for last season, it’s a tough little circuit with a small but trying climb. The conditions were hot, so firstly congratulations to all of the SPR team that turned up to race.

Faye, up there. Making the Race Guys happy!!! Photo: Jedsman

The women’s C grade was the starting block to a great day with Nancy and Faye leading the charge of what looked at times like supervising Day Care. How quick are these up and coming kids?!?! A good turn out with 12 starters ended with the day’s first SPR success story – Faye riding a superb race to take 3rd. A top race.  Watch this space SPRouleurs.

The men’s C grade had a large field of SPR riders but in an early  crash, all but two SPR riders caught behind. Day done – they all lost time and never managed to catch the leading riders. Luckily none were hurt. At the front of the race Ben Fairclough and Mark Claydon held the SPR banner, with Mark launching a rocket to lead the field up the final straight and claim his first victory in only his second race – B grade calling? He now wears the yellow series jersey for the next round. T-Bo SuperCoach finished 20-odd seconds back and NumbersMan and Raf DNF-d behind the crash. AfterBurner and Jedsman, were allegedly at the scene, but not seen racing…. curious.

Get. Off. The. Front. Photo: Jedsman.

The women’s B grade had strong performances from Vanessa Johnson, Kirsty More Moore and Sam FlockingFast. Kirsty fired the AfterBurners (see what we did there?) to claim the Prime Sprint prize. Vanessa made several attacks up the hill – never listening to the advice of “Get Off The Front”. I mean, why would you – in the start finish straight where the cameras are (?!?!?!). Shedding riders in the process, narrowing the field but ultimately missing a podium whilst making a proper show of it. Sam, joining B’s this season kicks on AGAIN and ……. A great performance from all three. Kirsty took 5th, but it was Lawler, Wiggo, Richards for the steps. Emily Wiggins now smashing B grade…. Just when we thought it was safe from Danica stepping up to A’s. Hmph.

Hit ’em with the ol’ One-Two. Photo: Jedsman.

The men’s B grade had a large field of 35 and saw a serious crash, with 8 riders down including our own Team Columbia. Suffering cuts and bruises but luckily nothing worse to fight another day. Ballam, rather than looking FOR or a crash (Rumpelstiltskin, anyone?) chose to use evasive skills to avoid one. Nick Finch pushed his limits, made the field hurt and finished close to the front but could not hold on for a place. Ben Thorman, seemingly always on the front and must have pulled the field along for most of the race, held on for 3rd. Not bad after hills ride this morning, but probably could have won with fresh legs ;).

Blue by team, Green by membership, Yellow by achievement. I prefer Green, just quietly! Photo: Jedsman.

Women’s A grade saw a melting pot of the new bunch and some seasoned Hitters mixing it up. Half of BaNabi had to chase the field after a dropped chain on the first lap (Ballam is a rubbish mechanic, after all). The Dome girls competed well with M&M working tirelessly on the front. Bonner V2.0 too had a strong race, recovering to an eventual 4th after changing a broken wheel mid-race. It was Chaotic Energy’s Teneal Attard, from the front, producing a final attack up the finishing straight to hold off the field for her second Ring Series win and retains the yellow leader’s jersey. The results would show Attard, D Wiggo, Mascaro for the podium. Danica W in A’s and straight on the results board. Help us.

Hydration is everything. Photo: Jedsman.

The men’s A was last to race and saw a number of no-Green kitted blokes out there. The Dome Team was well represented but no match on the day. In a stellar field no one was able to hold off local PDCC boy and current NRS racer Theo Yates (and his Mo), ANOTHER Wiggins and Lanigan.

The seasoned Dome sprinters drafted, like old pros, behind the newbie….. Photo: Jedsman.

All up a great day’s racing by all. And an even better tent set up from our VP, DrJ. Great pics from the day by David Menarry, and a lot of words from Steve Burns – more from him to come.

Next up for The Ring – Northam on SATURDAY afternoon. Not Sunday!

ride routes 9th – 15th february

time to ride

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

saturday 9th february

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

early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special

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

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

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

development group –  novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday

transitional 1/2 – trans abernethy 39.96km spr saturday

fast/main – abernethy rd 48.21km spr saturday

sunday 10th february

rides start at coode st carpark at 6:00am

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

short – wlsh weir 62.23km spr sunday

long – wlsh obs cam goose 88.67km spr sunday

monday 11th february

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

south stock 33.76km spr monday

tuesday 12th february

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

spr tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

wednesday 13th february

ride starts raffles bike path at 5:30am

interval training – stock road repeats

thursday 14th february

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

see previous post for ride groups

spr thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

ride starts frasers ave at 5:45am

development group – interval training kings park

friday 15th february

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

spr friday 42.01km (shelley)

friday training/recovery ride

melody wheels

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

The business started with a focus on building wheels that were durable and serviceable (unlike many proprietary wheels), however it has expanded to cover all types of wheels.

IMG_20151029_163651Wheel choice has a huge impact on ride quality, so a large part of their work involves helping  riders understand the differences between wheels (and wheel components) and to help them find out what fits best with their own performance expectations and aesthetics.

They are internationally recognised as a certified DT Swiss wheel builders and they document all of PrecisionWheelBuilding-900x676their work in the same was you might expect an automotive or aircraft technician. They also service and repair a large number of  wheels. Be it a wheel true, spoke replacement or hub service, they keep a large range specialist tools and wheel components  at hand so they can complete repairs quickly and to the highest standard.

A large number of club members have had wheels built, rebuilt or repaired by Melody Wheels and the feedback has been excellent.

Now located at Unit 7, 4 Pritchard St, O’Connor, they are open 5 days a week and you can find contact information on their Website, Facebook and Instagram.

The Big Announcement!

Well…we can’t keep you waiting any longer….and we’ve run out of creative ideas to delay it anymore anyway….

South Perth Rouleurs 10th Anniversary celebrations on the 6th of April 2019 will be in the form of not one, but two events!

Event One: Celebration River Loop Ride 

Starting at 7am, we will conduct a suitably nostalgic, guided River Ride where we will take in some of the significant landmarks and spots-of-significance that represent important milestones of the Club’s growth and development. More details on the conduct of the ride, suitable attire and the like will be provided in due course. A call for volunteers will also be made, so stay tuned for that and more!

Event Two: An Evening Cruise on the PS Decoy

In keeping with our South Perth heritage, we have secured the PS Decoy to steam us around…you guessed it…a river loop with a difference!  This will be a black-tie evening not to be missed. We will be frocking up and enjoying a catered cruise with live music and lots of Club nostalgia and stories to be shared!

Where: Mends Street Jetty, South Perth

When: Saturday 6th April, 2019

Time: 5pm boarding for a 5:30pm departure

Dress: Black Tie

We hope you agree that Saturday 6th of April 2019 is a day/night that you will want to be in Perth to help us celebrate our 10th Anniversary in style!!

SPR Social Sub-Committee

ride routes 2nd – 8th february

4 Comments

just to reiterate yesterdays blog post for those that only read this post, or the email newsletter; the sunday hills rides will now start at 6am for both the long and short hills.  as such the sunday earlybird ride has been cancelled as it is doubtful you can do a lap in 30 min.  we will run like this for the next 5 weeks and then setup a poll to get some feedback.  if a permanent change does go ahead, it will just be for the summer months and then we revert back to a 7am start.  please let everyone know as i want to minimise the amount of people that turn up at 7am this week.  check out the previous post for more details.

ride leader sponsor – there is no ride leader sponsor for february.  if you want to promote your business and help out the club, please contact the club via email.  one months sponsorship give you a blog post and links back every week via this post and email.  what the ride leaders get is a coffee voucher to say thank you for volunteering their time.

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

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

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

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

save the date – on the 6th of april this year we will be celebrating our 10 years of being an affiliated club.  the group came together in 2008, but officially we became an incorporated, affiliated club in 2009.  help us celebrate this occasion.  hopefully many “founding members” will be in attendance to see how the club has evolved over the years.  more info can be found on the previous post (but not too much more info)

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

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

from the ride coordinator –Just in case you’ve got this far (skipped directly to the ride routes) and still not seen the news updates (you should read the blog, it’s interesting), the start time for the sunday hills ride has changed. HILLS RIDES START AT 6:00am.

saturday 2nd february

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

early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special

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

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

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

development group –  novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday

transitional 1/2 – trans reverse river 40.58km spr saturday

fast/main – murdoch & freo 49.8km spr saturday

sunday 3rd february

rides start at coode st carpark at 6:00am

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

short – grnmt goose 65.22km spr sunday

long – grnmt prk mnd wr 93.71km spr sunday

monday 4th february

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

south stock 33.76km spr monday

tuesday 5th february

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

spr tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

wednesday 6th february

ride starts raffles bike path at 5:30am

interval training – stock road repeats

thursday 7th february

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

see previous post for ride groups

spr thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

ride starts frasers ave at 5:45am

development group – interval training kings park

friday 8th february

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

spr friday 42.01km (shelley)

friday training/recovery ride

Summer Racing in Perth

It’s been a while since Hanno and the Mo crawled out of the SPR van. Post-RAdelaide, Summer is here (well, kind of. Not like a non-stop Perth 40deg+ week) and racing is on!

Our friends at Peel are running their Time Trial Summer Series, having started Sunday 13th Jan – all are in the morning starting at 07:30. Enough time to do TT in the morning and be ready for The Ring Crits in the afternoon, if you are really keen. All registrations are done online now, with no nominations available on the day. PDCC are also refunding all entries that are not raced – so if you are unable to make the day and don’t start, money back without question. Nice touch, Peel. Check out the schedule at their website HERE and support our fellow Clubs doing the hard yards to stage affordable racing events with an awesome atmosphere for us.

He goes alright on TT.

ATTA have their Summer season in full swing for more suffering of a severe, personal and individual nature. Damn, even Race@SPR has gone and sourced a TT bike. With the Tuesday morning Kings Park “Birds in the Park” series completed for the season, the ATTA schedule consists of some longer Sunday hilly and flat courses. Don’t forget the Mark Webb Memorial TT from Toodyay to Gidgegannup is this coming weekend. The races are well organised, have a great atmosphere and you get to catch a few serious pro’s in action – like getting to be Australian ITT National Champion Luke Durbridge’s Minute Man, albeit briefly. Very, very, VERY briefly……. Check out their summer schedule on their website HERE for details.

Crit Lyfe. Token selfish corner shot of one Mo.

Continuing through Summer is the RCCC Crit Series at the new Bayswater course. Races to come are on 28th Jan, 14th April and 21st April. Check out the RCCC FaceBook page for entry details. In the middle of the RCCC dates is the 2019 edition of The Ring Crit Series. There are only 5 races scheduled this year, and each will be at a different venue on fully closed roads. There are a few new courses in there including Mandurah, Subiaco and Northbridge. All the events except for the Northam round are due to start from 12:30pm, so you eager beavers will have the opportunity to race TT’s in the morning and Crits in the arvo. Did someone say “Racing”? Season Passes are available for the full five races at a discount – all registrations must be done online as no day nominations are available. All info on the series and links to the entry portal is posted on the website HERE.

Old Blokes racing. 😉

For the token Old Buggers, West Coast Master’s Summer season also continues with a mix of Crits and Road Races on established courses around and just outside Perth. There are many SPR members that regularly race WCMCC events. Masters run a combined Women’s and Men’s field in each grade and they get pretty good numbers week in and week out. Be aware that WCMCC is not run under your Cycling Australia license and requires a separate membership. Their schedule and all other details are posted up HERE or ask Steve Burns (possibly an undercover recruiter for Masters racing!) or any of the regulars from Main 1 or Fast 2 groups.

Pemberton – all the cool kids.

And on their traditional March Labour Day Long Weekend, South West Cycle Club host the Pemberton Classic, returning for 2019. Highly Hanno endorsed, this is one of the best weekends of racing going around WA. More details on their event website HERE.

 

Get out and have a crack!

The website for the South Perth Cycle Club