represent. after the other weeks post showing a spr branded bike, i was looking at some other examples of people representing spr. i often get emails or facebook shows me lots of people showing the club colours away from perth. so sarah is in italy at lake como visiting the ghisallo da bellagio, katrina has moved to chile and is climbing mountains there, while matt is in las vegas checking out team tibco. with the club the size that it is, there was always people on the move riding in different locations. send in any good pics you have or post them to any of the spr facebook sites and you may end up as a blog header.
ride leader sponsor – the ride leader sponsor for may is Carton & Cowater. bringing you water in a more environmentally friendly packaging. Carton & Co is a Perth based company trying to lighten the load on our planet.
rules of engagement – please read the previous post if you come out on any of our rides. it is up to all members to enforce these rules.
bike lights – it is now at that time of year where if you are doing the earlybird ride, then you need a good set of lights. last year i wrote a long post about bike lights and what we expect when riding in a group. basically, bigger/brighter is not always better. please read the post take note of what effects your lights have on the rest of the group. take any suggestions on board as at the end of the day, it is for the safety of the group as a whole.
The new kit…
spr kit – the latest shipment of kit will be available for pickup after the saturday main ride. there are a few minor items on back order (some gloves & socks) but the main kit has arrived. the one-off lycra socks will also be available. the weather may effect this, so contact andrew via kit@southperthrouleurs.com.au if you want to make other arrangements.
goldfields classic – entries have closed for this race but we are still organising the logistics behind getting people there and back. if you have already been in contact with the race committee about travelling with the club, then some payment is now due. please see the previous post for more details.
spr road race champs – the club road champs has been updated after the first pickering brook race. if you have raced in any of the 4 races listed, see how you are tracking in club points. the leaderboard can be found in the menu above or here.
ride routes – just to make things consistent for the month of may, it looks like they are again predicting heavy showers for saturday morning. not quite the stormy conditions from last week but it may be enough to thin the numbers significantly. it has been an above average month for rainfall, but still well short of the maximum for may so this weather should not be unexpected. however, it just seems to line up with when we want to ride.
saturday 28th may
ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
had a very long busy week which still hasn’t finished. don’t have anything to talk about or the energy to think of an engaging topic. so, lets throw this back to you. what is bugging you at the moment??? the weather, riding, politics??? comments on the blog and facebook sites will be responded to.
ride leader sponsor – the ride leader sponsor for may is Carton & Cowater. bringing you water in a more environmentally friendly packaging. Carton & Co is a Perth based company trying to lighten the load on our planet.
rules of engagement – please read the previous post if you come out on any of our rides. it is up to all members to enforce these rules.
spr community guidelines and advertising policy – as the club has grown we tend to get more and more requests to advertise a business or event that may or may not be relevant to our membership. after a few difficult discussions, the committee has developed a policy regarding both how people can advertise on our sites and also what our expectations are for our own community. the community guidelines can be found above under the “about spr” tab. these cover how we expect you to behave when commenting our spr branded sites. these include this blog, the south perth rouleurs facebook page, the spr facebook page and the spr chicks facebook page. the promotions policy can also be found under the same tab. it covers how and what we will allow to be advertised on our sites. just do not assume that because it is bike related, it will be okay to post. since members of the committee have admin rights to all of the previously mentioned sites, you may find that your post gets removed. the committee has developed this policy to protect our club sponsors from other business conflicts and also our members from events or other promotions that may not offer an adequate level of coverage. please read the policies and ask a committee member before you post anything that you are unsure about.
bike lights – it is now at that time of year where if you are doing the earlybird ride, then you need a good set of lights. last year i wrote a long post about bike lights and what we expect when riding in a group. basically, bigger/brighter is not always better. please read the post take note of what effects your lights have on the rest of the group. take any suggestions on board as at the end of the day, it is for the safety of the group as a whole.
racing – both the 1st of the pickering brook series (sold out) and the first of the numbat cup cyclo-cross series (entries open till tonight) are on this sunday. hopefully we get a good representation across both races. the pickering brook race goes towards the road rider of the year award. maybe even a few hard core racers do both???
The new kit…
spr kit – the latest shipment of kit will be available for pickup after the saturday main ride. there are a few minor items on back order (some gloves & socks) but the main kit has arrived. the one-off lycra socks will also be available. the weather may effect this, so contact andrew via kit@southperthrouleurs.com.au if
goldfields classic – feel like racing across the vast expanse of the kalgoorlie area??? the goldfields classic handicap race is on again and we are looking at who wishes to head across for the long weekend of racing. as in previous years, spr will organise the logistics of transport, accommodation and transfers so you can just pay, turn up and race. please see the previous post if you are interested in racing or even in volunteering to help out.
spr road race champs – off the back of the crit championships will be the road race championships for 2016. there are a number of races identified that riders will accumulate point for. a change in the scoring system this year to try to allow those that have a go at ‘a’ grade a better chance of getting points. please see the previous post for more info.
ride routes – well another saturday in may and another predicted wet day. this week’s prediction is for a good one though. heavy rain and high winds always make for “awesome” riding conditions (note sarcasm). however, the predictions usually slip back a few hours over the next few days. there is a chance that it may stay clear until mid-morning. if not, and you are riding anyway, just be aware to ride to conditions and not to do anything risky. you are not the only one that can get hurt.
saturday 21st may
ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
what does the club mean to you??? to some i guess it is just a place were the rides are organised and they turn up on a saturday. to others, it may be something that they have seen develop from it’s infancy and go from a handful of mismatched riders on a saturday to a living breathing entity. to me it is bigger than i ever imagined it would be. it can be a lot of things to a lot of different people and we are happy for people to get what they need out of it. for some, the way they show what the club means to them is to get a custom painted bike with spr green highlights and the “rouleurs” tag on the top tube. unfortunately, it is not my bike.
ride leader sponsor – the ride leader sponsor for may is Carton & Co water. bringing you water in a more environmentally friendly packaging. Carton & Co is a Perth based company trying to lighten the load on our planet.
rules of engagement – please read the previous post if you come out on any of our rides. it is up to all members to enforce these rules.
spr community guidelines and advertising policy – as the club has grown we tend to get more and more requests to advertise a business or event that may or may not be relevant to our membership. after a few difficult discussions, the committee has developed a policy regarding both how people can advertise on our sites and also what our expectations are for our own community. the community guidelines can be found above under the “about spr” tab. these cover how we expect you to behave when commenting our spr branded sites. these include this blog, the south perth rouleurs facebook page, the spr facebook page and the spr chicks facebook page. the promotions policy can also be found under the same tab. it covers how and what we will allow to be advertised on our sites. just do not assume that because it is bike related, it will be okay to post. since members of the committee have admin rights to all of the previously mentioned sites, you may find that your post gets removed. the committee has developed this policy to protect our club sponsors from other business conflicts and also our members from events or other promotions that may not offer an adequate level of coverage. please read the policies and ask a committee member before you post anything that you are unsure about.
bike lights – it is now at that time of year where if you are doing the earlybird ride, then you need a good set of lights. last year i wrote a long post about bike lights and what we expect when riding in a group. basically, bigger/brighter is not always better. please read the post take note of what effects your lights have on the rest of the group. take any suggestions on board as at the end of the day, it is for the safety of the group as a whole.
road racing – there are lots of races coming up over the next few months with the pickering brook series starting up next weekend. make sure you get on board as it often sells out fast. see the previous post for more information.
cyclocross – half road biking, half mountain biking. cross is here and there is lots of opportunity to get involved. read louise’s race report from supercross16 here. one of the few bike races where it is okay to wear a tutu, or supergirl outfit, or even bumblebee wings. the next cross race is also on the 22nd of may. if you are really good, you could race pickering brook in the morning and cyclocross in the afternoon.
spr socks – we hope to have the spr socks down at the coffee shop this saturday after the ride. last week was a bit of a washout and the socks stayed in their nice warm box.
gfws national kit – if you rode well at the any of the grand fondo qualifiers and have managed to secure a spot in the final in september, then hold off purchasing your national kit. we are currently investigating a spr version of the national kit so we can identify our members a bit easier. see the previous post for more details.
goldfields classic – feel like racing across the vast expanse of the kalgoorlie area??? the goldfields classic handicap race is on again and we are looking at who wishes to head across for the long weekend of racing. as in previous years, spr will organise the logistics of transport, accommodation and transfers so you can just pay, turn up and race. please see the previous post if you are interested in racing or even in volunteering to help out.
giro d’italia night – the first social night of the year is on next tuesday. come and spend an evening of italian flavour at bravos restaurant to celebrate the giro d’italia. organised by the spr social committee, this is open to all members/partners. please see the previous post for further details.
spr road race champs – off the back of the crit championships will be the road race championships for 2016. there are a number of races identified that riders will accumulate point for. a change in the scoring system this year to try to allow those that have a go at ‘a’ grade a better chance of getting points. please see the previous post for more info.
ride routes – great, they are predicting another wet saturday morning. hopefully, the schedule slides a few hours giving us a dry window to get the legs turning over first thing in the morning. on sunday, we will be heading south to avoid all the plane spotters trying to get a glimpse of a very big plane.
saturday 14th may
ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
when we encounter other groups on the road, please be polite and accommodating when you are overtaking them. just because you are faster, doesn’t mean that you can bully your way past and expect them just to get off the road for you. if that was the case, we would not be able to complain about cars passing us. make sure that the group in front knows that you are coming. ring a bell or shout out that there are “bikes back”. don’t just cut straight in front of them and be aware that after the first few riders get in front, the rider you are overtaking will actually speed up a bit as they will start to get a draft. stay wide until you are sure that you are a bike length clear. also, if it is a group you are overtaking, make sure that you do it single file. no point putting everyone at risk, just so you can keep rolling through while you dodge bikes, traffic islands and oncoming traffic. we are not the only road users out there and i am pretty sure that we are not the only people that ride in groups around the river. i am sure that you have been on the receiving end of some bad overtaking in the past. make sure that you don’t do the same to others.
ride leader sponsor – the ride leader sponsor for may is Carton & Co water. bringing you water in a more environmentally friendly packaging. Carton & Co is a Perth based company trying to lighten the load on our planet.
rules of engagement – please read the previous post if you come out on any of our rides. it is up to all members to enforce these rules.
spr community guidelines and advertising policy – as the club has grown we tend to get more and more requests to advertise a business or event that may or may not be relevant to our membership. after a few difficult discussions, the committee has developed a policy regarding both how people can advertise on our sites and also what our expectations are for our own community. the community guidelines can be found above under the “about spr” tab. these cover how we expect you to behave when commenting our spr branded sites. these include this blog, the south perth rouleurs facebook page, the spr facebook page and the spr chicks facebook page. the promotions policy can also be found under the same tab. it covers how and what we will allow to be advertised on our sites. just do not assume that because it is bike related, it will be okay to post. since members of the committee have admin rights to all of the previously mentioned sites, you may find that your post gets removed. the committee has developed this policy to protect our club sponsors from other business conflicts and also our members from events or other promotions that may not offer an adequate level of coverage. please read the policies and ask a committee member before you post anything that you are unsure about.
bike lights – it is now at that time of year where if you are doing the earlybird ride, then you need a good set of lights. last year i wrote a long post about bike lights and what we expect when riding in a group. basically, bigger/brighter is not always better. please read the post take note of what effects your lights have on the rest of the group. take any suggestions on board as at the end of the day, it is for the safety of the group as a whole.
racing – there are lots of races coming up over the next few months with the tom lowry memorial in collie next weekend. please see the previous post for more details.
cyclocross – half road biking, half mountain biking. cross is here and there is lots of opportunity to get involved. read louise’s race report from supercross16 here. one of the few bike races where it is okay to wear a tutu, or supergirl outfit, or even bumblebee wings…
bike name stickers
stickers and socks – just to be clear about purchasing items through the club. we are not a commercial business. we do not chase you up to collect your goods. it is up to you to keep an eye on the blog and make an effort to collect items when they are hauled down to the coffee shop on a saturday morning. the stickers have been available to be collected for many weeks now. there are still about 15 people yet to collect, so we are going to snail mail them out to you. you may get them next week. the socks have arrived and we will endeavour to get them to the coffee shop this weekend. however, since it will probably be raining, numbers may be down anyway. please make the effort to collect your items. the people that are organising these things are left to run around and make themselves available to get you what you have already paid for.
gfws national kit – if you rode well at the any of the grand fondo qualifiers and have managed to secure a spot in the final in september, then hold off purchasing your national kit. we are currently investigating a spr version of the national kit so we can identify our members a bit easier. see the previous post for more details.
goldfields classic – feel like racing across the vast expanse of the kalgoorlie area??? he goldfields classic handicap race is on again and we are looking at who wishes to head across for the long weekend of racing. as in previous years, spr will organise the logistics of transport, accommodation and transfers so you can just pay, turn up and race. please see the previous post if you are interested in racing or even in volunteering to help out.
giro d’italia night – the first social night of the year is almost upon us. come and spend an evening of italian flavour at bravos restaurant to celebrate the giro d’italia. organised by the spr social committee, this is open to all members/partners. please see the previous post for further details.
spr road race champs – off the back of the crit championships will be the road race championships for 2016. there are a number of races identified that riders will accumulate point for. a change in the scoring system this year to try to allow those that have a go at ‘a’ grade a better chance of getting points. please see the previous post for more info.
uwct training ride – to allow those that have qualified to keep their toe in, and those that want a good solid limited stops hills ride, we will now run a 1st sunday of the month uwct training ride. this will replace the long hills ride once a month and follow the same format as the previous uwct training. as it is now a lot darker, we move the start to 7:00am. and as it is primarily for those that have qualified, we will only have 1 start time and see how it plays out. we can adjust as we move closer to the actual final.
women’s only ride – this saturday is the first of the month and as such we will have our women’s only rides in main 1, 2 & 3. take control of your own group and ride up front.
ride routes – it’s looking like it may be a bit soggy this saturday morning. hopefully it will clear up for all the mums on sunday whether they are riding or not…
saturday 7th may
ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
handful of brakes vs crossing wheels. this is often a well discussed topic when during a group ride, there is a sudden slowing due to weather, fatigue or whatever. we all know that we shouldn’t cross wheels with the person in front of us as if they suddenly move to one side, you can get your front taken out from under you. however, grabbing a handful of brake to avoid a collision can have such huge knock on effects further down the line as was seen in last weeks main 1 ride. the trick is to position yourself, so that you have a clear exit strategy when you are riding in a bunch. hard to do when you are on the gutter side, so you really need to look at how close you need to be to the rider in front. can you allow a bit more space without dropping the wheel? can you position yourself slightly to the right of their wheel so you don’t aim for the gutter in an emergency? sudden changes in the peloton can have a dramatic effect, but even smaller changes can be absorbed better if you look at your positioning. group riding is such a dynamic thing with many influences way outside your control. don’t just look at the wheel in front of you and grab for the brakes if it starts to slow. look a few riders ahead, so you can see the change in pace before it hits you and make sure you are already in a position to react to it. you are responsible for more than one persons safety, so make sure your actions don’t put someone else on the deck.
ride leader sponsor – the ride leader sponsor for april is Acanthus Green landscape and garden design and construction. part owned by spr member and Dome rider ben godridge, Acanthus Green is your one stop shop for to creating the perfect garden to compliment your home and enhance your life.
rules of engagement – please read the previous post if you come out on any of our rides. it is up to all members to enforce these rules.
bike lights – it is now at that time of year where if you are doing the earlybird ride, then you need a good set of lights. last year i wrote a long post about bike lights and what we expect when riding in a group. basically, bigger/brighter is not always better. please read the post take note of what effects your lights have on the rest of the group. take any suggestions on board as at the end of the day, it is for the safety of the group as a whole.
brian sing & his new spr jersey
kit crash replacement – we now have a crash replacement policy for your spr kit. if you damage your kit by some misadventure (on your bike) you can contact the kit committee and get a 30% discount on your replacement kit. please see the previous post for more details.
racing – there are lots of races coming up over the next few months with the tom lowry memorial in collie next weekend. please see the previous post for more details.
west coast masters – most of you will know that there is a “breakaway” organisation operating in western australia primarily for masters riders. they split from cycling wa a long time ago (well before my time) and organised their own insurance, etc. these guys put on regular graded races for the plus 35 yr old rider with lots of grades to cover all bases. you need to get a separate licence to race with them, but there are quite a few riders in our club that head out for some regular action. they have a teams competition and liam donley has setup an spr team in the event. if you do head out to race with them, wear your spr kit and let them know you are part of team spr to give points to the club. the northern beaches did a similar thing last season and it certainly goes a long way to rebuilding some bridges between the two organisations. next race is the 1st may at herne hill, nominations at primary school in argyle st from 0815, start at 0900.
gfws national kit – if you rode well at the any of the grand fondo qualifiers and have managed to secure a spot in the final in september, then hold off purchasing your national kit. we are currently investigating a spr version of the national kit so we can identify our members a bit easier. see the previous post for more details.
goldfields classic – feel like racing across the vast expanse of the kalgoorlie area??? he goldfields classic handicap race is on again and we are looking at who wishes to head across for the long weekend of racing. as in previous years, spr will organise the logistics of transport, accommodation and transfers so you can just pay, turn up and race. please see the previous post if you are interested in racing or even in volunteering to help out.
giro d’italia night – the first social night of the year is almost upon us. come and spend an evening of italian flavour at bravos restaurant to celebrate the giro d’italia. organised by the spr social committee, this is open to all members/partners. please see theprevious post for further details.
spr road race champs – off the back of the crit championships will be the road race championships for 2016. there are a number of races identified that riders will accumulate point for. a change in the scoring system this year to try to allow those that have a go at ‘a’ grade a better chance of getting points. please see the previous post for more info.
uwct training ride – to allow those that have qualified to keep their toe in, and those that want a good solid limited stops hills ride, we will now run a 1st sunday of the month uwct training ride. this will replace the long hills ride once a month and follow the same format as the previous uwct training. as it is now a lot darker, we move the start to 7:00am. and as it is primarily for those that have qualified, we will only have 1 start time and see how it plays out. we can adjust as we move closer to the actual final.
ride routes – looks like there may be a small break in the weather this weekend to allow us to get out and do some serious riding. the temperature has started to drop and it is always interesting to see those that started riding over summer, suddenly realise that you need to buy more layers of clothes to wear. sunday morning is predicting under 10 deg, so make sure you rug up. just be aware that the ronald mcdonald house charity ride will also be leaving from the coode st carpark on saturday morning. we should be in the opposite corner of the carpark, so not a big problem, but just make sure that we make allowances for other users.
saturday 30th april
ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
okay, a little simple psychology for this weeks post. most people have heard about pavlov’s dogs. he did an experiment where he trained his dogs to salivate when he rang a bell. simple experiment where the dogs linked the bell to their dinner time. this is also known as classical conditioning. for us in a group riding situation, there are many things that we take for granted every day. there are many things that we do pretty much without thinking or do out of a form of classical conditioning. unfortunately, this happened a couple of times to me in the last week and half. turning left at an intersection, the group all yelled “clear” as they turned, but by the time we were halfway through the group, i look right and there is a car less than 50m away. lights were blazing and it was obviously not clear. the rider a couple of places ahead of me had yelled clear as they went through. even the first few riders would have seen a car in the distance and should have gave warning. are people just being conditioned to yell “clear” just because it is what we are expected to do. group riding involves quite a high level of trust. i am trusting you to tell me about the potholes, to tell me about the parked cars and to tell me about that tonne of steel and plastic hurtling down the road at me. everyone is responsible for their own actions, but at the same time, you cannot ride in close quarters with others without trusting that the person in front of you will not put you in danger. again it comes down to being spatially aware and then conveying any potential dangers to the rest of the group. and then, also importantly, passing that message down the line to the rest of the group as the riders behind you are also trusting you to look out for them. if not, then you may, or may not end up like schrödinger’s cat.
ride leader sponsor – the ride leader sponsor for april is Acanthus Green landscape and garden design and construction. part owned by spr member and Dome rider ben godridge, Acanthus Green is your one stop shop for to creating the perfect garden to compliment your home and enhance your life.
rules of engagement – please read the previous post if you come out on any of our rides. it is up to all members to enforce these rules.
bike lights – it is now at that time of year where if you are doing the earlybird ride, then you need a good set of lights. last year i wrote a long post about bike lights and what we expect when riding in a group. basically, bigger/brighter is not always better. please read the post take note of what effects your lights have on the rest of the group. take any suggestions on board as at the end of the day, it is for the safety of the group as a whole.
spr sub-committees – if you’re interested in being part of one or more of the sub-committees…even if you’ve indicated previously then please contact the relevant committee member. please see the previous post for more details.
brian sing & his new spr jersey
kit crash replacement – we now have a crash replacement policy for your spr kit. if you damage your kit by some misadventure (on your bike) you can contact the kit committee and get a 30% discount on your replacement kit. please see the previous post for more details.
gfws national kit – if you rode well at the any of the grand fondo qualifiers and have managed to secure a spot in the final in september, then hold off purchasing your national kit. we are currently investigating a spr version of the national kit so we can identify our members a bit easier. see the previous post for more details.
grand fondo international rider – the club has received a request from a finnish-american female masters rider that has qualified for the final in september. she is currently looking for anyone that has a spare room or granny flat for about 3 weeks leading up to the event. this is a great opportunity to help out a fellow cyclist and maybe broaden your own horizons. if you do have anything available, please email the club and we can put you in contact with her.
goldfields classic – feel like racing across the vast expanse of the kalgoorlie area??? he goldfields classic handicap race is on again and we are looking at who wishes to head across for the long weekend of racing. as in previous years, spr will organise the logistics of transport, accommodation and transfers so you can just pay, turn up and race. please see the previous post if you are interested in racing or even in volunteering to help out.
giro d’italia night – the first social night of the year is almost upon us. come and spend an evening of italian flavour at bravos restaurant to celebrate the giro d’italia. organised by the spr social committee, this is open to all members/partners. please see theprevious post for further details.
spr road race champs – off the back of the crit championships will be the road race championships for 2016. there are a number of races identified that riders will accumulate point for. a change in the scoring system this year to try to allow those that have a go at ‘a’ grade a better chance of getting points. please see the previous post for more info.
ride routes – long weekend and school holidays so it will be hit and miss as to how many people we get to this weekends rides. some people will take advantage of the extra free time and ride more. some will take the time to go elsewhere. make sure you know the ride routes as it is up to everyone in the group to know where they are going.
saturday 23rd april
ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
so last week i jumped on a “hire bike” to pick up #1 son’s tryathlon race pack. there is a bike library at work and a bunch of bikes are available for free for those that work at central park. they are provided by spinway bikes and there are a number of these racks all around the city. now i do a lot of riding, usually around 15,000kms per year. however, i must say that i have never felt as unsafe and exposed on a bike as i did when i was riding this machine. i was riding down st georges terrace at about 2pm on a friday, but i didn’t think that the traffic was anything out of the ordinary. i was wearing my work gear and there was not an item of lycra to be seen. what made me feel vulnerable was my inability to flow with the traffic. the bike has 3 gears but it was so hard to get any speed out of it, that it made negotiating traffic near on impossible. 95% of my riding is on the road and i feel comfortable on there the majority of the time. however, for those that don’t ride in the style that we do, the road can be a very daunting place. probably the most disappointing thing was the fact that even though perth has an excellent network of bike paths, they all disappear when they get close to the city. in my case it was ride in the bus lane, or walk the bike along the footpath. i can see why people struggle to see bicycles as a legitimate form of transport.
ride leader sponsor – the ride leader sponsor for april is Acanthus Green landscape and garden design and construction. part owned by spr member and Dome rider ben godridge, Acanthus Green is your one stop shop for to creating the perfect garden to compliment your home and enhance your life.
rules of engagement – please read the previous post if you come out on any of our rides. it is up to all members to enforce these rules.
bike lights – it is now at that time of year where if you are doing the earlybird ride, then you need a good set of lights. last year i wrote a long post about bike lights and what we expect when riding in a group. basically, bigger/brighter is not always better. please read the post take note of what effects your lights have on the rest of the group. take any suggestions on board as at the end of the day, it is for the safety of the group as a whole.
brian sing & his new spr jersey
kit crash replacement – we now have a crash replacement policy for your spr kit. if you damage your kit by some misadventure (on your bike) you can contact the kit committee and get a 30% discount on your replacement kit. please see the previous post for more details.
goldfields classic – feel like racing across the vast expanse of the kalgoorlie area??? he goldfields classic handicap race is on again and we are looking at who wishes to head across for the long weekend of racing. as in previous years, spr will organise the logistics of transport, accommodation and transfers so you can just pay, turn up and race. please see the previous post if you are interested in racing or even in volunteering to help out.
giro d’italia night – the first social night of the year is almost upon us. come and spend an evening of italian flavour at bravos restaurant to celebrate the giro d’italia. organised by the spr social committee, this is open to all members/partners. please see the previous post for further details.
spr road race champs – off the back of the crit championships will be the road race championships for 2016. there are a number of races identified that riders will accumulate point for. a change in the scoring system this year to try to allow those that have a go at ‘a’ grade a better chance of getting points. please see the previous post for more info.
ride routes – everyone loves holmes road…right. anyway, i noticed that there are not that many tranny ride routes in the total list. if you are a regular tranny rider, and would like a bit more variation, i can map out some new routes. i just need some hints on where you think that would make a good route. even if it is just a section of road the is wide enough, challenging enough, or interesting enough, i can map the to and from. let me know. and garmin has fixed the map issue.
saturday 16th april
ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
roundabouts. so last week a person was killed when they were knocked from their bike at a roundabout in halls head. Gabriele Schiller-Brett was struck by a station wagon, dragged across the roundabout and deposited on the opposite kerb. the driver continued across the nature strip and back onto the road not stopping to see the damage they caused. the marks across the grass that can be seen on the picture above shows the path that the car, bike and victim took. it is impossible for someone not to realise that they had hit someone but this person took the cowards way out and continued driving. Ms Schiller-Brett later died in peel hospital. for us as cyclists, roundabouts represent one of the biggest risks when we are riding in traffic. as group, traffic entering the same intersection may have right away and the group will need to stop as required by the law. this can often cause confusion within the group as people don’t want to be dropped, but better to stop and chase then end up under a garbage truck. as an individual on the bike, roundabouts often form a choke point where bike lanes and shoulders miraculously disappear only to start again on the other side. in this case you are basically on your own and cars will often try to squeeze by. when i am riding on my own and approaching a roundabout like that, i check when it is safe, then move out to sit in the middle of the lane. it may piss some drivers off, but it leaves no space for them to try to squeeze by. in our group rides you need to be aware of the road and traffic conditions. there may be times that we need to ride single file and there may be times when it is safer for us to take the lane to stop drivers taking risks with our lives. make sure you are aware and don’t just leave it up to other people.
ride leader sponsor – the ride leader sponsor for april is Acanthus Green landscape and garden design and construction. part owned by spr member and Dome rider ben godridge, Acanthus Green is your one stop shop for to creating the perfect garden to compliment your home and enhance your life.
rules of engagement – please read the previous post if you come out on any of our rides. it is up to all members to enforce these rules.
brian sing & his new spr jersey
kit crash replacement – we now have a crash replacement policy for your spr kit. if you damage your kit by some misadventure (on your bike) you can contact the kit committee and get a 30% discount on your replacement kit. please see the previous post for more details.
paris roubaix – a night out for all bike racing lovers! paris – roubaix , the third monument of the cycling season, at freo pub “the local” showing the race live on the big screens. come early from 7pm to indulge in some french flavoured food and to participate in the race orientated trivia quiz. wear your favourite vintage bike jersey to be in the running for one of a number of prizes. but please no lycra! see the facebook event for more detail.
spr road race champs – off the back of the crit championships will be the road race championships for 2016. there are a number of races identified that riders will accumulate point for. a change in the scoring system this year to try to allow those that have a go at ‘a’ grade a better chance of getting points. please see the previous post for more info.
midland 100 – quite a lot of spr members are taking part in one of the toughest races on the perth calendar. it may not be as long as some, but it is hard on a hard course. good luck to all those who have entered.
ride routes – so after a number of emails and conversations with garmin, it seems that the maps are working again. it also looks like we haven’t quite finished with the easterly winds. although the mornings have been spectacular recently with light winds and cooler temperatures. a few more weeks of this and we will be entering arm warmer and vest territory. a flatish course on saturday for all those that are racing the midland very hilly 100.
saturday 9th april
ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
it’s funny who you see turn up for a normal saturday ride in the rain. i headed down to the earlybird ride and was actually hoping the no-one would be there so i could do some urban hill climbs in some nice dry carparks. unfortunately for me, there were 5 of us in total that endured the spray in the face. then at the main ride, there were around another 20 sad looking souls hoping for a ride. it was wet, but it was not that cold. we decided to just do a river loop through cottesloe as it was safer to keep it as close to home as possible. i got a flat at port beach, but told the group to continue on as i didn’t want everyone waiting in the rain. i fixed it and continued the ride home. i was so filthy that i had to hose myself off before i could enter the house and my jersey needed to be washed twice to get the road grime off. it sounds like a terrible day on the bike, but i really enjoyed it.
ride leader sponsor – the ride leader sponsor for april is Acanthus Green landscape and garden design and construction. part owned by spr member and Dome rider ben godridge, Acanthus Green is your one stop shop for to creating the perfect garden to compliment your home and enhance your life.
rules of engagement – please read the previous post if you come out on any of our rides. it is up to all members to enforce these rules.
bike stickers – the bike name stickers that we ordered earlier in the year will be available for collection at the coffee shop on saturday. this is the last weekend to collect from the coffee shop. if you cannot collect them, send an email through to the club and we will make alternative arrangements to collect from the city during the week.
spr gloves – a few members have been trialling a new glove from cannibal. they are lightweight so you can still feel and control your bike, but still offer a level of vibration resistance and crash protection. they have been designed with a minimalistic view so they can still be worn with other kits and not clash with the spr green. they are now available to order through the normal channels and more info can be found on the previous post. the current kit order closes after this weekend, so get your orders in for the upcoming cooler weather.
brian sing & his new spr jersey
kit crash replacement – we now have a crash replacement policy for your spr kit. if you damage your kit by some misadventure (on your bike) you can contact the kit committee and get a 30% discount on your replacement kit. please see the previous post for more details.
spr road race champs – off the back of the crit championships will be the road race championships for 2016. there are a number of races identified that riders will accumulate point for. a change in the scoring system this year to try to allow those that have a go at ‘a’ grade a better chance of getting points. please see the previous post for more info.
ladies only rides – being the first of the month, it is time for the ladies only group rides. heading off with the saturday groups, there will be a main 1, 2 and 3 ladies only ride. this is an opportunity for the women to control the pace of the ride and get confident in riding up front. see the previous post for more details.
ride routes – as last saturday was a bit of a washout and only the real brave (read: stupid) people came out for a river loop, we will schedule in whiteman park again. the weather is looking a lot better with tops of 30 degrees. sunday will be an interesting start as the dams ride will be on at the same time. expect that parking will be hard to get at coode st and we will have to play it by ear as to how we leave the carpark.
saturday 2nd april
ride starts under the narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
i bought my time trial bike way back in 2005 when it was actually a triathlon bike. i don’t change bikes very often and i guess it it mainly because i am an odd body shape. long legs with a short torso means that i have trouble getting comfortable on an off the shelf frame. old tech bike frames like my quintana roo have been superseded by uber-aero looking frames like the shiv and p5. however, to me that is really just the 1% difference. the majority of your race still comes from inside of you, and at this point of the race (4kms in) it really, really sucked. however, what i thought was important was showing the club colours at this event. and there certainly were a lot of spr green machines flying around the course.
rules of engagement – please read the previous post if you come out on any of our rides. it is up to all members to enforce these rules.
survey feedback – if you filled in the club survey we did last year there was an opportunity to include some written feedback. if you did add anything, i have responded to each and everyone. see the previous post to find your reply.
museum of perth – tucked in behind henry saw which is tucked into grand lane which is tucked into the back of the murray st mall, is the museum of perth. this month’s exhibition is on our hidden cycling history. here you will discover the history of cycling in perth and find that it has been here longer than the white tradie ute. see the website for more details and drop in for a coffee at henry saw.
beyond the bike exhibition– as part of bike week, there is a small exhibition of tony lendrum’s beyond the bike project. as you can see from the picture on the header, the walls either side of henry saw have been decorated with some of his photos and the riders text is also included. although, many of you have seen the photos online, this is an opportunity to hopefully attract a few more viewers from passing traffic. while you are there, check out the museum of perth cycling exhibition and grab a coffee from henry’s.
bike stickers – the bike name stickers that we ordered earlier in the year will be available for collection at the coffee shop on saturday. if you cannot collect them, send an email through to the club and we will make alternative arrangements.
spr road race champs – off the back of the crit championships will be the road race championships for 2016. there are a number of races identified that riders will accumulate point for. a change in the scoring system this year to try to allow those that have a go at ‘a’ grade a better chance of getting points. please see the previous post for more info.
ride routes – i have added in this friday to the ride routes as it is a public holiday and there are a few extra rides on. just be mindful that the vp 3 dams ride that is on tomorrow is a main 1 pace ride over 150kms. a couple of years ago we had to leave a few behind by the time we got to mundaring. for those that are doing the friday public holiday ride, just be aware that Dome will be closed, so someone needs to find a coffee shop that is open. monday is also a public holiday, so there is lots of opportunities to ride many kilometres this weekend.
friday 25th march – good friday
ride starts under the narrows (sth perth side) at 5:30am
ride leader sponsor – the ride leader sponsor for may is Carton & Cowater. bringing you water in a more environmentally friendly packaging. Carton & Co is a Perth based company trying to lighten the load on our planet.
bike lights – it is now at that time of year where if you are doing the earlybird ride, then you need a good set of lights. last year i wrote a long post about bike lights and what we expect when riding in a group. basically, bigger/brighter is not always better. please read the post take note of what effects your lights have on the rest of the group. take any suggestions on board as at the end of the day, it is for the safety of the group as a whole.
goldfields classic – entries have closed for this race but we are still organising the logistics behind getting people there and back. if you have already been in contact with the race committee about travelling with the club, then some payment is now due. please see the previous post for more details.
