4/30 Saturday Ride

Somehow, there's only a few weeks until the Memorial Day ride. Seems hard to believe given that spring has yet to really make an appearance.

Anyway, this week is supposed to be beautiful, so we'll add a few more hills into the mix, heading out over Dutton Hill (MapMyRide route).

I expect that there will be a shorter route as well. The most likely candidate is our standard route back through Cumberland via Blanchard (MapMyRide route). If you are not sure you want to do the longer route, PLEASE make sure you know the shorter route. It is very likely that we will not have someone willing to lead a shorter ride given how nice the weather is supposed to be tomorrow.

4/23 Saturday Ride

Saturday isn't looking like the best weather day, but since Sunday is Easter, moving the ride isn't really an option.

We'll head out from the shop at 8:00 and hope to beat the rain (although I don't have much faith that we will). This week's map is a general guide only. We're picking this route out through Falmouth and Cumberland specifically because there are so many options to shorten or lengthen the ride based on weather changes (MapMyRide route).

Another brief reminder that the shop has asked that we not park in the first few spots.

Don't forget that in addition to this blog, you can also get updates via twitter (@cyclemaine) or the new Cyclemaine Facebook page.

If you have any questions please feel free to drop me an email.

4/16 Saturday Ride

It looks like the morning is going to be the better part of the day this Saturday, so we'll move things back to the normal start time and plan on heading out at 8:00. We'll also continue adding some hills by heading up Mountain Rd. and then over to Cumberland (MapMyRide route).

A quick housekeeping note. The folks at the shop have asked me to pass along a request that riders not park in the first few spaces next to the shop.

Don't forget that in addition to this blog, you can also get updates via twitter (@cyclemaine) or the new Cyclemaine Facebook page.

4/9 Saturday Ride

It finally looks like Saturday will be the better weekend day. But, since the weather is going to warm up into the 50s, we'll give the sun some time to warm things up before we head out.

We'll head out at 9:00am from Back Bay Bikes and take our first turn at some hills this week, meandering up Mountain Rd. and then over toward Yarmouth (MapMyRide route). Since this route is a bit longer and some riders have already been out for a few weeks, we will gauge how things are going and may split the group when we hit Mountain Rd.

A couple of notes:

The first is to make sure you are giving your bike the TLC it deserves. After a long winter, a drivetrain cleaning and adjustment is almost certainly in order, if not a full tune-up.

Second, I mentioned the possibility of a clinic on bike repair and I guess i need to be more specific. What I'm thinking is that everyone needs to know how to check you bike for safety issues (tires, brakes, headset, cranks, etc.); how to clean your drivetrain; how to adjust shifting performance; and how to check and adjust brakes (including replacing brake pads). I'm not sure where you all place those task in the beginner/intermediate/expert spectrum, but I get the sense that many people would benefit from gaining some familiarity with these skills. As for timing, weekday evenings are pretty much out for me given the family situation, so either after a ride or possibly on a Sunday are the only times that would work for me. Alternatively, I will talk to Kris and see if this is something the shop could put together.

Finally, I don't pitch products much, but I think it's worth giving a plug for RoadID. For those of you unfamiliar with the product it is basically a necklace, bracelet, anklet or shoe tag with emergency contact information listed. The truth of the matter is that accidents can happen when we're out on the road and products like RoadID can be invaluable in the event of something serious. Many people rely on their cell phones to provide valuable contact information in an emergency, but most smart phones are password protected and would be useless in an emergency situation. An ID is always accessible. If anyone is interested in ordering a RoadID, drop me a line and I will pass along a $1 off coupon code. Also, if you do order, remember that even though RoadID offers ankle and shoe products, emergency responders are trained to look for necklaces and bracelets so those products are likely to be discovered more readily in the event of an emergency.

See you Saturday.

4/2 Saturday Ride (Sunday again...)

I'm reluctant to continue to switch the ride to Sunday morning, but the weather seems to be pushing us that way each week. There is a chance that the rain and snow will be out of here early Saturday morning, but to be honest, I'd prefer to ride on Sunday when it's a dry and sunny.

So...once again we will do a Sunday ride, leaving the shop at 9:00am to give the sun a little time to warm things up. This week we are going to wander up to Freeport (MapMyRide route).

Don't forget that in addition to this blog, you can also get updates via twitter (@cyclemaine) or the new Cyclemaine Facebook page.

Another reminder that now is a great time to get your bike(s) tuned. To that end, I'm curious whether there is any interest in a brief cleaning/adjusting "clinic." I was thinking of an informal gathering after a ride where we could go through the basics of what to clean, how to clean it, and how to make adjustments to braking and shifting to keep everything safe and efficient.

Finally, here's a comic from yehudamoon.com that should resonate with anyone who cycles in Maine this time of year.

3/26 Saturday Ride

Apologies for the sparse post. Apparently my phone doesn't play with blogger all that well. We will head out tomorrow at 9:00 and head out through Falmouth and a bit of Westbrook (MapMyRide route).

Rescheduled Ride - 12:00 Sunday

Well, when I looked last night the weather was calling for a dry day. Then I woke up this morning and there's snow everywhere. Oh well, I guess that's spring in Maine.

If the weather is to be believed, tomorrow looks to be a nice day. However, it's gonna be below freezing for much of the morning. I'm happy to ride at 9:00 (it should be about 28°) or we can start at 12:00 when the temps should be in the upper 30s. Personally, I'd rather ride at noon.

If folks would like to ride and 9:00 would work better than noon, please leave a comment here, hit me via twitter (@cyclemaine) or comment on the new Cyclemaine Facebook page.

The route will be a bit different than the one I posted for today, taking us over to Falmouth, through Cumberland and back (MapMyRide route).

3/19 Saturday Ride (9:00am)

RIDE POSTPONED UNTIL TOMORROW DUE TO SNOW. DETAILS ON TOMORROW'S RIDE WILL BE POSTED LATER THIS MORNING.

It looks to be clear this Saturday, so we will be heading out to do the same route as last week—out to Cumberland over to Sligo and back (MapMyRide route).

It promises to be a bit chilly in the early morning, so we will head out a tad later - 9:00 am - to give the sun a little time to warm things up a few degrees.

A few notes we want to bring to people's attention:

We have some social media contacts for you this year. We will be posting ride routes on the CCCP facebook page and you can get cycling-related tweets from me by following @cyclemaine on twitter.

Diane and Christine have coordinated a bike maintenance class for women. For those of you that want to gain some familiarity with general bike maintenance tasks, the class will take place at Back Bay Bicycle at 6:00pm, Wednesday, March 23. Best of all, the class is free!

For those of you (like me) who aren't the right sex to attend the women's maintenance class, now's the time to get your bike in for its pre-season service. After last week's creaky drivetrains and squeaky brakes, it's obvious that there are plenty of bikes that need some TLC.

Finally, here's an appropriate early season cartoon compliments of Yehuda Moon.

3/12 Saturday Ride

The title may be a little deceiving since I'm inclined to push the ride to Sunday this week. I'm just not sure the rain will be out of here early Saturday morning and the standing water is likely to be a bit of a safety concern. Sunday, however, looks to be a pretty good day.

So, let's plan to ride on Sunday, leaving the shop at 9:00. We'll start the season with a nice leisurely ride out to Cumberland, over to Sligo and back (MapMyRide route).

There are some changes to the route maps this year based on feedback to my earlier post. Not that we tear out of the gate by any stretch, but we will plan to ride out as a group until the spot marked with the green marker on the map (where Middle Rd. bears right this week). I don't think it will matter much this week, but in future weeks, this phase of the ride will be to ensure that the A and B portions of the ride stick together and to give people a chance to warm up before they commit to one route or another.

There are also some red check checkered markers on the route. These mark the planned regroup points.

Hope to see you Sunday morning. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to email me.

2/19 Saturday Ride

Not surprisingly, there wasn't much response to my suggestion for a ride tomorrow. But, there was one lone person interested, so I figured I would post my route. I'm planning on doing the Middle Rd. Greely-Tuttle loop (MapMyRide route).

The temperature looks to be steady all day and the winds will only increase, so I will be leaving from the intersection of Ledgewood Dr. and Ocean Ave. (Rte. 9) at 8:30am. If you're interested in a nice relaxed ride, come on out and join me.

2011 Season

Perhaps I'm just rushing things, but it's starting to feel like winter is on the way out and spring is headed our way.

As we look forward to the 2011 cycling season, we would like some help crafting the atmosphere of the year's Saturday rides. This will be the third season where Bron and I have led the ride and we are trying to make sure that the ride is developing in a manner that is consistent with our regular riders without completely losing the good-natured atmosphere that we believe has been a huge reason that people join the ride. Last year we toyed with a slightly more structured approach, piecing together series of rides to prepare for the CCCP Memorial Day ride in the spring and then for the Loon Echo Bike Trek, Dempsey Challenge and Cadillac Challenge Century in the fall.

We thought this approach was well-received and we are considering a similar structure to this season's rides. However, as we prepare, we would like to hear from you about how you would like to group to develop. For example:

• How did you enjoy the longer rides last year? Would you like to see them continue this year?
• What did you think of the split routes, where there was both a long and a short option?
• The group's pace was quite variable, everything from 16 up to the low 20's depending on the group and the route. How slow do you think is too slow and how fast is too fast?
• We feel strongly about maintaining a cohesive group atmosphere, but we also want rides to focus on riding, not regrouping. Do you have any thoughts on regrouping strategies?
• What targets do you think the group should shoot for this year? We will once again do some training geared at the CCCP Memorial Day Ride and we will attempt to prepare people for the fall century rides, but the summer is generally open. How would people like us to use the summer rides?
• How do we deal with remaining as inclusive as possible? What approach should the group take when mechanical issues arise? When new riders who are slightly outmatched join the group?
• When should we officially start rides this year?

These are just a few of the things that we are trying to wrap our head around. If you have other thoughts or concerns please let us know.

Given that there is a decent core of riders that join the ride each week, we are considering the possibility of setting up a gathering of some sort—perhaps drinks after work or maybe lunch on a weekend. If you think it would useful for us to arrange a gathering to discuss what the group should look like this year drop me an email or post a comment.

One thing that everyone should be aware of is that over the winter a group of cyclist from local groups and representatives from the Bicycle Coalition of Maine have been working to develop a set of group riding guidelines that should be in place for this upcoming season. The guidelines are intended to promote cyclist safety, encourage behavior that respects motorists, and adhere to Maine's cycling laws. We plan to follow these guidelines on our rides this year and will post a copy of them here as soon as they are finalized.

Finally, I'm considering riding this Saturday and would enjoy some company. It isn't forecast to be quite as nice as tomorrow's 45°, but it's time for me to get back on the road. Drop me an email if you are interested and I will update this post by Friday at 7:00 pm if we'll be leaving from the shop.

Saturday Ride Update

Given that the holidays are now upon us, the weather has turned colder and less predictable and even on "good" days morning temps are hovering just above freezing, it's time to call the end of the 2010 Saturday ride season. Hopefully the winter hiatus won't be too long. As was the case last year, we will start regular rides again as soon as winter weather allows. I think we started back up in late February or early March last year. We will periodically post to the blog throughout the winter, so check back in occasionally to see when we'll be starting up again.

Looking back on the year, we are prepared to call the season a rousing success. We saw a marked increase in the number of riders joining us weekly, we were able to integrate several longer rides and we successfully trained for the Memorial Day ride and several centuries. All in all it was a great season and we are grateful for your participation and support.

For those of you not yet ready to suffer the pain of indoor riding and looking for some holiday fun, the Reindeer ride is tonight. People are meeting at Back Bay at 6:00 and heading out for a loop around town. Light yourself up, dress in holiday garb and join the fun if you have time.

Although we are calling an end to the season, if we get a spectacular day, or if people want to ride on a given weekend, I am happy to post a general message here in the blog. Just drop me an email and let me know what time you plan to head out.

Again, thanks to everyone for a great season. Have a happy holiday and a great New Year.

11/26 & 27 Rides

---- UPDATE ----

Although it looks to be pretty nice tomorrow afternoon, temps will be below freezing much of the morning. Given the precipitation we've had around, we're going to cancel the ride due to the distinct possibility that there will be icy spots.

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The weather is calling for 100% chance of "wintry mix" on Friday, so there will be no ride Friday morning.

Saturday looks like it could start cloudy and/or with snow showers, but that things should brighten up as the day goes on. At this point, we'll plan on riding at 9:00 on Saturday morning and heading out for about 30 miles. However, if it looks like there will be snow around or ice on the roads we'll have to bail on Saturday as well. I'll update the blog by midday Friday with a final decision.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

11/20 Saturday Ride

UPDATE

Looks like only the hearty souls made it for this week's ride.

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Well, it's looking like another cold windy day, but we'll be leaving from the shop for a ride again this week. The route is TBD, based on the temperature and wind direction.

For those of you looking to give the sun a chance to warm things up before you head out, there is a Cranksgiving ride leaving from AllSpeed Cyclery and Snow on Auburn St. (right across from Shaw's) at 10:00am. In a nutshell, Cranksgiving is a scavenger hunt for a good cause. Folks get a list of pantry items that they need to ride around town to purchase. After the event, the items get donated to charities. Apparently the stuff on the list will cost about $20. If you want more info, drop Bron an email.

Finally, there has been some talk of a Black Friday ride (aka "the turkey burner"). There's another one of those polls over there to the right asking who's interested. I'd be open to riding Friday, Saturday or both, so vote and let me know what folks want. The poll is open until Tuesday night and I'll be posting detail on next week's riding on Wednesday.

11/13 Saturday Ride

It looks to like it will be a great late fall day on Saturday, so there will be a ride. The only hitch is that I can't be there. Any volunteers to lead? Drop me an email if you're interested.