Wednesday--Developer’s Ride (Bike Works Parking Lot, Tioga Town
Center)
6:00 p.m. meet, 6:10 leave, for 23 miles (always same course) at 18
m.p.h. No drop. This ride teaches new and fit riders how to
draft, practice paceline etiquette, and be safe in a group at speed.
Experienced riders are expected to mentor new riders and to avoid
shenanigans during the teaching portions of the ride. Junior riders
are encouraged, and should meet with the Ride Captain to indicate who will
be their guardian on the ride. This portion of the ride is advertised
as ego and testosterone free. If you can ride 17.5 m.p.h. for one
hour by yourself comfortably, you can do this ride. Road bikes only
except by Captain’s approval.
Leopards/Easy Leopards (not an official ride group, just a sub-set of the
Developers). Same time, same ride, different rules. The Ls (A
riders) and Easy Ls (Gliders, fast but not race speed) will participate in
advanced racing tactics and paceline formations including sprint leadouts,
team time trials, rotating pacelines, etc . . . Riders who do not obey the
rules and regroup with the main field properly will be asked to sit out the
next week’s ride.
Thursday--MS150 Ride/Advanced Developers (Bike
Works Parking Lot, Tioga Town Center)
6:00 p.m. meet, 6:10 leave, for ride until dusk (about 35 miles as of
this writing) at 18-19 m.p.h. no drop. This is for advancing
Developers (see above), Gliders, and others who want a longer slightly
faster challenge than the Wednesday ride and who are training for the MS150
in October. While this is “no drop,” riders are
expected to be able to clip in fast after stops, and regroup quickly after
corners so we make it in before dark. The Leopard and Easy Leopard
portion of this ride typically involves long chases back up to the main
group, but again all rules of riding together at appropriate times must be
obeyed. Bootleg breakaways, riding off the front, and other
shenanigans disrupt the main field and create an unsafe line of gassed
riders on the road.