Event Update: Great ride and great food! Thank you all for a nice season of shop rides. Many of us are still riding and encourage you to check out the BIKE! Initiative Keweenaw’s last group ride of the season too!
Join us on September 23rd for our weekly Wednesday Night Shop Ride – this will be our last group ride of the season! Meet at the main Swedetown trailhead for a 6:30pm start to our group ride. After the ride we will be celebrating a great riding season with a barbeque! Burgers, hot dogs, drinks, and some sides will be provided, but feel free to bring your favorite side (or beer!). See you there!
Helmets are required. All abilities welcome! For those of you who are new to group rides, read on for a few tips and what to expect! Group rides will be every Wednesday at 6:30 pm through the summer and fall until we all start thinking about skiing, snowshoeing and hot chocolate!
Pace: The whole group will break into several smaller groups based on your skill, distance of ride, and how hard you want to ride. On the road, riders ride in what is called a “pace line”. Check out this article from bicycling.com for the basics. Etiquette and Skills: On the road, you may see potholes or other obstacles. Some riders will point downward at the obstacle to inform the riders behind them. Pass on the message. Stay close to the person in front of you to avoid an “accordion” spread to the line of bikers, but far enough away that that you could stop or change direction to avoid an accident or obstacle in front. The group will stop at major forks in the trail or road. Always be sure to communicate the direction of a turn to the person behind you. You can point or call out, “left!” for example. This is a no-drop ride, so be sure that you can see the person in front and behind you. We aren’t going to leave anyone in the woods or out on the road.
Fashion: Helmets are always “in”. Other than head gear, wear whatever fashion suits you, but you may want to consider padded shorts/leggings, padded gloves, and a sweater to leave in your car or at the shop for afterward. Some folks like to have sunglasses on the road, and clear or yellow-tinted glasses on the trail.
Food: You may want to bring a light snack for afterward, like an apple, energy bar, etc, and a bottle or two of water. Group rides are held every Wednesday at 6:30 pm. Most are mountain bike rides, held at different local trails (and even on some great people’s personal trails!), while others are road rides. Call the shop or check online for weather cancellations and other considerations (like whether or not we’ll be stopping for ice cream!)