Level 4’s at Bond Head Parkette on their Sunday-moved-to-Monday Evening Ride.

 It’s coming up! On Canada Day, all Club members (all levels) are invited to join in on the NHCC Canada Day Ride and Pancake Breakfast (no cost) on Monday July 1st! First we ride at 10am—an out-and-back-ride for 45 minutes in each direction for 1.5 hours total, then we re-group at Randy and Anita’s for pancakes & the fixings at 11:30am! (sausage, strawberries & whipped cream, baked beans, fruit!). We’ll be all wrapped up by 1pm so you can catch all the other local Canada Day festivities.  IMPORTANT—RAIN DATE: In the event that the weather appears infinitely better for Sunday instead of Monday, the event could get shifted to a day earlier—Sunday June 30th (yeah, yeah, we know it’s a little backwards).  🙂

RSVP: Of course we will need to shop for provisions, so please RSVP by Friday June 28th—that’s our shopping day. Members and Guests: Please let us know you are coming by responding to the Event in your Cycle Club Events Calendar. If you plan to bring a guest with you, please use the Discussion feature there to let us know you’ll bring someone so that we can ensure we prepare enough pancakes.

The Quick Facts: Upcoming Activities (June 24th to July 1st)

Tuesday June 25th: Afternoon Ride (Level 1 only), 1:00pm
Level 1 Start location: Chubb Point Road in Grafton

Tuesday June 25th: Evening Ride, 6:00pm
Level 2 Start location: King’s Field at 28 Victoria St S. in Port Hope
Level 3 Start location: Diamond Head Industrial Mall, 210 Willmott St, Cobourg
(6:15 start time) Level 4 Start location: Hamilton Township Office, 8285 Majestic Hills Dr

Thursday June 27th: Morning Ride, 10:00am
Level 1 Start location: Haldimand Community Memorial Arena, 10766 County Rd 2, Grafton
Level 2 Start location: Haldimand Community Memorial Arena, 10766 County Rd 2, Grafton
Level 3 Start location: Westwood Park 665 Carlisle St. Cobourg

Thursday June 27th: Evening Ride, 6:15pm
Level 4 Start location: Haldimand Community Memorial Arena, 10766 County Rd 2, Grafton

Monday July 1st: Canada Day! Ride & Pancake Breakfast (All Levels)

Start time: 10:00am (Ride), 11:30am (Pancake Breakfast)
Start location: (Exact location will be found in the Cycle Club Events Calendar) (Please park on the side of the road)

We are back into hiking mode! We have one on the schedule for Sunday afternoon and then there’s the regular Tuesday Evening hikes that will resume this coming week.

Sunday Hike

We will explore the Woodlands trails of Northumberland Forest. Expect to be out for a couple of hours, dress in layers and bringing fluids to drink is recommended.  

Date: Sunday January 7
Start time: 1:00pm
Start location: Northumberland Forest, Woodlands Trailhead parking lot.

Tuesday Evening Hike & Wings

It’s our typical evening hike: about 8-10km followed by some optional drinks & snacks afterward as we head into Baltimore John’s where they have a great Wing & Fries special that everyone seems to really enjoy. Bring flashlights….cuz you know we end up in all sorts of strange places.  🙂

Date: Tuesday January 9
Start time: 6:00pm
Start location: Baltimore John’s Restaurant parking lot

Guests are welcome to attend all NHCC non-cycling activities.  Please bring a signed waiver with you (available in the right hand column of the website).

RSVP: NHCC Members please use your Cycle Club account.

If you’ve got a smart trainer and want a fantastic group to join, give it a try on Thursday evening! It’s a 26km ride along the “Caves” route in Australia. Anyone is welcome, and if you worry that you won’t keep up, don’t! You still give it your best effort to get a great workout, but Rouvy magnetically keeps everyone together on the big screen so that it’s truly a group ride regardless of your individual pace & effort. You get to talk to each other too! Here are the details:

Start time: 6:30pm
Distance: 26km
Average grade: 1%
Ascent: 692 ft
Max grade: 7%

Doesn’t that sound like fun? If you are intrigued, but don’t have a smart trainer let us know and you can come take a looky at Randy’s setup while it’s happening and you can see how the ride unfolds on the big screen—like a spectator! (message Randy at 905-376-8696) 

Since evening rides have been squeezed out, we’ll start our Evening Hikes this coming Tuesday.  This is an opportunity to keep our legs moving, to explore Port Hope and Cobourg on two feet, and also get some social time in afterward (optional, of course).  We typically meet at 6:00 and go out for 1.5-2 hours of walking which usually translates into about 7-10km.  We’ll start out with shorter distances of course and build up as time goes by. 

We don’t just walk up and down the “regular” streets—oh no, no, no—at times we go off-road, down little alleyways, through hidden paths, maybe even along the beach.  Places you won’t find on your bike! So be sure to wear some comfy footwear, and layer for the weather. 

RSVP: As usual, let us know you are coming by RSVPing to the Cycle Club Events Calendar.

Guests are welcome provided they bring a signed waiver (no cost).  

WEATHER CANCELLATIONS: Given sporadic weather forecast typical this time of year, please monitor your Cycle Club Calendar for cancellations that may take place up until one hour before a ride starts.

Learning Workshop—“How to shop for a new/used bike” Monday September 18th.
This is the one for you if a new (or used) bike purchase is on your radar for the coming winter months or the Bicycle Fall Blowout Sale. We will do a show & tell describing the differences between road, hybrid, mountain, gravel, touring, e-assist bikes etc. to help you narrow down the type that will best serve your needs. We will give you some guidance about how much you might need to spend, where and how to search for a bike, and answer burning questions you may have on your mind. Find out what features to look for, what to avoid, and whatever else you might need to know in order to make a wise purchase.

The Bicycle Fall Blowout takes place at Exhibition Place on Saturday September 23rd (10am – 5pm).  There will be some fantastic deals to be sure as vendors unload their stock to make way for new stuff.  It’s a frenzy and easy to be lured into a bike purchase that while a bargain, doesn’t fit your needs. 

As the season winds down into the final weeks we are revisiting many of our “favourite” routes.  The 3/4s are doing to do the Waterfront Trail westbound on Thursday and a nice easy route on Sunday with an optional stop at Rolling Grape Winery afterward.  Helmut has planned a mountain biking ride for Saturday morning to make use of the trails at Beagle Club while bikes are still permitted. 

The Quick Facts for the week: 

More details about all rides are found in your Cycle Club account Events page.

Tuesday September 12th: Evening Rides

CANCELLED: Level 1 (Start time: 5:30pm) 
Start location: Cobourg Public Library, 200 Ontario Street

Level 2 (Start time: 5:30pm)
Start location: Diamond Head Industrial Mall Inc, 210 Willmott St. Cobourg.

Level 3/4 (Start time: 5:30pm)
Start location: Baltimore Recreation Centre, 23 Community Centre Rd.

Thursday September 14th: Morning Rides

Level 1 (Start time: 10:0am)
Start location: King’s Field at 28 Victoria St. South, Port Hope.

Level 2 (Start time: 9:30am)
Start location: 4599 Massey Rd., Port Hope.

Level 3/4 (Start time: 10:00am)
Start location: Darlington Lower Hydro Fields (Soccerfields): 312 Crago Rd, Courtice

Thursday September 14th: EVENING Ride (Level 3/4 only)

Level 3/4 (Start time: 5:30pm): 
Start location: Hamilton Township Municipal Offices, 8285 Majestic Hills Dr.

Saturday September 16th: Morning Mountain Biking

Mixed Levels (Start time: 10:0am)
Start location: Beagle Club Trail Head, 101 Beagle Club Rd, Harwood

Sunday September 17th: Morning Rides

Level 1 (Start time: 10:0am)
Start location: Cobourg Memorial Arena, 206 Furnace St., Cobourg

Level 2 (Start time: 9:30am)
Start location: Donegan Park, 25 D’Arcy St., in Cobourg

Level 3/4 (Start time: 10:00am)
Start location: South Monaghan Carpool—Note that the address is 782 County Rd 28, but actually you go left (west) at the roundabout and the parking lot is just there on Cty Rd 21 on the north side.

RSVP: 
Members only: Please let ride leaders know you are in, using your Cycle Club Account.  
Guests: Those wishing to ride as our guest may leave a comment on the website to let us know you are coming. Please bring a signed Guest Waiver with you (available in the right-hand column of our website)

The weekly rides have been posted—let’s hope the rain falls on other days! August is a busy month with people on vacation, so again we’ll merge a few of the Level 1 and 2 rides. The sun is setting earlier than ever, so be sure your lights are charged up! Fact—there are seven more weeks of cycling remaining in our “Regular” season so there is still plenty of time to get some regular riding in!

The Quick Facts: 

More details about all rides are found in your Cycle Club account Events page.

Tuesday August 15th: Evening Ride

Level 1, and 2 (Start time: 5:30pm)
Cobourg Memorial Arena, 206 Furnace St., Cobourg

Level 3/4 (Start time: 6:00pm)
Start location: Hamilton Township Municipal Offices, 8285 Majestic Hills Dr., Camborne

Thursday August 17th: Morning Ride

Level 1 (Start time: 9:30am)
Start location: Westwood Park, 665 Carlisle St., Cobourg

Level 2 (Start time: 9:30am)
Start location: Diamond Head Industrial Mall Inc, 210 Willmott St, Cobourg

Level 3/4 (Start time: 10:00am)
Start location:Stirling-Rawdon Dog Park, 90 Station St., Stirling.

Thursday August 17th: EVENING Ride (Level 3/4 only)

Level 3/4 (Start time: 6:00pm): 
Start location: Dog Park in Cobourg, 77 Ontario St

Sunday August 20th: Morning Ride

Level 1, and 2 (Start time: 10:00am)
Start location: Donegan Park, 25 D’Arcy St., Cobourg. 

Level 3/4 (Start time: 9:30am)
Start location: Squirrel Creek Conservation Area, 2520 Wallace Point Rd, Fraserville

RSVP: 
Members only: Please let ride leaders know you are in, using your Cycle Club Account.  
Guests: Those wishing to ride as our guest may leave a comment on the website to let us know you are coming. Please bring a signed Guest Waiver with you (available in the right-hand column of our website)

With a Severe Thunderstorm Watch in effect and the radar supporting that prediction, unfortunately tonight’s ride (Tuesday July 11) is cancelled.  We’ll try again next Tuesday for the Ride & Porch Social.

Fantastic Bike Maintenance 1.0 workshop last night! Wheels came off—wheels went on—tubes came out—tubes went in. Drive trains; cleaned & lubed! Thank you Randy and Helmut for sharing your time & expertise with club members. There are still more upcoming Workshops, so check out the NHCC website for more.

Tonights Tuesday ride starts on Shelter Valley Rd, with the address provided in your Cycle Club Event calendar. (If you don’t have access to Cycle Club, email us using the Contact page of the website and we’ll send it off to you lickety split).  On Thursday all the Levels are going to ride from the Waterfront Trail from Whitby for an out-and-back experience along some beautiful off-road paved multi-use paths. The 3/4s previewed it last week and loved it! Each Level will ride as far as they want then turn around and return. Please, always note start times—they may vary from week to week!

The Quick Facts: 

More details about all rides are found in your Cycle Club account Events page.

Tuesday July 11th: Evening Ride & Porch Social

Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 (Start time: 6:30pm): 
Start location: Shelter Valley Rd. (Address on the Cycle Club Event Calendar, or email us for it)
**Bring your own drinks and snacks if you want to sit around for the post-ride social)

Thursday July 13th: Morning Ride

Levels 1, 2, 3/4 (Start time: 9:30am): 
Start location:Waterfront Trail Parking lot near Rotary Sunrise Lake Park (249 Water St., Whitby) There is a parking lot directly north of the East Pier.

Thursday July 13th: EVENING Ride (Level 3/4 only)

Level 3/4 (Start time: 6:30pm): 
Start location: Haldimand Community Memorial Arena, 10766 County Rd 2, Grafton

Sunday July 16th: Morning Ride

Level 1 (Start time: 10:00am)
Start location: Diamond Head Industrial Mall Inc, 210 Willmott St, Cobourg

Level 2 (Start time: 9:00am)
Start location: Westwood Park, 665 Carlisle St. Cobourg

Level 3/4 (Start time: 9:00am)
Start location: To be determined (Please monitor the Cycle Club Events Calendar)

RSVP: 
Members only: Please let ride leaders know you are in, using your Cycle Club Account.  
Guests: Those wishing to ride as our guest may leave a comment on the website to let us know you are coming. Please bring a signed Guest Waiver with you (available in the right-hand column of our website)

We have workshops coming up! Essential Bike Maintenance 1.0 for beginners who want to keep their bikes running smoothly (two different dates to choose from) , Gear Essentials: What are they and how do they work,  Gears & Brakes: Ride Better!, and Bike Maintenance 2.0 (for the experienced crowd) designed for club members who have premium bicycles and want to know how to best protect their investments.

WORKSHOP: Essential Bike Maintenance 1.0

Monday July 10th, 6:00pm (8 person maximum) 
Wednesday July 19 (8 person maximum)
It’s a two-hour session, with one hour devoted to hands-on maintenance that you’ll perform on your own bicycle, and the other hour for removing and repairing a flat tire. We’ll cover:

• How, when, and why to clean & lube the chain and related parts that make up a drive train
• How and when to check tire pressure and pump your tires
• How to remove the front or back wheel from your bike
• Change a flat tire

WORKSHOP: Gear Essentials: What are they and how do they work

Monday July 17th, 6:00pm
It’s a two-hour session. First we’ll put a bike up on the stand and learn what all those rings on the front and back of your bike actually do. Then we will head out onto the street and practise shifting up, down, and repeat! 

• Identify how many gears your bicycle has
• Learn what the left and right shifters each do
• Tips for proper shifting
• Learn about cross-chaining

WORKSHOP: Gears & Brakes—Ride Better!

Monday July 24th, 6:00pm
It’s a two-hour session designed to build technique! It will be a practical mix of discussion, demonstration and riding.  You’ll learn to:

• • Improve your shifting skills
  • Anticipate terrain and shift accordingly
  • Use gears to maintain cadence and keep rolling smoothly
  • Use your brakes efficiently
  • Position & corner

WORKSHOP: Bike Maintenance 2.0

Monday August 21, 6:00pm
This two hour session is for the more experienced crowd who may have fancy schmancy bikes and want to know how to best protect that investment. Learn how to:

• Care for your carbon fibre bike
• Clean and wash safely
• Inspect your drive-train for wear
• Remove & replace your chain for deep cleaning of the drive-train
• Choose the right lube and how & when to apply it properly
• Inspect your brake pads (rim and disc)
• How to check your frame for damage 
• Learn about chain drop or “suck” (and the damage it can cause!)
• Examine cables, check for wear, and understand the different available options
• Discussion of tubeless tires and paraffin chain waxing
• Q & A