Author Archive: NHCC

Rides for this week: Monday September 19 to Sunday September 25

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Slight delay in getting out the notification for this week’s rides.  Sorry about that! Better late than never! Please consult your Cycle Club account for all the ride details! Be sure to check the start times, because they may vary!

The Quick Facts: Upcoming Rides

RSVP: All the details are on your Cycle Club account. If you plan to ride, please locate the Event in your Cycle Club account and click “Going” so the ride leader knows how many to expect.

Tuesday September 20: Evening Ride, 5:30pm

Level 1:
Start location: Cobourg Community Centre

Level 2: 
Start location: Parking lot at St. Marys Church in Grafton

Level 3/4: 
Start location: Port Hope High School Parking lot

Thursday September 22: Morning ride

Level 1: 
Start time: 10:00am
Start location: Donegan Park, D’Arcy St., Cobourg

Level 2: CANCELLED

Level 3/4: 
Start time: 9:00am
Start location:  Haldimand Community Memorial Arena parking lot (Grafton Arena)

Sunday September 25: Morning Ride

Level 1+: 
Start time: 10:00am
Start location: Meet at Oliver’s Lane and Sunset Dr/Catherine St.

Level 2: 
Start time: 9:00am
Start location: Pending a ride leader: Details to come

Level 3/4: 
Start time: 10:00am
Start location: Paul’s place in Roseneath (exact address provided on Cycle Club)

Rides for this week: Monday September 12 to Sunday September 18

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Evening rides all start at 5:30, but Morning ride start times may vary. All the week’s rides have been posted, but please note that there is no Level 1 ride this Tuesday evening (tonight). Just three weeks left of the “regular” season before we switch to off-season mode.  The colours are starting to change, so even though we are seeing the same-old roads, the views are different!

The Quick Facts: Upcoming Rides

RSVP: All the details are on your Cycle Club account. If you plan to ride, please locate the Event in your Cycle Club account and click “Going” so the ride leader knows how many to expect.

Tuesday September 13: Evening Ride, 5:30pm

Level 1: (No Ride scheduled)

Level 2: 
Start location: The Mill Restaurant parking lot on Ontario Street

Level 3/4: 
Start location: Sylvan Glen Conservation Area

Thursday September 15: Morning ride

Level 1: 
Start time: 10:00am
Start location: Cobourg Public Library

Level 2: 
Start time: 10:00am
Start location: Westwood Park, on Carlisle St.

Level 3/4: 
Start time: 10:00am
Start location:  Bond Head Parkette at 5 Boulton St., Newcastle
Click here to see it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/95L2Kx79XSovwXKR7

Sunday September 18: Morning Ride

Level 1+: 
Start time: 10:00am
Start location: Kings Field, Port Hope 

Level 2: 
Start time: 9:00am
Start location: Marie’s place in Welcome (exact address provided on Cycle Club)

Level 3/4: 
Start time: 10:00am
Start location: Paul’s place in Roseneath (exact address provided on Cycle Club)

Rides for this week: Monday September 5 to Sunday September 11

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The sun is setting earlier than ever, and by the weekend it’s going to setting by 7:30pm. Therefore, Effective immediately, evening rides will begin at 5:30pm. Morning ride start times may vary—check your start times! This week the Level 3/4 and also the Level 1s are heading eastward out of town to do the Millennium Trail on Thursday.  It’s all off-road trail and FLAT! Not to mention, it looks like beautiful weather all week long!

The Quick Facts: Upcoming Rides

RSVP: All the details are on your Cycle Club account. If you plan to ride, please locate the Event in your Cycle Club account and click “Going” so the ride leader knows how many to expect.

Tuesday September 6: Evening Ride, 5:30pm

Level 1: 
Start location: Cobourg Public Library Parking Lot

Level 2: 
Start location: Donegan Park, D’Arcy St., Cobourg

Level 3/4: 
Start location: Northumberland Forest parking lot on McDonald Road in Centreton, about 2km north of Centreton Rd (County Rd. 22) 
(Drive to Centreton, then proceed north on McDonald Rd to the parking lot on the right.)
Click here to see it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/62xxawkgFejtbVor5

Thursday September 8: Morning ride

Level 1, and 3&4: 
Start time:10:00am
Start location: Parking lot at the bridge in Carrying Place
Click here to see it on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/hMqiQaeiuZL9mnz49


Level 2: 
Start time: 9:00am
Start location: Grafton Arena, Hwy 2 in Grafton

Sunday September 11: Morning Ride

Level 1: 
Start time: 10:00am
Start location: Port Hope (exact location TBD—please refer to your Cycle Club Account for details)

Level 2: 
Start time: 10:00am
Start location: Hamilton Township Municipal Office on Majestic Hills Rd  

Level 3/4: 
Start time: 10:00am
Start location: Chronical Brewing Company, 422 Lake Rd #3, Bowmanville

(ICYMI) Group Riding Safety Protocol

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Some people reported being unable to read the attachment on the original post, so here it is again for your reading pleasure  🙂

Guiding Principle: The following have been developed by applying the CanBike principles of Manoeverability, Visibility, Predictability and Communication to Group Riding situations.

NHCC Group Riding Safety Protocol

Keeping your distance

  • When single file, stay one to two bike lengths apart. Do not overlap wheels. The rear rider inevitably receives the worst of it in the event of a wiggle or sudden braking.
  • One or two bike lengths allow room for braking and to manoeuvre around road obstacles.
  • Increase distance between riders on gravelly roads, wet roads, wet leafy roads, rough roads with potholes and patchy shadows
  • When Riding two abreast, maintain one to two bike lengths behind the rider ahead and about 1 metre apart from the rider next to you. (This is endorsed by police who say cyclists have a right to occupy a lane occasionally)

Riding two abreast is the safer option on roads without a shoulder or bike lane. This allows faster moving vehicles to overtake properly rather than encouraging traffic to squeeze past slowly.

Riding three abreast (or more!) is not permitted
Three persons abreast reduces manoeuvring space for the middle rider and our roads aren’t wide enough to also accommodate unexpected oncoming farm vehicles, wide trucks etc. It also takes too long to re-form back into single file.

Passing others

  • Always pass on the left.
  • NEVER pass on the right.
  • Communicate loudly and clearly “Passing on your left” or “On your left” — leave plenty of physical space (minimum of 3ft—preferably more) to manoeuvre in case either of you encounters obstacles, pot holes, rough surface etc.
  • Do not pass unpredictably—too close, unannounced or at high speeds

Communicate with hand signals and/or voice

  • When passing
  • When stopping
  • When slowing down
  • When encountering obstacles, debris, potholes,
  • Call out – “car back”, “car up”, “walker up”, “on your left” (when passing) or if unsure – “heads up”
  • Know the hand signals for turning, stopping, slowing down, and obstacles
  • Do not call “All clear” at junctions—It is every rider’s responsibility to negotiate junctions as an individual.

Hill Ascents

  • All riders must stay as far to the right as is practicable. The slower you are, the further to the right you should be
  • Ride single file unless passing
  • Pass when necessary but return to single file after passing
  • Do not pass near the summit—the group must be in single file as you crest the hill.

Hill Descents

Descents are when we go the fastest, have the least time to react and are at our most vulnerable. We must be extra vigilant to:

  • All riders must stay as far to the right as is practicable. The slower you are, the further to the right you should be
  • Leave additional space around and others, especially when passing
  • Passing: Communicate “On your left!” allowing sufficient time for the person to anticipate you
  • Maintain situational awareness—Be mindful of each others road positions and speed
  • Ride at a speed appropriate for the conditions, your skill level & confidence
  • Be aware of hazards—potholes, loose gravel, debris, wet patches, patchy sun and shade that can mask potholes, wet leaves, roadkill
  • Leave room for the unexpected - cars pulling out from driveways, dogs running out, potholes!

Red lights and Stop signs

  • DO NOT congregate at junctions for re-grouping, discussions or shade-breaks—position yourself 20 meters before or after the junction and off the road.
  • DO NOT wait for other riders at a stop sign. Proceed through the intersection and wait at the other side clear of the intersection if necessary, at least 20 metres away and off the road out of harms way.
  • DO NOT communicate “All clear” at intersections: The cyclist in front cannot ensure safety for those who follow. Proceeding safely through an intersection is the responsibility of each individual to assess before proceeding through.
  • DO communicate observed hazards such as “Car left” or “Car right” that you notice as you proceed through the intersection.

Group size & Gapping

It is recommended that big groups (10-12 plus) split into smaller ones where conditions merit, such as riding on roads without bike lanes where faster moving vehicles will pass, and roads with frequent hills and curves. 6–8 riders are easier for other road users to interact with.

Carry ID

Carry a card with you that has your name, birthdate, emergency contact info and Health Card #, medications and allergies.

Rides for this week: Monday August 29 to Sunday September 4

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August has come to an end, but we are hoping for plenty more rides in September! Our Club rides will resume on Thursday (if of course there are ride leaders available) and they will be posted on the Cycle Club account in the next day or so. Given we are short a few ride leaders at the moment, now’s a great time to let us know if you can volunteer to lead a ride or two!

We take Safety seriously! If you haven’t yet seen and reviewed the Group Ride Safety Protocols, please do so.  We’re a team, and we need to look after each other. 

We also take Fun seriously!   And on Saturday September 3 (Rain date is Sunday), Maria and Andy are hosting the NHCC at their lovely Grafton property where everyone will go out for an out and back ride (45 minutes each way) then enjoy a fabulous meal complements of the NHCC. It’s a great way to finish off August, and celebrate Labour Day Weekend, 

The Quick Facts: Upcoming Rides

RSVP: All the details are on your Cycle Club account. If you plan to ride, please locate the Event in your Cycle Club account and click “Going” so the ride leader knows how many to expect.

Thursday August 25: Morning ride

Level 1: 
Start time: 9:00am
Start location: To be determined

Level 2: 
Start time: 9:00am
Start location: To be determined

Level 3/4: 
Start time: 10:00am
Start location: Centreton Park at the intersection of County Rds 22 and 23

Saturday September 3: Afternoon Ride & Social

(Note that Sunday will be the rain date)

Level 1, 2, 3, and 4: 
Start time: Ride at 11:00am, Social & Food at 1:00pm
Start location: Maria and Andys house in Graft. (exact address provided in your Cycle Club Account)

 

NHCC Policy: Group Riding Safety Protocol

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It’s been a rough week in these parts! To best respond to the safety needs of our Club and it’s members the NHCC has reviewed and is implementing new Group Riding Protocols that will apply to all Group Rides. Please take a moment to review them before coming out for your next Club Ride and let’s all do our part to keep each other safe.  We’re asking all club members to understand that it takes everyone to pitch in so let’s remind each other (gently) on rides how we can do better.   These will be reviewed and modified from time to time but should for now be considered club policy. You can click on the image to read the complete policy or click on this link here Group Riding Safety Protocol

Congratulations to Randy

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In the past couple of weeks there’s been one less person on Club rides….Randy Albon has been out of town in Dundas, Ontario immersing himself in the intensive Winterborne Bicycle Institute’s Professional Mechanics course (huge shout-out to Cycle Transitions for sponsoring him!).  The course takes a meticulous methodical approach to bicycle repair, teaching the skills to repair bicycles for optimum function and safety. He learned wheel-building from a Master Wheel Technician, and also gained a serious in-depth understanding of all major bicycle components, including frames, bearings, wheels, drive trains, brakes and shifting systems. He’s now well-versed (even more so than he already was!) in troubleshooting, repairing, and preventative maintenance!  

He’s happy to share his training & knowledge with others, so feel free to pick his brain on rides—about those weird squeaks, the funny rumbles, or those unexplained chain skips—or maybe just for preventative maintenance advice on how to protect your investment!  He’s happy to plan a few workshops if there’s interest—let him know what you’d like! You can also drop in an see him where he volunteers at Cycle Transitions.

Congratulations Randy, on a job well-done!

Randy in his Bike Garage!

Rides for this week: Monday August 22 to Sunday August 28

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Reminder that Evening rides begin at 6:00pm and morning rides may start at 9am or 10 am—check your start times! Sunset on Tuesday is 8:02pm which shrinks our evening ride down yet again.  Make sure your lights are charged and on by 7:32pm.  We still have some rain in the forecast for Tuesday night so we’ll monitor all the weather gods and make a decision around 4:30.  It’s our last week of August, but the season goes all the way to the end of September and then beyond if the weather cooperates.  In the meantime, we’ll just skip to the details of this week’s rides!

The Quick Facts: Upcoming Rides

RSVP: All the details are on your Cycle Club account. If you plan to ride, please locate the Event in your Cycle Club account and click “Going” so the ride leader knows how many to expect.

Tuesday August 23: Evening Ride, 6:00pm

Level 1: 
Start location: Sydenham St., Cobourg (refer to your Cycle Club account for the exact address)

Level 2: 
Start location: The Mill Restaurant on Ontario St., Cobourg

Level 3/4: 
Start location: Cobourg Community Centre, D’Arcy St., Cobourg

Thursday August 25: Morning ride

Level 1: 
Start time: 9:00am
Start location: Westwood Park, on Carlisle St., Cobourg

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

Level 3/4: 
Start time: 10:00am
Start location: Squirrel Creek Conservation Area, 2520 Wallace Point Rd., Fraserville

Sunday August 28: Morning Ride

Level 1: 
Start time: 9:00am
Start location: Wicklow Beach Boat launch, 133 Lakeport Rd., Colborne

Level 2: 
Start time: 9:00am
Start location: Park Lane in Hastings (refer to your Cycle Club account for exact address)

Level 3/4: 
Start time: 10:00am
Start location: Hamilton Township Municipal Offices, 8285 Majestic Hills Rd., Hamilton Township

 

Rides for this week: Monday August 15 to Sunday August 21

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Reminder that Evening rides begin at 6:00pm.  Also, some of the morning rides may start at 9am.  Be sure to check the start times!

This week we are going to have some fun on Sunday with our first ever Ride and Pie Potluck! It’s exactly what it sounds like—we’ll ride for 90 minutes (45 minutes out, 45 minutes back) and then we’ll all share Pies potluck style outside near the sheltered picnic table at the Grafton Arena. You can credit Richard inspiring this—all his talk about pie!  Here’s what you need to bring to the Pie Potluck:

  • A pie to share! It can be any kind of pie—dessert pie, chicken pot pie, meat pie…..anything goes, it’s all about treating ourselves
  • Be sure to include a knife and a pie-serving utensil with your creation
  • Bring your own utensils & your favourite drink
  • Bring a lawn chair 

NOTE: We have a number of vegetarians in our Club—it would be much appreciated if you could please identify if your pie is vegetarian-friendly 

The Quick Facts: Upcoming Rides

IMPORTANT: Start Times may vary for each Ride Level
RSVP: All the details are on your Cycle Club account. If you plan to ride, please locate the Event in your Cycle Club account and click “Going” so the ride leader knows how many to expect.

Tuesday August 16: Evening Ride, 6:00pm

Level 1: 
Start location: Cobourg Public Library

Level 2: 
Start location: King’s Field in Port Hope 

Level 3/4: 
Start location: George Hamilton Public School in Welcome

Thursday August 18: Morning ride, 10am

Level 1: 
*Start time: 9:00am
Start location: To be determined

Level 2: 
Start location: Park Lane in Hastings (Login to your Cycle Club account for the exact address)

Level 3/4: 
Start location: Boat Launch in Brighton (Ontario Street Dock)

CANCELLED: Sunday August 21: Morning Ride & Pie Potluck

Level 1, 2, 3, and 4: 
*Start time: 10:00am
Start location: Haldimand Memorial Community Arena (Grafton Arena)