APRIL 6 KICKOFF MEETING-We have a good list of rides for our Kickoff Meeting but still need a ride leader for our B ride.  Even if you are not leading a ride you should sign up for the event.  It will be a good meeting to kick off the cycling season and to socialize with your fellow riders. One important topic we will be covering is “proposed rides”.

APRIL 12 TREK INSPECTION RIDES-We have all rides covered except we still need a C+ ride leader. This is a good opportunity to get your bike checked for the new season.

PROMOTION-During your safety talks don’t forget to promote the Kickoff Meeting and Trek Inspection Rides.

BACKUP RIDES-One thing I believe in, promote and follow is if I see a C ride that interests me I back it up with a D+ ride.  Any C rider that can’t keep up can fall back to my D+ ride. This gives the C ride leader more freedom knowing that there is a sweep.  Also a rider that signs up for the D+ ride may feel like experimenting with a C pace.  For example, I put in a D+ ride this Sat to back up Pete’s C ride from Denville.  I believe that putting in these rides with multiple paces will increase participation and socialization.

Starting tomorrow Seth Cohen will start Tuesday night training rides. Seth is hoping to run five Tuesdays in a row to cover group riding, paceline basics, climbing, etc. 

The first ride is just to learn group ride basics and get the rust off from the winter. Over the next few rides, we’ll work on riding in a paceline, climbing, and maybe even a little sprinting.

For the first ride, he will ride at “TB-” pace. This is a no-drop ride, and we’ll work to keep everyone together.  

APR 6 SPRING KICKOFF – Spring Kickoff will be held at Brookside and you can sign up at the main page for the meeting and at the ride schedule for the ride.  Rides will take place after the meeting, and we still need a ride leader for the B ride.  To sign up as a ride leader for a proposed ride go to the Ride Schedule, select the ride and under Tour/Signup select Become a Ride Leader.  The proposed ride will then become a scheduled ride so all members can see the ride.  Right now, only ride leaders can see proposed rides.  Note that only kickoff rides will be allowed on Apr 6.

APR 12 TREK INSPECTION RIDES – Trek Inspection Rides will take Apr 12 and you can sign up at the main page for the event and at the ride schedule for the ride. Note that only Trek inspection rides will be allowed on Apr 12.  Right now, we need ride leaders for the rides.  Food will be supplied, and you don’t have to have your bike inspected.

HOWE ATHLETIC FIELD VS LOT C – Right now for all Colonial Park rides we are allowed to use Lot C where there are bathrooms.  As soon as porta johns are placed at Howe Athletic Field we will switch to Howe.  My guess is porta johns will be placed soon.  If you see them there, please contact me.  Park Rangers requested that we not take up parking spaces at any of the Colonial Park parking lots during their active season.  

OTHER BATHROOMS – Please let me know when bathrooms at Summer Rd, Pluckemin and Pickell Park are reopened.

E-BIKES – There has been some recent discussions on which E-Bikes are allowed on MAFW rides.  MAFW policy is “Class 1, no throttle”.  I checked with BTCNJ and PFW and they also do not allow E-bikes with throttles.  Since the introduction of E-bikes to our rides no one has reported any negative issues.  Some riders have reported to me that switching to an E-bike has allowed them to continue riding.  That is a good thing!!!

PACES – With a new cycling season upon us, you may encounter riders that can’t keep up at your stated pace.  Please be patient with them, stay with them and give them advice on trying a slower pace.  Thanks for your help.

THANKS!!!! – Thanks for being ride leaders and continuing to make MAFW an active and successful club.

Manny

On April 6 MAFW will have its Spring Kickoff at Brookside in Mendham.  For more info and to signup go to the main page of the website.  In case you don’t know how to get to the main page of the website, just select the wheel at top left of the page.

After the meeting we will have rides for all paces.   For new members who are unsure what pace they should select, the C, D+ and D rides all are doing the same tour.  If you select the D+ ride and feel you can’t keep up, you can fall back to the D ride.  In addition, I will be leading the D ride and will classify it as a “New Member Ride” and will be giving additional instruction.   On March 29 weather permitting I will post a D+ ride with emphasis on new members.

Manny

I have posted rides for the Kickoff Meeting on Sunday April 6th. You can sign up to lead these rides by clicking  on the Tour/Signup column for any of these rides and then click on the Become the Ride Leader button.

You can also find the instructions here: https://mafw.org/kickoff-meeting-rides/ 

This method can also be used for leading Proposed rides added by the Ride Planning Committee. They will start adding proposed rides for rides starting in the first week in April.

“Needs Leader”has been changed  to “Proposed Ride”. Now, any ride leader can choose to lead a Proposed Ride by going to the Ride Schedule and clicking on the Tour/Signup column and then clicking on Become the Ride Leader. Only ride leaders can see Proposed Rides on the Ride Schedule.

Once you sign up to be the ride leader then the ride becomes a Scheduled Ride and members can then sign up to join the ride. Please sign up for the proposed rides for the kickoff meeting. Board is requesting that you don’t put any rides in that would conflict with the kickoff meeting.  Thanks for your cooperation.  Manny

Get ready for the return of the annual Philly Bike Expo, March 8 & 9, at the PA Convention Center, North Broad & Cherry Streets. This is one of the largest bike shows in the US! All details are here: https://phillybikeexpo.com/

Bon Ton Roulet is a 5-day bike ride in the Finger Lakes of New York.  2 nights are spent at Hobart Williams College and 2 nights at Keuka College.  You can tent camp or stay in dorms.  I did the last 2 Bon Tons and already signed up for this year’s Bon Ton.  Attached below is the link to Bon Ton and it is on the MAFW calendar.  I created the ride on the MAFW schedule so after you register with Bon Ton, please sign up on the MAFW schedule so we know who is going.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Manny

Bon Ton Roulet | Auburn YMCA

I understand that my image of hand signals may have been missing from my email.  To find a list of hand signals as well as other safety topics, go to the MAFW website and select Safety Policy under Safety.  I recommend you review our Safety Policy as well as Bicycle Safety 101 that is also located under Safety.  I recommend you share these documents with other family members that ride. In my neighborhood it bothers me when I see kids riding their bikes to school and not following basic rules of the road.  No helmet, wrong side of the road, texting while riding, etc.  Maybe schools should do a short session on bike safety at start of the school year.

Ride safe, Manny

When riding in a group we should use hand and verbal communication to promote safety. Below is a set of standard hand signals I received from a fellow cyclist.  Verbal cues should also include stopping, slowing, car back, car up, car left, car right, hole, ice, rough road but never CLEAR.