Castleknock Cycling Club

Transcription

1 Castleknock Cycling Club NEWSLETTER Volume 1, Issue 3 Date: Spring 2017 Inside this issue Chairman s Note Dates for your Diary Secretary Report Club Spin update S & C and Nutrition Rebel Tour of Cork Spin Leaders Mandate Cleaning your bike Club Gear The Basics/Essentials Respect 200km Cycle Winter Spins Check your bike Chairman s Note Erick O Neill Welcome to the Spring edition of Castleknock Cycling Clubs newsletter. Spring does indeed seem to have finally sprung and after a miserable February and early March hopefully the weather will pick up steadily as we start to build the mileage on the road. As always safety first and the early part of this year has not been a good one for cyclist fatalities on Irish roads with 5 cyclists sadly year to date losing their lives. The need to be ever vigilant on the roads was never greater so please remember to adhere to the rules of the road at all times and be mindful of everyone around you. As a club our focus on safety has increased in the past few months and the introduction of our spin leader programme has been central to that and a great success so thank you for all for committing to get involved. We will continue to welcome any member who wants to get more involved so please contact any of the spin leaders or committee members if you are interested. Our club has grown now to over 80 members and we have 3 distinct groupings of 22kph, 26kph and 28+kph so there is a pace there to suit everyone. So even if you have been off the road for a while there are no excuses!!! It s also great to see so many of you ordering club gear in a steady stream and the best way to promote our club is to get our colours and branding out there and continue to generate interest. I would like to also thank those of you who have mailed us with suggestions on ways to improve and requests for information or activities. All suggestions are welcome and we try our best to accommodate those requests as the year progresses. After all it s your club so make the most out of your membership. Lastly we have a great calendar of activities planned this year and next up will be our 100km spin in May. The season will peak with the Rebel tour in September which is setting up nicely to be a great weekend!! Looking forward to seeing you all on the road in the coming weeks. Your Chairman, Erick. Dates for your Diary - Event Calendar CCC May 100k Spin and social Wicklow 100/200KM Respect 200km Cycle Laragh Spin Hill Preparation CCC End of Season Trip away Sat 13 th May Sun 11 th June Sat 15th July 27 th August Sept 8 th -10th Club Spins Meet every Sat & The Carpenter Pub, Carpenterstown, D15. New members always welcome Blanch Wheelies Hospice Cycle Date TBC (End Sept) CCC Christmas/Awards Night 2 nd December CCC AGM TBC St Stephens Day Spin 26 th December Turkey Buster 28 th December

2 Secretary Report Liam Twomey Secretary Report Liam Twomey Spring is here and to say that to say that Castleknock Cycling Club is in rude health with regards to membership, would be an understatement, (copy/paste for my Autumn report s opening line!). Our membership now stands at the time of writing at 82 which is a massive 123% growth from the humble beginnings of our establishment in April The following numbers will illustrate this almost stellar growth. Year Number of Members December December April This is indeed a solid growth path for our Club which has endured the normal growing pains of a voluntary organisation, drawing solely on goodwill of the members. Whilst we want to share the enjoyment of the sport with others, we are mindful of the sustainable element of attracting new members, whilst first and foremost serving the existing ones. Bearing in mind there is always attrition with some members reprioritising their free time, moving out of area or just plain can t be arsed getting out of bed! The latter group of individuals are still on our radar and no doubt we should encourage them to get out again. With regards to communications from the Club, especially with regards to new members reading a Club Newsletter for the first time, the following are the channels that we utilise for differing purposes. WhatsApp General chit chat & notifications List Weekly Spin descriptions and Membership information/notifications Strava Weekly Spin description of route & elevations Facebook Weekly Spin descriptions & photos Twitter Weekly Spin descriptions & photos Website Latest news, About Us, Club Kit, Photo Gallery, Club Spins (Etiquette Safety), etc. All the above are subscription based, apart from Facebook, Twitter & Website that members can follow themselves. Should any member not on any of the WhatsApp, or Strava lists above please contact me directly and I will rectify immediately. New members are of course welcome where I engage most enquiries via the webpage form with a standard describing CCC. We have set out minimum requirements for aspiring members such that they can join the 3 established weekly Spin categories conformably. These include the following mandatory requirements Road bike in working order with drop bars only, no flat bars or tri-bars Helmet or no spin, strictly! Have done some distance cycling minimum 22 kph Observation of Rules of Road - ALWAYS Follow the instruction of the Spin Leader ALWAYS This is as much a requirement for the new prospective as it is to slot into the structure we have worked on to maximise both safety and enjoyment of the existing members. So, to that end I would encourage you all to maximise your membership and get out for that Spin. You won t regret it! Chapeau & viva CCC! Castleknock Cycling Club contact list Chairman Erick O Neill chairman@castleknockcyclingclub.ie Secretary Liam Twomey secretary@castleknockcyclingclub.ie Treasurer Shay Kearns info@castleknockcyclingclub.ie P.R.O Tony Nulty info@castleknockcyclingclub.ie Club Gear Paul Mullins info@castleknockcyclingclub.ie Spin Coordinator Barry Gleeson info@castleknockcyclingclub.ie Spin Coordinator Pat Lynch info@castleknockcyclingclub.ie Follow Us CCC WhatsApp group

3 Club Spin update Barry Gleeson/Pat Lynch Overall winter cycling went well for us this last few months. Every week we had anything up to 30 cyclists out over the weekend and we managed to keep our three groups up and running during this time. Following advice from all the blogs and cycling sites we kept the runs shorter and flatter albeit we didnt dial the speed back too much. Apparently the winter k's will provide a great base for summer fitness so well done to all that kept it going in when the weather was harsh. Many of our riders that prefer cycling in more benign conditions turned out for the first time this year at our back on the bike spin with coffee and scones in early March. It was great to see over 40 members out that day. It was still early in the season and a great time to kickstart 2017 on the bike. Many that turned up have made it out again over the last few weeks so we will deem that day a success too. An important addition to our spins program added this winter is our spin leader initiative. We have a team of spin leaders appointed who's job is to ensure the safety and smooth operation of our spins for all riders. You have all seen the impact of this where we now have more regulation of group pace ensuring that nobody gets left behind and a focus on group etiquette where our leaders are responsible for keeping discipline ensuring greater comfort and safety! Dont be surprised or offended if you get a bit of etiquette advice - we all need it and its for the benefit of us all. Our aim is to have one of our designated leaders on every spin and ultimately to increase the standard of our group etiquette to the point where our leaders have very litte to do. We are now on Summer time with the clocks having gone forward and last weekends sun had an uplifting effect on the mood of the departing spins. As usual for this time of year you can expect to see a bit more variety being added into distances and routes. Spins taking in the hills of Dublin and Wicklow are once again an option as are slightly longer versions of our regular routes. Over the next few weeks our 26k and 28k groups can expect to see some of these route options which as well as being tough are really enjoyable and great training for those that want to attempt a few sportives this year. For the coming weeks our 22k group will continue on routes with the current level of difficulty that will allow the build-up of fitness and experience. Our start times will now be 8:30 at the gates of Castleknock Community College (CCC) until further notice. We will try to provide shortcuts on our longer routes for those that are facing execution on returning late from the weekend spin. I would expect a two hour option to be available through this means most weeks. We will keep you posted well in advance of our calendar events and will announce club supported charity events and sportives as they come upon us. For those doing the Wicklow 200 we will have a handful spins on Wicklow 200 type terrain over the next few weeks. Senior members Richie and Timmy from the Saturday crew keep asking for this! We will of course also be tailoring a program to ready us for the rebel tour in September much closer to the time. As ever feedback on routes, leaders, events or any other club topics is always welcome and remember to punch in on strava for the weekly spins so that Pat can get the leaders organised. Have a great summer on the bike! Barry and Pat, Spin coordinators Strength and Conditioning & Nutrition Owen Percy Over the winter months the Club organised a series of Strength and Conditioning classes with Club member Owen Percy of Percy Fitness in Ashtown, Dublin 15. Owen outlines the benefits of Strength and Conditioning Training and good nutrition. Benefits of Strength and Conditioning Training. One of the main benefits from Strength and Conditioning classes are reducing the risk of injury due to strengthening of tendons and ligaments. Increased muscle strength allows greater acceleration on the bike and enhanced stamina. It also perfects muscle imbalances, identifies areas of weakness in the body and allows athletes to concentrate on these areas. For the winter months it adds variety to a cyclist training programme. Typically cycling training is long periods of times - S&C adds a different element to your training and can help keep motivation up for the long winter months. Benefits of good Nutrition Training can often weaken the immune system as the body gets tired after a week s training. Good nutrition will keep the immune system strong. Nutrition should not only be addressed on training days, looking after your food everyday will make your training day nutrition a lot easier and not as hard on your stomach. It s really important to take on fluids on a daily basis, as in 2-3lts of water on a non-training day, more if you re training. On the bike we need about 600m per hour of cycling to keep fully hydrated. Food on the bike varies from person to person but in general you should take in grams of carbohydrates per hour. This probably all sounds a lot, but you will be fully hydrated and you will not run out of energy coming close to the end of the cycle. Pre cycle food should be high energy, slow releasing, so it gives you at least the first hour of nutrition on your spin. Post training should be mixture of carbohydrates and protein.

4 CCC weekend away Rebel Tour of Cork We ve had a phenomenal response to our club weekend away, with 50 riders already declaring their interest! It s going to be some weekend. And the door is not shut, so if you d like to join us, let any of the event committee know directly. The details are all below. We have accommodation for 45 booked in the fabulous Eccles Hotel ( Additionally we have managed to add in a dinner for the Saturday night. Rolled up pricing is now at 170 for the 2 nights, including the after event dinner and breakfasts on Saturday and Sunday. So what happens now? We are dealing directly with the event organisers regarding registration. Being a large group we hope to arrange a smooth group booking process and possibly trim a bit off the official 45 event registration price on account of our numbers. So no need for you to do anything there yet. To secure your place, you now need to pay! Information on the weekend For those that are new to the club or who haven t participated before in sportives, or indeed didn t manage to make last year s hugely successful trip to Antrim you are in for a treat! For 2017, we are heading to Glengarriff in County Cork, to participate in the famous Rebel Tour of Beara. What is it? Well sportives are well organised fun leisure cycles, typically taking the riders through some nice hills and interesting scenery. The Rebel Tour however does this in bucket loads! You will have a choice of 2 different routes, designed to suit all levels of cyclist. The Rebel Rider route offers a comfortable 85K, well within the capabilities of our club members, with the Rebel Challenge serving up a mouth-watering 160k mountainous route designed to test the toughest of warriors. Last year An Post sponsored the event, and whilst the 2017 sponsors have yet to be announced, it will be once again managed by the Cork Sports Partnership. Entry is limited to 2,500 riders. This one sells out quick folks. Where is it? Starting in Glengarriff, County Cork, the route essentially loops the Beara peninsula, crossing into the Kindom of Kerry as you head out west along the shoreline of Kenmare Bay, then returning back into Cork along Bantry Bay. Glengarriff itself is a bustling tourist town, and will serve as HQ for the weekend. Expect post event cold beers, music and craic into the wee hours. Check out this fantastic 2 min YouTube video for a taster: Rebel 2016 Video When? So the sportive itself is on Saturday 9th September, commencing 9am. As Glengarriff is probably a 4 hour drive from Dublin, we are running this event as a 2 nighter, with cyclists arriving down on the evening of Friday 8th. We ll grab some food together and hit the sack early, ready to tackle what the Rebel has to throw at us. Folks will return to Dublin on Sunday 10th, heroes one and all. Barry, Shay & Paul. (2017 Event Away Committee). 160km Rebel Challenge 85km Rebel Rider

5 Spin Leaders Mandate The primary goal of our Spin Leaders is to ensure that CCC group spins operate as safely as possible for the enjoyment of riders. A group that is working really well should not require any intervention and that should be the goal of the spin leader. Communications and appointment of spin leaders Spin Leaders will be added to a WhatsApp group. A prompt for leaders will be sent out weekly and leaders should volunteer to lead the group they are in each week. In the absence of an appointed leader anyone from the panel turning up to a run should lead it. After the spin if there is anything relevant such as consistent etiquette breaches or route feedback it should be communicated to spin committee. Pre spin Will detail route before departure outlining shortcuts or extensions. Spin leaders would ideally have a GPS computer or appoint someone to call the directions that has. Will pass on safety instructions from Spin committee. Will outline clearly the advertised pace of the group. Will have access to ICE emergency contact numbers (stored on Club Drive) in the event of an accident Pre departure headcount Will cancel the spin if conditions are dangerous - (excessive wind rain or frost) During the spin Will control pace where necessary. Pace should be no faster than what is comfortable for the slowest member in group. Will call changeovers. It's difficult for 1 person to call changeovers all day so other people may step up to do this also. Will have access to emergency contact numbers (stored on Club Drive) in the event of an accident. Tactfully advise cyclists of etiquette breaches. A common sense approach to be taken - a quiet word after the event. Will give attention and advice to newbie cyclists in a group. Cleaning your bike Cleaning your bike makes it look great, but much more importantly makes it works better and improves performance/go faster. It s also a good chance of giving it a good once-over to check and spot potential problems, like loose parts, a crack in the frame and check worn parts before they become a serious issue. Regular washings will keep your bike free from costly repairs or damage due to rust or corrosion, and it only takes minutes to do properly. What you ll need 1. Bucket of hot water (with washing up liquid) 2. Sponge 3. Soft bristle brush (old toothbrushes work great) 4. Bike Cleaner and degreaser 5. Clean dry rags 6. Chain oil/lube - Always apply bicycle-specific lube oil to a clean chain 7. Bike stand (optional) allows you to position the bike at a comfortable height while you re working on it Steps Start off by giving the bike a good soaking with the sponge including handlebars and saddle Spray bike cleaner on frame and wheels Apply degreaser on chain and drivetrain - leaving it to work its way through the dirt for a few minutes If practical, remove the wheels this will facilitate a more efficient cleaning of both the wheels and the frame Next, work from top to bottom with a wet brush and then move on to the gears. Using clean water, rinse all the products off your bike s components, dry them off with your dry rag Lube the chain and derailleurs, wiping off the excess oil Use this opportunity to give the bike the once-over - see the Check your bike in 11 steps in this newsletter Use your head CCC Picts needed Makes sure your helmet fits Remember to send in all your CCC photos - either by to info@castleknockcyclingclub.ie or send via the CCC WhatsApp Group.

6 Club Gear Paul, Shay, Michael Following a very successful sizing evening in the Carpenter (we swear, no drink was taken), the kit & gear wing of CCC took in substantial orders for the Spring 2017 season. On-line orders later swelled the books, and we proceeded with 56 items of kit, expected to arrive in late May, ensuring that all of our road warriors will be sporting the CCC colours. It was great to see so many of our newer members sign up for the club kit, and with such large numbers out these days, we will be a formidable presence on the roads and sportives this summer. The most popular items continue to be the kit staples: jerseys and shorts. Of note, was a strong run on the gilet, and politely, no one pulled us up on our continued spelling errors. I'm reliably told a gillet is 'a flighty young woman'. Any orders for these? We held off on a couple of pieces, that are better served for the Autumn collection, namely our lighter long bib tights and the rain cape. These coupled with the fabulous Winter Jacket, will have you well kitted for later in the year. Watch out for the garment tweaks that Velo have introduced on the 2017 kit. Secluded zipped pockets, extra reflective piping and improved cuts on some of the items. Our classic club livery design and styling remains unchanged. As ever, your feedback is important to us, so don't be shy on letting us know what you think or if you have any suggestions for improvements or additions to the range. For further info on ordering, sizing and payment, check out the Club Kit Page on our Club Website on Club Gear Items Short Sleeve Jersey Bioceramic polyester, mesh rear and carbon side panels with Laser cut hem, 3 pockets including 1 zipped invisible pocket. Full invisible zip, raw lycra cuffs. Long Sleeve Roubaix - Inner Fleece providing a degree of warmth. 3 pockets, Full invisible zip, reflective strip under pockets and Hidden Zipped Pocket. Anatomically fitted. Bib Shorts Male High Compression Lycra, 65mm raw lycra cut on ends, Customised Raw Lycra No Seam Bibs with La Fonte Male REKORD Chamois Bib Shorts Female FEMALE VEULTA Chamois (same as above but with female chamois stitched in) Bib Tights Superwarm (male/female) Water Repellent features with excellent chamois. Really good in the colder weather days from -2c up to 9/10c Spring Bib Tights: (male/female): Roubaix Warm. Water Repellent features with Rekord Chamois. For temps 5c above Rain Cape With excellent waterproof membranes. Mesh panels under arms. Breathable Polyester and really good rain protection. Windproof. Gillet with more waterproof membrane material and 1 centre rear pocket zipped. Winter Thermal Jacket: Windoff material. Breathable, Reflective Materials, 3 pockets, 1 hidden pocket. Anatomical. Water Repellent layer on outer side Be on time for Club spins Cycling helmets are required on every ride Maintain your bike in good order Puncture repair 2x spare tubes, tyre irons, pump/co2 Carry enough food, water All must adhere to Spin Leaders instruction during spin Learn to call and signal all hazards well in advance Maintain a steady straight line The Basics/Essentials Be predictable with all your actions - avoid braking suddenly Stay alert, and chat only when it s safe Pass the Calls up and down the group Regroup after climbs Nobody is left stranded Always bring a spare (or 2)!!!

7 Respect 200km Charity Cycle This years 2017 Annual Respect 200km Charity Cycle is the popular spin from The Carpenter to Tullamore (via Enfield, Kinnegad, Kilbeggan) and back home to The Carpenter again taking place on Saturday 15th July. This is the 10 th year of this great event and is always a super day out on the bike. Departure from The on Sat 15 th July Organised food and water stops Sweeper vans with food & water, bike spares etc Food on arrival back at The Carpenter that evening Drinks & refreshments for all in The Carpenter that night Option for participants to cycle to Mother Hubbard s 100km round trip. Put the date in your diary we hope you can join us. Further details in the coming weeks - for more info, Vinny Conway respectcycle200@gmail.com

8 Winter spins

9 Check your bike in 11 steps another reminder! 1. Rear wheel - It should be tightly fitted and the quick release lever is secure in the closed position. Not all wheels will have quick release levers. If the wheel is not quick release, check that the nuts on both sides of the wheel are secure. 2. Spokes - Should be of equal tension and not loose. Pluck each spoke with your finger. The sound from each spoke should be very similar. 3. Air in tyres - If the tyre is soft, then attach your pump to the valve and pump up. Note: There are two types of valve fitting Presta (long and thin), and Schrader (thicker and slightly shorter). Recommended tyre pressure is usually written somewhere on the tyre. 4. Saddle - Check your seat post isn t loose and that you haven t exceeded the limit marked on the seat post. Once you have checked these, use an allen key to tighten the seat post clamp. Check the seat is secure by giving it another check once you have finished. 5. Chain - Should be clean and oiled. Keeping your chain clean and oiled is important for the smooth running of your bike. Note: Don t use too much oil as this will pick up more dirt and make the chain more difficult to clean. 6. Pedals - Make sure they spin smoothly and that your cranks are on tight, spin smoothly, and don t creak. 7. Stem - Check that your front wheel and stem do not move independently, and that your handlebar clamp bolts are tight. Perform this check by standing in front of the bike, holding the front wheel between your knees, and twisting the handlebars. You can prevent any movement by tightening the stem bolts and the handlebar clamp with an allen key. 8. Headset - Check if there is any rocking or clicking in the headset. Perform this check by firmly grasping the head tube with one hand and applying the front brake with the other hand. This will steady the front of the bike so that you can shake the headset to establish any rocking or clicking in the bearings. 9. Brakes - ensure that the front and rear brakes are working properly. If the brake lever pulls against the handlebar grip, the brake cable needs adjusting. This is done by loosening the brake cable anchor bolt, pulling the cable tighter, and tightening the anchor bolt again. Both sides of the brake mechanism should move when the brake is applied. If this is not happening, turn the small adjustor screw on the stationary side until both sides are moving again. Most brakes have these adjustor screws. The brake block must pull flat to the wheel rim. If this is not the case, use an allen key to tighten the block in the correct position. This is done whilst applying the brake. Finally, check the front brake by applying the brake and pushing the bike forwards, and check the back brake by applying the brake and pulling the bike backwards. 10. Frame - Look for any cracks or damage. Focus this check on the area where the frame joins the head tube. 11. Front wheel - It should be tightly fitted and the quick release lever is secure in the closed position. Not all wheels will have quick release levers. If the wheel is not quick release, check that the nuts on both sides of the wheel are secure.