May 2024 Newsletter
Key Links and Contacts
For everyone's convenience, here are links to key club resources on the website:
Membership Meeting - Summer Break!
The next member meeting is scheduled for October. Monthly newsletters will continue during the break. If you have questions or anything you would like to bring to the Board's attention, please feel free to send us an email or raise it in person at one of our events.
Action Needed! 2024 FCCC Kit Order
The kit order is now open through Monday, May 6th. Now's the time to order your cool looking Fort Collins Cycling Club jersey, bibs, shorts, or lightweight sleeves! If you missed the kit try-on opportunities, no worries. The ordering web site has size charts available to help you choose the best size.
Here is the link to the team store for ordering. Note that you will need to create an online account with Primal if you don't already have one, and you will want to log in to Primal before clicking the team store link.
https://via.primalcustom.com/collections/ts-7421
We are short to our ordering minimums on the following items. Your orders will help to put us over the line!
- LW sleeves - 4 pairs to go
- Evo bibs - 7 to go
- Evo shorts - 9 to go
- Prisma jersey - 6 to go
- Omni jersey - 6 to go
Orders will ship directly to your address around July 5th.
Road ID Discount for Members!
We are pleased to announce that Road ID has approved a 20% discount for FCCC members. This discount is good for a full year. Here is the link:
https://roadid.com/pages/groupdiscount?rfsn=7945966.59b01a&utm_source=teamsprogram&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=teamsgroupsclubs-20percentdiscount
This link will take you to a page where you submit your name and email. Road ID will then email you a 20% discount code to be used at checkout.
As a reminder, members are also eligible for a 10% discount at Trek on Harmony Road (applicable for products and services, new bikes subject to Trek promotions). Just ask at checkout.
Ride Schedule Updates
We are in full swing for the spring/summer riding season! Some highlights:
- D rides have been added to the schedule.
- Elevation Gain supplemental training rides begin on May 19th. Starting location is Cottonwood Glen Park.
- FCCC's annual spring century ride is scheduled for 5/25. If you're tired of paying >$100 for a supported century ride, this one is free!
Ride registration is now open 7 days prior to the event, and registrations are cancellable in the event your plans change. Please remember to register - people are more likely to show up if they know they will have someone to ride with!
Bored and looking for a ride? Don't forget to look at the Band app and the FCCC Facebook page for ad hoc ride announcements by members
Event Update and Training Rides
If you are looking for training buddies for big events this season, you can reach out to the Elevation Gain email alias. If you are interested and haven't already done so, please send a request to elevationgain@fccycleclub.org and you will be added to the alias.
Estes Park Camping and Ride 2024
Our annual Hermit Park camping trip is set for August 16-18. All five campsites booked by the club are now reserved; however these sites can fit two parties. If you are interested sharing a site, please send an email to the Board and we'll set something up. If you'd prefer a site of your own, Bobcat loop sites B30 and B32 are still available to book on the Larimer County website.
Weekend ride information is included on the club calendar.
Wanda's Ride
Wanda's ride is on the calendar for August 10th at 8am. This is our big summer ride event! Start and finish will be at Grey Rock Sports Grill as in the past, and we plan to offer A/B, C, and D routes again. Registration is open! Lunch will be served after the ride; registration for lunch is required at a cost of $17 per person (adult beverages are the member's responsibility and are not included in the registration cost).
June Bike To Work Day - Volunteers Needed
On Wednesday June 26th the City of Fort Collins is again sponsoring Summer Bike To Work Day. We will be hosting a booth on the CSU Oval from 6:30am to 9:30am. If you would like to spend a few hours hanging out, handing out swag, and chatting with hundreds of cyclists, please send an email to the Board.
Gravel Update
We got off to a good start in April with a fun Sunday morning gravel ride following the Trek Dirt Church route. We had 9 riders from the club and made some new friends along the way. If there's enough interest we can add gravel rides to the calendar (don't worry, we won't be replacing our regular rides). In the meantime there are a number of gravel groups we can ride with and we can do ad hoc member organized rides as well. We have created an email alias (gravel@fccycleclub.org) for members to easily communicate about rides and events. If you are interested, please email the alias and you will be added.
Ride Leader Initiative Update
The B group now has a solid group of ride leaders who are focused on good communication in the group regarding pace preferences, establishing rider counts and regroup points, and providing a welcoming environment for new members. Emphasis is now shifting to C and D ride leaders. Anyone interested in joining the ride leaders group should email rideleaders@fccycleclub.org and you will be added to the alias
Social Events - May Event On The Schedule!
Our first Social Ride and Dinner is scheduled for 5pm on Thursday May 23rd at Amy and Gary's. Registration is open! We also have a Social Ride and Dinner event scheduled for June, If you are interested in hosting a social event or ride combined with social event, please reach out to the Board for more information.
Tips - Ride Safety Refresher
This is a slightly updated repeat from last month. We can't overstress the importance of safe riding practices! For those of you who haven't yet reviewed the ride safety resources available via the club website, select the Essential Information, and review the following menu items:
- Ride Guidelines
- Ride Intensity Levels
- Riding in Groups (including all external links
- Ride Leader Guidelines
While the last item does not imply that all members need to be ride leaders, they do spell out what ride leaders are expected to do. Each participant needs to be part of the group, and to cooperate with the ride leader to make sure there is good communication throughout the group. Understanding what's expected of the ride leader is a key part of this communication.
Safe behavior on group rides is critical. All members are expected to obey traffic laws and be respectful, courteous users of roads and trails. All members are expected to be safe group ride participants by holding their lines, maintaining a steady pace, keeping hands on brakes, avoiding wheel overlaps, pointing out potential hazards on the road, and using verbal and/or hand signals for slowing down, turns, etc. If you see behaviors on a ride that are concerning, please don't hesitate to respectfully bring it to the attention of the ride leader.
Sometimes our rides take us on the great bike paths that Fort Collins and surroundings are so well known for. Please be aware that bike paths are really multi use paths and generally have a speed limit of 15 mph. Even 15 mph is too fast around other people, especially where there are lots of people (Poudre Trail at the water park on weekends, for example). Please be careful and courteous to everyone, and be a good representative of the cycling community.
Ride On!
Your FCCC Board of Directors
