The “Two Daves” have kindly provided the Sunday Morning rides this week.
As usual, we depart from the Rose and Crown in Ivinghoe at the times stated above. Please bring a copy of your chosen route with you.
Don’t forget that the clocks go forward one hour tonight !
So with the good weather today Eas-ing you into the weekend, you can rest assured that Saturday probably won’t be quite so wonderful. But that’s no egg-scuse for not being out on your bike!
Regardless of the weather, the Tea Ride Bike & Bonnet Parade will leave the Rose & Crown, Ivinghoe at 10am. Prize for the Best Turned Out bike & rider combo…..
See you for tea …… (& cake of course!)
Our early ride this week has been crafted by Mr Dave “One (chain)ring to rule them all” Howe.
Please bring a copy of your chosen route with you. As always, we meet at the Rose and Crown in Ivinghoe, departing at the time stated above. New riders are always welcome to join us – no fees, no forms to fill in and an assurance that no one gets left behind, regardless of ability.
Another cold Saturday, intrepid tea riders meet outside the Rose and Crown at 10 am to go foraging for tea and cake. Brrrrr
Continuing with our rejuvenation and reminder of our founding principal – “No one gets left behind”, please discuss pace amongst yourselves before leaving HQ. One of the regulars will step up to be the nominated leader for each group.
9am start, 52 mile new route from Mr Beezer
10am start, 32 mile new route from Mr Bembridge
10am start, 19 mile route from Mr Bembridge
As always, please bring a copy of your chosen route with you. We launch from the Rose and Crown in Ivinghoe at the start times stated above.
Unusually the weather looks quite pleasant tomorrow, so please come and join us for the tea ride. 10 am outside the Rose and Crown.
As the result of a couple of great posts over on the Rear Hub Facebook group, we are going to make some changes to the Sunday rides this week. Our aim is to ensure we keep to one of our founding principals – “No one gets left behind”.
The changes will be –
At the start of the 9am ride, we will have a discussion about what people are most happy with in terms of pace. If there are distinct differences, groups of riders will be formed to suit. At least one of the “regulars” will remain with each group as a nominated group leader. They will have a copy of the route and help ensure their group of riders stays together.
Each rider needs to be aware of who is cycling behind them. If they notice the person behind them dropping off the back, they should give a shout to the person in front of them asking for the pace to be reduced so that they can get back on. This call should be relayed to the front of the group and the ride leader.
The only exceptions to maintaining group formation is when going up and down hills. This is where many of the club push themselves and enjoy trying to hit a personal best. The speedy riders will wait at the top if the hill until the rest of their group are with them. The same applies after a steep or long decent where the riders at the front should wait somewhere safe for everyone to regroup.
For fast groups, there may be a point close to the end of the ride where the group want to sprint for the final couple of miles. That’s fine so long as the group as a whole know what’s going on. So please, ensure that your intentions are relayed to all members of your group and that a rider is not left to ride home alone.
The etiquette above is the collective thoughts of the regulars, distilled by your webmaster. Everyone who rides with us is entitled to add to these thoughts, so please do speak up.
9am start, a flat 47 miles from Mr Howe
10am start, 32 mile route from Mr Bembridge
10am start, a flat 15 miles from Mr Bembridge
The Tea Ride is a place to learn
About riding on the road,
How to get more from your bike
And some cycling code.
Everyone is welcome
On bikes both big & small
And we’re really not concerned
If you’ve not ridden much at all.
Each ride has a leader
Who always knows the way,
And the route the ride will follow
Every Saturday.
That person at the front
Will set a steady pace
Designed to suit the slowest out,
The Tea Ride is no race.
We know there’s often grumbles
About the speed & hills
But the Tea Ride is your opportunity
To learn important cycling skills.
Better cycle handling
Can be learnt when going slow
A touch of brake or pedal
And in which gear to go
How to look behind you
And keep the ride as one
A bit of road positioning
And which hand signals are done.
The rider who is at the front
Should always be the one
That no-one ever overtakes –
To pass them simply isn’t done
Club etiquette says we will wait
At the top of every hill
And regroup at the bottom
After the free-wheeling thrill.
Going up or down are exceptions
To the overtaking rule
For then we get back in our group
– just like we did at school!
It’s fun to ride along with friends
And often side by side,
But 2 abreast is how it’s done –
Three is simply far too wide!
If you find you need to stop
Then loud & clear please call
“Stopping!” So all can hear you
And we avoid a crash & fall
The same applies to hazards
If hand signals you cannot make
Call out loud the problem
Then evasive action we can take
There’s always another rider
Who will bring up the rear
This is so we don’t lose you
And off the back you don’t disappear.
If you feel the Tea Ride
For you, is too slow
Then form a group amongst yourselves
And meet us wherever we go.
We always stop for tea & cake
Somewhere along the way
If you want to zoom ahead
And meet us there – just say!
You Sunday lot, there’s also things
That all of you should know
About looking after everyone
When in your groups you go
There’s something most disheartening
About being left behind
So keep looking over your shoulder
And bear this thought in mind.
It’s also very lonely
To be riding with no pals
That’s why the Velos group was formed
For all us boys n gals
We’ve always had a motto
To which all should adhere
We’ve safety then in numbers
And have pals with whom to share a beer
“No one EVER left behind”
Was the vow we made
It’s the only thing we’ve asked of you
But from it you seem to have strayed 🙁
We’ve had a little grumble
And laid it on the line
Please look after your fellow cyclists
So that everyone is fine.
You are cordially invited
To ride along with us
But please stick to our simple rules
So we don’t need to make a fuss.
The weather gods are not smiling favourably upon us again this week, so if you’re feeling brave and fancy a Tea Ride….. wrap up warm & use winter wheels! Rose & Crown, 10am.