Author Archives: Tom Blainey
Christmas 2019 Pub Night
Join your friends from DCC in a cheer to the end of the year!
RSVP by December 18 – Click Here!
When: Friday December 20 Where: Hops House, Whitby Time: 7 PM
Park just south of Hops House in Municipal lot, free after 6 PM. If parking full, municipal lot north of Dundas street behind Gryphon pub.
Quickie to Annina’s
Start: Claremont Memorial Park
Distance: 40 KM
Tour Host: Derek Lee
Time: 9:30 AM
Turns: Click here.
Thanksgiving Special Ride
Date: Friday October 11 Start Time: 1 PM
Start Location:
Join Tom Moffat for a relaxed Pace Ride from Newcastle to Port Hope. On this Thanksgiving Weekend special, we will ride as a group while this great weather lasts. No map, just follow Tom! Approx. 50-60 km.
Nestleton to Lindsay
Join Rob as he takes you on a tour to Lindsay for a coffee.
Date: October 6
Time: 9:30 AM
Start: Nestleton Community Centre
3971 ON-7A, Nestleton Station, ON L0B 1L0
Ride Length: 79 km
RWGPS Turn By Turn: Click Here
Ups and Downs
Date: Sunday May 24
Start location: Kedron Park, 426 Britannia Ave E, Oshawa, ON L1L 1B7
Start Time: 8:30 AM
This ride really has it’s Ups & Downs. Ride to Burketon Station for a snack at Stack’s Grill.
Click here for turn by turn directions.
Pickering Annina’s 75
Date: Sunday Sept. 15
Start Point: Independent Plaza – Dixie & Finch, Pickering
Start Time: 9 AM
Ride to Annina’s for delicious snacks and downhill all the way home.
Click here for turn by turns.
Fionn’s Ride
| Meet at: Fionn’s Restaurant,
Corner of Green Road & Hwy 2, Bomanville Park between LCBO and Winners Date: Oct 27 Start Time: 9:30 AM Route: 67 km Route Features: Ride from Fionn’s Restaurant owned by DCC members Tracy & Carl Allred. After 67 km through Clarington we go back for some food & drink at Fionn’s. If weather turns sour, we can cut route by 15 km at Concession 3 and Morgans Road. Map & Turns: Click here RWGPS: Click on route below.
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2019 Ride4 United Way Saturday Post Ride
| Meet at: Casino Ajax
Date: Aug 31 Start Time: 9 AM Route: 56 km Route Features: Easy pace to Hy Hope Farms for a coffee and butter tart, open to ALL DCC members and registered UnitedWay riders. Join us for a fun and relaxing but slightly challenging bike ride this coming long weekend. If you’re in town, join us for a 56K ride from Casino Ajax and Ajax Downs up to Hy-Hope farms for a slightly easier return to the Casino. (It is mostly downhill on the way back). We’ll make a stop at Hy-Hope Farms (And Bakery) for a coffee, tart or water. (Approx. at the halfway mark) We’ll stay in groups as the course will not be signed. GPS is available. No one will get dropped. Please bring full water bottles to the start. There is no fee or charge, but we ask you to please sign up (it’s easy and quick) so that we can project for group size and potential pace and communicate any updates regarding weather, course etc. All riders will receive a $10 slot play voucher. We will require all participants to sign a waiver when we start. We are grateful to Ajax Downs and Casino Ajax for their support of this event and the United Way of Durham Region Map & Turns: Click here RWGPS: Click on route below. Click here for event details and to sign up.
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Group Riding Safety Update
GROUP RIDING
By now I am sure that most of you have heard about our Tuesday night crash a few weeks ago which unfortunately resulted in some of the riders sustaining injuries.
WHAT HAPPENED – Our group was doing a spirited echelon on Hwy 2 east of Newcastle and the word went out, “Keep it around 40kph”. When riders checked their speed wheels touched and the result was a number of riders going down.
WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS? – The key to riding in a group whether it be a social pace line, pace line or echelon is to maintain a steady constant effort, speed has absolutely nothing to do with it. That effort will increase when climbing and it is up to the strongest riders to keep the group together and not go charging ahead. On gradual descents the leaders should not quit pedalling, those behind are already on their brakes, so keep pedaling with light effort. AND, because you are not looking at speed you can place your full attention to the bikes in front of you.
SPEED on your GPS/ Bike Computer – When I ask riders who are buying computers what they want it for nearly everyone has the same answer, “I want to see how fast I am going”, I have never had anyone say “I want to see how slow I am going” yet that’s when they should be looking at their computer, not when they are going fast. If I ask what’s the benefit of knowing your speed most have no answer, some have a pre-conceived number as to what their maximum speed should be and brake when they reach that number. That number too means nothing, there are some bikes that are unstable at 35kph and others comfortable at twice that speed. The key is to descend at a speed that you feel comfortable with on your bike and forget whatever number that corresponds to, DON’T LOOK AT THE SPEED.
MY GPS DISPLAY – Of the 3 pages on my GPS none display speed, front and centre at the top of the page is Heart Rate, ideally it would be Power but power meters are expensive, heart rate is the next best thing. The other items on my main page are Cadence, Distance, Time and % Grade. Yes, when I am struggling up that hill with my heart rate way up I want to how steep it is, and I don’t really want to know how slow I am going, all I know is that it’s slow enough for me to look at my computer. When I stop or download my GPS at the end of the ride it displays Maximum Speed, Average Speed etc. and all the details I don’t need to know when I’m on the bike.
IN SHORT – At the DCC kick off I mentioned that speed was Irrelevant. I’d like to add to that, “Checking your speed is not only Irrelevant it’s a Detriment, forget about it, ENJOY YOUR RIDE”.
Glyn