Interested in getting a bike at a good price?  The Bike Connector is having its annual fundraiser with a sale of over 100 bicycles for adults and children.  If you are interested in getting a bike, come and take a look! The event is held in our shop at 47 Lee St in downtown Lowell.  We have some very nice road bikes - as well as hybrids, mountain bikes and even a cargo bike.

Sale dates and times:

The American Cancer Society’s endurance chapter, DetermiNation, hosts Bicycles Battling Cancer. Bicycles Battling Cancer is a one-day, fully supported bike ride in Lancaster, MA each year and we would love to have you join us! This year, our ride is on September 22^nd and, as previously mentioned, is a day long, fully supported ride in support of the American Cancer Society. Every year, we have hundreds of riders sign up and fundraise a minimum of $400 for our mission to save lives, celebrate lives, and lead the fight for a world without cancer. Our riders come together and partake in a scenic 30, 50, 63 (100km), or 100 mile ride with fully supported aid stations through Central Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Riders of all levels are encouraged to join and can participate as an individual or as part of a team. After the ride, we host our post-ride celebration with our riders, their families and friends, and members of the community. We'll have a robust celebration with music, food, activities, and a fun zone! It’s really an amazing day all around.

 Riders using code CRW10 will save on registration!

It’s time to start getting excited about the upcoming 2024 cycling season. To help CRW members get prepared and fired up, the club is hosting an online 2024 Season Preview session on Wednesday, March 20 at 7:00 - 8:00 pm.

Some of the topics we'll cover:

• President’s Welcome - President Randolph Williams

• • Member Survey Highlights

  • Goals and Vision for 2024

  • Recognize and thank volunteers: CRW cannot function without you!

• Committee Plans and Volunteer Opportunities

• • Rides and Safety Committee (RASC) - John O’Dowd

  • • Calendar Sneak Peak

    • How we are approaching getting more rides on the calendar

    • Ride leader training, Safety and Education, and Route Planning

  • Communications, Promotions, & Events Committee (CPEC) - Norma Loehr

  • • All the ways we are “getting the word out”, from WheelPeople to social media

    • Community Outreach and Sponsorships/Partnerships

  • Integrated Operations Committee (IOC) - Amy Juodawlkis

  • • Keeping the lights on, assisting our members, enhancing their experience, and paying it forward

• Get Involved 

• • How do I get involved? - We will answer your questions and demonstrate accessing our Volunteer Interest Form

• Wrap-up

Please register here to get the Zoom meeting details. Let's make this upcoming cycling season an amazing one by planning and preparing together!

See you on March 20. Now let's make it a great year of riding!

By John O'Dowd

Hey folks!

We're down to the last 9 Days of our 2024 Winter Ride Challenge. There's still time to get on the leader board. Challenge ends at midnight on Friday, March 15th. 

Currently, over 80 members have taken up the challenge (remember, enter time ridden between December 15th and March 15th, inclusive,  to participate). Four have made it to racer level (Pamela Blalock, Nickolas Linsky, Nick Lepeshkin, and Doug Cornelius). There are 13 Weekend Warriors and 15+ Recreationalists.

As a reminder here is what you need to qualify:

Prizes for each category will be raffled off to five riders from each category:

Racers: CRW cycling gloves

Weekend Warriors: 1600 lumen rechargeable light & tail light

Recreationalists: JLab Go Air Wireless Ear Buds

As an extra bonus 5 lucky participants will win a 2 pack of 700 x 20-25 road tubes.

Raffle winners will be notified via email and prizes given out at the Mighty Squirrel Brewery in Waltham on Sunday, March 17th at 1:00. Raffle winners will also have a drink waiting for them there. Appetizers will be available for all challenge participants.

So dig in and rack up some more hours! Spring is around the corner!

Don't forget to watch the documentary on Major Taylor tonight. You will need to download the PBS app to watch it. 

A New Movie Tells the Untold Saga of Cycling Legend Major Taylor (bicycling.com)

Black History Month offers a chance to uncover the stories of Black cyclcists that have not been traditionally told. VeloNews has done a great job profiling some remarkable Black cyclists, both historical and contemporary.  Here are a few of these extraordinary cyclists they mention:

The Legends:

• Major Taylor: Perhaps the most well-known black cyclist, Taylor he is considered one of the greatest cyclists of all time. He won over 1,000 races during his career, including the 1899 ICA Track Cycling World Championship. (And he has Worcester roots!) (Documentary, Novel)
• Kittie Knox: This trailblazing activist, born in Cambridge and lived in Boston, broke barriers of both race and gender in the 1890s. (Article)
• Woody Hedspath: Labeled "Major Taylor Number Two," his racing prowess rivaled the top white cyclists in the early 1900s. (Article)

The Hidden Histories

Carrying the Torch

• Henok Mulubrhan: Could this young Eritrean star make history with a 2024 Tour de France stage win? (Article)

These VeloNews stories are a starting point to keep the conversation going. 

Why not also:

What better way for us cyclists to celebrate Black History Month?

PBS will broadcast a new documentary, "Major Taylor: Champion of the Race," at 8 p.m. EST Monday, Feb. 26, on WTIU in Bloomington, Ind. The film will be livestreamed nationwide at the same time via the PBS App and YouTube, and will be available to stream on demand after that.

The one-hour film explores the life and legacy of the fastest bicycle rider in the world at the turn of the 20th century, featuring interviews with noted historians, athletes, and social justice advocates. It is narrated by acclaimed mezzo-soprano opera singer Marietta Simpson, with Grammy-winning jazz musician Branford Marsalis reading passages from Major Taylor's autobiography. Original music is composed and performed by Emmy-winning musical director Tyron Cooper.

For details, visit wtiu. org/ majortaylor.

Hello CRW members,

The Winter Ride series continues this weekend, and the weather forecast is looking great!

We are starting from Wellesley High School with ride lengths of 24 and 47 miles, starting at 10:30 am.

Charles River Wheelers - Willett's Pond Wayfare (crw.org)

These rides are ideal for beginning winter riders, slower riders, and everyone who just wants to get out. I ride a fairly slow/moderate pace in the winter, generally around 12 mph, so you will have someone to ride with.

Eric Ferioli and I have been co-leading these rides the past couple of winters. Word has probably gotten around by now that Eric has been dealing with a medical condition. But Eric is home now, and may make an appearance at the start of the ride!

So come on out and join us!

Join fellow CRW member, Ann Whaley-Tobin, for the 2024 Ride to End ALZ New England on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at Hampton Beach State Park in Hampton, NH. Sign up today at RidetoEndAlzheimers.org and make sure to use Ann's Ambassador discount code to receive registration for $10 (normally $50).

Ambassador Discount Code:  WHALEYTOBIN (case sensitive)