By Barb Taylor, CRW Member

CRW hosts many different rides that cater to various types of riders. Ride descriptions generally list the ride pace(s) supported  on that ride. For example, Bike Thursday rides are designed for "cyclists that enjoy riding at a slower pace of between 10-12.5 mph". The Mighty Squirrel ride description states "the pace will be defined by who shows up and how fit the group is." The Cranberry Century on Oct 13, 2024 has at least 11 different supported pace groups across the 4 ride distances!

Most Ride Leaders ask riders to declare their "Ride Speed" on the registration form:

The information you post there is used by the Ride Leader to make sure riders are well-suited to their ride, and when appropriate, to plan for different pace groups within the ride. For this reason, it is important that riders know their ride speed, or "average pace".

So...how do you decide which Ride Speed (pace group) to join?  A seemingly simple question that is actually very nuanced.

When I joined CRW, I was not sure how to answer this. Should I check the box based upon:

• overall average pace? (spoiler alert: yes!)

• the top speed that I like to ride at? (no) 

• the speed I like to ride at on comfortable flat roads? (logical and tempting, but no)

CRW, like most other cycling clubs, expects you to join a group that is reflective of your overall average pace.

So knowing your pace - and how to define your pace compared to ‘others’ -  is helpful, as it sets expectations on who could be a good ride partner, which rides and pace groups to join, and how hard you may have to work (or not) on any particular ride.

However, ‘average pace’ is also very nuanced.  Up hill, down hill, in a group, including/not including stop lights - pace varies a lot even within a ride - and the ‘average’ pace really depends upon what parts you decide to include as your total.

How do I figure out my average pace? Bike computers or activity watches

Most cyclists use a bike computer which can log and track your rides (and link to Strava) as well as calculate your average pace for each ride.  

After a few rides, especially if done on the same route, your Strava or computer ride log will give you a sense for what your ‘average’ pace is on that route. That is a good baseline for judging how fast you’ll be on other rides, when you consider and compare who you’ll be riding with and how hilly and long the course is.

Note #1: As you figure this out, you may want to start and stop your computer for just the group ride or section that you want to track vs the whole time you are on your bike (which may include a meandering warm up as you bike to and from the ride start).

Note #2: There is a feature on most bike computers to NOT include non-moving time (e.g., stop lights or coffee stops), which most cyclists use.

This is what you should use - your Strava or bike computer average - when asked ‘what is your pace’!

Now, this value may seem slower than you would expect because you know that when you’re on a nice, flat country road, you can comfortably zip along at a speed of X, which is higher than what Strava says is your average.  But no course is a 100% flat and there will be slow uphills to bring your average down - sometimes by a surprising amount. Regardless, use your Strava average as your default baseline.

No bike computer?

Well that’s a bummer…you should get one. In addition to keeping you on-route, most bike computers track your ride stats, and let you upload your rides to Strava or other online app, which is better than just following your friends. But if not, you can use your phone or an activity watch (like Apple Watch or Garmin) to track your pace.

[Side note: CRW's Rider Guidelines require that each rider has their own source of navigation; a bike computer is a great option, rather than using your phone or cue sheets].

If you don’t like looking at data or ride logs, well…ask your friends that you ride with. Or pay attention to your speed when you’re feeling comfortable on a flat road and decrease that number by a few mph to estimate your average pace.  For example, if you usually ride 14 mph on a nice flat road, I would estimate on a not too hilly course, your average pace is probably 10-12 mph.  

OK! I know my average pace! Now what?

Register for a ride that matches your pace! If  you're not sure if a ride offers your pace group, contact the Ride Leader for more info.

Once you are on the ride, the supported pace groups will do the best they can to maintain an average pace. That means they’ll be faster going downhill or along the flats, and slower going uphill. Expect variation throughout the ride and expect to go faster than the ride range on flat road. Picking the right pace group will ensure you’re riding with the right group, at the pace you expect.

Reassess your average pace from time to time. Injury and time off the bike may see it decrease. Towards the end of a busy riding season, you may find your pace has increased. This is a great way to track your fitness gains!

By John Springfield, CRW member since 1973

 “Hey, John, let's ride our ten-speeds to see my aunt in Owendale.”

“Gee, Larry, that's a long way...How far do you figure?”

“About a hundred miles or so...”

It was the summer of 1964. Larry and I were teenagers. We didn't know it then, but our ignorance and great stamina were our best assets. I got my 10-speed in 1963, and he in 1964. Before we bought lightweight bikes we rode clunky single speeds all over the place. One ride was 40 miles. So, 100 miles seemed to be doable.

“Okay, let's do it.”

We rode north from Detroit, mostly on M-53. We left early in the morning (6:00), hoping to make it by nightfall. It turns out we made it by 2:45 pm.

We spent two overnights in the tiny town of Owendale (population 200). The highlights were visiting a local swimming hole and playing pool in the bar. Larry assured me nobody would hassle us in the bar. He was right.

We returned home the same way we came. But now we were seasoned bike tourists.

I was hooked.

In 1965 and 1966 I went to northern Michigan with the American Youth Hostelers.
These week-long tours exposed me to the inexpensive Michigan state parks. For 50 cents you got a campsite, access to a shower, and often free food from the RV campers!

In the late 1960's, I toured solo throughout Michigan and Wisconsin. I had a cheap army-surplus sleeping bag and a "tube tent". The tent was just a plastic sleeve that you ran a rope through and secured to two trees.

Later in the mid 1970's I had enough money to start staying in cheap motels.
Hot shower, no mosquitos, a TV, and a bed. What's not to like?

In 1964, I could not have imagined that I would still be touring by bike 60 years later...

----------------------------

My first ten-speed was a red Frejus "Tour de France" model. These bikes were simple, and the lugged steel frame made them rugged. The gears were shifted with levers that allowed you to micro adjust if there was any chain chatter. None of that fancy index shifting. If your derailleur and brakes were made by Campy, then you had the best. The saddle was usually a Brooks, made of leather. But I never could break mine in, so I experimented with other seats until I found a fit.

My bike was technically a racing bike, but it came with aluminum fenders.
I appreciated the fenders when it rained on my tours. It also came with tubular ("sew up") tires that had to be glued to the rims. I was constantly getting flats with these tires, so in the early 1970's I replaced the rims and tires with conventional ones.

In my teens I had no money to buy special riding shorts and jerseys, so cut-off jeans and T-shirts sufficed. No special shoes, just "gym shoes".

Equipment could be bulky. Pannier bags where often made of leather. No helmets until the early 1970's. Instead we wore little caps like the racers.

Communication on a tour depended on your ability to find a pay phone in a small town. If you were really in trouble you could always flag down a passing motorist. And you could also flag down a Greyhound bus. They would put your bike in the baggage compartment. Once my freewheel gave out, so I flagged the bus to get to a bike shop. And speaking of bike shops in northern Michigan in the 1960's, there was only one (Traverse City) that had parts for a ten-speed.

There was little understanding of electrolytes, so "the bonk" was a common occurrence after a long day. In the 1970's there was a powdered drink called "Body Punch" that you mixed with water. I used that until liquid sports drinks became common in the 1980's.

But what about adventure? Well if riding on main roads with big trucks and unknown facilities is your thing, then you had plenty of it. No bike lanes, bike paths, or rail trails. You used state highway maps, maybe AAA maps. Adventure Cycling didn't print maps until 1975.

Motels were "iffy." You showed up, and hoped they had room. I remember biking 100 miles through the Pocono Mountains, arriving at motel, exhausted. No rooms. A wedding party had rented all the rooms. I had to ride another 25 miles to find rest.

But years ago, people were genuinely curious about a lone biker with pannier bags.
In many small towns they had never seen a touring bicyclist. Now, of course, most people are not that curious. On the popular Adventure Cycling routes, bikers are an everyday occurrence.

After 40 years and 32 states, I bought my second touring bike in 2004. Still a lugged steel frame, but slightly wider and higher handlebars. Oh, and index shifters. But no special pedals. I ride with normal walking shoes.

Around 2013, I finished my goal of riding in all 48 states (That's all the states there were when I was born). And in 2019 I rode solo across the US for a second time (The first was 1976).

There are so many memories of small towns and the cafes.

--------------------------------------------------------

So in September 2024 I set off for a two-week bike tour of northern Michigan where most of my early touring took place. Starting at the northern point of Sault Ste. Marie, I biked south, mainly hugging the coast of Lake Michigan. I ended up in northern Indiana. 

Some of the towns were unchanged, but much of Lake Michigan have been developed into upscale homes. There are still a few small cottages left, but not many.

The industrial wharf area around Muskegon is rapidly being changed to high rise condos. But the little town of Empire is still the same.

At my age the hills on the northern part of the trip slowed me down. But southern Michigan is pretty flat, and much welcomed to my old frame.

So this was a nostalgia trip, but also a gratitude trip. Gone are the 100-mile days, but 50 miles is just fine.

For a daily journal and pictures, click this link: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/OldMan2024

 

By John Allen

Triggering a roadway vehicle detector to get a green light can be difficult for a bicyclist, but it is the safe and cooperative option. Designed to detect metal near their sensors, many traffic light vehicle detectors in Massachusetts have a hard time detecting a bicycle. Ride leaders may wish to check vehicle detectors on their routes, and avoid them if they cannot easily be made to work. But there are ways to try to get them to cooperate, as detailed below.

Scoping out the situation

Inductive loop (highlighted, left). Video camera (top right). "Wait here" marking (lower right)

• If you ride through an intersection repeatedly, you can determine whether, and how, vehicle detection works there.
• Wire cuts in the road surface show where detector loops are, unless the street was repaved after they were installed. Alternatively, there may be a video camera overhead, pointing toward the traffic lane.
• Signs and pavement markings may indicate where to wait.
• Only the more lightly used entrances to an intersection may have vehicle detectors. The more heavily used entrances may always have the green light unless cross traffic triggers a vehicle detector.
• Signals may or may not trigger at opposite entrances to the intersection at the same time. This is especially common with left-turn arrows. On familiar routes, you may get to know whether a vehicle waiting at the opposite entrance will get you a green light.

Vehicle detector types

• A dipole loop -- a plain rectangle, octagon or circle -- is the most troublesome kind. It responds over a wide area outside its perimeter, and so the sensitivity must be low to prevent it from responding to a vehicle in another lane. It is most sensitive directly over the wires.
• A quadrupole loop, a more bike-friendly design, has a wire down the middle, and is one of the few instances of special infrastructure for cyclists which encourage lane control (positioning of the bike in the travel lane to discourage unsafe overtaking). A quadrupole loop usually works for bicyclists who place their wheels on its center line.
• A vehicle detector with diagonal wires inside a polygon or circle is sensitive over its entire area.

Making a vehicle detector work

Turning the front wheel to the right across a dipole loop, and making a “do not pass” hand signal.

• An inductive loop vehicle detector responds to the metal of wheel rims and/or to bead wires in tires. Except with detectors which have diagonal wire cuts, position the bike’s wheels directly over the loop wires and in line with them. Wheels resting merely an inch to the side are less likely to be detected. You may want to lift and reposition the rear wheel.
• Skinny tires and larger wheels bring the rim closer to the ground, and are more likely to trigger the vehicle detector. The metal hoops formed by the rims look like solid discs to the long-wavelength radio signals from the detector.  The thickness, weight or magnetic properties of the rims don’t matter.
• Place your wheels over the wire cut where the filler material in the pavement is continuous. An interrupted wire cut is from an older loop that broke and was replaced.
• To avoid a right hook threat, it is a good idea to place your rear wheel over the wire at the left side of a dipole loop. Ride to the front of the loop and turn the front wheel sideways. This places the wheels over two sides of the loop, and establishes lane control (happily, you need to trigger the signal only if no motor vehicle will trigger it, so controlling the lane is easy).
• Leaning your bike toward the center of a dipole loop may help, so put down the foot that is inside the loop.  You may need to practice putting down either foot.
• If you run carbon-fiber wheels and Kevlar-bead tires, you might try wrapping wire under the rim tape. Note that you must connect the ends so it forms a loop. Magnets that attach to the frame may be available, but do not work.
• A video detector overhead on a signal mast arm usually does not require you to do anything special, except at night. Then you may have to tilt your bicycle and aim the headlight upward at it.

The continuous wire cut is for the newer loop, the one which works.

Strategies

• If one vehicle is already waiting, your best position is second in line, behind it. You might slow and let a vehicle pass before reaching the intersection to set up this situation.
• If you are first in line and a vehicle behind you is hanging back, you might pull ahead slightly and motion to the driver to pull forward to trigger the vehicle detector.
• If the right-turn signal of a vehicle behind you is flashing, you might move left in the lane to encourage the driver to pull forward. But then if the vehicle leaves, the signal may not trigger. You might have to discourage an actual right turn with a right-handed "don't pass" signal. Too bad! But other than that, you are not preventing anyone from advancing -- the light is red.
• Once the signal triggers on a vehicle ahead of you, ride over wire cuts to try to hold the light green longer.
• The more wheels are over the wires, the more likely the signal will trip. A group must work together to make this happen. Ride leaders may wish to explain this strategy beforehand.

The group of cyclists has been waiting...and could have triggered the signal before the car arrived. Right-hook risk too!

Cautions

• If there is another lane to your right, you could get stranded to the left of moving traffic if you don't trigger the vehicle detector. This is one important reason to know the signals on your route.
• If a line of vehicles is waiting, the usual cautions about filtering forward apply. Do not pass large trucks on the right!
• Be prepared to accelerate and cross the intersection quickly. A vehicle detector will extend the green time only for vehicles that it senses.

The above information can help cyclists safely utilize vehicle detectors on our roadways. For more technical details about vehicle detectors, see the article by Steve Goodridge here.

The triple photo is from CyclingSavvy.org.  The author wishes to thank Steve Goodridge for permission to use the illustration of vehicle-detector types.

Sunday, October 13 is fast approaching and we can’t wait to ride this year’s Cranberry Century! This year we have 11 distance/pace group options available for your riding enjoyment. To ride with a group, just check in with the ride leader at registration. Happy riding everyone! 

Which pace group should I join?

100 miles:

• Andre Wolff (andregwolff@gmail.com)  @ 22+ mph average leaving at 8:30a
• Doug Cornelius (Doug.Cornelius@gmail.com)  @ 18-19 mph average leaving at 7:30a
• Sean Mahoney (mahoneyhaus@gmail.com)  @ 17-18 mph average leaving at 7:00a
• John O'Dowd (bikejon@verizon.net)  @ 16-17 mph average leaving at 7:30a
• Clyde Kessel (clydekessel@gmail.com)  @ 14-15 mph average leaving at 7:15a

62 miles

• Melissa Quirk (melissa.e.quirk@gmail.com)  @ 15-16 mph average leaving at 8:00a
• Jerry Skurla (jskurla@comcast.net) @ 15-16 mph average leaving at 8:00a
• Barbara Martin (barbmartin@gmail.com)  @ 12-14 mph average leaving at 8:00a

50 miles:

• Chris Ludwig (cmludwig60@gmail.com) @ 12-14 mph average leaving at 8:00a

35 miles:

• Barbara Jacobs  (barbara.jacobs@crw.org)  @ 11-12 mph average leaving at 9:00a
• Judi Burten  (jburten@aol.com) @ 12-13 mph average leaving at 9:00a

Town you live in (bonus: add where you are from)? I live in Lexington but have lived many places.  I’m from Long Island but have lived in Spain, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Dominica.

What led to you joining CRW and what do you enjoy most about being a member? I was a member of CRW in the late 80’s/early 90’s when I first moved to Boston.  I loved being able to get to know where I was now living.

What is your best advice for a new club member? Try to find a recurring ride that fits into your schedule; you’ll get to know people.

When did you become a Ride Leader? I’ve been a ride leader for a little over a year.

What led to you becoming a ride leader? I was encouraged by other leaders to do it.  I love designing new rides, linking up roads I learn on other rides to create a new ride and testing them out. CRW needs more leaders, too.

What types of rides are you planning on leading? I have been leading what I call “new to group rides” rides. Many people are intimidated by the thought of riding with a group; it’s good to show them the benefits of riding with others.  

How long have you been cycling, and what initially got you interested in the sport? I have been cycling for about 40 years. I was living in Phoenix, at grad school, and it seemed like a fun thing to do with friends.

What is your favorite thing about cycling? There is nothing better than the feeling you get when you are riding a bike.  I have been volunteering at the Bike Connector; we distributed more than 2000 bicycles last year to people for fun, exercise and basic transportation.  It’s a joy to see people get their bike.

How many miles per year do you typically ride? My goal is 1,500 miles per year.

What is your greatest cycling accomplishment? I rode 2,079 miles from San Francisco to St Joseph, Missouri in 29 days. I couldn’t take more than a month off from work, so I didn’t cross the entire US. The real accomplishment was the training - riding as much as I could for 2 months before the ride, including back-to-back centuries.

What is your favorite road or trail to ride on? My favorite road is Monument in Concord/River Road in Carlisle. It feels different every time I ride it.  Late afternoon in the fall is the best - it’s like riding through a painting.

What is your favorite route to ride? Ahhh, too many favorites to name one. I love a hilly start, then a long flat section with few turns, and then a meander thru a neighborhood for the last few miles.

What is your favorite post-ride food or drink? Ice tea and cashews.  On a very hot day, ice cream before heading home.

Hello CRW,

Volunteer opportunities for the "CRW Cranberry Harvest Century" are now open.

Without Volunteers it's impossible to provide these events at such a low cost.
Please click on the following web link (or copy it into your web browser if clicking doesn't work) to go to the signup sheet:

volunteersignup.org/AMFHW

To sign up, just follow the instructions on the page. It only takes a few seconds to do.

Thank you for volunteering! 

Mark Nardone
Erik D'entremont 

By Norma Loehr

Get ready for our annual fall century ride October 13, 2024!

The Cranberry Harvest Century (CHC) is our annual fall classic in Plymouth MA with beautiful routes passing cranberry bogs to Mattapoisett and back. This fully-supported event has four beautiful routes: 100, 62, 53, and 35 miles and all are relatively flat making this ride very manageable for riders of all abilities. 

Register now!

Thanks to everyone who made this year's Climb to the Clouds a success!

Following are a few pictures from the 2024 event. If you have any images to share, please send them to media-share@crw.org. 

We hope to see you at Climb to the Clouds next year!

The 2024 CRW Board election is approaching. All club members in good standing are encouraged to participate in this process, regardless of their experience level or length of membership. This is great opportunity to get involved and shape the future of our club.

Seats available:

• 3 Board seats: 3-year terms from Jan 1, 2025 to Dec 31, 2027.

2024 election timeline (additional details below):

• Sept 19, 7-8 PM: Prospective Candidate Info Session
  
• Sept 20, 4 PM: Candidate statements due/posted
• Sept 29, 7-8 PM: Meet the Candidates online forum
  
• Oct 5, 12:01 AM: Online voting opens
• Oct 10, 11:59 PM: Online voting closes
• Oct 13: Results verified and announced
• Jan 1, 2025: New Board Members take office

Voting eligibility:

• All CRW members in good standing as of Aug 31, 2024 may vote.
• Confidential ballot, vote for up to 3 candidates.

To become a candidate:

1. Eligibility: You must be a CRW member in good standing as of Aug 31, 2024.
2. Learn more:
   a. Read the CRW Bylaws.
   b.  To learn what it is like to serve on the CRW Board, join the (optional) virtual Prospective Candidate Info Session on Thursday, Sept 19, 2024, 7-8 PM.  Register here.
3. Declare your candidacy: Update your member profile to self-declare as an Active Candidate. Submit a Statement of Candidacy by 4 PM, Sept 20, 2024 explaining why you want to serve on the Board. Make sure you have a photo in your profile.
4. Attend the "meet and greet": Come talk with club members about your vision for the future of CRW at the optional Meet the Candidates online forum.
   

Learn about the candidates:

• Candidate statements will be available at this location by Sept 20.
• A virtual "meet and greet" with Board candidates will be held on Sunday, Sept 29, 2024, 7-8 PM. Register here.

Questions?

• Please contact us at election-manager@crw.org

***SHARE YOUR RIDE PHOTOS WITH CRW!***
Email them to: media-share@crw.org

Thursdays are for riding!

Bike Thursday:

Tempo Thursday: