Velo City Cycles

Hey! It’s May! Tulip Time! Grattan! Rides, races, events! What a great time to be a cyclist in West Michigan! (And elsewhere, for all we know) As is usually the case there’s a lot of stuff we wanna make sure that you are up on so here we go………….

WEEKLY RIDES FROM THE SHOP!: At this point we have the full menu of shop rides going and you are invited to join us. The pace varies from ride to ride but the point is to have fun and get some miles in so if that sounds good to you…check it out -

The Tuesday Night Ride is the biggest of the week. We have 30-60 riders gather here for a fun road ride. We have three groups so there’s a pace for everyone. The “Mild” group is for folks that are cool w/ going at whatever pace is required to keep the group together…usually 15-16 mph average. The “Medium” group is an athletic ride for people comfy in a pace line but who aren’t looking for a max workout. The average pace is more like 18-19mph. The “Hot” group is for anyone that thinks the other 2 groups won’t be a good enough workout. Members of the VCC staff lead the “medium” and “Mild” groups and the distance varies from 20-25 miles as a rule. We assume the riders in the “Hot” group will be okay w/out a ride leader so they are on their own. All 3 groups are expected to follow all road rules and laws at all times. The last Tuesday of every month is Pizza Night back @ the shop.

The Thursday Morning Recovery Ride is a great way to spin those tired legs out. We roll @ 8:30 for 20-ish miles at a moderate pace ( 18 or so) and then usually hit the bagel shop. Speakin’ of bagels……

The Friday Morning Bagel Ride rolls @ 8:30 as well. Similar distance, maybe a bit faster, maybe not and then it’s bagel time! Find out why MC is compelled to state (every week!) that “this is a very civilized way to start the day!”

The Saturday Morning Sprint Ride is a local institution that actually pre-dates Velo City by decades. It’s the only ride of the week that we organize where the “gloves are off” so to speak. In other words……it’s a fast ride! We roll @ 8:00 sharp and do a 25 mile loop S.W. of town that features 7-8 stop ahead sign sprints. The pack re-groups after each one. A great way to check your fitness and pack riding skills.

THE MAY FUN-RAISER RIDE IS THE “DESSERT RIDE” ON 5/25! Join us for a 2:00pm roll out and enjoy a 40 mile jaunt through Allegan County’s best! Back at the shop we’ll have WAY more sweets and goodies than we oughta. (That’s okay, yes?) Feel free to bring your favorite munchies or just bring your bike and your appetite! (The Fun-Raiser Ride Series is our monthly slate of rides calculated to raise the local “Fun Level” by combining good rides, good eats and fun folks.) There wil be maps and a 30-ish mile alternate route.

CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE! www.velo-citycycles.com has undergone a complete face-lift! Check it out and let us know what’cha think (or what you’d like to see us add)!

NEW STUFF! NEW STUFF! There are some new examples of cycling coolness that we’re excited to have for you to check out. We just recieved our shipment of Giro Sunglasses and they are well worth checking out. Designed to fit perfectly under a helmet and w/ some of the models featuring Zeiss optics….they are the “new sheriff in town”! Our clothing department is full-on stocked w/ sweet lycra goodness from Craft, Pearl Izumi, Twin 6, Cannondale, Bellwether & Salsa! Our selection of women’s jerseys has to be one of the largest in the area and we have ton’s of stuff for you dudes as well. Add in our Sidi and Diadora shoes, Lazer and Giro helmets, cycling socks of all colors and styles and the complete selection of V.C.C. t-shirts, jerseys and bibs and….well…..we can get you set up, that’s all we’re sayin’!

BIKE TO WORK! Now……..thet’e no need to talk about gas prices, right? The fact is….even if gas was cheap there would still be lots of reasons to ride to work! May is Bike to Work Month and the week of 5/12-17 is Bike to Work Week. Check out our website for details on a local Bike to Work Contest where you’ll have a chance to track your mileage and maybe win something cool!

“Work to eat / eat to live / live to ride / ride to work”

NEXT MACATAWA CYCLING CLUB MEETING ON 5/6! The local club is working hard to make the area a better place to ride and you might wanna consider becomeing a part of it! The monthly meetings feature informative speakers and are a great way to meet other riders, “tap into the scene” and have some imput on the direction of the club. Meetings are held @ The new Holland Brewery and start @ 8:00pm. This month’s speaker is Mike Jones, a P/T @ Hanneken Full Potential Physical Therapy. Recent and future topics include nutrition, yoga for cyclists, core training and more. (See what you’ve been missing?) Check out their website - www.macatawacyclingclub.org

THE M.C.C. MONDAY NIGHT RIDES START 5/5! One of the biggest projects of the club is the traditional “MNR” and they start this month. Get the details on the site!

RIDE OF SILENCE ON 5/21 This will be the 2nd year that Holland has participated in the R.O.S. The Ride is to honor our fellow riders lost or injured in car/bike accidents. Yet another worthy project of the M.C.C….the details are on their website. (Are you getting the feeling that you need to bookmark their website? Good!)

CRUISE DIRECTOR CRUISIN’ ON……………Our CD Jeff Wert has decided to go back to the food biz from where we lured him away and we wish him well. As of 5/5 you’ll hafta stop by Boatwerks down by Kollen Park to chat him up. (Maybe he can help them w/ their spelling!?) It’s been great having him here and we’re looking forward to the hook-up down on their patio! (Right Jeff?)

NOT TO SOON TO THINK ABOUT JOINING US ON THE ONE DAY RIDE ACROSS MICHIGAN! O.D.R.A.M. was one the the best days of the season in ‘07 and the plan is to makew it bigger and better this year. A Velo Ventures Production, our O.D.R.A.M. package takes care of all the hassles of that fine ride and lets you just relax and ride. the $125 fee gets you transportation from the shop to the start in Montague, sag service across the state, dinner @ the park in Bay City and a ride back to the shop in a comfy chartered bus. We have 25 spots and already 8 of ‘em are taken! (You will need to register for the ride itself seperately)

BIKE SCHOOL CLASSES RESUME AFTER TULIP TIME! Our “Bike School” Seminars are designed for beginning riders to improve their grasp of the Cycling Basics. There is no charge and each “lesson” covers 45 minutes or so. Please share w/ us any topics that you think we should offer. They start @ 6:00pm and here’s the schedule:

5/15- Flat Tires, how to fix ‘em / How to avoid ‘em.

5/22 - Shifting for Success, how to use all those gears!

5/29- A Clean Chain is a Happy Chain.

BIG 2 DAY MS-150 PARTY COMING UP! The MS-150 starts and finishes in Holland this year and as per usual we’ll be stayin’ open late and throwin’ out the Welcome Mat! We’ve teamed up w/ New Holland to offer an Open House for the riders and we’ll have snacks and specials both Fri and Sat and massage therapists here on Saturday night to aid recovery!

LAST CALL BAND RIDES AGAIN! Come on down to the New Holland Brewery on 5/16 and make them feel smart for bookin’ MC’s band. He promises some new tunes and maybe even a surprise guest star!

A BELATED AND YET HEARTFELT WELCOME TO MILES CHAPIN! In our zeal to welcome Sabine Berger and Emma Davison to the world last month we totally overlooked the first entry in the current drive to ensure that there are a bunch of great riders in 15 years or so! Miles joined his folks Scott and Krisanne over the winter and already has a buncha trailer miles! And a more-timely-and-yet-no-less-sincere “Howdy” to Riley Nagelkirk, #2 son of Amanda and Dan!

Okay………that oughta about do it for this edition of the QR. We hope that this note finds you well and excited about a great season of fun on your bike(s)! Please consider joining on us the rides and it’d be great to see you around the shop now and then too!

“I mean, you either love spinning the pedals and watching scenery whiz by or you don’t. And if you love it, not much can sour you on the idea of riding your bike.” (Keith Mills)