GGCC Club Ride, Sunday 30th July 2023- North : Tak and the Crow - 51 miles
Please meet under the McLennan Arch on the green for an 8:30am sharp start.
This week, due to the buzz of the upcoming World Cycling Championships, and the strong possibility of maybe bumping into an elite rider or two, we are heading North again. But this time we are not going along the Blane valley, instead we plan to head over the Tak Ma Doon, through Carron valley and back over the Crow. Those of you who were out last week will know just how much of a treat the Crow is now, Buttery smooth fresh Tarmac as we ascent to the summit. After we descend the crow, we will head over to Sona's Cafe Bistro for our coffee stop, before heading back to town via Lennoxtown, Torrance and the prison run.
Heading out from the Green through Stepps we'll re-group at the Crowwood Hotel and split into pace groups as per normal.
Please make sure you are familiar with the route before you ride:
Road captains and ride leaders will assist with new rider briefings, M-check, group allocation, first aid pack check and any other areas of focus that enable to ride to go without a hitch.
Please can all groups work together and stay together, this is a training ride and not a race and working as a group will make you faster! Please work on group riding and ride in our standard D Rotation - outside lines moves faster than inside line. Can group leaders help with this where needed, thanks.
If any new riders come along, can folk buddy up where possible so they understand how we ride.
We will go through some basic safety, group riding etiquette and group riding technique, first aid and basic bike maintenance before we set off so that everyone stays safe and knows exactly what’s happening on the ride.
For those of you who are first aid trained and have been issued first aid pack, can you please bring these along on Sunday (and each run you attend)
Weather forecast is to be wet (although recent weekend forecasts have been properly inaccurate), 14-16 degrees, 13 mph WSW / W wind gusting to 29 mph.
We will split into STEADY, CHALLENGE, CHEEKY CHALLENGE and RACE PACE and work together as groups.
Everyone takes the same route so if you choose the wrong group or get dropped from the faster groups, there will always be a group coming up that you can join. All groups work together at the start until the group is in a rhythm.
An idea of the pace each group should ride @ are -
Steady IS steady at about 14 -16mph
Challenge should stretch you at around 16 - 18mph
Cheeky Challenge is harder work and should average 18 - 20mph
Race Pace is consistently fast and can average 20+ mph
**Please try and ride to the overall speeds of the above guides.
Speeds quoted are an overall average and the groups may be faster and slower at certain points throughout the ride.
Please remember to communicate within your group. If you get split due to junctions, traffic, roundabouts then get back together. If you get split as someone is dropping off the pace then that rider steps down a group, (or steps up if going through to hard)
If you need to ask the group to slow up, we would suggest you step down as you may be in the wrong group
Pick your group carefully and remember that steady is the only group that holds back and does not drop anyone.
Please remember tubes, pump, levers, multitool and also please ensure your bike is in good working order, oiled, lubed, maintained and clean
See you all Sunday.
From The Team @ GGCC