GGCC Club Run, Sunday 1st October 2023 – West loop through Renfrewshire - 52 Miles
Please meet under the McLennan Arch on the green for an 8.30 am start.
This week we plan to head out west so that we can get all the graft done on the first half of the ride, and take advantage of the nice tailwind back! This is a new route, however many will have experienced the component parts in other club rides before.
We are heading out on the north side of the river along through
Clydebank, then over the Erskine bridge and onto Bishopton. Then its out to Houston, Bridge of Weir, around Quarriers Village, and up to the top of Auchentibber Rd. Then it's down to Kilmacolm where we stop for coffee at the Birkmyre Cafe. Afterwards, it's up over Killallan rd back to Houston and back in along the Georgetown to Inchinnan, Renfrew, Govan and back to the Green.
Please remember to bring some cash for your coffee and cakes!
We will head out of town in groups of 10 before splitting into our paced groups at the GLEN LUSSET car park (The pub directly under the Erskine bridge).
**GROUP LEADERS will be identified and nominated at Glasgow Green and a quick brief will be discussed for the ride ahead and agreed. At the split point before we move to paced groups, each group leader will get their respective group together and brief the group on the etiquette of the ride, what should and will happen and the format of the day so everyone in the group fully understands so everyone gets the most from the group they take part in.
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)
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU LOOK AT THE ROUTE PRIOR TO SUNDAYS RIDE.
Forecast for Sunday morning is to be mainly dry with slight possibility of a light shower. Temperatures around 14-15 degrees, with a 11 mph WSW wind gusting to 24 mph.
We will split into STEADY, CHALLENGE, CHEEKY CHALLENGE AND RACE.
Groups should contain no more than 10 riders.
Steady is steady and usually sit between 14 – 16 mph average **NOBODY gets dropped**
Challenge should push your ability and sits about 16 - 18 mph average.
Cheeky Challenge is slightly faster and is around 18 - 20 mph.
**PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT ALL GROUPS STAY TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER - THIS IS A TRAINING / SOCIAL RIDE
**these are the averages you should expect over the course of the ride in the above groups and there will be sections ridden faster and some slower depending on road profile and conditions
**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 really dropping off the pace then that rider steps down a group, (or steps up if going through to hard) **THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT SO BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING OR FEEL FRESH - Group Leaders may suggest a step up or down for the sake of the smoothness of the remaining group
**If you need to ask the group to slow up, we would suggest you step down as you may be in the wrong group
Please pick your group carefully and remember that all groups work together to promote group riding but steady is the only group that rides at the pace of the slowest rider and the other groups don't wait for dropped riders unless agreed amongst the group and riders on the day
**Please remember tubes, pump, levers, multitool and also please ensure your bike is in good working order, oiled, lubed, maintained
From all the team @ GGCC