Shop Activities

Short Shop Ride  Occurs every Tuesday,Thursday at 06:00
39km Depart from iBike at 6:00am. Return at approximately 7:30 for a World's Best Coffee!
Shop Run  Occurs every Wednesday,Wednesday at 06:30
Distance varies. Depart from iBike at 6:30am. Return between 7:30 and 8:00.  We run at a nice easy pace and change the route every week.
Long Shop Ride  Occurs every Saturday at 07:00
72km Depart from iBike at 7:00am. Return at approximately 9:30am for a World's Best Coffee and hopefully muffins!
First Sunday BIG Ride  Sunday July 04, 2010
The first Sunday of every month we go on a BIG ride.  We go a nice easy pace and cover new terrain each time. Great way to jumpstart the month! Meet at iBike at 6:45am to prepare for our 7:00am departure. Return 5+ hours later happily exhausted.

Why We Ride

If we have a slogan here at iBike it is "nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride." On our shop rides we do not ride to race (we ask everyone to save that for the club race). We ride in order to enjoy each other's company, improve our skills on the bike, and for the simple pleasure of it. We respect everyone who chooses to ride a bicycle. Our shop rides are intended to motivate people to ride and provide a safe and pleasant experience for cyclists of all abilities.

Bunch Ride Guidelines and Etiquette

Communication

This is the most important aspect of riding in a group. Lack of communication on a bunch ride is both inconsiderate and dangerous.

Signaling

·Employ hand signals when turning.

·Indicate hazards on the road such as potholes, broken glass, and any other obstacles.

·Signal when passing a parked car or another cyclist with a hand swept behind the back.

Calling Out

·Call out at intersections. If it is clear say "clear." If there is a car shout "car" and the direction from which it is coming; i.e. "car left" or "car right."

·Call out if there is a car coming from behind ("car back") and, if the road is narrow, call out if a car is coming from ahead ("car up").

·Call out when you have a puncture or a mechanical problem.

·Call out "slowing" when the group slows, and "stopping" when the group stops.

·Call out "split" if the bunch has separated.

*The most vital thing to remember about communication when out on a group ride is that everyone must contribute. Just because you heard the person behind you call "split" does not mean that the person in front of you heard. It is important that such signals travel all the way through the group, in both directions. The same goes for hand signals. Everyone must pass such indications along to the person behind.

Obey the Traffic Laws/Respect Drivers

There are enough dangers on the road already without compounding them with reckless riding and antagonized drivers, however inadvertent. It is important that the entire group abide by the rules of the road: stop at red lights, yield to pedestrians, do not cut off cars, and always signal when turning or switching lanes. The more we respect drivers the more they will respect us.

No Cyclist Left Behind

If someone punctures, has a mechanical problem, or simply can't quite hold the pace, it is important that the whole group halts while repairs are made, or eases up so that the bunch remains together. There is no room for impatience on our rides. We host group rides for one reason, "the simple pleasure of a bike ride."

Hold Your Wheel

It is to everyone's advantage to keep the bunch together in a tight, even formation. In order to accomplish this when riding two abreast, each rider should try to ride evenly with the person beside, and the pair should try to keep an even space—of no less than 50cm—between themselves and the two riding ahead. This helps to prevent sudden surges ahead (which are tiring) and the need for sudden breaking.

Be Prepared

One can never perfectly predict a change in weather conditions, the amount of glass there will be on the roads, or whether or not one Powerbar Gel will be enough. As such, it is necessary to be prepared for inclement weather, and to carry a spare tube, pump, spare Co2 cartridges, whatever tools might facilitate potential roadside repairs and enough fuel/water to see you through. We all look after one another on group rides, but it is up to the individual to look after him or herself first.