In the years that I’ve lived here in The Gorge, I’ve watched the popularity of road riding increase substantially and for good reason; we are blessed with beautiful roads that have relatively little traffic and fantastic views. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of well organized group rides where people without a lot of road riding experience can learn from those of us with more experience who could act as mentors. As a result, it seems like I end up in “group” rides with people who haven’t had much mentoring and exhibit behaviors on rides that are downright dangerous. I have often left these rides very upset and with my adrenals all jacked up. Road riding should be fun, not anxiety provoking.
I’m fortunate enough to live with a roadie that grew up racing out east and he has mentored me a great deal. Most people here don’t have that resource available to them. So here’s my attempt at changing things, even if it’s just a bit…
Road Biking Skills 101
Tom and I are hosting a series of classes to teach bike handling, group riding and very basic bike maintenance skills.
Dates
Wednesday evenings at 6 pm through August.
Aug 6 – Individual bike handling skills meant to improve balance, control, confidence and efficiency. Part 1.
Aug 13 – Individual bike handling skills meant to improve balance, control, confidence and efficiency. Part 2.
Aug 20 – Group riding skills. How to safely position yourself on the road and relative to other riders to prevent accidents, improve confidence and efficiency and share the road politely.
Aug 27 – This class will be driven greatly by the questions that people bring to the class. We will definitely cover tire care including tricks to make changing flats easier and basic safety checks to make sure your bike is sound.
Where – Please note recent changes made to location.
Classes 1 and 2 will meet at the Hood River High School parking lot, north section closest to the main entrance. Class 3 location TBA, likely the Hood River end of the tunnels trail. Come ready to ride.
Class 4 will be at our house, up the valley a bit, not far from Cascade Pet Camp. I will send out my address to people who email with the intention to come. Bring your bike if you like.
Cost
$15/class or $50 for all 4. Each class will be beneficial as a stand alone learning experience but I do think the overall benefit of taking the 3 skills classes together as a group will be that much better.
The Rules – Do Not Register Until You’ve Read This
1 – Leave your ego and testosterone at home. I mean this for women as much as men. This is intended to be a supportive group experience. You will get called out on any behavior that I perceive as detrimental to the group dynamic.
2 – No tri bikes!!! Road bikes with clip on tri bars are OK for classes 1 and 2 although you’ll find it much easier to work on the skills if you take them off. If you need help with this, Tom or I can help you before the first class. Clip on tri bars are not allowed for class 3. The tri bikes/bars issue is a safety concern, particularly when group riding.
Have Questions or Want to Register?
It’s as simple as filling out the contact form below and I’ll get back to you.