New Member rides
Starting in the month of May, and going thru August, we will have new member rides. These rides will be a C ride level, as it will be a no drop ride of about 15 miles. These new member rides will have an extended ride briefing on safety while riding in a group, introduction of new members, and a rest break during the ride for a discussion of what rides may be good for you to start out on, and any other questions you may have. See the box in the right column for links to the ride schedule.
Volunteer
Members are encouraged to get involved in the club by volunteering for one of the many opportunities the club offers. This is a great way to get to know other members and give back to the club. if you have the time, we would love the help. Just click on this link for more information.
Ride Levels
TCBC offers 5 levels of rides. If you look at the RIDE KEY it will tell you the minimum average speed of the ride and if the leader will ride at the back or anywhere in the group. All TCBC rides are open to all levels of riders, so an A/B rider can show up at a B ride. This means that everyone does not have to ride at a B pace. If you are a B rider don't feel that you have to ride at the pace of the faster riders. If you find the pace of the group you are riding with too fast, just wait until the next group comes along and ride with them. Sometimes new riders assume that everyone will be riding at a B pace on a B ride. On a B ride you can expect that the ride leader will be riding at a B pace towards the back of the group regardless of how fast others may be riding. That being said, the leader doesn't have to go slower than the posted speed of the ride. If you can't maintain the average B pace, you may get dropped and may have picked the wrong ride to go on. So until you figure out which level of rider you are, you may want to start on a ride level below what you think you can do and go from there.
Online Resources
Below is a description of what you will find when you click on the links located on the left-hand side of the page:
TCBC Ride Schedule The online ride schedule is updated continuously as Ride Leaders sumbit rides. Check back often for the latest information. Rides are color-coded by the level of ride. Clicking on a ride type color on the bar above the calendar filters the schedule for only that level. The default view is the current month calendar. Other views are available by clicking 'Printer Friendly Version' and 'Switch Views'. You can also see a summary of each day's rides by clicking on the number of the date. A second calendar of Minnesota Bicycling Events, Races, Rides and Tours is available by selecting that calendar from the drop-down list at the bottom of the ride calendar.
Message Boards TCBC hosts a message board for discussions related to biking including rides, want ads, and posting photos. The message board is also used by Ride Leaders to post Ride Cancelations, so check here if the weather is questionable. You can read messages without joining the message board but to post a message you must create an account. This is a separate process from joining TCBC.
TCBC Ride Info General tips on biking and safety rules followed on club rides.
Overnight Trips Multi-day out of town and out of state rides are listed on their own page here.
Outreach Rides These special category rides are non-TCBC rides that are eligible for TCBC mileage credit, but are not covered by TCBC insurance. Outreach rides are designed to increase our members’ visibility in and support of non-pledge biking events in the broader biking community.
Bicycle Tips Great tips for new riders.
Group Riding Techniques and Etiquette when riding with a group.
