The Cross Canada Cycle Tour Society April , 2019 Volume 36, Issue #4
Presidents Report April 2019 John Pringle
Club Jerseys and more
Paul Hough, our hard working Club Secretary, I think, first mentioned it at the March Board meeting; the Ottawa Chapter’s plan to design and order jerseys for their Chapter. And would other chapters be interested in pursuing this venture with them? As I recall, when this was last attempted, there was no end of problems, particularly with sizing. I remember Les Hudgins, responsible I think, for the purchase maybe 10 or so years ago, bemoaning the fact we were seniors with lumps, bumps, paunches, and sags. Most difficult to pour our once lean bodies into form-fitting Lycra, and be happy with the result. Though we ordered and wore them (you can still see the odd one breeze by on the Lochside Trail, the indigenous motif in broad flight), he made it plain that this task was not for the faint of heart, and warned us about trying it again. We have not, until now. And, I must admit, I’m so pleased at the interest. My road racing Club has an age range of runners from about 15 years to 85 years, and we wouldn’t be caught at a road race without our Club singlet, jersey or jacket. We look so good as a team; bright, cheery and colourful. I too was wondering, should we try the venture again at CCCTS? As it turns out Victoria and Fraser Valley were, coincidentally, considering the challenge as well. And, though not contemplating the move, the Comox Valley Chapter is willing to “throw their hat in the ring”. Wonderful. All Chapters on board.
The past week we’ve produced a ton of verbiage to back up the interests of jerseys for all. Chris Hodgson, a long-time member of the Club, and with Board experience, has taken the initiative to collate all comments from the various Chapters inputs. He suggests the following:
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What we want – an attractive design from a suitable manufacturer at a good price, and suitable material with appropriate colours and sizing that is true to a sizing chart.
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Manufacturers – Three manufacturers have been noted: Champion Systems in Vancouver, Nimblewear Canada in Surrey and ATAC Sportswear in Langley. Chris talked with the latter company and was encouraged by their offered support. Price point depends on the total number of orders on the first round. (Might I add that STEVA, a small family operation out of Abruzzo, Italy, provided a few of us with fine kit last June, at a most competitive price. After a winters wear we can vouch for the quality, warmth, and particularly, the sizing.)
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Design – Chris suggests each Chapter come up with one or two designs that are not parochial; that are fitting for a pan-Canadian Club. He suggests it be bright, appealing and distinctive. We then share these designs and then have a vote. The approved design would have to go to the manufacturer or design expert for finishing touches.
As Wilf Craats of Comox Valley states, “… a jersey is appealing as much for fashion as function.” We’ve got to get the design and colour right or we’ll not be successful.
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Timely delivery. We might set a date for submission of draft designs. The end of April is suggested.
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Who’s to be involved? – It seems Chris Hodgson has “bit the bullet” and got “the ball rolling”. Roslyn Smith, new President of the Comox Valley Chapter, warns that the fewer involved the better. The Steering Committee might have one person per Chapter, and I would suggest a Board member, not to lead or be overseer, but provide information flow. Maybe each Chapter could provide a single representative. I would encourage that we try to recruit a Chapter member or two that have had experience in clothing design or materials. I note that Paul Hough has a contact in Ottawa who although is not a CCCTS member, she has worked with the Ottawa Valley Chapter with some success.
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The Steering Committee would vote its leader.
In ending this piece, Wilf Craats again offers the following bit of sage advice to the team: “If someone comes up with an attractive design and a suitable manufacturer at a good price and available in a timely fashion in the right colour made of the right material and has available the right sizes that are true to a sizing chart that would be fantastic.”
Steering Committee: With this, you have your marching orders. The very best of luck. We await your presentation.
Bikes, Helmets and Murder. After Dave and Lil Charles’ (Victoria Chapter) recent experience with a stolen bike and a flummoxed police investigation, I pass along the following story, in part to restore Dave and Lil’s confidence in our lads and lassies with the yellow stripes on their trousers: It seems a few weeks ago a bike rider was behaving rather strangely in Nanaimo so two fine constables confronted him about a lack of helmet when cycling. Upon further investigation they found he was riding a stolen bicycle according to the bikes registration. They booked him, and at the Station, upon further investigation, found he was wanted for murder in Toronto! They decided to forgo the bicycle charges, and shipped him off to Toronto. Maybe the first time that riding without helmet on a stolen bicycle led to an arrest for murder?
Wednesday, 27 March 2019
Get a Perfect Bike Fit: 3 Key Measurements Every Cyclist Should Know
Use these numbers to perfect your bike set-up—and protect your body from injury
Whether you are buying a new bike, switching between bikes, or simply installing a new saddle, bike fit is important. It’s not just about setting your seat height, however. To keep your road bike position the same, every time, every ride, there are three measurements that you should be aware of—and checking constantly.
Saddle Height
Saddle height is arguably the most important measurement for cyclists. It’s key because it impacts your comfort level, your ability to crank out watts, and your knee health. It’s also the one that is the easiest to set, but also the easiest to shift or slip. Whether you’re removing the seat post for travel or just setting up a bike to demo at a shop, knowing your measurement is key.
“You see so many commuter bikes with too-low seats,” says Tara Lazarski, a physiotherapist who works with pro cyclists from her office at Catalyst Kinetics Group in North Vancouver, and on the road with the Canadian national mountain bike team. “I think it’s a style thing, but it’s so bad for you!”
To get the proper seat height, you want the saddle to be high enough that your heel barely touches the pedal at the bottom of the pedal rotation, but not so high that your heel comes above your toes at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Once you’ve found the sweet spot, measure the distance from the top of the saddle to the center of the pedal axle, with the pedal positioned furthest away from the saddle. Record that number and keep it somewhere handy for easy reference.
Saddle Setback
“Improper saddle position can lead to serious issues,” Lazarski says. If your saddle position isn’t dialed, you run the risk of numbness in your nether regions, while also being at a higher risk for injury and discomfort. A proper saddle setback (adjusted by moving your saddle forward or backward) can alleviate pressure on the wrong parts of your pelvis while increasing your power.
That makes saddle setback another important measurement to get right, and it’s an easy adjustment to make. If you loosen the bolts attaching the saddle to your seat post, you’ll be able to move it forward and backward to find the sweet spot. The front of your kneecap should be directly over your pedal spindle when you’re mid-pedal stroke. Most bike fitters dangle a piece of string with a small weight at the bottom (a plumb line) from the side of the rider’s kneecap to see if it lines up directly with the spindle—you may need to enlist a friend to help get this exactly right! Note where your saddle is slotted into your septets: many saddles actually have rulers marked on the rails, so it’s an easy measurement to note.
Reach to Your Handlebars
Handlebar reach is simply the distance you reach from your saddle to your handlebars. A too-long reach (when you’re stretching really far to reach the bars) can mess with your weight distribution across the front and back wheels of your bike, meaning that you risk being uncomfortable and having trouble controlling your bike. A too-short reach (where you’re sitting more upright because the distance is so short), on the other hand, can be just as bad, making your position too upright, decreasing your power and making your control twitchy.
“The length of your stem and the length of the top of your bike are important when it comes to buying a bike,” Lazarski says. You can make minor adjustments by swapping your stem, but this is one measurement to know before buying a bike.
“Make sure that the front-to-back dimension of a bike is right for you,” she says. “The stem shouldn’t need to be super short or super long to make the bike fit you.” Ideally, you should look for a reach where your elbows bend slightly when your hands are on the hoods—without your spine flexing and bending to reach the bars—for a good road bike fit. The way to measure and record reach is from your seat post, right under the saddle, to your headset, and if you already have a great-fitting bike, noting its top tube length for future bike shopping.
If you’re still struggling to nail these three measurements, you may want to consider a professional bike fit as a good investment for your cycling career. A bike fit helps you avoid issues like chronic knee or back pain, according to Lazarski, and for most riders, a proper fit will also feel more comfortable and help them pedal more efficiently.
And before you leave your bike fit session, ask the fitter to write down these key measurements for you!
Upcoming Tours
Upcoming Hub and Spokes
2019 – Guelph, Ontario Hub & Spoke
Welcome New Members
If you happen to run into any of these fine folks be sure to give them a big CCCTS welcome.
| first_name | last_name | city | province |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frank | Driscoll | Brentwood Bay | BC |
| Deborah | Boulton | Victoria | BC |
| Carrie | Fiedler | Maple Valley | WA |
| Valerie | Johnson | Courtenay | BC |
| Eileen | Mears | Ottawa | ON |
| Russell | Fry | Comox | BC |
| Annie | Schwarz | Ottawa | ON |
| Jill | Sherret | Cranbrook |
BC |
It seems some of us are still unclear about how the selection process works for tour selection. If anyone wants further clarification please contact Alex Laird by email at alaird212@gmail.com
Registration FAQ
- What factors go into rider selection?
- Rider qualification: If it is not clear that you have the ability to complete the ride at the pace of the other riders you should have a discussion with the ride leader about whether you should be on the ride.
- Trip leader preference: The trip leader can now designate up to 30% of ride participants at their own discretion.
- Lottery selection: This will come into play only during the lottery period between registration open and lottery close.
- First-come-first-serve: After lottery close any remaining slots will go to the first person that signs up.
- Couples: People can designate a ride partner at sign-up. When that is done you will either both get on the tour or neither. You can designate anyone as a partner so long as you are willing to share a room with that person.
- Gender: Where roommates are required, gender balancing can be applied so that the maximum number of people can be accommodated on the trip with minimal cost.
- Are riders always selected by lottery?
No. Only during the lottery period between registration open and lottery close. After lottery close we will use the familiar first-come-first-served. Even during the lottery period there are other factors that may be considered — see What factors go into rider selection above. - How does the lottery work for a ride that is not over-subscribed?
There will be no lottery for these rides. You will be assigned a priority number only because we probably won’t know if a ride is over-subscribed at the time of you register. - Can I register for a ride after “Lottery Close”?
Absolutely. If spots are still available they will be filled first-come-first-served. If spots are not available than you will be placed on the waitlist based on your registration time. - When is a priority number assigned during registration?
A priority number is always assigned whenever you register for a ride. However it will only be used during lottery selection. - How does the priority number relate to being selected for the ride?
First remember that the priority number is relevant only during the lottery period between registration open and lottery close. During that period people will be selected by their priority number; highest number first. For example: if a ride has a maximum of 10 riders than the 10 riders with the highest priority numbers will be selected at lottery close. - How can I find out what my priority number is?
Go to your personal page and select the “My Rides” tab. That will give you the status and priority number of each ride that you have registered for. - How does the “Couple” designation affect the lottery?
If you designate a partner during registration then you are expected to room with that person and either both of you will be selected for the ride or neither. In order to achieve this goal, priority numbers of both partners are set to the average of their priorities. For example: if Joe has a priority number of 900 and Sam has a priority number of 100 and they both select each other as partners than they will both have an effective priority number of 500. Of course we will still need to consider the priority number of other applicants and the maximum number of riders to determine if they will both be selected or not. - How does “gender balancing” work during rider selection?
First, remember that gender balancing does not occur on all rides. Generally camping tours and Hub & Spokes don’t assign roommates and thus the ride leader won’t do gender balancing. When gender balancing is done it will affect only the lowest priority single. If that single is not an appropriate roommate for the next lowest priority single he/she can be replaced by a single further down the priority list that is the right gender. For example: suppose Sam is the lowest priority single and Alice is just above him in the priority list. Since they are not appropriate roommates Sam will not be selected. Instead the highest priority female on the waitlist will be selected to be Alice’s roommate. - The trip leader has promised to give “trip leader preference” to me. Do I still need to register?
Yes, definately. If you are going to receive trip leader preference you must register before lottery close. Rider selection begins at lottery close. You can’t be selected if you are not registered and it would be unfair to hold a place open for someone that hasn’t registered. - I’m not available during the lottery period. Can someone else register for me?
Yes. Any member in good standing can register you as long as they are willing to pay your registration fee. However it is club policy that a member cannot register more than two people other than him/herself. - Will my priority number change if I register again?
No. The system will not allow multiple registrations of the same member. You can cancel your registration and register again. However the system will treat that as a re-activation of your previous registration (with the same priority number).
Do you have other questions about registration that have not been answered here? Send them in to the webmaster and we will try to get you an answer.
Published at least ten times a year by The Cross Canada Cycle Tour Society, a non – profit organization for retired people and others who enjoy recreational cycling.
Items for the NEWSBRIEF must be received by the 28th of the month. The Editor reserves the right to edit for clarity, brevity and suitability of publication. The views expressed in the “NEWSBRIEF” are not necessarily those of the CCCTS or the Editor.
Submissions for NEWSBRIEF should be emailed to alaird212@gmail.com
Please be sure to notify the office of any changes in your personal contact information; be it address, phone or e-mail.