The hills around Bloomington and Monroe County offer great scenery and challenging routes for touring, training and social cycling throughout the season. The BBC’s ride calendar accommodates cyclists of varying abilities and interests. Choose from the club rides described below to find a day and time, pace and group that suits you. Always bring a helmet and supplies but consider bringing a friend, too.
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Saturday Club Touring Rides | Training Rides | Intermediate Rides | Un Rides | SlowSpokes |Sunday Nice 'N Easy Rides | Holiday Breakfast Rides | Where to Ride
SATURDAY CLUB TOURING RIDES
Saturdays, March-October. Start times will change from month to month with the availability of light and the onset of Indiana heat and humidity. Check the ride calendar for starting times.
Meeting Place: Bryan Park Pool parking lot.
Pace:13-17 mph
Mileage:Varies, see ride calendar. Short options are available on most routes. Touring rides take cyclists to surrounding counties and accommodate cyclists of a variety of abilities. Participants frequently break up into multiple groups determined by pace. Occasionally there will be listed century (100mi) ride extensions on the calendar.
Ride leaders provide maps and ensure that no rider is completely dropped and all riders make it back to the starting point. On longer rides, leaders designate collection points to bring groups back together and identify rest stops for food and water. Mileage and difficulty of touring rides increase over the course of the summer. Touring rides are a great way to acquaint yourself with the area, build endurance, and meet others who share your interest in cycling.
TRAINING RIDES
Tuesday and Thursday Nights, 5:30/5:45 pm (varies see ride calendar), March-October
Meeting Place: Bryan Park Pool parking lot.
Pace: 17+ mph sprints probable (determined by the group).
Mileage:0-40 miles depending on the availability of light
Training rides allow participants to challenge themselves in pace lines with other strong riders. Participants work to build speed and endurance. No route sweep is provided so riders who attend are expected to keep up with the group or be familiar with area roads. Participants determine routes on the evening of the ride.
INTERMEDIATE RIDES
Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 5:45 pm
Meeting Place: Bryan Park Pool parking lot.
Pace: 15-16 mph
Mileage: 20-40 miles
This group is intended for riders with some experience in group rides but not those seeking high-intensity, fast training rides. The pace and distance will be moderate. The ride leader will start promptly at the announced time and set an appropriate pace. Riders are expected to assist the leader by looking out for each other during the ride. Ride maps with regrouping points will be posted in advance. Riders unfamiliar with the route should bring along a copy of the map in the event they become separated from the group.
UN RIDES
Mondays
Meeting Place: Bryan Park Pool parking lot.
Pace: 10-14 mph but no-drop
Mileage: 10 - 30 miles
This is a comparatively short no-drop ride where the people and place are more important than the ride. Departure times from Bryan Park will vary, and some of these rides with distant destinations may be "drive and rides". Here are the Un Rides Maps.
MIDWEEK CENTURIES
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays
Meeting Place: Bryan Park Pool parking lot.
Pace: 12-16 mph
Mileage: 90 - 110 miles
This is the ride for the experienced rider that wants to venture out farther into southern Indiana. The pace may be slower, but it's about endurance. We've got all day to ride and seek, and waiting at turns is proper etiquette on this ride. Departure times vary according to the time of the year, and occasionally we will have "drive and rides" for some far out places. Here are the Midweek Centuries Maps.
THE OWLS
Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 5:45 pm
Meeting Place: Sherwood Oaks Christian Church on Rogers Road.
Pace: 13-14 mph
Mileage: 20-30 miles
This "Older, or Wiser, or a Little Slower" training group formed in 2008. We emphasize moderate rides, almost always with a designated leader, and a route planned in advance and posted on the ride calendar. Rides tend to be somewhat shorter and slower in the early part of the season and somewhat longer and faster as the season goes along. We expect to have several regrouping points and not let anyone get dropped. The group departs promptly. Here are the OWLS Maps.
SLOWSPOKES
Saturdays, 8:00 am
Meeting Place: Bryan Park Pool parking lot.
Pace:9-12 mph
Mileage:10-30 miles, somewhat more as the season progresses.
Welcome to the SlowSpokes group. We are a family oriented group that encourages participation of all cyclists, fast or slow, people who bicycle or want to bicycle. The distance and speed of our rides will depend on the experience and ability of the participants. We will use short and medium variations of standard club routes. All rides will have a leader, and the more experienced riders will serve as mentors for the beginners, and no matter what your speed or experience, no one will be dropped or left behind. We will include community-sponsored and fundraising rides into our training routine and, as part of encouraging members to become better cyclists, we have set as one of our goals to have regular participants ready for the Hilly Hundred in October.
SUNDAY NICE 'N EASY RIDES
Sundays, 1:30 pm March-October
Meeting Place: Bryan Park Pool parking lot.
Pace:8-12 mph
Mileage:19-25 miles
Sunday rides feature lower mileage and slower paces. Routes are posted ahead of time on the BBC Calendar. Nice ‘n easy rides cater to those who want to take it easy and to beginning riders. Here is a Map showing the Nice and Easy Rides.
HOLIDAY BREAKFAST RIDES OR "UN BREAKFAST RIDES"
Scheduled via BBC email for three-day holiday weekends (Memorial Day, Labor Day weekends, etc.)
The Socials would like to resurrect a BBC tradition with a few alterations. Rides on the three summer holidays will be to southern Indiana's state park inns where breakfast will be waiting. There will be shorter ride options for the less inclined riders, and friends and family who don't ride are encourage to meet the riders and share in the meal. Bring your state park pass and/or $ for the festivities.