News & Benefits
Welcome to the website of the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
The Kalamazoo Bicycle Club was established in 1971 as an organization devoted to the needs of bicycle-riding enthusiasts. It continues in that capacity today, conducting many different rides during the bike season and engaging in community bicycling advocacy.
Negotiating the Website
On this website you can find out a lot about the club by clicking on the dark blue tabs located at the top of this page.
If you want to know more about the rides KBC conducts, where they occur and what time they start, that information is under the Club Rides tab.
If you are a beginning cyclist, or one who is looking to get back into the sport after a long layoff, check out the Bike Camp tab to learn about our multi-day training and educational program.
If you are affiliated with an organization interested in applying for a grant to help fund your bicycle-related project, there are instructions on how to do so under the Community tab.
Under other tabs are registration forms for KalTour, KBC's big one-day tour; a list of benefits of membership and instructions on how to join the club; and an archive of the club's monthly newsletter, the PedalPress. And if you want to report a road hazard to the proper authorities, you can do so under the Ride Safety tab.
Club Meetings
KBC holds regular monthly meetings at 7 PM on the second Tuesday of the month, at the YMCA on Maple Street, to discuss the club’s business. Members and the general public are invited to attend.
Riding With the Club, and What to Expect
Helmets are required to ride with the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club. If you are not a KBC member you may be asked to sign a waiver of liability before riding. If you are a club member, you only need to sign the waiver once a year.
KBC provides ride leaders for many group bike rides during the course of a week. However, ride leaders may not be available for all groups.
The rides start from several locations in Kalamazoo County, and also from some local bike shops. Check the Club Rides tab to find out where and when the rides start. At many of the rides, groups will form based on the speed they intend to average. If you are a newcomer, ask a ride leader or another member of the club for advice if you are uncertain as to which pace ride or which group would fit your fitness and experience level.
If you give it a try, we are certain you will come to enjoy the camaraderie that is inherent in group riding. Ride safely, ride often, ride predictably, and ride within the guidelines of the Michigan State Motor Vehicle Code and the club's own safety protocols, and you'll fit right in at the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club.
I look forward to seeing you at a ride or other club activity.
Zolton Cohen, KBC President