Kalamazoo Bicycle Club

Life is better on a bike!

Tuesday Night Time Trials

There will be three more Tuesday Night Time Trials for KBC members on the following Tuesdays: July 17th and 31st and August 21st.  Information about Tuesday Night Time Trials, provided below, can also be found in the “Tuesday” section of the Club Rides page of the KBC website.

Click on this link to an Extra! Extra! Special Edition of PedalPress for a description of the final “championship” time trial of the season, on August 21st.

Tuesday Night Time Trial – on a measured and marked 10-mile course – will be held (usually) on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the summer, but watch for announcements and check the KBC calendar.

Begin signing up at 6:30 PM and lining up at 6:45. Riders start at 30 second increments beginning at 7:00 PM sharp.

The Tuesday Night Time Trial series is a great way to learn about riding and your own personal abilities. The best part of the time trial series is that everyone can participate – young and old, fast and slow – and you don’t compete with anyone but yourself. No pressure, except what you put on yourself. Come and find out just how fun a 10-mile ride can be and meet some old and new friends. Exciting and valuable weekly prizes (lol).

The Tuesday Night Time Trial series is run by Team Clark Logic as a free service to all KBC members. You must be a KBC member to participate.

No drafting.  And, as at all other KBC rides, wearing a helmet is required!!

Park at the Pavilion Township Hall, then ride south to the start line. Be sure to arrive on time to sign up and start at designated time.

KALTOUR 2018 FEATURES ALL NEW ROUTES

As in years past, the last Sunday in June is KalTour Day. With routes for beginning and experienced cyclists, KBC’s KalTour, also known as Kalamazoo Scenic Bicycle Tour, provides opportunities to enjoy the scenic rural roads of the Kalamazoo County.

This year’s KalTour, on June 24th, features all new routes and a new starting/ending point at Schoolcraft High School. Participants may choose from four routes: 15 miles, 31 miles, 62 miles (metric century), or a 100 mile (century). There will also be an option for a short, escorted family ride. All routes are marked with colored arrows painted at intersections, electronic maps will be available through Ride with GPS, and printed maps will be provided at check-in. Starting KalTour from Schoolcraft High School provides ready access to low-traffic and flat, rural roads.

KalTour is a supported ride.  Scheduled stops include access to restrooms, water and snacks. And lunch, provided by Erbelli’s, is available on each of the routes. Local bike shops provide mechanical support along the routes as well. This year’s century route will will guide cyclists “around Kalamazoo County,” stopping at Scotts Mill and Markin Glen County Parks as well as at the State Fish Hatchery. The 31 and 62 mile routes will also stop at Scotts Mill, while the family and 15 mile routes will have a rest stop at Prairie View County Park.

Early registration, available through June 22 online at http://www.kalamazoobicycleclub.org/events/kaltour/, is $30 for individuals and $55 for families, with no additional processing charges. Day-of-ride registration fees are $35 for individuals and $65 for families. For more information contact: Michael Krischer, KalTour Director kaltour@kalamazoobicycleclub.org

KalTour opens at 7:00 a.m., registration is open until 11:00 a.m., and course support ends at 4:00 p.m. Cyclists riding the 100 mile route must depart by 8:30 AM; 62 mile riders must leave by 10:00 AM. Three group rides will be available: a fast 62 mile ride, led by the KBC race team, leaves at 9:00 AM; a moderately-paced 31 mile group leaves at 9:30 AM; and the escorted family ride leaves at 10:00 AM. Helmets are required at all KBC events. Headphones are prohibited while riding KalTour. Riders under 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

A portion of the proceeds from KalTour is donated by KBC to the Kalamazoo Valley Ambucs to help purchase adaptive tricycles and bicycles for children and adults with disabilities.

The non-profit Kalamazoo Bicycle Club was formed in 1971 to promote bicycling in the region. The club’s activities include bike safety and advocacy, club rides, racing, touring, and development of a bicycle-friendly infrastructure in the Kalamazoo region.  For more information visit http://www.kalamazoobicycleclub.org/

2018 BIKE CAMP TEACHES SAFE AND EFFICIENT ROAD CYCLING

Bike Camp is the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club’s education and training program for beginning cyclists and people returning to bicycling.  Now in its thirteenth year, Bike Camp focuses on road cycling and combines both instructional and on-the-road training.  Renee Mitchell, KBC President notes that, “Bike Camp is a great way for anyone to learn safe cycling in a no-pressure environment.”  If you want to improve your bicycling skills, build confidence in riding on the road, or learn more about maintaining your bike, consider attending Bike Camp 2018.

Bike Camp consists of five sessions, starting with an orientation and information session on Thursday, May 10th, followed by four consecutive Saturday morning information and riding sessions, starting May 12th and ending June 2nd.  Specific topics covered in Bike Camp include bike fit for better comfort and efficiency, bicycle laws, navigating safely on the road with traffic, bicycle handling skills, basic bicycle mechanics, and training to reach fitness goals. Each Saturday session includes on-the-road group rides led by experienced mentors. The group rides are organized by pace and distance to accommodate everyone’s fitness level.

In addition to the educational and training sessions, Bike Camp includes a one-year membership to the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club and registration in this year’s KalTour, the club’s Kalamazoo Scenic Bicycle Tour, which takes place in late June.

To register for Bike Camp please visit : www.kalamazoobicycleclub.org/events/bike-camp/.

Pedal – 2018 Friend of Bicycling Award Recipient

The Kalamazoo Bicycle Club’s 2018 Friend of Bicycling Award was presented recently to Pedal for their long-standing support of bicycling in the Kalamazoo area.  The KBC appreciates and recognizes Pedal’s many laudable activities, including their support for several bicycling organizations: Kalamazoo Bicycle Club, Tri Kats, Southwest Michigan Bike Association, the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail and the Maple Hill mountain bike trail at Markin Glen in addition to providing leadership and assistance with weekly rides. Pedal regularly provides professional mechanics who assist with bike fits at KBC’s annual Bike Camp and provides mechanical support at events such as the BTR Criterium.  For more information about the 2018 Friend of Bicycling Award, please see the February 2018 PedalPress.

Lexus Velodrome!

Click on the red “[Read More…]” for a video short on the new velodrome near Detroit and then  read more about it in the February 2018 PedalPress.