Shawnee Trail Cycling Club

Your Local Bike Shop The most important resource that you have as you enjoy cycling, hands down, is the relationship you develop with your Local Bike Shop (LBS). These are the people that helped you pick out the bike you’ve always wanted. They’re the people that made sure you had the right pedals, shorts, and fitted the bike so it felt like your favorite pair of slippers. Keep your money local - Support your LBS! Your LBS has all the accessories you could ever need or want and they have a service department second to none. They are also very involved in the local communities, supporting...

««  Read More  »»

Cycling Shorts Do you know why cycling shorts have historically been black? If you’ve ever been out on the road with a flat or other mechanical problem and walk away with grease, oil and dirt all over your hands – that should be a clue. Wipe your hands on your cycling shorts and you’ll see the black color hides the mess. If you are going to have a conversation about any of your cycling gear that becomes uncomfortable, its probably about your shorts. Once you get over the idea that bike shorts are "meant" to be worn without underwear, you'll be well on your way. Wearing...

««  Read More  »»

Shawnee Trail Cycling Club Of course, we all belong to the BEST Cycling Club! It’s what we all say, regardless of which club we belong to. We’ve found a group of people of like mind that have the same perspective of camaraderie and purpose on and off the bike, whatever that may be. There are many types of cycling organizations from which you can choose. Are you an aspiring cycling racer or triathlete? Does randonneuring interest you? Do you know what randonneuring is? Are you looking for a recreational riding group that has rides that help you build fitness? Are you a mountain biker...

««  Read More  »»

Brakes We all love to GO. Isn’t that why you got your bicycle in the first place? GO to lose weight. GO to get fit. GO to the store. GO fast. GO, GO, GO… But, at some point, you have to come to a stop, or at least slow down. Whether it’s the end of your commute or training ride, or you come to a stop sign (yes “stop”), or someone or something steps in front of you and you need to stop to avoid crashing – you need a way to slow down. You don’t see very much written about one of the most crucial pieces of gear on your bike – the brake. We take them...

««  Read More  »»

Ride of Silence When speaking about the bicycle and its use for transportation or training, the discussion eventually comes around to the talk of safety and the sometimes tragic consequence of combining a two very disparate modes of transportation. One that involves a self-powered vehicle weighing maybe 20 pounds and travels 15-20 mph, with one that involves a vehicle weighing several thousand pounds traveling at speeds as much as 70 mph. When there is a collision, without a doubt, the bicycle loses – EVERY TIME . The Ride of Silence was first held in 2003 in Dallas, Tx, following the death...

««  Read More  »»

Cycling events have become a major source of fundraising for research to cure afflictions that affect millions. One of these afflictions that impacts so many is diabetes. We've asked our friends involved in the local effort to send a few words your way. Their passion for the cause is obvious and sincere. One very interesting thing that the organizers have done is the formation of the Red Riders team. This team of cyclists all suffer from diabetes. Diabetes brings some severe training challenges to those cyclists suffering from diabetes, and riding with a group of your peers provides support, understanding...

««  Read More  »»

Bike to Work (May 13-17) Bike to Work Week is the week embedded within National Bike Month that is set aside to demonstrate, promote and celebrate all those that choose the two wheeled, “turn the tech off” approach to getting to the office. I hope you’re one of those individuals and we’d love to hear about your commute. Commutes to work can be as simple as travelling around the corner or it can be a trip you’ll gladly turn into a daily workout. Some are lucky enough to have access to shower facilities, but others find ways to get to work and not offend their fellow...

««  Read More  »»

Bicycles in Flight If not for the bicycle, there’s a chance there would have been no early airplane – or we might still be jumping off cliffs trying to get enough takeoff speed. “It is not uncommon for the cyclist…to remark, Wheeling is just like flying!… To learn to wheel one must learn to balance; to learn to fly one must learn to balance.” James Howard Means Who would’ve ever thought of a link between riding a bicycle and flying? Well, except for those times we find ourselves out in the middle of nowhere on a beautiful country road – with a tailwind...

««  Read More  »»

Bicycle Highways There has been so much talk about Complete Streets in recent years and most people don’t realize the benefits of the overall concept. Focusing on just one idea in this post will give you an inkling of the road Complete Streets could lead us on (pun intended). Most of the discussions surrounding bicycle safety have focused on “Share the Road” and carving out sections of existing roads to use as safe haven bike lanes. In fact, as more studies show, having a shared use road which pairs a form of transport that weighs less than 30 pounds and generally travels less...

««  Read More  »»

Women have played a significant role in the growth of popularity of cycling. Tied in time to the Women's Suffrage Movement, the bicycle came to highlight the movements focus on women's freedom. Today's cyclists, men and women, owe a great deal of gratitude to the efforts and struggles of the past. From the first manufactured bicycle in America in 1878, as with many other aspects of society at the time, women were discriminated against, degraded and admonished that riding a bicycle was not a good idea - sound familiar? Every imaginable excuse was presented to oppress women’s use of the bicycle...

««  Read More  »»