Ride Coordination

Ride Submission Guidelines

The best way to post your rides is directly on the web site; that way you can verify that all of the details are correct. Authorized ride leaders can login to the site, click Add a Ride, then click the Add button to enter ride information. (Detailed instructions are available.) This process automatically posts the ride to the website and sends e-mail notification that will be added to the Chain Letter. In order for you ride to be included in the Chain Letter, it must be on the website by the 10th of the previous month.

Free Banquet Ticket for Ride Leaders

Ride leaders earn a free ticket to the SCU banquet if they lead the following number of qualified rides between October 1, 2007, and September 30, 2008:

15 rides if 5 or more rides were on a weekend, or

20 rides if less than 5 rides were on a weekend

Send your ride sheets to Tom Kramlik.

What is considered an SCU Ride?

1. A ride that is advertised in the SCU Chain Letter or on the SCU Website (website listings must be made at least 48 hours prior to the ride start), and
   
2. A ride that is lead by an SCU Ride Leader, and
   
3. A ride that uses a SCU Ride Sign-In Sheet, and
   
4. The SCU Ride Leader must carry the Ride Sign-In Sheet with him/her on the ride in case medical or police personal need it.

Ad hoc rides announced only on the Yahoo Groups e-list do not qualify.

Evening Rides

Recurring weekly evening rides are scheduled while Daylight Saving Time is in effect (2008 = March 9th to Nov 2nd):

Monday: Church of the Saviour in Wayne, PA; start location COS.

Tuesday: North Penn High School (start location NPHS) and Hatboro-Horsham High School (start location HHHS)

Wednesday: Indian Valley Middle School in Harleysville, PA; start location IVMS.

Thursday: Hatboro-Horsham High School (start location HHHS)

Choose from rides with different ride leaders at varying speeds, distances, and abilities based on members present, weather, and sunset times. Check the SCU Ride Calendar for ride start times and speeds.

Please see the ride start locations in the Ride Guide, and view sample Cue Sheets. If you are looking to lead a ride, use maps and mapping software to figure out where the best roads are, then drive or ride either the entire route or the portions you are unfamiliar with.

Use the SCU Ride Until Sunset Chart to look up sunset times and to determine riding distances for start times of 5:30, 6:00, and 6:30 PM for speeds of 10 to 20 MPH. Or use the My SCU Favorites ride calendar to see the sunset times for upcoming rides.

2007 Top Ride Leaders

2007 Ride Leaders

Thank You to everyone who led rides in 2007!

2006 Top Ride Leaders

Elliot Titcher - 57 rides
Dave Atkins - 49 rides
Dennis Mayse - 42 rides
Doug Mueller - 37 rides
Jay Sitkin - 37 rides
Rich Terry - 37 rides
Rob Young - 37 rides
Ed Hein - 32 rides
Bob Fuerst - 28 rides
Tom Madle - 25 rides
Pat Rock - 25 rides
Roy Zipris - 25 rides

2005 Top Ride Leaders

Dave Atkins - 47 rides
Rob Young - 46 rides
Al Herman - 45 rides
Jay Sitkin - 41 rides
Bob Fuerst - 39 rides
Rich Terry - 38 rides
Elliot Titcher - 36 rides
Doug Mueller - 31 rides
Ed Hein - 29 rides
Dennis Mayse - 26 rides
Kathleen Nieman - 26 rides

2004 Top Ride Leaders

Dave Atkins - 48 rides
Rich Terry - 41 rides
Jay Sitkin - 39 rides
Al Herman - 31 rides
Rick Liebert - 30 rides
Doug Mueller - 29 rides
Jack Elias - 28 rides
Ed Hein - 27 rides
Elliot Titcher - 25 rides
Dennis Mayse - 23 rides
Monica Coleman -  23 rides
Bill Rock - 23 rides

Tour Policy

SCU has supported the organization of multiple day bike tours in the past (MS150, Salisbury, Rehoboth, etc.), and will continue to support the organization of these tours in the future. Based on a need to streamline the tour organization process, the following official SCU policy for multiple day bike tours has been established.

In the past, there have generally been three tours per year organized by SCU members. For 2005 budgetary purposes, it will be assumed that three tours will be organized. SCU may partially subsidize sag support and hospitality costs, but all other costs associated with the tour are the responsibility of participants. Policy guidelines are as follows (for all tours where any subsidy or funding is requested):

1. All tours must be organized by an active member of SCU.
2. All tour participants that are riding must be active members. Otherwise, the tour is considered a special event, which incurs additional insurance costs that must be covered by the tour participants.
3. The organizing member must submit a proposal to the Executive Committee detailing the approximate number of participants, deadlines for placing deposits and paying for hotel rooms, the date and method by which all funds will be collected from tour participants, and sag support or hospitality costs anticipated. The proposal must be submitted for EC approval well in advance of any tour deadlines.
4. SCU will not issue any checks for housing for the tour until the organizing member of the tour collects all funds and forwards them to the Treasurer. It is the responsibility of the organizing member of the tour to determine the appropriate deadlines for collecting funds from tour participants. All housing costs are the responsibility of the tour participants, and monies for such are provided on a “pass through” basis only after funds have been provided to the Treasurer.
5. There is a funding cap of $175 per tour with a total cap of $525 per year.
6. Any unforeseen costs not accounted for in the tour proposal must be brought immediately to the attention of the Executive Committee, preferably, prior to expenditure.

This policy may be changed at the discretion of the Executive Committee following notification of the SCU membership.

TOPS – Tandems of Philadelphia and Suburbs

Please note that TOPS - Tandems of Philadelphia and Suburbs - is part of SCU. All tandem riders are welcome. Please call Pat Rock to join our group 215-659-5148. A TOPS Tandem Ride Schedule page is now available on the SCU web site. It is linked to the SCU database and will list SCU rides that have their Ride Category set to "Tandem". You can access the Tandem Ride Schedule from the TOPS home page or directly from the TOPS Tandem Rides link on the SCU menu frame.

Ever Crash?
By Dennis Mayse, Aug 16, 2007

Ever Crashed? Have you thought about it? Have you been at the scene when another has crashed? Or worse yet, where you alone when you went down and needed help?

From my experiences this weekend I realized after all the years of riding I had made a big mistake. My mistake was:

* NO ID!
* NO INSURANCE CARD!
* NO PHONE NUMBERS FOR EMERGENCY

Not again. I am making a color copy of my driver’s license, my insurance card, and a paper with my personal info that I will always carry on my bike if the need arises. (I did have a small personal ID tucked into my helmet provided be SCU that the police used.)

I don't carry my wallet as it's too heavy with the wad of 50's in it. I might loose my DL. What numbers? Laminate copies of the above items rubber banded to your spare tube may prove very valuable. Zero weight. You may find them more valuable then the 50's.

So my suggestion is you consider doing the same. If you have other ideas please let me know.

And to all you ride leaders who leave the SCU ride sign up sheet (RSUS) at the car. DON'T! The last crashes I have experience with the RSUS proved very valuable and the police used it. Take a small zip lock bag. Fold up the sheet and place into the bag to keep it dry and stuff it into your rear pocket. It's zero weight and if the police ask you for it you will be very glad you have it. You may even need it to assist another rider.

Just think. With all those zero weight items you will be lighter then ever.

Dennis

Also see: www.roadid.com and www.meds.org.

Riding at Night
By Steve Scheetz, February 12, 2008

Before one considers riding on the road, at night, he/she must take some time to consider the traffic on the roads. Those driving in cars have difficulty seeing cyclists under normal circumstances, but at night this is compounded due to limited visibility.

The first thing to do is to make sure your bike is visible. This can be accomplished in several ways. The first way is to put reflective tape on all four sides of your bike. When I do it to my bike, I cut strips to put on the front of my fork, strips to put on the seat stays, and strips to put on the crank arms. In addition, on my bike, I have the added Red Tail Hawk covering my down tube, which is also made with reflective tape. While not everyone can have something like that, you will have accomplished the goal of having all four sides reflective.

The next thing to do is to make sure your lights are bright enough to be seen at a distance. I use LED lamps from Princeton Tec. They are VERY bright, and reasonably priced. I won t tell you what you should or should not buy, but when considering a lamp, think about its durability, (as in it will not die in bad weather) Its weight, what sort of batteries it takes, and its running time. Some lamps last two hours, by comparison, the bike mounted Princeton Tec lamp that I use lasts for 100 hours. It also takes AA batteries that can be purchased at any 24-hour convenience store in the middle of the night! Use the same consideration when selecting your tail lamps. You need a lamp that is lightweight, bright, and makes life easy when changing batteries.

The last thing is the use of bright jerseys and a reflective vest, or sash, along with reflective ankle bands. This is more for when you are off the bike, but it is much easier to be killed if one is not able to be seen. 

Steve

Updated 3/04/2008. Copyright © 2000-2008 Suburban Cyclists Unlimited. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of the author is prohibited.