The TAM Ride
Tuesday All Members Ride
The ‘other’ night of the week when all club members can ride.
From the serious racer to the recreational rider, this is a terrific addition to your week. This ride has something for everyone!
The Bare Essentials
What is it? This is a group ride most like any other ride night of the week but with up to six speed groups to choose from (depending on attendance) instead of three. The route will be the same each week for approximately six weeks consecutively, and then changed. This allows riders to measure their progress. There will be three different Routes in the riding season.
What’s it about? This is another evening in the week for everyone in the club to ride – improving skills for some and improving fitness for others. Relaxed and Moderate waves will ride in a paceline gaining saddle time, skills, improved fitness and experience on familiar roads where more Advanced waves will focus on High Intensity Training.
Meet: Calvary Baptist Church, 454 Arkell Road, parking lot.
Time: Be ready to pedal at 6:30 PM June, July & August; 6:00 PM April & Sept;
Parking: At the Church
Route: Unlike other nights of the week, the route stays constant for several weeks at a time. There will be only three different routes per riding season. Each route will have a shortcut to allow more moderate speed waves to finish and be home before sunset.
Purpose: Another evening in the week where ALL club members can ride and work on the elements they desire: fitness, speed, endurance, etc. Or just an alternate night in the week for club members to have a ride.
How it will work: Club members will gather at the Church parking lot as they would for most club rides. Refer to the map to see where the wave you signed up for is gathering. A Ride Leader will give a quick introduction and lead their group out about a minute after the next fastest group has departed.
Who: You MUST be an SRCC member to ride. You must pre-register for teh ride on the signup form provided on the website.
Learn to Group Ride is run on this evening of the week. If you are new to group riding, this is the place for you.
More Detail
The Tuesday All Members (TAM) Ride is a fun evening of riding for ALL levels of SRCC Club Members. Riders will be organized into appropriate waves. Relaxed and Moderate waves will ride in paceline rotation while more Advanced waves will focus on High Intensity Training. It is possible to choose from up to seven waves. The ride route is comprised of quiet rural roads. The purpose is different depending on the wave you choose. There is everything from the Learn to Wave Ride wave, all the way up to Hammerfest and lots in between. The waves are pace specific and the behaviour within the wave gets more race oriented with the higher paces. Below are the waves and pace speed averages.
- Wave 1 35 – 40+ kph avg Hammerfest – Full Drop
- Wave 2 32 – 35 kph avg Paceline Advanced
- Wave 3 30 – 32 kph avg Paceline
- Wave 4 28 – 30 kph avg Social Paceline Advanced
- Wave 5 26 – 28 kph avg Social Paceline
- Wave 6 24 – 26 kph avg No-Drop Social Paceline
- Wave 7 Learn to Group Ride Group Ride & Paceline Instruction
Waves will ride no faster than their maximum posted speed average.
If you wish to go faster than the wave you’re in, try starting in the next faster wave the following Tuesday. This is an excellent way to test yourself and improve fitness. Due to Covid restrictions, you may not join any group other than the one you have signed up for on any given night.
All rules of the road and good riding practices apply.
How do I know if I am ready to try this?
You are riding in any of our regular group rides. You are looking for another evening in the week to ride. You have a desire to improve your skills and fitness. You want variation with your ride experience. You want to experience the full diversity of the SRCC membership.
Will there be Seven Waves every Tuesday?
That is the goal, however, as we are implementing this format in 2020 for the first time and the club is growing, it may not be possible for a while. But there will always be a wave that you can ride in. Depending on turn out, there may not be enough riders meeting the minimum for a wave that you desire. If this happens, ride leaders will request that you join either the next fastest or slower group.
Is there a minimum number of riders per wave?
Yes, three. And yes, three riders can work together well. It’s a great exercise.
Is there a maximum number of riders per wave?
Yes, waves will be limited to no more than 10 due to Covid restrictions, Once we are able waves will be limited to 16 riders for traffic safety.
What happens if there is lots of demand for one speed wave?
Multiple versions of that wave may run.
What happens if I choose a wave that’s too fast for me?
Unfortunately, in 2021 due to Covid restrictions, we cannot mix groups after the ride has started. You will need to drop out and find your own way home.
What happens if I choose a wave that’s too slow for me?
Ride with that wave for the entire route and start with a faster wave next week.
How long are the routes?
Route length will be posted on the web site. The route changes three times during the season and lengths will change with them as per the changing daylight hours.
What must I do when I get to a Stop Sign?
Stop (does this really need to be said?). Seriously, just stop.
Anyone blowing through a stop sign will get a serious dressing down with consequences from SRCC officials or possibly killed by a motorist. So… just stop.
Fast waves and Stop Signs
If you are in a fast wave that is breaking apart, see the above rule.
Stop. Proceed when it’s safe to do so.
For those being left behind, it is strongly recommended you wait at stop signs for the following wave. If you can’t catch and stay with your wave, then you are in the wrong wave and will be riding alone trying to catch them – and that’s no fun.
Relaxed and Moderate Waves and the Stop Signs
Stop. Proceed when it’s safe to do so. Not so hard.
What to do if someone is breaking away or surging ahead?
Don’t chase them, let them go. Maintain your wave’s speed average.
What to do if someone is lagging or struggling to keep up?
Ask them if they are ok. If they are ok but can’t maintain your wave’s pace, and you’re not in Wave 6 or 7, then maintain your wave’s speed average and let them fall behind.
What to do if someone is behaving dangerously?
Report it to the Ride Leader or SRCC Club Board Member
What to do if someone has crashed?
The entire ride wave must stop and address the situation as best as possible in accordance with Club Guidelines.
What to do if someone has had a flat or a ‘mechanical’ problem?
The entire ride wave must stop and address the situation to make sure the rider is able to get going again safely or other transport has been arranged.
Will there be alterations throughout the season?
As the season progresses, the route will be changed for a total of three routes per riding season on Tuesdays only.