Table of Contents
- President's Message
- Register Now! 2024 SCU Summer Century, Saturday, July 13 at Delaware Valley University
- BTCNJ: Friends We Haven't Met Yet
- College Settlement Camp Cleanup Day - Saturday, May 4
- College Settlement Camp Helmet DriveCinco de Mayo Ride - Sunday, May 5
- Chestertown Weekend May 24-27 (Memorial Day Weekend)
- SCU Ride Guidelines (and safety reminder)
- SCU eBike Policy
- Reminder of Member Benefits
- Online Club Resources
- Regional Events Calendar and Mileage Log
- New Members
- Executive Committee Meeting Schedule (Members Welcome)
- SCU Executive Committee
| President's Message
May 2024
A couple thousand years ago a wise philosopher said, "There is nothing permanent except change." A lot has changed since then, except the truth of his statement. In the years since SCU was founded bicycles have gone from 7 speed to 12 speed cassettes, from steel and aluminum frames to carbon fiber, from downtube shifters to integrated brake-shifters, and more. As a club we have gone from a mailed paper newsletter as the sole source of information on ride and club events to multiple online outlets serving our various needs, from sponsoring four centuries a year to one, from a single weeknight ride site to six, and other changes too numerous to list. There has been a significant turnover in membership as well. While there are still some founding and early members riding with us, on any given ride there is a wide range in the membership time of the riders. Further, all these changes have happened within the context of broader social trends, which I wouldn't even begin to address in a short article like this. Recently, I have been asking myself how these changes have affected our club's identity. Who are we? What do we want out of our club? These questions make me feel like an adolescent all over again -- I have some ideas but I can't form a clear response. So, I am wondering about other people's thoughts. What does this club mean to you? Why do you show up for a ride or social event instead of doing something else? I really want to know. Speak to me next time you see me. Send me an email. Leave something on Facebook. Write me a letter. Write it on a brick and throw it in my front window. (Just kidding about that one!) Sharing ideas is the best way to answer these types of difficult questions.
Steve "Tradition is the illusion of permanance*" Muth
SCU President
*Thank you, Woody Allen.
| | Artist's Rendering of Steve Muth Without Beard | EARLY REGISTRATION ENDS SOON!!!! |
Register Now!
2024 SCU Summer Century
Saturday, July 13
NEW LOCATION!
Delaware Valley University
Doylestown, PA
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- Featuring:
NEW LOCATION:
Delaware Valley University
Lot A, Campus Loop Road
New Britain, Pa. 18901
- Four beautiful routes in Bucks County, PA and the scenic horse country of Hunterdon County, NJ.
33 Miles (+/-)
50 Miles (+/-)
62 Mile Metric
100 Mile Century (+/-)
- Pizza party at the finish
- GPS links will be available in advance of the ride.
- Baked goods, drinks and friendly SCU volunteers at three well-stocked rest stops
- SAG support
- Well-marked routes
- Cue sheets
- Online route maps and GPX files
- Free PAVED parking at the start/finish
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Registration Fees:
- EarlyRegistration - $50 (before June 1, 2024)
- Regular Registration - $55 (before June 29, 2024)
- Late Registration - $65 (after June 29, 2024)
- SCU Members receive a $5 registration discount!
- Registration is limited to 500 riders.
- 2023 event registrants will receive an e-mail with a discount code for complimentary registration.
Group and Team Discount
- Groups of eight or more registering as a group can receive a $5 per person discount.
Tandem-Two-for-One
- Riders on a tandem pay one registration for two riders.
Unicyclists -- half price!
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Doylestown is well-situated for exploring Bucks County, Pennsylvania with its covered bridges, historic barns, wineries, restaurants, antiques and so much more.
Click hereto learn more about things to do and places to stay in beautiful and Historic Buck County.
Note: Our terms of insurance do not allow for the use of Class 2 (throttled) e-bikes. If you are planning to ride the Century route on an e-bike, please check your compliance with NJ state law for e-bikes.
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| EARLY REGISTRATION ENDS SOON!!!! | BCTNJ: Friends We Haven't Met Yet
The Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey is visiting the Philly region on the weekend of June 7, 8 and 9. About 20 to 30 riders will be staying in Center City, but they have cars and will be sampling the suburban roads as well. They have been invited to participate in our weekend rides. It will be a great time to meet new friends and share experiences. More details to come as the date approaches! | | College Settlement Camp Cleanup Day - Saturday, May 4
CSC is excited to announce a special Star Wars-themed Clean Up Day, happening on May 4th at 8:30 AM.
As we get ready to welcome campers back to College Settlement this summer, we're reaching out to our community (very much including SCU) to help ensure everything is in perfect shape and ready for their arrival!
Together, we'll be channeling our inner Jedi as we mulch flower beds, plant flowers, clear leaves and branches, restore hiking trails, and more. Your participation will help ensure that our cabins, dining hall, environmental center, pool, and play areas are ready to embark on a summer adventure beyond the stars.
Location:
597 Witmer Road, Horsham, PA 19044
Jobs Include:
- Leia's Landscapers
- Wookie Wheelbarrow Workout
- Jedi Artistry Alliance
- Reviving Rebel Picnic Tables
- Crafting Cosmic Care Packages
- Hutt's Hospitality Crew
Schedule:
- 8:30 AM: Breakfast and Registration
- 9:00 AM: Begin Working
- 12:00 PM: Lunch Break
- 1:00 PM: Back to Work and Final Cleanup
As an added bonus, each volunteer will be automatically entered to win a $125 gift card toElements Massagein Horsham!
We look forward to seeing you there. May the force be with you!
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Cinco de Mayo Ride - Sunday, May 5
Experience one of the most scenic rides in Pennsylvania at the Cinco de Mayo Benefit Ride and Walk on Sunday, May 5th! Offering picturesque 25- and 50-mile routes plus a trail ride, it’s the perfect blend of challenge and beauty while supporting cycling and other sports opportunities for people with disabilities. Learn more and register now at www.cincodemayoride.org. Join us to make a difference and enjoy a day filled with incredible views and camaraderie!
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Chestertown Weekend - May 24-27 (Memorial Day Weekend)
Registration for the Baltimore Bicycle Club's Chestertown Weekend is now open.
Join the Baltimore Bicycling Club in celebrating the 40th year of this event! Enjoy riding along the flat, scenic roads of Kent County, Maryland, and stay in the historic port town of Chestertown, MD on the Chester River
| The SCU Ride Guide (and Safety Reminders)
- Arrive ten to 15 minutes early and Be Prepared To Leave On Time! The starting times are actual departure times
- Make sure your bike is in proper working order Before you arrive
- Carry a spare tube, patch kit, pump, water bottle, and some form of I.D. (emergency information)
- Ride in a safe manner and obey all traffic laws
- The wearing of a helmet (ANSI and/or Snell approved) is Required on all club rides
- Do not "Bike off" more than you can do. Go on rides within your ability, interest and experience
- Each rider assumes his or her own risk on all rides
- Those who ride ahead of the group are on their own ride
- Always notify the ride leader when leaving the group
- Riders should adhere to the advertised speed of the ride
- Ride leaders are not expected to be bike mechanics
- During Winter months or questionable weather conditions, please contact the ride leader
- If it is raining at the start time, then the ride is canceled unless otherwise noted by the ride leader
- Have fun riding your bike.
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Hello SCU Riders !!!
Passing along a few safety reminders and points we all need to be aware of on our group rides...
- Please always use a red tail light - even during the day - for visibility since it does make you more visible. You need to be visible and conspicuous on the road. Especially if you have a bright red tail light of close to 100 lumens. Please see what you have and make changes if necessary. If you do not have a rear red tail light, please get one. Using a front white light helps even more with being seen.
- While passing another rider, ALW\AYS pass on their left side and ALWAYS announce that you are passing them on their left. If - for a very rare reason - you are on a riders right side need or need to pass a rider on their right, ALWAYS announce that also. Otherwise it is not a good idea to ever pass or even ride directly on the right side of a rider in front of you. If you are on a riders' right side, stay well behind them and still let them know you are there.
- And while we are talking about trailing a rider, please avoid "half-wheeling" the rider in front of you for any reason. Either on their left or right if they are in front of you.. This occurs when your front wheel overlaps the rear wheel of the rider in front of you. Sometimes the shoulders of roads are narrow and this will make for a dangerous situation when cars are passing.
- When someone yells out "CAR BACK" we should all be looking to immediately form a single line of cyclists as quickly and as safely as possible and not ride two abreast in the lane the cars are in. This should be the case regardless of the width of the shoulder. The narrower the shoulder, the more we should be aware of this condition. A safe way of doing this is, if you are the rider on the right of the two-abreast, allow the rider on your left to get in front of you. that way the left side rider is not drifting back toward the oncoming and approaching car and gtets out of the way quicker..
- When coming to a light and there is a right-hand turning lane and you are going straight, stay to the right in the lane in the direction you are travelling. Do not veer right into that lane and then jump back into the lane where you are going straight. One of the best ways to be safe it to be "Predictable" and "Conspicuous"
Thank you Thom McAdams for the reminder!
| SCU eBike Policy
More information will be explained and distributed at SCU club rides by the ride leaders, but below describes the 3 categories of e-bikes and what is allowed on club rides. As the popularity of eBikes increases both in general and in SCU, we welcome the use of them on club rides but need to be aware of limitations and what is allowed.
Summary:
Electric bikes shall be permitted on club rides only as covered by the club's insurance policy and as consistent with local, state and Federal laws. The Treasurer shall determine the club's insurance coverage regarding electric bikes. A summary of this coverage and any changes to it shall be communicated to membership by the Digital Communications Director and directly communicated to ride leaders by the Ride Director. The ride sign-in sheet shall be revised and updated as needed to indicate this coverage.
- Only pedal assist eBikes (Classes 1 and 3) will be allowed on club rides.
- As SCU club rides cross into multiple states (PA, NJ, DE), it is critical we adhere to the regulations of all 3.
- If you have questions, please contact the SCU executive team or talk to your ride leader.
3 Classifications - eBikes
- Allowed: A “class 1 electric bicycle” is a bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour.
- Not Allowed: A “class 2 electric bicycle” is a bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle, and that is not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour.
- Allowed: A “class 3 electric bicycle” is a bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 28 miles per hour, and is equipped with a speedometer.
When considering purchasing an eBike, it is important to understand the laws in your state and the type riding you want to do, including if bringing it on a SCU club ride (which again, we enjoy having them).
Thank you,
SCU Executive Team | | As membership director, I want to welcome back all of our SCU members who have renewed their memberships and I am encouraging our non-members to join our ranks! We are excited to have over 1,800 cyclists in our Meetup Group but we would be even more excited to have more of the group become dues-paying SCU members. Our membership fee is one of the best bargains around!! So what are the benefits you will receive with your SCU membership you may ask?
Here are just a few:
- Insurance coverage if an accident occurs while participating in a SCU ride
- Access to all SCU events including the SCU picnic, awards banquet, tailgate parties and many more events that occur throughout the year
- Discounts at designated local bike shops and SCU Century / Summer Event rides
- Monthly newsletter
And most importantly...supporting our cycling community especially our experienced and dedicated ride leaders who work hard at providing our club members with the best and safest routes throughout the region that accommodates various rider abilities.
The SCU membership fees help to sustain our club so please consider becoming a member today! To join our club, click https://suburbancyclists.org/. Please feel free to reach out to me at membership@suburbancyclists.org or any of our Executive Committee if you have any questions or comments.
Hope to see you on the road!
Pat Butcher
Membership Director
| Online Club Resources
As a reminder, there are other online resources available to you to fully enjoy your club membership:
- Meetup.com: Look for the Suburban Cyclists Unlimited (SCU) Meetup page to learn about and sign up for group rides.
- Facebook: Visit the Suburban Cyclists Unlimited page to hear about the latest club news or pictures and adventures from club rides.
| Regional Events Calendar & Mileage Log | Regional Events Update
Be sure check Jack Elias' famous Calendar of Regional Events for an updated, chronological list of regional events. Jack is updating the list as information is provided.
This calendar is presented by Suburban Cyclists Unlimited and lists recreational bicycle events that take place in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, and start within approximately 150 miles of Horsham, Montgomery County, PA.
| Mileage Tracker and
Universal Mileage Logs are available
The universal mileage log features include:
- A universal log that is good for any year.
- An automatic summation of mileage and number of rides and computation of the average ride distance.
- Displays six charts of mileage, number of rides and average distance.
- The mileage logs can be found in the Documents Library on the SCU website.
- Go to SCU's Documents Library and scroll down to "Ride Documents" and “Mileage Log”.
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- Joe Choi - North Wales, PA
- Madeline Finch - Philadelphia, PA
- Alan Rendina - Washington Crossing, PA
- Kevin A. Russell - Souderton, PA
- Rob Schwartz - Fountainville, PA
| | | All Members Welcome at Executive Committee Meetings!
For 2024, Executive Committee meetings are held every third Thursday (normally) of the month and are posted to the Meetup ride calendar. All members are invited to participate in the discussions or share thoughts and ideas. Meetings are held via Zoom. If you RSVP to the Meetup or send an email to president@suburbancyclists.org, a Zoom link and an agenda will be sent to you shortly before the meeting. If you have something specific to share, you will be put at the top of the agenda so you can be heard without waiting through the routine business. Meetings are posted in MeetUp.
Hope to see you there! | President
Steve Muth
Secretary
Helen Muth
Treasurer
Savannah Lee
Signature Event Director
Open
Digital Communications Director
Kevin Olsavsky
IT Director
Jim Hill
Membership Director
Pat Butcher
Public Relations Director
Linda A. McGrane
Ride Leader Director
Curtis Schwartz
Social Director
Open
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Regional Calendar Editor
Jack Elias
Merchandise Manager
Open | |