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Date: 1/6/2025
Subject: January Chainletter
From: SCU Communications



Vol 2025 l No 1 l January

Table of Contents
  • President's Message
  • Register NOW for the SCU Annual Awards Celebration - Saturday, February 8, 2025
  • Did You Ride 5,000 Miles in 2024?
  • Ride Leaders - Please Submit Your 2024 Info!
  • SAVE THE DATE - Saturday, May 10, 2025!!  SCU Best of Bucks Metric
  • December Outreach & Member Appreciation Events - THANK YOU!
  • New Club Jerseys Coming in 2025!
  • 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
 
January 2025
 

January often seems like a month of contradiction for cyclists. It's the start of the New Year with all the usual hope and promise for better things to come. And it's also the coldest month of the year, a time to be more endured than enjoyed as we hide from the cold under layers of clothing or indoors on our trainers. But perhaps the tension of this contradiction is what keeps things interesting.

A guide on a recent cycling trip said that the difference between an experience and an adventure is the certainty of the outcome. You can go to a nice restaurant and you are virtually certain to have a tasty meal, which is a pleasant experience. But when you go on a cycling trip with new roads in a new environment, it is an adventure because it's not certain what the outcome will be. What challenges will be encountered? What people will you meet? What will the weather do? What new landscapes and animals will be seen? Will you finish the day's route or need to get in the support van? His point was that without some uncertainty, there would be no adventure, and the trip would not be memorable for his clients.

So, as we grind our way along in the cold or pedal away inside, we can begin making plans for the year ahead. It could be a trip to someplace new, mileage goals, completing a new event, setting a personal best, or anything else that suits your style. But the outcome of these plans is still far from certain. Even though we have not gone very far into new territory, we are beginning new adventures. In other words, the contradiction of January is preparing us for memorable times in the year ahead.

Happy New Year!

Steve "Every year's a Phoenix" Muth
SCU President

Register NOW for the SCU Annual Awards Celebration
Saturday, February 8, 2025
 

Huddle in 2025 with your cycling friends!!!

Come enjoy camaraderie with your fellow cyclists and recognize those in the club that make it all possible.

  • WHEN: Saturday, February 8, 6pm-9pm
  • HOW MUCH: $27.50
  • WHERE: Magerks Pub & Grill, 582 S. Bethlehem Pike, Ft. Washington, PA https://www.magerkspub.com/fort-washington

Now is the time to REGISTER!

Come out for a night fun as we celebrate the rides and ride leaders of 2024. Members can bring one non-member guest.

For just $27.50 you get:

  • Appetizers
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • To thank and recognize our amazing ride leaders
  • Time to connect with the best group of people, bar none

To register, complete the form after logging in to the SCU site with your credentials. When you click through, make sure your name is in the upper right-hand corner then you can hit "register now" and pay.

Due to space restrictions, only the 1st 100 people to pay will be able to attend.


Did You Ride 5,000 Miles in 2024?
 
We would like to recognize those club members who rode 5,000 or more miles in the calendar year 2024 at the Annual Celebration on February 8 and in the Chainletter.  If you would like to be recognized, please send your name and total miles for the year to Curtis Schwartz.
 
Please e-mail your information to rides@suburbancyclists.org before Wednesday, January 15, 2025.  Thank you!
 
Curtis Schwartz
Ride Leader Director
 
 

Ride Leaders - Please Submit Your 2024 Info!
 
Ahead of the Annual Celebration, we ask that all ride leaders submit copies of their ride sheets (photographs or scans to PDF are acceptable) and an estimate of their # of rides led for the period Jan 1, 2024 - Dec 31, 2024. This will allow us to complete our record-keeping and to provide consideration for complimentary tickets for the Annual Celebration.  Please submit information to rides@suburbancyclists.org by Wednesday, January 15, 2025.  Thank You ride leaders - without you there truly is no SCU!!
 
Curtis Schwartz
Ride Leader Director
 

SAVE THE DATE - Saturday, May 10, 2025!!
SCU Best of Bucks Metric
 
In the tradition of the SCU Quad County Metric, our signature event will move to the Spring this year and be re-named as the Best of Bucks Metric.  The start will again be at Delaware Valley University. With a new and better metric century route and the support of friendly SCU volunteers the event should be a great time for all!  Be on the lookout for more detailed event and registration information in the next couple weeks!  We look forward to seeing you there!
 

December Outreach & Member Appreciation Events
THANK YOU!
 
Thank you to all who participated in the open house events held at Guy's Bikes on December 10 and Keswich Cycle/Glenside on December 17!  Special thanks to our hosts at these 2 shops for providing great instructional programs and promotions for SCU members!
 
Linda A. McGrane
Public Relations Director

New Club Jerseys Coming in 2025!
 
We are currently in the process of designing new SCU club jerseys for roll-out in 2025!  If you have thoughts on design of the jerseys, please feel free to share them with Savannah Lee or Sharon Hansen.  You may e-mail feedback to treasurer@suburbancyclists.org.  Thank you!
 
 

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.
**************************************
 
Hello SCU Riders !!!

Passing along a few safety reminders and points we all need to be aware of on our group rides...
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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..
  5. 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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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”.

Welcome Our New Members!
  • Thomas J O'Neill - Schwenksville, PA
  • Bob Streuber - Perkasie, 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!  

SCU Executive Committee
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
 
**************************************************
Regional Calendar Editor
Jack Elias
 
Merchandise Manager
Open