Table of Contents
- President's Message
- ONE WEEK TO GO! 2025 SCU Best of Bucks Metric
- VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for the 2025 SCU Best of Bucks Metric!!
- Spring Training for Cyclists
- Spring 2025 Sunrise and Sunset for SCU Rides
- New Breyer Tract Bicycling Group Beginning
- Interested in Leading Rides?
- SCU IS NOW ON INSTAGRAM!
- 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 2025
May is one of those 'just right' months between winter's chill and summer's heat. Flowers are blooming. Trees are turning green. Birds are chirping. And the inaugural Best of Bucks Metric is here!
SCU's organized rides have a long history. In years gone by we've had quite a few events including the Mexican Metric and the Lake Nockamixon Century. Many people remember the Quad County Metric, which morphed into the Summer Century thanks to Covid. Now we have returned to a Spring event with the Best of Bucks Metric. Our Event Director, Savannah Lee, and I have recently test ridden the entire route and found it to live up to its name with some of the best roads for cycling in the county. Next time you see Charlie Brant, be sure that you thank him and his merry band of route testers for all the effort it took to put it together.
The event's most direct benefit is a source of funds needed for our mission of supporting recreational cycling. But it's much more than that. It's also a community builder that makes cycling more than just the physical act of pedalling. Club members from all our ride sites get to ride together for a day. Members who see each other only occasionally get a chance to become reacquainted. And all riders, members and non-members, get the chance to make new friends. Participating in the event together is a natural 'ice breaker' for starting conversations about common interests as well as learning about the cycling experiences of others. You might even meet a new riding buddy or two.
Volunteers have a chance to experience a special camaraderie. It takes good teamwork needed to support such a terrific event, and teamwork builds relationships. Once you have spent a few hours dedicated to a common task with someone, you will form a bond with them that can lead to a lifetime friendship.
Whether you are riding or volunteering (or both!), I look forward to seeing you May 10 at the Best of Bucks Metric for a day of fun cycling and community building.
Steve "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."* Muth
SCU President
* Helen Keller
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ONE WEEK TO GO!!
REGISTER BEFORE MAY 4 TO
RECEIVE A FREE GIFT!
2025 SCU Best of Bucks Metric
Saturday, May 10, 2025
Delaware Valley University, Doylestown, PA
Follow the link below to the information page.
We look forward to seeing you there!
2025 Best of Bucks Metric
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Some of the free gift items available if you register
for the SCU Best of Bucks Metric by May 4!
*Supplies limited - those who arrive earliest on the day of the event will have the best selection!
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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!
The Best of Bucks Metric is SCU's signature event and helps
to support club activities throughout the year.
Please support your club by
sharing your time and talents to make the event a success!
We could still use bakers, base camp & registration/check-in
helpers and parking guides.
Volunteer opportunities can also be coordinated
to allow you to ride in the event!
Follow the link below to the Signup Genius for open slots.
Thank you for supporting your cycling club!
|  | Need Help With Training & Nutrition?
If you are still working to bounce back after a long winter's nap for Spring cycling, you may find good information in a presentation that Linda McGrane, MS, OTR/L and Coach Michelle Handren provided at the recent open house event at Keswick Cycle - Glenside. The presentation was filled with useful guidance on items such as training rides, strength/resistance training, flexibility, nutrition & hydration and recovery. Follow the link below to view a copy of the presentation - it should help you on your way to a successful 2025 riding season!
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Listed above are the daylight hours for each of the Sundays during the next few weeks at College Settlement Camp, 600 Witmer Road in Horsham Township (40°10'47"N, 75°09'30"W). This is roughly in the center of where most SCU rides start. You can use this information to plan for early morning and evening cycling -- and walking, swimming, picnicking, or even playing pickleball in the park.
Sunrise and Sunset are the times when the center of the sun crosses a level horizon at a given location.
Civil twilight is between then and when the center of the sun is 6° below the horizon. Large objects can still be seen well, but illumination is needed for normal activities.
Nautical twilight is when the center of the sun is 6° to 12° below the horizon. The horizon is still visible on a moonless night and navigators can begin to take star sightings.
Astronomical twilight occurs when the center of the sun is 12° to 18° below the horizon. The stars are brighter than the faint glow of sunlight over the horizon as dusk ends or dawn begins.
The Summer Solstice is June 20, 2025 at 10:41 pm.
Data and definitions are from the US Naval Observatory, online at: https://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/index
|  | New Breyer Tract Bicycling Group Beginning
A new Wednesday night and Sunday morning cycling group is forming In Elkins Park and Jenkintown. Local cyclists Diana Dooley, Bob Doyle, Chuck Herbert, and Fred Niebauer are launching an informal group for area residents interested in riding together. All four are ride leaders for SCU or BCP. They decided to offer more casual beginner-friendly rides after neighbors who saw them riding in the area expressed an interest in cycling.
Rides will begin in front of the Hafter Community Center and Gym at Salus University. Wednesday evenings were chosen because they conflict the least with other area rides. Ample free parking is available on site, as the university campus also houses several doctors’ offices. The group will be allowed to use the gym’s restrooms and changing facilities. The area immediately around the campus is busy, but the leaders have several short routes into quieter suburban streets and local paved trails.
The Campus is part of the Breyer Tract, on the site of John Wanamaker’s former Lindenhurst estate, near the intersection of Old York Rd. and Township Line Rd. on the border between Elkins Park and Jenkintown. The estate was purchased by the neighboring Breyer family (of Breyer Ice Cream fame) after Wanamaker died, then served for many years as the 246-acre Breyer Woods Boy Scout camp. The property is now home to three residential communities and Salus University, a graduate healthcare school recently acquired by Drexel University. Bob and Chuck live in Bryer Woods, while Diana and Fred live in adjacent Breyer Court.
The location will also be the site of open sessions for new cyclists on some Monday evenings. These sessions will be a great time to ask questions about cycling and bike maintenance, and to practice short, guided rides in a relaxed setting.
This is a good opportunity for people who are new to cycling or simply curious about riding with groups. Eventually, rides of different levels may be offered at the location because of its ample free parking and restroom facilities. The Monday night sessions are not expected to interfere with the popular Monday night rides from Church of the Saviour in Wayne, which is 22 miles away.
Look for more on the SCU Meetup page. The new location is on Google Maps at: https://maps.app.goo.gl/TgZ7y8aqZSBviuDXA.
|  | Interested in Leading Rides?
Our ride leaders truly make it happen for SCU! They are the reason we have such a vibrant club with so many choices of rides across all levels.
If you would like to try leading rides for SCU, please contact the Ride Leader Coordinator, Curtis Schwartz, at rides@suburbancyclists.org and he can provide more information to start you on your way!
| SCU IS NOW ON INSTAGRAM!
Follow SCU on Instagram for images and news from the club and our growing cycling community!
| 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.
- Instagram: Check SCU on Instagram for images and news from the club and our cycling community.
| 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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- Kevin Ciabattoni - Norristown, PA
- Christine Lester - North Wales, PA
- Nuria Melero Luque
- Muhunthan Sathiosatham - Chalfont, PA
- Stephen H Zeller - Haverford, 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
Digital Communications Director
Kevin Olsavsky
Membership Director
Pat Butcher
Public Relations Director
Linda A. McGrane
Ride Leader Director
Curtis Schwartz
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Regional Calendar Editor
Jack Elias
Merchandise Manager
Open | |