Table of Contents
- President's Message
- RECAP - Picnic with Central Bucks Bicycle Club
- Support Our National Parks at Valley Forge on August 2, 2025
- Upcoming Member Appreciation Events!
- 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
July 2025
A number of years ago the club's Executive Committee made a policy against the practice of riders at the front of a group calling "clear!" at intersections. While this may seem like a nice courtesy to your fellow riders, it can also create a significant risk of serious injury or death when following riders fail to look for themselves before entering an intersection. Traffic conditions can change dramatically in the few seconds after the leading rider enters the intersection.
There was also concern for the club's liability regarding keeping its safety protocols in alignment with those of the League of American Bicyclists and other local clubs. No official of any type of club wants to be held accountable for failing to promote best practice safety. And, yes, that does mean that if someone gets clobbered by a vehicle because you chose to ignore the club's safety protocol by calling clear!, you can be held personally accountable instead of any club official.
So, what should you do instead? It's better to focus on calling out hazards such as car left! If there are none, you can simply remain silent. This encourages following riders to assess the conditions for themselves. Sometimes I will call rolling! to let others in my group know of my intentions, similar to calling out intended turns, without potentially misleading anyone about traffic conditions. The critical difference is that coordinating your actions with the group promotes safety instead of creating risk. If you are the leading rider, you can also promote safety by soft pedalling for a moment to give following riders a chance to safely pass through the intersection. Take a moment to sip on your water bottle. People will still be your friend if your average speed on Strava is a tenth slower because you were considerate to other riders.
Of course, the club does not have a squad of SCU Special Agents hiding behind bushes along the ride to enforce this or any club rules. Club officials rely primarily on the cooperation of all members to follow the club's safety protocols to the best of their ability. Members are also free to express any concerns about the riding habits of other members to anyone on the Executive Committee. This happens infrequently, but we always follow-up with an in-person conversation focused on constructive discussion and positive change.
Most importantly, beyond all the rules, please avoid pointless risks while riding in traffic. There is no such thing as a risk-free ride, but some risks can and should be avoided because they don't provide any meaningful benefit. Rushing through intersections without looking carefully will make you a faster rider no more than playing Russian roulette will improve your aim.
Steve "There may be no rewards without risk, but not all risks have a reward." Muth
SCU President
| RECAP - Picnic with Central Bucks Bicycle Club
SCU members joined Central Bucks Bicycle Club (CBBC) at their picnic & rides on Saturday, June 21 starting at Peace Valley Park. Everyone enjoyed beautiful rides in great summer weather followed by excellent food and camaraderie! We'll be inviting CBBC to our annual picnic in the fall. Join us again then to discover new roads and new friends! |  | Support Our National Parks at Valley Forge on August 2, 2025
On Saturday, August 2, 2025, Suburban Cyclists Unlimited (SCU) and the Bicycle Club of Philadelphia (BCP) are teaming up with the Sierra Club, the Valley Forge Park Alliance, and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for a special day of activities celebrating our National Parks, the dedicated park staff, and the vital role that park infrastructure plays for cyclists, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts.
This day-long event is designed to show our appreciation for Valley Forge National Historical Park and the rangers, staff, and volunteers who preserve and maintain these treasured public spaces. The event is open to all and will feature:
• A free picnic lunch (provided by the Sierra Club) at the Waynes Woods Picnic Grove near the Memorial Arch
• Guided bike rides to the park
• Hikes and nature walks within the park
• Birdwatching tours, Tree ID walks, and Creek Critter exploration
• Family-friendly activities, service projects, and guest speakers
This is a non-political event meant to celebrate and support our National Parks and the National Park Service at all levels.
Bike Rides to Valley Forge
BCP and SCU will offer group rides along several scenic trails and on roads leading to the park:
• Philadelphia Art Museum to Valley Forge via the Schuylkill River Trail — 46 miles
• Norristown to Valley Forge via the Schuylkill River Trail — 16 miles
• East Whiteland to Valley Forge via the Chester Valley Trail — 19 miles
• Lower Perkiomen Park to Valley Forge via the Perkiomen Trail — 13 miles
• Centre Square Park to Valley Forge road ride — 24 mile
• Rose Tree Park in Media to Valley Forge road ride — 26 mile
Advance registration is required for all rides via the BCP Ride Calendar or SCU Meetup pages.
Admission is free, including the picnic lunch, but we ask that you register online for the picnic so the Sierra Club can plan accordingly:
|  |  | Upcoming Member Appreciation Events!
Keep an eye out for upcoming Member Appreciation Celebrations during the month of July at many of our regularly scheduled weekly rides! Events are currently planned at the following ride dates/locations:
- July 14 - Church of the Saviour - Fill 'Er Up: Chocolate Milk, OJ, Lemonade, Water & Ice
- July 16th - Flourtown - Ice Pops
- July 22nd - RYBT - Ice Cream
- July 29th - RYBT - Cup On Us
Events are for club members only. Do watch your e-mail and social media for updates throughout the month! | 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”.
| | |
- Paul Caron - Paoli, PA
- Christine M Day - Paoli, PA
- Josh Hulbert - Ambler, PA
- Bruce H Middleman - Ardmore, PA
- Michael Vogeley - Holland, PA
| | | All Members Welcome at Executive Committee Meetings!
For 2025, 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 | |