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Date: 9/7/2025
Subject: September Chainletter
From: SCU Communications



Vol 2025 l No 9 l September

Table of Contents
  • President's Message
  • SCU Annual Picnic - Saturday, September 20, 2025
  • Good Used Bikes Wanted!!!
  • 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
 
September 2025
 
Fall is on it's way. We may still have some very warm days yet, but the brutally hot days of July and August are behind us. So, it's time for our Annual Picnic!

This year's event will be a special occasion as we host our neighboring club, Central Bucks Bicycle Club, just as they hosted us in July. Aside from looking forward to making and continuing individual friendships, I see this as a community building event. The greater and wider the connections between cyclists, the more supportive we can be to each other. Whether we have specific training goals or just enjoy the social camaraderie of the ride, we have a greater opportunity to support each other, pursue our passions, and look after our common interests.

Pre-picnic rides are already posted on Meetup. More may be posted as the picnic date approaches. Multiple leaders, some from CBBC, will be available for the larger pace groups. Or you can just show up for the picnic. Either way, be sure to bring your appetite! You will find links in this Chainletter and on the homepage to signup for the side dishes and desserts. SCU provides the hamburgers, hot dogs, and soft drinks. Please note that we are on the 'overnight side' of the College Settlement campus, opposite from last year's location. Look for the entrance with the tractor!

Steve "Never met a burger I didn't like" Muth
SCU President


 
This year we will host Central Bucks Cycling Club as our guests!
When:
Saturday,September 20, 2025
Pre-Picnic Multi-Level Group Rides Start 9:00am
Picnic (lunch served): 12:00 - 2:30pm
Where:
College Settlement Camp (Overnight Camp Side - Davies Hall)
597 Witmer Road
Horsham, PA 19440
Join us for a fun day of riding, games, eating and best of all - hanging out with your SCU and CBBC pals!!
More details to follow!

Good Used Bikes Wanted!!!
 
Have a bike or two collecting dust in your garage, getting in your way all the time? It's too nice to throw away, but it just doesn't get used and you don't know what to do with it? College Settlement Camp accepts bikes of all types in good working condition. Smaller bikes get used directly by campers in the youth cycling program, which is sponsored by SCU's annual donation. Larger bikes get used by the counselors to ride along with them or for affordable transportation. Many counselors are students, domestic or from abroad, who don't own a car. The bikes help them get out and see our community beyond the CSC Campus. Shown in the photo below, long time SCU members Bill and Julie Graham decided to donate a bike owned by Julie's mother to the youth cycling program. 
 
If you have a gently used bike that is looking for a good home, please contact Ariana Kalziqi at ariana@collegesettlement.org

 


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...
  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.
  • 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”.

Welcome Our New Members!
 
Due to technical difficulties, new members for the month will be welcomed next month!
 
The IT Help Desk has been notified!

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!  

SCU Executive Committee
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