Great Lakes - Cleveland area weekly ride thread

Cleveland area local's...Let's list all of the local group rides we are aware of and many a quick blurb about them if you have ridden a particular ride.

Spin Cycle Lakewood (http://www.spinbikeshop.com/)......Wednesday evenings starting around 6pm. I have only done one and it was early season. They had a very fast A group and a pretty conservative B group. Our A group was pretty well organized with a smooth rotating paceline for most of the ride. Hill climbs were done quickly with no waiting on top but there was some recovery time taken.

Lorain Wheelman (http://www.lorainwheelmen.org/).. Active club on the West side mainly out of the Oberlin/Amherst area's. Rides start at 9:00am on Saturdays and the pace is anywhere from quick to social. There is typically a breakfast stop at a halfway point. I think there moto is ride to eat :). They are a nice bunch of guys and gals typically a little older than say the Spin ride. The routes are on country roads with little traffic.

Garysol, the wheelmen also have a Tuesday night and thursday night ride as well, both start at 5:30, Tues from Oberlin (prospect shool) and thurs (amherst muni lot #3)

A good way to look up local club info is at www.ohiocycling.info (http://www.ohiocycling.info) and click on riders resourses, then look for the club list. most of the sites have links to there respective club info.

the sites have links to there respective club info.

I was hoping to get some first hand knowledge and reviews on some of the local rides on this thread more than just a list of where and when.

OK! let's see. THe silver wheels are located around the elyria area with multiple start points and ride levels. They use a star system to rate their rides 1=slowest(10 mph and trails)-4=fastest(16ish and road mostly) and this year are trying a 4+ unlimited. Distance can be anything from 10-100+ with many multi-day rides and tours, they are riding to D. C. this year. They have member from very young to 86 (I think is their oldest)

Wheelmen you have already told about.

Akron Bike club. Lots of rides, I am familiar with their fast thursday night group. Great bunch and the ride is hilly and challenging, the lead group is a psuedo race of sorts using the hills in the cuyahoga valley. Usually fellowship and winking lizard after the ride, in penisula.

How's that?

How's that?

Not bad.....there have to be others out there who want add there $.02

Summit Freewheelers usually have their training rides on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6pm, Saturday and Sunday at 8am from the Botzum trail head on Riverview Rd (just south of Bath Rd Intersection).
http://www.summitfreewheelers.org/coach.html

Silverwheels has a ride every Wed at 5:00 starting at the Pizza Hut in Oberlin at the intersection of Rts 10 and 58. Low traffic, rural roads, map provided. There will be a moderate pace group (~15mph), or you can ride faster if you want, your choice. We regroup periodically and no one gets dropped.

Afterwards we have pizza. It's a fun ride, friendly and social.

I have thought about joining the Silver Wheels, they seem like a nice group for me. Unfortunately, they require helmets on all rides.

Any group rides out there that don't require helmets? I'm not looking for a hammerfest, training ride, just a nice paced 15-20 mph ride.

I hear ya Lou, but no cigar that I know of. Even Century's monthly night rides on the towpath require a helmet. But you can always come down and ride with Cheri and I. Hell maybe we'll start a 'helmet is for wussy' group ride! ;)

Sounds great, chipcom. Where are you?

I have thought about joining the Silver Wheels, they seem like a nice group for me. Unfortunately, they require helmets on all rides.

Any group rides out there that don't require helmets? I'm not looking for a hammerfest, training ride, just a nice paced 15-20 mph ride.

C'mon Lou, don't be stubborn! Buhsides, once you surrender your dignity to cycling shorts, a helmet doesn't seem so bad ;)

Sounds great, chipcom. Where are you?

Barberton/Wadsworth area. I work in Peninsula.

So that is where Wussyville is located. I have always wondered about that.

momof4greatkids, I wear cycling shorts on my longer rides because they do some good. I don't like giving the impression that cycling is dangerous or that helmets do any good, so I don't wear them.

I don't like giving the impression that cycling is dangerous or that helmets do any good, so I don't wear them

Saul Raisin agrees everytime he gets out of bed in the morning and hugs his mom good morning :rolleyes:
Wear one, don't wear one...I don't care but to say that a helmet does not help is ludicrous. It may not help in EVERY situation but I can't think of any REAL WORLD situations where it would be a hindrance.

Yeah, that's why you wear your elbow and knee pads also:rolleyes: I can't think of a REAL WORLD situation where they would be a hindrance.

The thing that bothers me is these club rides where they make you wear one. They are saying that they know what is best and if you are too stupid to wear one, then you are not welcome. That's fine, it is their club. It's just a shame that they won't allow me to join and have an opinion for myself and let me decide to wear one or not. I'd even sign a waiver.

But let's not get into a helmet war, there is a S&A thread for that.

Yeah, that's why you wear your elbow and knee pads also:rolleyes: I can't think of a REAL WORLD situation where they would be a hindrance.

The thing that bothers me is these club rides where they make you wear one. They are saying that they know what is best and if you are too stupid to wear one, .

My elbow's and knees won't cost me my life or my mental facilities.
I can understand your thinking on the "not being allowed on a club ride" thing. Here is my take. You are on a ride with our club minding your own business and riding like the pro you are. Some other member that may not have the skills that you do runs into the back of you and you go down and hit your head. Who is responsible for possibly putting into a vegetative state for the rest of your life? The guy behind you is. I don't personally mind if a guy in my group is helmetless but I will not be directly in front of or behind him when the pace goes up.

Now, back to the thread in progress please :)

My head won't won't cost me my life or mental facilities either. If someone hits me, then they are responsible if they are at fault. Just like if you are riding your bike and I change lanes in my car, hitting you, causing you to crash and break your arm. I am at fault. It doesn't matter if you are wearing protective gear or not. I caused the accident, I am at fault.

You see, you think helmets save lives and mental facilities, I don't. I think helmets protect your head from bumps and scrapes. Just like elbow and knee pads.

"Your stupid for not wearing a helmet, if someone that can not ride correctly hits you, then they will feel bad. Let's protect the bad cyclist." If this is the case, then ride organizers have a superior attitude. They know what's best for me. Could you imagine the uproar if the opposite was true? If I had a ride and demanded that all riders not wear helmets?

But, I agree to back to the subject. I am not the one that brought this up. I just mentioned that I don't wear helmets and was looking for a ride that doesn't require them. But, I will defend my position when attacked.

I don't like giving the impression that cycling is dangerous or that helmets do any good, so I don't wear them.

That's me. No doubt helmets have some value if you hit your head, but I hate how this whole thing has evolved over the years and the perceptions it has fostered, so I set my own example of what cycling used to - and should - be. Nuff said on that subject...so where abouts do you ride?

What are the odds--if you're really a gambler---I would rather have a helmit on and not need it than to have not worn it and have one of those unfortunate circumstances in which ou really do hit your head. My wife works for the Clevleand Clinic---she can tell about what the neurosurgeons say about bike helmits and the difference between wearing them and not wearing them.

Tim C.

once i graduate in a few weeks, I will hopefully be going to the SPIN rides.

once i graduate in a few weeks, I will hopefully be going to the SPIN rides.

Looking forward to seeing you out there!!

What are the odds--if you're really a gambler---I would rather have a helmit on and not need it than to have not worn it and have one of those unfortunate circumstances in which ou really do hit your head. My wife works for the Clevleand Clinic---she can tell about what the neurosurgeons say about bike helmits and the difference between wearing them and not wearing them.

Tim C.

Mine works for Akron General - she doesn't wear one either. :D

So are there any decent group rides from your area? The roads in the southwestern burbs are great for riding. Seems like we have groups out of the Cleveland/Lakewood area, Summit County and Lorain County, but not much in the southwestern or southeastern burbs.

Back to the original topic. I ride with the Medina County Bike Club on Tuesdays. The club's web site says the rides are 12 to 15+ mph. That's not entirely true. Last year there was a group of 12 to 15 regulars who were averaging over 20 mph on the rides which included the warm up. It became a hammerfest as the year went on. There are some good young riders who can kick up the pace as well as seasoned older riders with racing experiance who know when to deliver the "pain". I expect with last years sucess, this year's rides will be even better. The ride cooridinator provides maps with escape routes that the B and C riders follow allowing for all the groups to finish around the same time.

On Wednesday I ride with the Lake Erie Wheelers' A ride in Berea. Typically there 10 to 20 riders depending on the weather. This ride goes on year round and is a blast in the winter when we start and finish in the dark. The riders are good riders with years of experiance as well as some younger riders who add spice to the rides. There is usually pace lines, and impromtu hill and town line sprints. Afterward we go the Cornerstone Brewery to eat a sandwich, drink a brew and share stories.

I also will attend Pete Gladden's Training rides in the valley on some Wednesdays.

Depending on the weather or my schedule I will get my 2nd group ride in at Akron Bike Club's Thursday Fast Ride in the valley at Deep Lock Quarry. The ride is more like a race as there are usually two climbs up and out of the valley. The pack tends to split up by ability/fitness so I end riding with the "mortals".

Last Saturday I rode 105 miles with the "Eric Overton's Long Distance Training Ride" Eric is an Wheeler member who leads weekly long distance training rides as he and a core group prepare for a 12 hour riding challenge. Info on this ride is on the Lake Erie Wheeler web site.

According to Ohiocitycycles.org There are going to be rides leaving from lakewood and shaker square and going to earthfest at the zoo on march 20th. Im thinking about being a ride leader. Im going to talk to jim. The rides will be approx 10mi.

Leinad and I rode the Lorain Wheelman (http://www.lorainwheelmen.org/) Tuesday night ride last night. There a total of maybe 8 people who met at 5:30 at the The Prospect School in Oberlin (http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&addtohistory=&address=36%20S%20Prospect%20St&city=Oberlin&state=OH&zipcode=44074-1410&country=US&geodiff=1). The group split into two groups of riders based on speed. Total ride mileage was around 25. Roads were rolling farm type roads with some rollers but mainly flat.

oops, did I say MAR 20? I meant apr 20. Anyways Earthfest rides were great. There was a $20 fee, but that included admission to the zoo so it evened out pretty well. There were about 20people in our group and we rode around 12mph. We took the new slavic village trail extension and it was a little glassy. Some people including myself ended up with flats.
There is a bicycle scavenger hunt coming up on May 17. The registration costs $20 and benefits cleveland bike week and the Ohio City Bicycle CO-OP. Unfortunately Im working that weekend, otherwise I would definitely be there. Cap for this event is 60ppl.
Dont forget Cleveland Bicycle Week May10-May17. Check clevelandbicycleweek.org (http://www.clevelandbicycleweek.org/) for more info.

I was in the Akron area last Thursday (May 15) and rode with the Summit Freewheelers out of the Botzum Trailhead parking lot. I'd just driven to OH from NJ, and after 8 hrs. in the car, it was nice to get in a ride. Really nice folks to ride with.