Vote Warren

Based on her responses to our questionnaire and her positions on issues related to transportation and bike-ped in our community, the Board of the Gainesville Cycling Club has endorsed Helen Warren for At-Large Seat 2 in the City Commission elections on April 8th.

Every vote is imporant in this election, which is expected to be very close. We lost bicycle advocate Susan Bottcher by 184 votes in the last election; another loss will leave us with a majority on the commission that will be less open to providing bicycle infrastructure in the City of Gainesville.

Early voting is now open.  For more information on early voting and precinct voting locations go to http://www.votealachua.com/.

The Ride To Remember is just a few weeks away! We're looking for volunteers to help with packet stuffing, and with placing and retrieving signs. Call Roger at 378-7063 if you can help. All proceeds from this event go to support Al'z Place.

Click here to sign up.

Welcome to the Spring Gainesville Velo Swap, presented by the Gainesville Cycling Club and The Boys and Girls Club of Alachua, Florida. The swap meet falls on April 27, the day after the Gainesville Cycling Club's Ride to Remember, making for a great weekend of cycling events!

As a private or commercial vendor, this is an opportunity to sell some of those dusty bicycles, frames and parts laying around the house. As a visiting consumer, you can take advantage of the many deals that will likely be on offer.

The swap meet will be held INDOORS at the Boys and Girls Club of Alachua, 2700 NW 51st St, Gainesville, FL 32606. Sellers / vendors will setup from 7:30am - 9:00am, with the swap itself opening to consumers at 9:00am, and running until 1:00pm.

Booth pricing:
Private vendor booth (two people, you can share) - $15
Commercial vendor booth - $25

ALL proceeds will be donated to The Boys and Girls Club of Alachua County.

All booths measure 10' x 10', 40 will be available initially. There is space for more booths if demand calls for it.

Click here to sign up.

For more info, see the Facebook page.

Strada Bellamy Sportif 2014

by Todd Leedy

Sunday, April 6, at 7:30am
Publix Super Market At Steeplechase
14130 W Newberry Rd, Newberry, Florida 32669

Once again you are invited to the toughest road ride in NorFla - the 3rd annual GCX Strada Bellamy Sportif. Covering 205km of paved and unpaved roadways, Strada Bellamy takes its inspiration from the Strade Bianche sportif ride held each spring in Tuscany which has evolved into an increasingly important "neo-classic" pro race. Our route incorporates several sections of historic Old Bellamy Road, the first federal highway constructed in Florida during the 1820s. Participants will also ride many other back roads familiar to GCX regulars and we take pride in introducing them to you.

The 205km course includes 22 unpaved sectors totaling 122km. Primary feed zones (i.e. service station convenience stores) are at 81km and 155km. This ride is not supported, not sagged, and not forgiving. The course will not be marked, except by sweat and perhaps tears. A link to the course map will be posted during the week prior to ride. No printed versions will be provided.

Ride briefing at 7:20, rollout at 7:30am. Meet at Steeplechase Publix in Jonesville. Please park in spots at south end of lot along SR 26.

Click here for more information.

Teaching Ride is Back On . . . Fit, But New!

James Thompson

Send us your new, your fit, your lacking in group skills . . . And we will turn them into safe, loud, hard pointing, rotating, and clean drafting pedal pushers.



We will be teaching etiquette, drafting techniques, and team skills weekly on Thursdays at 5:00 p.m. (leave 5:15 SHARP) from Gator Cycle parking lot at Archer and 34th Street beginning March 13th.  After four weeks of weekly training, riders will be encouraged to continue on a monthly Fit But New ride on the first Thursday of each month and to find a group that is appropriate to their fitness and skill level within the club.

One new thing is riders MUST call me or speak with me before being approved for the group.  I find this facilitates teaching, and it allows me to screen riders who are not ready for our ride so I can send them to another group.

If you know anyone who is FIT (can ride about 17mph alone for 45 minutes) and "NEW" (has ridden a bike but not often in a formal group setting) please direct them to my phone number 246-6863 or they can call Gator Cycle at 373-3962.  Most of the staff are familiar with the pace and goals of the ride.

The ride begins with a pre-ride ten minute tutorial and then does the Short Wacahoota Route (avoiding Rocky Point Road).  A post ride debriefing follows.  Sometimes we break in the middle to discuss issues.  Shenanigans, testosterone, and ego are not tolerated.  Fast riders are very welcome for an "easy" day or to help teach.

Last year was a slower year for FBN as I became focused on the Bike Challenge in May, but we still managed to teach about 15 riders how to survive among the buffalo.

Long Form Articles in the Members Area

Paceline Rules To Remember from roadbikerider.com.

Gainesville's Godforsaken 400k, a riders account of their experiences on the March 8 GCC brevet.

Is This Bike a Pipe Bomb? Political activist James Thompson answers the question "Is cycling a political act?"