Interested in racing bikes? Are you already a bike racer and looking for a new team? New to the Seattle area and looking to connect with the racing community?
Check out the Washington State Bicycle Association’s (WSBA) “Meet the Team” Rides which begin Saturday September 10. Each week different teams host “conversational paced” rides around the south end of Lake Washington as a kind of meet and greet on wheels. The rides meet in Leschi and start rolling at 9:15. Arrive early to introduce yourself and get oriented.
Select teams also host a women’s-only Intro to Women’s Cycling and Racing Teams series that starts September 11. These rides also meet in Leschi, but start at 8:45. Again, arrive early to introduce yourself and get oriented. These rides also include skills clinics that cover pacelines, riding in a straight line, and racing tactics/techniques.
Another option to consider is the Cascade Bicycle Club‘s High Performance Cycling (aka “HPC”) team, which I co-manage with Tom Meloy. We emphasize fast (20-22mph + on the flats), safe group rides, and during mid-season our team rides tend to be strenuous day-long adventures over 75 miles with lots of climbing. We host “meet the team” rides sporadically throughout the year, and they are listed on the Cascade rides calendar. The next one is Saturday August 20.
HPC can be described as as “a race team without the racing,” although a number of our members are also on race teams, participate in multisport competitions, and are active in randonneuring events (which aren’t competitive, but do have time cut-offs). We’ve also fielded several successful relay teams at the 500+ mile Race Across Oregon.
If you like riding longer distances, another option to consider is the Seattle International Randonneurs (SIR). The “randos” are part of a global network of randonneuring clubs. Their rides range in length from 100km to 1200km. The best way to get started with them is to participate in their Winter Training Series, which is listed on both the SIR web site and the Cascade rides calendar.
Whatever your two-wheeled passion, there are a ton of options in the Seattle area!
