Announcing Piranha Triathlon Club 2016 – 2017 Cycling Programme.  Club cycles on Sundays resume on 20th November at 9am.  There is a 3 Week Induction Course starting on 27th November at 9am.  To download the full Cycling Programme click here.

1.  Cycling Programme

2. Programme Details

2.1         Three-week Cycle Induction Course

This course will be lead by Ian Cassidy, the club cycling coach.  It is designed to assist new members develop the skills and know-how for group cycling in a secure and supportive group.

The course will be delivered over three Sundays – each session being only 1 hour duration.   On completion of the course, participants will have achieved:

• Two by two cycling
• Up and overs
• Calling protocols
• Pedal drills
• Taking water while cycling
• Basic maintenance
  • Tyre pressure
  • Changing a tube
  • Bike lubrication

2.2          Indoor Turbo

These intense turbo sessions are open to all Piranha members, and to guests who are required to contribute €5.00 to the bike coach.   (Note if demand is too great the club reserves the right to make these member only sessions).

Each participant should bring the following equipment:

• Turbo machine
• 2 bottles of water
• Yoga mat (to place on floor and protect from dripping perspiration)
• Bike Shoes
• Towel
• Bike computer (optional)
• Running gear (some members of the group may go for a short run off the bike)

2.3         Midweek Strength/Hills Cycle

Once there is a stretch in the evenings, the weekly internal turbos are replaced by the mid-week strength cycle – involving hill reps.   These sessions alternate between north side and south side.

2.4         Club Spin

The Club Spin is the long cycle of the week.  The distances completed by each group progress during the period of November to April.  The members of the club are assigned to one of 4 groups:

• Group 1: 22-24kph; 40km – 80km
• Group 2: 24 -26kph; 50km – 95km
• Group 3: 26-28kph; 65km – 100km
• Group 4: 28+kph; 80+km

3.     Club Spin Groups

The groups are designed to ensure that each member achieves their training goals in a comfortable yet challenging set of peers.

Group 1 will be lead by a dedicated coach (John Lyons).   Groups 2, 3 and 4 will be self-lead.   Self-lead means that a panel of members within that group will rotate responsibility for determining the route and leading the cycle. Groups should have a maximum of 12 members to ensure safety for members and other road users.

A dedicated set of resources will be made available to those Cycle Leads – including route maps and tips for leading the groups.    These resources will be built-up over the season.

Group 1 –

• 22-24kph, 40-80km
• Must have quick release wheels (so as to be able to fix punctures)
• Must have thin tires (i.e. hybrid or road bike)
• Includes coffee stop
• No Time Trial (TT) bikes or Tri Bars
• Nobody gets left behind!

Group 2 –

• 25-26kph, 50-95km
• Road bike only
• Be able to drink on the bike
• Responsible for self (able to change a puncture without help)
• Includes coffee stop
• No TT bikes or Tri Bars
• Nobody gets left behind!

Group 3 –

• 26-28kph, 65-100km
• Be comfortable eating and drinking on the bike
• Responsible for self (able to change a puncture easily, able to find your own way home if/when get dropped)
• Optional coffee stop
• No TT bikes or Tri Bars in winter-time; these are allowed in summer time (as per the clocks going forward and back!)
• General rule: nobody gets left behind!   However, if you have moved-up against advice of cycle leads to ‘have a go at the higher level’ and you can’t keep-up, you may be asked (respectfully!) to find your own way home.

Group 4 –

• 29+kph, 80+km
• Be comfortable eating and drinking on the bike
• Responsible for self (able to change a puncture easily, able to find your own way home if/when get dropped)
• No TT bikes or Tri Bars in winter-time; these are allowed in summer time (as per the clocks going forward and back!)
• Group members will be dropped if they can’t keep up! (The message may not be delivered so respectfully!)

4.    Cycling Etiquette

4.1         DO’s

1. Do wear a cycle helmet. Under no circumstances will any member be allowed on a club cycle without a helmet.
2. Do bring enough food and drink to complete the route. This can comprise of fruit, energy / protein bars, energy drinks and plain, simple water. Remember to over-provide for food. There is nothing more awful that bonking when it is cold and wet and you are a long way from home.
3. Do dress in appropriate clothing for the weather Check www.met.ie the night before to determine what needed. If the cycle lead considers that you are under-dressed you may be told that you cannot come on the cycle.
4. Do obey all traffic signals. It is our responsibility to lead by example on the road (especially when we are in club colours!).    We should be promoting responsible cycling for the safety of members and the general public.
5. Do have tubes, patches, CO2 or a pump to repair your own flat.
6. Do show up 5 minutes before the published start of the cycle. It is unfair on other club members to expect then to wait for you.
7. Do bring a fully charged mobile phone and money on the ride.
8. Do ensure your bike is road worthy, brakes are fully operational and that your tyres are pumped up to the recommended PSI (as written on the tyre).
9. Do have full length mud-guards on your front and back wheels. Not the type that protect only your rear end from getting wet and dirty – full length ones of the type that stop mud and water spraying up in the face of the person cycling behind you. So something like these (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/crud-roadracer-mk2-mudguard-set/) or these (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sks-velo-42-urban-clip-on-mudguard-set/). They can be bought in all bike shops.  To be clear this is to stop you getting other people wet and dirty, it’s a nice bonus that they’ll keep you clean and dry too.
10. Do cycle a maximum of two abreast in 2 close parallel lines where appropriate, focus on keeping it neat and tidy.
11. Do ride with 1ft approx. between your front wheel and the back wheel of the rider in front. There should also be 1ft between your shoulders and the rider beside you.
12. Be prepared on small or busy roads to ride in single file.
13. If at the lead of the group, Do navigate and point out hazards in the road by either shouting or using hand signals.
14. If in the group, do listen to and act on the calls, and most importantly, repeat them for the cyclist behind you.
15. Do ride directly behind the wheel of the rider in front. If you cycle in the middle of the two wheels in front of you, you WILL push the cyclist on your outside into the path of passing vehicles.
16. Do brake as gently and smoothly as you safely can when riding in a pack.
17. Do talk to each other. Point out either with hand signals or shouts, all potholes, manhole covers and other dangers in the road that could cause punctures or accidents (see calls section).
18. If you are the back of the group and either see someone dropping or are being dropped Do call to the cyclists in front that the pace is too high.
19. When asked to “ease up’ or “slow a little” Do not brake suddenly. Gentle ease your pace by pedalling less hard or freewheeling for a moment.
20. Do ride at a steady pace, keeping the pack as a compact unit.
21. If you are feeling tired Do let people know. Accidents happen when people are tired and lose concentration. Everyone gets tired, let people know so they can slow the pace Down and tuck you in the pack to carry you home ;o)
22. Be smooth with your turns at the front of the group. Avoid surges. Stay alongside and Don’t increase the pace to move a half wheel ahead of the rider alongside. He/she will have to speed up to maintain the two-by-two formation and the speed will escalate unnecessarily. Don’t acquire a reputation as a ‘half-wheeler’! This also means you are overlapping wheels and if the group has to break suddenly there is a high risk you will not be able to stop/avoid them.

4.2         DON’T’s

1. Don’t overlap wheels, or nudge in between the wheels of the riders in front. You will come off if they move off their line.
2. Don’t make any sudden movements/changes in direction off your line when in the pack. You are responsible for the cyclist behind you, they are following YOUR wheel they need to trust you.
3. Don’t ride off the front. This is a group ride, not a race. If you want to go faster then let the others know what you are going to do and if no one wants to join you then go off and enjoy your ride alone.
4. Don’t stop pedalling if you are on the front, even on downhill. The cyclists behind you will read this as you slowing and could be forced to brake and bunch up.
5. Don’t “Zone out” on the wheel in front. Keep aware of everything that is going on around you, look ahead and that way you can avoid most hazards.
6. Don’t pull out at junctions without looking, having heard the “Clear” call from a fellow cyclist. Check whether there is a vehicle coming yourself.
7. Don’t be aggressive with cars or drivers. Regardless of who is right you lose. The car is much larger, faster, and better insured that your bicycle.

4.3         Calls

These are some calls you might hear. It is essential that you repeat them down the pack so everyone can hear:

1. “Car up/Car down”: Car down refers to an on-coming car ie coming down your throat; Car up refers to a car coming from behind ie coming up your “backside”.  Keep tight to the cyclist next to you, and be prepared to cycle in single file
2. “Hole”: Upcoming pothole to avoid. This can also be followed by a direction i.e “HOLE LEFT”.
3. “Slowing”: Usually accompanied by a hand signal. The cyclist in front needs to slow down for some reason.
4. “Stopping”: Brake!
5. “Wait”: Usually at junctions to indicate there is a car coming
6. “Clear”: To indicate that a junction is traffic free. You must check yourself and not rely on others.
7. “Heads Up”: Hazard ahead, pay attention.
8. “Single out/ single file”: Get into single file safely and promptly”
9. “Up and over”: this is when the people at the front of the group will move up and over to the left – the relevant people will either move forward to fill the gap – this movement ensures everyone has time at the front/middle/back of the group