Road ride, informal, from RRB in Lake Geneva, Thursday at 5:30.  Fat Bike Ride from Pedal & Cup in Springfield for a White River Trail Tour.  Dinner/drinks at Jackson's Hole post ride.  

SAVE THE DATE- DIY Bike Wash and Informal Ride on Saturday, April 25th.  Details to follow in the next TREAD THREAD.  

A great weekend to be a cyclist! Lots of folks out for a variety of biking fun.

RACE REPORT

  A few local racers, while racing under some other team colors are TREADHEADs at heart, had favorable results at the Spring Super Criterium 8 Saturday at Blackhawk Farms Raceway near Beloit.  

Andy Schmidt turned the circuit race into a time trial in the Juniors 15-18 category, riding off the front early on for a decisive win.  Next weekend, Andy will be representing the Hincapie Development squad in Tour of the Battenkill, America's Queen of Classics.   This 65 mile race is a selection race for top American juniors and will feature a very strong field.  Good luck Andy!  

Jack "Hammer" Spende placed 4th in the Juniors 9-14 category at Beloit.  Way to go Jack!  

Andy Lowe, racing for Psimet, was pleased to finish 19th out of the 50 who finished.  A horrific crash on the bell lap caused Chaos to Reign as King and had finishers navigating rescue crew and fans who had gone to a fallen rider in order to safely cross the finish line.  Here is wishing that unfortunate rider a speedy recovery.  

Andrea Pether seems to have won a race this weekend.  I am assuming that it was the Great Dane Race in Madison. Anyone want to shoot me the details and I'll update the THREAD?  

RIDING, NOT RACING

 With the first real spring weather, a host of riders were out in groups, pairs, and solo.  Ray Nelson and Jerrod Collier rode up from Woodstock to join a group at Starbucks for a loop around the lake.  Chris Schmidt, Ross Giese, Tara Trent, Dan Getzen, Mike ???, Bob Knutsen, and Gary Goebel were part of that party.  Thanks Jerrod for organizing the party.  And of course if you want to throw out an invite for an informal ride, please shoot me an email at rideguygary@gmail.com  I will be happy to post the information in the blog.

  Mike Bishop burned through two riding partners in his route to complete a century Saturday.  Andrea Pether partnered with Mike for the first leg, and his wife Jeanne finished the tour with him.  Great work!

  And Ross Adams and Greg Clausen took advantage of the warm temps to do their thing on the backroads of SE Wisconsin.  And Marc Klug managed to find his road bike, knock of the dust and rust and spin the legs for a bit.  Again, lots of opportunity to ride a bike around here.

This week the weather looks for be promising for some riding.  Tuesday night at 5:30 some TREADHEADs will be meeting at RRB for an informal group ride.  Steve Bappert and Gary Goebel have already committed.   Come join us.  Likewise, Thursday night will be another informal ride.  These informal rides have no ride leader or predetermined route.  We just show up, and ride accordingly.  In May, we will begin our more structured Tuesday/Thursday group rides, but don't feel you have to wait to come join us.

And stay tuned for updates of impromptu rides that maybe happening again  next weekend.  I apologize to anyone I might have missed.

ANOTHER WEEKEND FINDS BUTCH WORKING TRAILS

Butch Welke spent some time working on the off road trails at Silver Lake Park near Paddock Lake.  If you have the time and interest in trail work, please contact Butch, or post on the TREADHEAD FaceBook page to find out when the next trail building event is happening.

MISCELLANEOUS

  Orders for TREADHEAD kits have gone in.  You will receive an invoice for your order and will get notified when the kits come in. Please pay TREADHEADCYCLING when you pick up your order.  If you missed ordering this time around, we will have the 411 for subsequent orders soon.  

  Spring Social is Friday, April 24th starting at 5:30 at Next Door Pub.  Free beer, sodas and pizza for members, $10 for guests.  A membership is $25 annually for a single, $40 for a family.  Can't beat that, can you?  Please consider bring a friend, old or new, to meet some people very passionate about biking.  

Get Out & Ride,

Gary

262-903-9250

The Voice of TREADHEADCYCLING

411 for the Spring Social at Next Door Pub on FRIDAY, April 24th, starting at 5:30.  Beer, pizza and sodas are free with a paid membership in TREADHEADCYCLING.  Single membership is $25.00 and $40 for a family.  For the Social, we ask for $10 for non-members.  Bring friends, bring family, bring a great attitude.  This really is an excellent deal, price wise, and a super opportunity to better get to know some primo people. Hope to see you there!  

THURSDAY NITE FAT BIKE RIDES CANCELLED THIS WEEK DUE TO INCLIMATE WEATHER.  

We are still figuring this out, but I want to consistently post relevant cycling information with you all on a timely basis.  I will work to keep it current and fresh.  This is your blog, so let me know! 

Last Call for Sizing

Orders need to be into Chris Schmidt at schmidtmd07@gmail.com by the end of business on Friday, April 10th!  There is still a little time to stop by RRB to try on jerseys and short (bibs).  There are two different cuts of jersey, so see which one is a better fit for you.  Again, you are going to love the new color scheme.  The old was great, but what I personally like is a whole new take.  And of course we have some new sponsors on board and on our kits.  And one of those sponsors is Next Door Pub...

Speaking of Next Door Pub

Friday, April 24th at 5:30 is our Spring Social at Next Door Pub, located in Lake Geneva at 411 Interchange Road MAP.  Details are:  Forthcoming as soon as I have them. Check back!  But do save the date!  But beer, pizza, soda, cyclists NOT in spandex (Butch, you are hearing me on this, right?)  See you there!  And invite a friend- a roadie, a fatty, a WORS racer, a recumbent rider, a cruiser, a BMX'er, a commuter, a .... you get my drift!  We are about riding bikes

Knock Off The Dust & Rust

A great idea is floating around of a DIY Bike Wash at RRB.  Any interest in giving your steed a little TLC and attention?  Maybe riding before or after?  Let me know, and stay tuned for further details.  Why yes, I do intentionally try to get you repeatedly visit TREAD THREAD.  That is the purpose, to have a reliable place you can get what you need on our local bike scene.  RIDEGUYGARY

I Want To Ride My Bicycle...

I want to ride my bicycle!!!!  The weather is not looking good per Weather Underground for Lake Geneva this Tuesday or Thursday.  I have a short route I want to introduce, and the first decent day on a Tuesday or Thursday I plan to start out of RRB at a comfortable pace.  The loop is about ten miles, and if we like it, we can do it twice.   This loop will not be part of our normal routes, but is an informal little tune up ride.   Stay tuned for details.  

Butch Says:  Canopy is dry and rideable!  Please be sure to stop by the Visitor Center on the opposite side of the road and sign in.  There is a fee for daily or yearly trail access.  

Thursday Night Fat Bikes (and weight challenged tires as well) are still going on.  As of now, I do not have the starting location, but will update once I have it.  Check back.  

My Mother-In-Law Would Like To Do Some Day Rides:  Part of this forum to share information and foster communication. So, what better place than here to start a dialogue! Would anyone like to start up a network of riders who seem to ride at non-standard times?  (i.e. those of us without normal jobs or set hours?)  Let's talk!  You can reach me at rideguygary@gmail.com or 262-903-9250.  I am happy to facilitate or make introductions.   

A Great Read For Anyone

This article is from Al Izykowski.  I only met Al once briefly.  His son is an Olympic bronze medalist speed skater and the current coach of the US Team.  Civilians often don't get why we ride bikes.  And cyclists don't all get why some of us ride fat bikes in extreme conditions.  Al's piece is a testament to riding a bike, but more than that a testimony to living life.  I don't know about you, but every time I throw my leg over a saddle, I feel like I am really living.  Al paints a beautiful picture of joy and suffering and inspires me to get out there!  I'd love to hear your thoughts.  

Read Al's post at The Art of Really Living 10 PM, 5 Degrees, Getting Off A Couch.  

Keep the Rubber Side Down & See You on the Roads, Trails, & By-Ways

Gary

This Ain't Chicago... So You Can't Vote Early & Often

  Due to technical difficulties, the ballot for board member voting has been delayed.  But stay tune and be sure to vote when you get the chance. This is your club, have a say in it!  

Thursday Nite Fat Bike (All Bikes Welcome, Really)

  As of writing, I do not have any information about this Thursday, April 2nd.  I assume there will be a ride, but starting place has yet to be determined.  I am sure Butch or Dan Getzen should have the details later this week.  They usually post on FaceBook on the TREADHEADCYCLING page.  

Seems a Bit Early, But...

This  Saturday, April 4th, XXX Racing-Athletico once again hosts the Alderman James Cappleman 46th Ward Lincoln Park Criterium in Chicago's Lincoln Park just north of Montrose Harbor.

To register via USA Cycling and for more information please visit the event page at our website:​
http://www.xxxracing.org/index.php?/pages/lincolnparkcriterium/

Course Maps:Google Maps:  http://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zKjom-ZzTMA8.kwqAVbJzuIM0

Reminders:

Spring Social

Mark your calendar for April 24th, Next Door Pub at 5:30.  Beer, soft drinks, pizza... I encourage you to invite someone new to join you.  Or maybe someone who rode with us in the past, but for whatever reason has not been active in the club.  Start organizing some informal rides, get the bikes out and knock off the dust and rust, and buddy up to enjoy some spring time riding.  Hope to see you there.  

Feed The Meters

  As of April 1st, Lake Geneva will be ticketing cars parked without feeding the meters.  I'd rather see you spend your money on bike paraphenalia than fines, so just a friendly reminder.  

Mount Borah Kits Are Still at RRB for You To Try On

  We will be doing subsequent orders, but you really want to be sure to get in on the first go-around.  These are going to look great!  The Final Proof for the look should be out later this week.  

Cycling Tip

  Something to think about, but here is a recent article from RoadBikeRider.com that talks about how Team Sky put their man in Yellow in the Tour de France, not once, but with two different riders.  

New eArticle: Marginal Gains, by Coach Fred Matheny

In Marginal Gains for Overall Performance Improvement: How to Identify Dozens of Micro-Improvements in Your Cycling, Coach Fred lays out the concept that was the underpinning of Team Sky’s approach to reaching its lofty goal of putting a British rider in the Tour De France’s yellow jersey in 5 years. (Of course, they did it twice – in half that time.)

“How did Team Sky do it?” Coach Fred asks in his new eArticle. “One major contributor to their success was the concept of ‘Marginal Gains.’ Simply put, it’s the idea that if you can identify dozens of very small improvements, each insignificant by itself, the combination of those miniscule gains would translate into a major overall improvement in performance.

“It’s an idea that has potent consequences for recreational riders,” Coach Fred continues. “If we can pinpoint a few small changes in our bike fits, diets, training plans, event-dayorganization and many other areas of possible improvement, the resulting performance gains can be large. Look at it this way: a dozen changes, each yielding improvements of less than 1%, can result in total gains of 10% or more.”

Let that sink in for a minute: Instead of slavishly working on one big improvement at a time (the normal m.o. of roadies), we could instead – and without a whole lot of effort – tick off a dozen or so smaller improvements that, taken together, can make a sizable overall impact on our cycling.

I don’t know if there’s ever a “magic bullet” to cycling improvement, but the concept of marginal gains might be as close as you can get.

Across categories including bike fit, training, equipment, rest stops, nutrition, recovery, psychology, stretching, organization on tours and at cycling camps, Coach Fred lays out “specific strategies you can use to identify many small changes you can make to your cycling—and your life—that will make you a much better rider than you are now.”

He finishes with a bonus: 10 mini-marginal gains that require only what he calls “micro adjustments” to your daily routine and training.

The best part of this approach to improvement is that Coach Fred’s ideas can serve merely as a springboard to a universe of possible marginal gains that you can uncover for yourself.

“Not all of [my suggestions] will be useful given your specific situation in life, your cycling goals or the amount of time you want to spend searching for small improvements,” he says in the eArticle. “But even if a technique doesn't work for you, it may suggest several other things you could do to help your performance.”

– John Marsh

Hope to See You on the Road Soon! 

Gary

Thursday Nite Fat Bike Ride (Fat Bike NOT Required)

  Thursday Night ride will start in Elkhorn courtesy of John Graf's suggestion. Meet at Elkhorn White River trail head parking lot off of Hwy H at 6:30 pm. Parking lot is on East side of H, .6 miles South of Hwy NN between Pinehurst Lane and Koopman Lane. After the ride we will hit Some Place Else, 1 W Walworth St, Elkhorn, WI 53121, for eats. If you can't make the ride join for for dinner!

WORS Registration for 2015 Opens April 1st

  Here is a link for quick & easy registration for the upcoming Wisconsin Off-Road Series.  And check out the cover of the WORS Guide.  Front and center is our very own TREADHEAD Ray Nelson!  Here is the link.  http://www.swiftentry.com/o/4

Wisconsin Bike Federation Launches Bike Registration

  Not that we have a massive bike theft issue in SE Wisconsin, but why take a chance.  Here is a link with details on registering your bike to enhance your chances of recovery in the unfortunate event it gets stolen.  http://wisconsinbikefed.org/2015/03/18/bike-theft-ring-busted-and-we-launch-stolen-bike-registry/

Lake Geneva Canopy Tours Trails

 Butch is throwing out an invite!  He says the Canopy Trails are inviting and Saturday, March 28th  at 8 AM would be a great time to give 'em some love- i.e. RIDE 'EM!  
 We all love these trails!  Thanks to Butch and crew for all the time and effort in this labor of love.  But with the recent rain and snow, even fat bikes would wreck havoc on the trails. So, let's be respectful and wait for better conditions before heading out there.  I will be sure to update here when Butch says the conditions are favorable.  Thanks in advance for your support.  

Fit Kits from Mt. Borah At RRB

  You still have time to swing by and try on shorts, bibs and jerseys so you can order the proper size.  And believe me, you are going to want to update your wardrobe when you see the new color scheme. It looks great!  RRB is closed Mondays, Sundays, and Wednesday.  

TREADHEAD Elections On-Line Later This Week

Save The Dates:

TREADHEAD Spring Social- Details to Come.  April 24th.

FAT TIRE TOUR of Milwaukee- June 13th.  Details at http://trailgenius.com/event/fat-tire-tour-milwaukee

Informal Club Rides from RRB starting at 5:30- March 31, weather permitting

And the Thursday Nite Fat Bike Rides will continue because they don't give a @$%^ about weather. So check back for next week's location.  

Next Week Finds Me On Skis, Not Skinny Tires

  Next week I do not expect to put out a TREAD THREAD, as I will be in Keystone.  But any updates I do make will be on this post, but highlighted in blue.  Anything you want to share, please let me know at rideguygary@gmail.com

TREADHEADS... We Are A Cycling Club

  THC was started as a group of guys riding bikes and eating fajitas at The Cactus Club.  It morphed into a WORS mountain bike team and weekly club rides on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  But THC is a club.  Sure, we have accomplished mountain bike racers, a national juniors level racing champ, road and cyclocross racers among our ranks.  But we are also recreational riders, people who ride fat bikes, cruisers, charity event riders....  we are a diverse cycling club.  I like to think we have something to offer anyone on two wheels.  

  A good place to start, I think, is to invite someone to join you at the Spring Social.  Get to meet some other cycling enthusiasts.  Plan to ride together on the weekly group rides.  Maybe gather together to ride a bit before the official rides start in May.  Cycling is supposed to be fun.  (I can suffer on my own, I come to club rides for the social element.)  

  One thing I want to propose this year, is a monthly family ride on a weekend day.  We could pick a family friendly venue like White River Trail or the trails in Burlington for some easy paced riding.  Let's talk about that, shall we?  

Reminder: Check The Archives for What You Missed

Keep The Rubber Side Down,

Rideguygary

Fat Bikes, Trails, Upcoming Events and More

Please be kind as we figure out the ins & outs of how to best make TREAD THREAD work.  For now, rather than create a flurry of posts, I am updating this post as information comes in.  I am adding any changes in color so you can easily spot the changes or new info.  Also, we hope to soon have this blog linked to the TREADHEADCYCLING web page.  Check in periodically.  

Thursday Nite Fat Bikes

Thursday, March 26th, John Graf is proposing a Fat Bike Ride out of Elkhorn on the White River Trail.  Start time is again 6:30 and fat bikes are nice, but not required.  We are inclusive, not exclusive.  If you ride, you are our kind of people- size does not matter!  The gathering place post ride is yet to be determined.  I will update when I have details.  
Thursday night fat bike rides are still going strong!  Typically folks gather at various locations for an hour or so of riding followed by food and/or drinks.  Start times are at 6:30 PM. Tonight is in Hebron Illinois and fat bikes are NOT required.  Hart's Saloon is the post ride meeting place.  

 I will post notice of these rides as I get the information.  FaceBook has the 411(sorry non-FaceBookers)  but you can always reach out to Butch Welke, Ray Nelson, or Dan Getzen about details.  These guys are in the know.  

Don't Forget to Check The Archives for Things You Might Have Missed

The Heading says it all!  For instance, I would hate for you not to know to swing by RRB and try on the new kits for size or forget about the upcoming TREADHEAD board elections.  

Butch is Optimistic About Canopy This Weekend

  Butch recently rode the trails at Lake Geneva Canopy Tours  Hopefully by the weekend, the trails should be sufficiently dried out and usable.  Be sure to stop by the office to sign waivers and if you do not have an annual pass, be sure to pay your daily use fee.  

Previously, LGCT has offered a discount to TREADHEADS for yearly passes.  I will let you know once I have confirmed the details for this year.  Butch has also announced a Sunday morning 8 AM ride at Canopy.

Time To Start Training

Blackhawk Country Roads  is fast approaching- May 23rd & 24th.  Last year was my first time, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The link connects to Blackhawk Bicylce Club's web page with all the details.

Sunday The Wheelmen have organized a St. Patrick's Day Ride out of Wauconda, IL.  Details can be found at this link.  http://wheelmen.com/st_pats.asp  The cost is $10 and the distance varies.  

Bring A Buddy 

Let's all make it a mission to bring someone new to the club rides this season.  We are ambassadors to the sport and our support can go a long way to showing someone an enjoyable time.  I know in the past we have scared off some riders, but I want us to be inviting to less experienced cyclists.  

Tour of America's Dairyland Has Announced Dates

TOAD as it is affectionately known, has announced dates and venues for 2015.  Even if you don't race, it can be a lot of fun to watch a crit. We have a near by race at East Troy, and that is a sweet little venue for a bike race.  The town really opens their arms for the event.  Follow the link for more information

Tire Pressure Matters?  

  Here is a link to a current RoadBikeRider.com post regarding tire pressure in road tires.  I thought it was only on cross and fat bikes that this was such a hot issue. http://www.roadbikerider.com/current-newsletter#newsletter-from-the-top

This link is a news letter, so the subject will change next week if you click on the link later.  But it is archived on RBR.com.  

Let Me Know

Keep me posted on what you know or would like to see in this forum.  It's all about YOU the cyclist!  

Keep The Rubber Side Down

3/17/15  Erin Go Braugh

With the break in the weather, many of us are thinking about bikes and related things.  The plan is for this blog to be an easy source to find out what is going on in Southeast Wisconsin and Northern Illinois.  If you have anything you want to share, email me at rideguygary@gmail.com  And of course I welcome your feedback.

Election Time

TreadHeadCycling is looking to inject some new life into the club, and spice up the board.  Voting for the 9 member board is happening on line March 25th-29th.  If you are interested in being nominated, contact Kent Lambert for details at  kentl@treadheadcycling.com  Watch your email for voting information. 

And if you are interested in the club and cycling, but not ready to sit on the board, committees can be formed for specific purposes, as long as there are two committee members, one of which is a board member.  Lots of options here!  

Club Cycling Apparel

Swing by RRB this week if you would like to try on the new Mount Borah kits to determine your size.  Information on ordering your jerseys, shorts, bibs, thermal cycling vest, etc will be in your email.  Don't miss out on the initial order. The new design and colors looks great!

Save The Date

April 24 is the planned date for the Annual Spring Social.  

TreadHeadCycling Club Rides

Typically, official club rides start the beginning of May.  But that does not mean TreadHeads are not gathering to ride already.  

Tuesday, March 31st, let's start unofficial rides from RRB at 5:30 PM.  There is no designated leader, route, or agenda. Show up and ride!  Ride routes are posted on the TreadHeadCycling web page.  

Races, Rides & Events

Wisconsin Cycling Association has their up coming road race schedule out.  http://wicycling.org/schedule/schedule-road/

There are a host of "Gravel Grinders" coming up around the Midwest. Plans are to get a more detailed list, but here is one to tempt you...

Barry Roubaix in Michigan, March 28th.  http://barry-roubaix.com/

Wisconsin Gravel Syndicate- A great source of gravel rides in Wisconsin & Illinois

https://www.facebook.com/WisconsinGravelSyndicate

Stay tuned for more Races, Rides and Event updates.  

Keep The Rubber Side Down