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In This Issue
- President's Corner
- GABA New Meeting Space
- September General Meeting
- El Tour Training
- Tumacacori Century
- Randonneuring
- Ask GABA
- BICAS Calendar
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ASK GABA
Dear GABA,
I'm going to try the GABA El Tour de Tucson training rides this year. What do I need to know?
Your first source of information is GABA's MeetUp site. You will find detailed information on all the training rides we offer so you can choose the best ride for you.
Also, GABA training rides are different than GABA general day rides. Riders go at their own speed, there is no regrouping. Make sure to take your ride leaders' cell phone number in case you need assistance on the route.
Lastly, if you want a map for your chosen route, print it out and bring it! GABA does not supply copies of the ride at the start.
See you out there! Have a Question:
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Where In Tucson?
(see below for location)
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GABA Classifieds
Do you have a bike-related item you would like to buy, sell or trade? We now have two ways you can get the word out.
POST IT ON THE
GABA WEBSITE
To find out how to post
CLICK HERE
To post on the GABA website, you MUST be a GABA member - one more good reason to join GABA.
AND/OR
POST IT IN PACELINE
To send in a Classified
CLICK HERE
Please be sure to include all details, including your contact info so an interested party can contact you directly. We can take a (single) photo for your item.
We will run them for 2 issues, then remove (unless you let us know the items have been sold/found).
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SEND US NEWS, STORY IDEAS OR ARTICLES!
Do you have something interesting to share with the Tucson cycling community? A link to an event? An article that we don't know about? A topic that might be worth looking into? We publish monthly, but with more news from you we can publish every two weeks.
If you have something that you think others would like to find out about, please share them with me, Laura H paceline@bikegaba.org
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SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT US!
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Sanford & Sons is located at Country Club and 48th Street
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Greetings!
Shame on me! I forgot that the first Monday of the month in September is LABOR DAY. That being said, our traditional 1st Monday of the month General Meeting, will be pushed one week to Monday, September 14th. In turn the Board Meeting is also pushed one week forward to Monday, September 21st.
Also, here's some big news! After our September General Meeting, GABA will be moving its General Meeting to a new location. Please see the article below for details. We are gearing up for a fun and action-packed fall. El Tour Training Rides start, and we will be having our Tumacacori and Silverbell Centuries in October and November. Read all about them below. |
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President's Corner
Insurance
GABA riders are safe riders and GABA is proud to have you in our membership. Sometimes, safe isn't enough though, and we need protection when we are on the bike or on foot. There are a myriad of exclusions and limitations that occur in every insurance policy, so always get familiar with the policy you have. In general, here is what you need to know as a cyclist.
Auto Policy: Your auto policy has certain items on it that are portable, meaning they go with you whether you are in your car or not. If you use your own auto policy, and the crash was not substantially your fault, then your insurance company is prohibited from raising your rates. Make sure it is a personal policy. Commercial policies won't cover you when you are on a personal bicycle ride.
Also, if you live with someone who owns a vehicle and you are a relative, their policy might also apply to you while you are riding a bicycle.
Liability: This is for when you cause damage to another with your vehicle. The auto policy won't help you if you cause harm with your bicycle. See below for Homeowner/Renter.
MEDPAY: This is a no-fault protection that goes with you on the bicycle and applies any time you are hit by a vehicle. I recommend a minimum of $10,000. It is separate and distinct from health insurance so even if you have health insurance, get as much MEDPAY as you can.
GABA has $10,000 in MEDPAY (this one is secondary to your health insurance) for all members on dayrides and everyone (member or not) who signs up for a paid ride. So join GABA.
Uninsured Motorist: This is called UM. It protects you for bodily injury (medical bills, pain/suffering, lost wages - everything except property damage) if you are hit by a driver with no insurance, or a hit-and-run, or a stolen vehicle. I recommend a minimum of $100,000. This coverage is extremely affordable. You will have to raise the liability to match. If you currently have more liability than UM coverage, then get that UM raised to match as soon as possible.
Underinsured Motorist: This is called UIM. It protects you for bodily injury if you are hit by someone with insurance, but not enough to properly compensate you. Most drivers have the minimum coverage, which is $15,000 and that won't go very far. Raise the UIM up to at least $100,000. Get more if you can.
Homeowner/Renter: The MEDPAY on your homeowner or renter's policy likely has an exclusion for you, so don't rely on that. Homeowner insurance will also exclude collisions with vehicles. About the only thing the homeowner coverage is good for in the bicycle world is a stolen bike, or if you hit a pedestrian or another bike rider (the liability coverage should work in that situation). There is no consumer protection here. If you use homeowner coverage for any reason, the company can increase your rates.
Umbrella: You can get an umbrella policy for very inexpensive rates that will boost the liability coverage up very high if you cause injury to another. It will be secondary to your homeowner, renters, or auto policy. It does not normally come with UM/UIM so you must ask for it. I recommend $1 million in UM/UIM. If you can't get UM/UIM, think about finding a different insurance company. This might be a good way to lower your auto policy (if the umbrella will allow it) and use the money for the umbrella as long as you have UM/UIM on the umbrella.
Bicycle Insurance: A few bicycle-specific companies have popped up. Be careful. They don't all offer liability or UIM/UM or MEDPAY, or if they do, they have limitations. Some offer theft and even frame failure coverage. They can be more expensive than an auto/umbrella package and provide far less coverage. If you don't own an auto, this is an option worth looking into. Check out BigRing Insurance, Spoke Insurance, Velosurance, and Markel Bicycle Insurance.
And remember, the best insurance of all is the insurance that you pay for and never use.
Be safe, enjoy the ride.
Eric Post, Esq.
GABA President
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GABA's New General Meeting Space
With our October General Meeting, which will be held on Monday, October 5, GABA's General Meeting will be held at a new location. We will still meet the first Monday of each month (second Monday, if first Monday is a holiday) at 7 p.m., but starting with our October 5 meeting we will be meeting at:
The Tucson Osteopathic Medical Foundation
3182 N. Swan Road, Tucson, AZ
It is located on the southeast corner of Swan and Camp Lowell.
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SEPTEMBER General Meeting
Monday, September 14, 2015
7 p.m
RACING UA CYCLING STYLE
Joey Iuliano, President
University of Arizona Cycling (2014-2015)
The UA Cycling National Team is eager to bring to you what it is like to race at a National Championship against the best riders in the country. Both the men and women who attended this year's nationals will share a piece of their race. You will get a front row view of the event from the racers' perspective.
Our goal is to make you feel as if you were in the race rubbing elbows with 150 riders from the U.S.!
** Note this will be our last meeting at the Pima County Medical Society Building. Beginning in October, we will be meeting at The Tucson Osteopathic Medical Foundation Building. See article above.
5199 E. Farness
Tucson, AZ
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2015 GABA El Tour Training Rides Start
Sunday, September 13
The 2015 GABA El Tour training rides begin on Sunday, September 13, and run through November 15, the Sunday before El Tour.
There will be a total of eight training rides from the below locations, with the GABA Tumacacori Century (10/18) and Silverbell Century (11/8) , acting as the two additional training rides to get us ready for El Tour de Tucson. Click here for Info on Both These Rides.
Start times, meeting location and additional information can be found on GABA MEETUP.
Starting Sunday, September 13
- East Side Long
- West Side Long
- West Side Short
- Central
Starting Sunday, September 20
Ride leaders and co-leaders are always needed to help out on these rides. If you can help or have any questions, please contact Chuck Martin at dayrides@bikegaba.org or at 795-1000 or 906-0719.
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TUMACACORI CENTURY
Gene Chapman Memorial Bicycle Ride
(...And a GABA El Tour de Tucson Training Ride)
Sunday, October 18, 2015
The most popular GABA bicycle ride in Southern Arizona! Three options are available for riders from novice to very experienced cyclists: 31, 71 and 100 miles!
What makes this such a GREAT ride?
* It's October in Tucson...perfect weather for a bicycle ride.
* With El Tour de Tucson a month away, it proves to be an excellent training ride.
* The route is a mixture of flat terrain, rolling hills, and challenging climbs, all the while being very picturesque!
* Many cyclists record their best time for riding a century on this route!
* The route is well-marked (just follow the GABA signs).
* SAG (food stops) are delicious and plentiful, served by cheerful & helpful volunteers!
* Sweep support is available along the route for tired cyclists and weary bikes.
* Bike mechanic is on hand for minor repairs and adjustments.
* Eegee's lunch is provided to all cyclists at the conclusion of the ride.
For more information or to sign up
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RANDONNEURING
by Susan Reed
Have you ever wondered just how far you can ride? Have you ever said, "Gee, I'm going to be in Utah, California, Massachusetts, or... It sure would be nice if I could get in a long ride, but there are no Club Centuries happening when I'm there."
Randonneuring could be for you!
What in the world is Randonneuring? Simply put, it is long-distance, unsupported, non-competitive, endurance cycling. When riders participate in Randonneuring events, they are part of a long tradition that goes back to the beginning of the sport of cycling in the late 19th century and early 20th century in France and Italy.
Randonneuring began its development in the United States in 1998 with a club called Randonneuring USA (RUSA) that interfaces with the "parent" organization in France, Audax Club Pariesen. RUSA now has a presence in 33 states including Arizona.
Randonneuring events come in seven distances and are all reported in kilometers: 100k, 200k, 300k, 400k, 600k, 1000k, and 1200k. In miles that would be 62, 124, 186, 248, 372, 620, and 750. Each route must be approved by RUSA before it can be publicized and ridden for credit.
All Randonneuring events are called Brevets, a French word that literally means "certificate" or "diploma." Riders are given a Brevet Card which must be signed at each of the Controls along the route. In the United States the Controls are typically at a convenience store. Having the clerk sign the Brevet Card and/or getting a receipt from a purchase at the service station will serve as a Proof Of Passage, i.e. that the rider was indeed there within the required time. At the completion of the Brevet, the Brevet Card is submitted to the Owner/Organizer of the Brevet, who validates successful completion. The results are posted on the RUSA website and submitted to the organization in France.
The time frames for arrival at Controls and completion of the Brevet are quite reasonable. Distances between 100k and 699k must be completed at an average speed of 9.3mph. For a 200 or 300k that can seem tediously slow. But consider that speed is elapsed time, not ride time, which includes all breaks for eating, sleeping, getting lost, bio breaks, dealing with mechanicals, weather and health-related issues.
Two distinctions would be helpful if you are new to Randonneuring and think you might like to dip your wheels into the experience of endurance cycling.
Brevet is an umbrella term as noted above. In practice, however, Brevet typically refers to an organized Randonneuring event that is announced on the RUSA website or the state's club website, for example, AZBrevet. As such, a group of Randonneurs will gather for a mass start at exactly the announced time. The number of participants typically will be somewhere between 10 and 30. Given the number of riders, the distances involved, and the variance in riding speeds, it is not atypical for riders to find themselves riding alone. Hence, your ability to do roadside repairs, follow a cue sheet, and be comfortable riding alone is important.
Another type of Brevet is called a Permanent. All the same rules for riding a Brevet described above apply. A Permanent, however, can be ridden anytime, rather than on an announced date and time. Permanents are typically designed by Randonneurs who want to ride a Randonneuring event near where they live, rather than having to drive miles to the start and having to wait for a designated date. The person who develops a Permanent route is called the Owner of the route. To ride a Permanent the rider must contact the Owner of the route, let the Owner know when he/she wants to ride the Permanent and the desired start time. The Owner will then email the rider all the necessary paperwork to ride the route for RUSA credit. Here is a list of RUSA Permanents and the list of AZBrevet Permanents. The RUSA website will typically be the most up-to-date of the two sites.
Roger Peskett and Susan Reed are both Permanent Owners. Most of our rides are out of Southeast Arizona. If you have questions about Randonneuring you can contact me at advocacy@bikegaba.org
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This is not a GABA-sponsored event. We have been asked to include it in Paceline.
Desert Men's Council
1st Annual Bike For Boys Bike-a-thon
Saturday, September 26, 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Paseo de las Iglesias, Tucson, AZ 85713
Description
The 1st annual bike-a-thon to support the work of the Desert Men's Council in Tucson will be held Saturday, September 26, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will be a 25-mile course along the Santa Cruz River Park public bikeway loop. The public is invited to participate in Bike For Boys by committing to ride and seek pledge donations for each mile ridden. The challenge is for each participant to raise $400. To sign up or find out more, go to our website at desertmenscouncil.org.
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 CALENDAR NEWS
Saturday, September 5 9 a.m. - Wheel Building Class Sunday, September 6 Noon - Wheel Building Class Monday, September 7 4 p.m. - Women and Transgender Workshop Monday, September 14 4 p.m. - Women and Transgender Workshop Monday, September 21 4 p.m. - Women and Transgender Workshop Tuesday, September 22 6 p.m. - Volunteer Orientation Monday, September 28 4 p.m. - Women and Transgender Workshop
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