New Group Offers Road Cycling in Northfield for Every Level

Grab your helmets and reflector tape! It’s bike season, and there’s a new club in town. The newly formed Cannon Valley Velo Club offers weekly road cycling trips to Northfield area residents of all skill levels.

The club, which was conceived in mid-winter 2011, has been a runaway success.  Although its first official ride took place only weeks ago, Cannon Valley Velo already has more than 100 members.

Club ride coordinator Lars Stromayer has an idea why.

“It really is an all-inclusive bike club,” said Stromayer. “We wanted to make this the kind of club that anybody would feel comfortable joining.”

One component of Cannon Valley Velo that makes it especially inclusive is the club’s implementation of several categories of rides catering to different skill levels. The rides, which take place every Saturday morning and begin at , are led by designated ride coordinators and vary widely in speed and distance, so that members on their first ride are as comfortable as members on the club’s race team. 

Each category is associated with a letter. For instance, an “A” ride is conceived for riders who travel at approximately 18 miles per hour and often covers distances as great as 80 miles. A “C” ride, on the other hand, sets a slower, easier pace, typically around 10 miles per hour, and covers a much shorter distance.

Owen Mibus, coordinator for the “C” ride category, pinpoints the appeal of instituted ride categories.

“I can just follow along and enjoy the ride, enjoy the company,” he said. “I know that I’ll be in a group of people who are riding at a pace that I can sustain for the entire ride, so I don’t get left behind or I’m not going slower than I would like to be going.”

Stromayer, who coordinates the “A” ride category, agrees.

“Anybody can go out and ride a bike by themselves anywhere they want,” he said. “If you want to ride socially and ride with other people, we want to provide a place for you to do that, whether you want to ride 8 miles an hour or 20 miles an hour.”

Cannon Valley Velo even offers family rides, which are held monthly and focus on bike safety, which is a major priority for the entire club, not only its younger members.

“We want to promote bicycling and expose more people to opportunities to ride, but we want to do it safely and responsibly,” said Stromayer.

The club hopes to explore these issues even more in the future by holding clinics on bike safety and maintenance and by providing information about cycling laws on their website. 

To get involved with Cannon Valley Velo, check out their website.

Bike Safety Basics

Cannon Valley Velo isn’t the only organization in town dedicated to promoting bike safety. Northfield Emergency Medical Services and are working together to reach out to local citizens and youth to prevent bike accidents. Northfield Paramedic James Ingham, who has long been involved with promoting bike safety, had the following advice to offer.

• Wear a helmet—It may seem obvious, but that doesn’t make it any less important.  When worn correctly, the helmet should be only one finger above the eyebrows, not tilted back, as it is commonly worn.  Riders should be able to fit two fingers between their helmet strap and chin.

• Obey the traffic laws—All traffic laws apply to bikes as well as cars.  Stop at stop signs. Ride with the traffic and not against it. Turn in the proper lanes and signal when turning.

• Stay visible—All bikes should be installed with a headlamp and red rear taillight.  Wear high visibility and reflective clothing.

Follow these tips to enjoy a safe and healthy summer of biking!