Regular Bunch Rides
Tauranga Road
Cycling Club Race Entry Policy
To enter and race in a race run by
the Tauranga Road Cycling Club you must either be a member of the
Tauranga Road Cycling Club or a member of a Bike NZ Affiliated Cycling
Club. Tauranga Road Cycling Club members are identified by their helmet
stickers. Other riders must produce their Bike NZ racing licence (club,
centre or national license ok). Both helmet stickers and racing
licenses must be valid.
Where the race is a no charge race
for Tauranga Road Cycling Club members there will be a $5 fee for non
members. Where there is a fee for Tauranga Road Cycling Club non
members will pay the non member fee. Only Tauranga Road Cycling Club
members are eligible for prizemoney or club trophies except in open
events.
Thursday night race fees are $1 for
Tauranga Road Cycling Club members and $3 for non members.
Tauranga Road Cycling Club Training
Rides. Non members are allowed to ride two times with the club before
they must join to continue their participation. Members of other clubs
must become an associate member if they wish to ride on Tauranga Road
Cycling Club more than two times in a season.
Saturday Morning Ride
6.30am - Saturday morning even
more serious training ride, leaving Koops Cycles on
Cameron Rd (every week thru daylight
saving)
7.30am - Saturday morning serious training ride, leaving Koops
Cycles on Cameron Rd (this group will contine as well as the new 6.30am
one)
From the 1st April 2010, all
Saturday rides start at 7.30am
Sunday
Morning Ride
Posted 02 April
2010 - Some clarification re the new format Sunday ride. The
number
and make up of the groups is decided at the Papamoa end of Welcome Bay
Road, according to the number and abilities of the riders present at
that point in the ride. Once this has been decided, for
logistical
reasons it cannot be altered to accommodate riders who choose to join
the ride subsequently.
Revised Sunday Ride as from
21 Mar 2010
Due to demand for a more casual group
on Sundays, we will try splitting into three groups at the Papamoa end
of Welcome Bay Rd (instead of the two as at present). This has the
added advantage of keeping the bunches a bit smaller.
Ride will commence as usual at 7.25 from Barkes corner, with everyone
regrouping at the end of Welcome Bay Road. The riders who want to go a
bit faster will head off first. The third bunch will be a "controlled
pace" group, riding at around 30km/h, depending on conditions. All
three bunches will regroup at the Mount Information Centre as usual.
---------------------------------------------
This is the Club's most regular event
- every Sunday except for a
couple of weeks over Christmas.
The bunch leaves the Barkes Corner
roundabout (Junction of SH 29 and
Pyes Pa Road) at 7.25am sharp and rides towards Welcome Bay, picking up
more riders at the Welcome Bay Roundabout. Then it's the full
length of Welcome Bay Road to Papamoa. The bunch breaks up
over the hills, as the sronger riders get ahead, and there will be some
racing up the hills. Once at the junction of Welcome Bay Road and
SH2, we re-group. Then it's a bunch ride along SH2, left into
Bell Road, left into Parton Road, and right onto Papamoa Beach
Road. 
Bunch speed is around 30 - 35kph,
with the stronger riders
doing the work at the front, and yours truly sitting on the back.
At the eastern end of Papamoa Beach Road, it's a U-turn, then back to
the Mount via Ocean Beach Road, and Marine Parade. The pace often
gets cranked up a bit along here. At the Mount it's left into
Adams Ave, then along Pilot Bay, into Salisbury Ave, finishing
at the Information Centre, usually a bit after 9.00am. Distance
is approx 50kms. The unofficial sprint (traffic permitting) is on
Marine Parade, the "finish line " being the speed hump before Banks
Ave. This allows slower and safer riding along the Mount Main
Beach and Adams Ave. Riders are requested not to race along this
section; there is just too much traffic with cars slowing for the speed
humps and trying to find parking spots (and sometimes opening doors or
pulling out with warning. We need to set a good example!
After a short break, a group rides
across the Harbour Bridge to
Tauranga, whilst Papamoa residents cycle back along Papamoa Beach Road.
From 17 Feb 2008, the Sunday
Morning Training Rides will now include an after ride coffee stop,
every week for a social chat over a hot brew.
So after we leave the Information Centre at the Mount, and cross the
Harbour Bridge, those keen on a cup of java will turn right at Chapel
St and head to Zaggers, which is about 50m from the intersection,
opposite the Mobil service station. There is plenty of seating both
inside and out, along with room to park bikes. Apparently the coffee
and food is excellent, so remember to bring a few dollars in your back
pocket.
Members of other cycling clubs are
always welcome. Non members
are also most welcome to join the bunch, but after 3 rides there is an
expectation that you will join the Club. TRCC members can be
spotted by the small sticker on the side of the helmet .
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Tuesday
Night Ride
Tuesday
night rides resume 28
Sept 2010
Starts at the Mount Hockey Club, off
Totara Street, at 6.00pm.
Riders self select into groups, leaving at approximately 1 minute
intervals. Fast, medium fast, medium, casual/recreational.
Maunganui Road, left into Salisbury Ave, Pilot Bay, Adams Ave, Marine
Parade, Oceanbeach Road, Maranui Street, Papamoa Beach Road, right into
Parton Road, right on to Bell Road, right on to SH2, left into Welcome
Bay Road. The slower bunches re-group at Rocky Cutting Road.
Continue along Welcome Bay Road, the ride officially finishes at the
roundabout. Some Papamoa cyclists turn down Kairua Road, right
onto SH2, left into Domain Road. This is the biggest ride - last year
there were up to100 cyclists on some nights.
Members of other cycling clubs are
always welcome.
Non members
are also most welcome to join the bunch, but after 2 rides there is an
expectation that you will join the Club. TRCC members can be
spotted by the small sticker on the side of the helmet (it could
be on either the right or left!)
Rules
Of The Ride.
1. It is just a training ride.
2. All normal road rules apply
3. Keep as far left as possible and Single File after the end of Marine
Parade
4. Give way at all intersections and roundabouts
5. Extra care required at the busy intersections - slow right down at
the left turn onto Maranui St/Papamoa Beach Rd, be prepared to stop at
Domain Rd and EXTREME CARE crossing SH2 at the end of Bell Rd
6. Wait up on the other side of intersections to make sure the whole
group has got through
7. Riders at the front are the eyes of the group - remember that you
need to judge if the bunch can get safely through an intersection. If
not, STOP.
8. After your turn at the front, move ONLY to the left (towards the
kerb, not into the live vehicle lane).
9. Riders at the back must warn of cars wanting to pass and help keep
everyone over to the left
10. Treat all other road users with respect and courtesy
There are five groups.
A Group - The fastest, experienced riders.
B Group - Faster riders, expect a hard workout
C Group - Medium pace, faster acceleration out of corners and pushing
the pace a bit on the hills
D Group - Slower medium - steadier pace than the C Group
E Group - Casual bunch, stops and regroups at the Rocky Cutting Road
intersection.
Please don't all go in one group - we need to keep the bunch sizes down
so that we don't become a hazard on the road.
Particularly at the start of the season, fitness levels will vary
hugely. If you get dropped, it is nothing personal, don't take offence
- others may simply have done more training than you did over winter.
Either drop back to the next group, take a short cut, or simply take
the challenge to try to get a bit further next week. Thats what I do!
By extending yourself a bit, you will be surprised how much your
fitness comes up in a short space of time.
Remember
also your normal bunch riding rules
The ride officially
ends by the Palmers Garden Centre – everyone tends to split off for
home from
there.
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Thursday
Night
Handicap Race
Thursday
night racing resumes 30
September 2010
Meet at Te
Tumu Road,
6.00pm. $1.00 entry for club members, $3.00 for non
members. Cyclists self handicap into groups of simillar
ability. The limit group starts at 6.15pm sharp, others at 3
minute intervals thereafter. Riders in each group co-operate to
maintain a fast pace over 2 laps of the course (26km). The aim
for each bunch is to catch those ahead, and not get caught by the
faster riders behind. As the season progresses, handicapping is
adjusted to try to get close finishes. Spot prizes of cans of diet coke
and chocolate bars after the ride, and some of us stay on for a chat
and a beer on the side of the road. These rides will greatly
improve your cycling ability, 2/3 of the course is virtually traffic
free, and the whole evening is good fun. A few riders may arrive
at 5.20pm or so for a warm-up lap.
Race Reports
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Page last updated 14 aug 2009