Novice News

Novice bunch begins for Summer!
Thursday, October 2, 2008

A great ride this morning all. We finished up having enough for two bunches, so thanks to Tim, Mal P, Chrissie and Milto for helping out. it was good to see some new faces who aren't in the novice program, too. The bunch was nice and tight, the paceline was smooth, everyone dealt with the traffic lights and by the end you could see the group looking tighter and neater as we all starting getting a bit more confident with each other. Milto tells me his bunch was cruising nicely, too - probably soe can jump straight into the medium group soon. Just one thing to note is that after traffic lights and intersections, try to hustle a bit to get the bunch straight back into formation as sson as we can. If you're on the front, take off nice and easy so everyone can get on. Next week we'll do the same route again (and hopefully get less traffic lights this time!). Make sure to brings front and back lights because daylight saving will have started. The forecast is for a little bit of a cooler morning too, so dress appropriately.
See you there again on Friday,
Simon and Lyndsey

With the beginning of the novice program, we will be getting the Novice bunch up and running again for next Friday (3rd Oct) starting from the same place as the usual Vikings bunch (AKA Norman). As usual, everyone's encouraged to stick around for breakfast and a chat at the Purple Pickle afterwards.

The novice bunch is aimed at those who are either new to bunch riding or who can't quite keep up with the other bunches around town. It's a friendly bunch and there'll always be people available to give you some advice and help you out. What we're aiming for in this ride is good bunch skills and etiquette - signal obstacles, talk to each other and look after each other. There'll always be one or two V-Mobers there to help out any new riders or just anyone who's feeling a bit uncertain.

Bunch tips here.

The rules are:
   1. Everyone is there to help each other.
   2. No-one gets left behind.
   3. You can hammer it as hard as you want for the sprints, but always regroup afterwards.
   4. Sprint safely - hold your lines and be smooth.
   5. Obey road rules - safety always come before anything else.  

What: Vikings Novice Bunch Ride
Where: The ANU, Willows Oval carpark (where the Bilbys meet on Saturdays). This is just near the Purple Pickle which will be our breaky destination afterwards.
When: FRIDAYS. Meet at 6am and expect to return to the ANU by 7:15am .
Distance: about 30kms
Route: We'll start with a nice flat one: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Vikings-Novice-Ride 

Novice program - weeks 1 and 2
Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Catch up session
If you missed week 1 or 2, or feel like you could use a bit more practice on the basics covered, there will be a catch up session this Saturday at 2pm at the AIS. Meet Simon at the AIS car park where you'd park for the swimming pool or the AIS tour. Please RSVP, just so I know that I'm going to have company: simonadwyer@yahoo.com.au.Those not enrolled in the novice program are also welcome.

Crash Tally
The crash tally so far.
Monday: 0 points
Tuesday: 3 points
Thursday: 1 point

Handouts
Bunch riding handout.
Cornering handout.
Info that might be useful

What we've covered...
Week one was all about getting comfortable riding with others and getting up some confidence in your bike handling. Some pointers from the first session. Remember the important rules for bunch riding: don't overlap wheels, be predictable and smooth and point out obstacles. Remember not to surge when you get to the front of a paceline (unless of course your aim is to speed it up!), and try not to miss the train when you are coming off the back.

All the hands-on-shoulders and pushing exercises are to get you comfortable in the bunch, but also to make you able to deal with a bit of accidental bumping that might occur during a race or bunch ride. If someone bumps into you from the side, you don't need to panic and fall off - you can now handle it. Just stick your shoulder out a bit and gently but firmly push them away. Over the next few weeks we'll continue to work on this to make sure you're all safe and comfortable riding in a crowd.

For week two we'll again be meeting at the Civic swimming pool at 6am. Make sure you're there and ready to go at six! Daylight savings means it'll be dark, so bring lights for next week!

Week two will be about reinforcing the bunch stuff from the first session. We'll be working more on getting comfortable in the bunch and with our bikes, and we'll see if we can get these pacelines down pat!

We'll also look to introduce some cornering, hence the handout. For cornering you need to make sure your tyres are pumped up to the proper pressure. For most of you riding on road tyres this is about 100psi - so pretty bloody hard!! The pump at the local servo won't cut it. If you don't have your own quality pump, drop by MalAdjusted (northside) or TLC (southside) and ask them to put a bit of air in your tyres. Just mention that you're doing the Vikings novice program and that Simon sent you.  

2008 Vikings Novice Program
Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Get into road cycling this summer with the Vikings: Canberra's friendly cycling club!

Update Thursday September 11h: All three sessions are now FULL.

***Download the information flier***

Download the calendar here
Read the report of the 2007 Novice Program
Read the report of the 2006 Novice Program
Photos from the 2006 Novice Program 

The 2008 Novice Program will run for 7 weeks from the end of September leading into the Summer Criterium Series. This is the third year for the Novice Program, and the 2006 and 2007 programs were hugely successful. It's a great pathway for novice adults to get into cycling and we will equip you with all the skills, information and confidence you need to tackle a bike race.

Afterwards, we don't leave you to fend for yourselves, instead we'll organise some teams to participate in the Summer Criterium Series. Essentially, we can take you as far as you want to go - whether you choose to be a casual rider or whether your aim is to make it to the National Road Series!

Registration for the program is now open. Please send in your registration form to reserve your place, as places are limited. If you have any further questions after reading the information on this page please email Simon or Lyndsey.

All dates and details of sessions can be found in the Participant Information Pack below.

Download the calendar here

On this page:

• Who’s the program for?
• After the program…
• Participant Information Pack
  • Novice Program Structure
  • What you need
  • Costs
  • Coached sessions
  • How to reserve your place

Who's it for:

The Novice Program is for men and women who want to race in the Summer Criterium Series at Stromlo Forest Park (Wednesday evenings) and who want to get into road cycling. You don't need to start with any great fitness or skill, but it does help if you are reasonably comfortable on your bike (eg. not too wobbly). The Vikings Cycling Club puts its emphasis on friendly competition, participation and responsibility, and participants are expected to assume these values.

After the program…

At the completion of the program you'll be equipped with all the social contacts, knowledge and skills to enter into any club events. However, we don't leave you there if you want more. In fact the Novice Program is just the first step in our pathway into road cycling which can take you as far as you are interested in going.

1. During the program we'll form some criterium teams for those who are interested. Last year we formed the Thialtra cycling teams from women’s C to B grades and from Men’s E to C. The men’s E team finished equal first in the competition while the women’s C Thialtra team finished a close second. There’s also regular local road races on the weekends, and fun Time Trials on Monday nights.

2. If you're still feeling keen after the criterium season, we'll be running a 10 week training program for the Canberra Tour stage race (if it runs this year). We had a great level of participation in this in 2007, with practically the whole women's C grade field being involved. This year we ran a similar training program leading up to the Canberra Junior and Women’s Tour, with a great turnout in Women’s B grade and some amazing personal performances.

3. The final step, for those that have decided that both cycling and the Vikings are for them is to get involved in one of the club squads. The squads encompass the club philosophy of good sportsmanship, friendly competition and participation, rather than having a focus on results. 

Participant Information Pack

1. Novice Program Structure

The program will run for seven weeks. The head coach of the program is John Armstrong, one of the most experienced and respected coaches in Australia who is ideally suited to take on this sort of program. John has coached the previous two Novice Programs and has experience with cyclists of all level: from true beginners to elite cyclists. John will take the groups through aspects of cycling like bunch riding, bike control, cornering, tactics and sprinting. Your group will have around 14 or so people in it. For the last couple of sessions, Vikings club coach Simon Dwyer will take the reins and introduce the groups to some fun race drills and team work. Each group will also have one or two friendly mentors from the Vikings Cycling Club for support and guidance. We’ve also organised a 3 hour Saturday bike maintenance workshop with technical whiz, coach and cycling author, Michael Hanslip (date and location TBC).

In the last weeks of the program the CCC Summer Criterium Season will start up on Wednesday nights so you’ll have a chance to go in a few races and then ask any questions at the remaining coached sessions.

2. What you need:

A road bike with standard drop bars, a helmet, and decent lights (as it will still be dark for some of the morning sessions)

3. Costs

The cost of the program will be $160 which is terrific value. What this covers:

-         All coaching (7 sessions, one per week for 7 weeks)

-         The bike maintenance workshop

-         A weekly email bulletin wrapping up the week’s sessions, with lots of tips and information

-         Handouts on cycling techniques and tactics

-         A Full Cycling Australia licence for 2008-2009 (The regular price for a full licence for a new member is $175!)

-         Membership of the Vikings Cycling Club for 2008-2009.

-         A snazzy Vikings Drink Bottle

-         A mentored Novice bunch ride on Friday mornings, departing from the ANU gym carpark at 6 am

If you’re already a member of a cycling club with a CA licence the cost will be $85.

For Women Under 30: To encourage participation, Cycling Australia gives some women a free licence for their first year of membership. The number of VIP licences is limited for each state, so the only real requirement is that you be keen to participate in the cycling community. You needn’t be a super-competitive rider, just an enthusiastic one. If you want to take up this offer then the cost of the program will only be $85.

The course doesn’t cover the cost of the summer criteriums – these are $5 each and you pay on the night when you enter.

4. Coached sessions

Participants have a choice of Monday or Thursday mornings for coached sessions. These sessions will run from 6 am until about 7.15 am. To try and make the groups fairly even, the more confident riders should go for the Monday sessions. You can nominate your day on the registration form. If we get extra demand, we will run a third session on Tuesday mornings.

Session One starts on September 25^th for the Thursday group, and September 29^th for the Monday group.

For Week 1, meet at Civic Pool carpark. The location will change week to week between Civic Pool carpark, Stromlo Forest Park and the AIS swimming pool carpark. We’ll let you know the location each week via the weekly bulletin. Also note that due to his work commitments there may be some instances where John may need to move the morning sessions to another day of the week. Another instance where coaching sessions may been to be re-arranged is if we get bad weather.

6. How to reserve your place:

2008 Spring Novice Program
Tuesday, August 12, 2008

*** Update Tuesday Aug 26th: sorry everyone we are having troubles with the website and have to re-post all of the info for this year's program, including the rego forms! If you can bear with us we should have it back up again tonight (Tuesday night) ***

Planing is now in full swing for the 2008 Vikings Novice Program, the course that takes people from feeling uncomfortable in a group to racing with team tactics in a criterium! The program will start on the week of the 22nd of September and continue for 8 weeks. Afterwards, we don't leave you to fend for yourselves, instead we'll organise some teams and keep going with the famous criterium interval sessions over summer. Essentially, we can take you as far as you want to go - whether you choose to be a casual rider or whether your aim is to make it to the National Road Series!

We'll try to get the details up in the next weekor so, but in the meantime, please email Lyndsey or Simon to reserve your place. Get in early as last year we ran out of places.

Novice winter updates
Thursday, June 5, 2008

Another successful program
The 2007 summer season has seen the continued growth of the Vikings Novice program to 45 participants split into three groups. Again, John Armstrong ably coached the groups through bunch riding protocols and safety, drafting, cornering, sprinting and other racing  skills. Helping JA out were our team of friendly mentors from the V-Mobile team. The season was a huge success for the 2007 novice cohort and we hope to replicate it again this coming spring.

Team Thialtra makes an impact
The new look Thialtra team made a positive impact over Summer with several female and male teams across a range of grades. The men's E grade team drew with Bike Culture for the team classification and several other's scored. Jamo McGee and Meredith Hutchison were the 6th and 10th placed scorers across the season, respectively. Across all grades the Thialtra squad was fourth (of 22), a result reflecting some excellent personal improvements and consistent participation across the season. Well done all!

Novice bunch hibernating over winter
The Vikings Novice bunch has gone into it's yearly hibernation over the Winter. We'll start up again in Spring with the 2008 Novice Program, so check back in August/September to get the latest updates. Thanks to all the helpers for the 2007/08 program, chiefly coach John Armstrong and the V-Mobile team.

See you on the road,
Simon



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