EZIA Bike Club

The EZIA Bike Club Mission: To build a community of cyclist interested in improving their fitness through cycling and supporting others with the same pursuit. We embrace new members as family and know that we will become better riders and members of our community by cultivating these relationships. We trust and are trusted, we respect and are respected, we transform and are transformed by each other.

The EZIA Bike Club focuses on promoting an active lifestyle through cycling. EZIA group rides are designed to be challenging but controlled and to respect not only other cyclists but the rules of the road. We stick together with the strongest riders sweeping back, we begin and finish our rides together. Our goal is to increase your fitness levels as you advance through your colors.

We are excited to use Strava in tracking our rides and stats. Strava is great because you can download the App on iTunes and Android, Garmin and at Strava.com

Take the cycling fitness challenge today!

Green: Beginner Cyclist

Blue: Intermediate Cyclist

Red: Advanced Cyclist

Yellow: PRO Cyclist

How to Earn your EZIA Bike Club Fitness Level:

Green Test Out: Complete Tuesday Ride 110min

Blue Test Out: Complete Tuesday Ride 90min

Red Test Out: Complete Tuesday Ride 80min

Men Watt Test > 275 Watts

Women Watt Test > 225 Watts

Yellow Test Out: Complete Tuesday Ride 70min

Men Watt Test > 325 Watts

Women Watt Test > 275 Watts

Each ride will have an EZIA group leader to decide the route, groups and what kind of riding will take place that day.

EZIA Group Leader – Steve Floyd

EZIA Group Leader – Jason Waiton

EZIA Group Leader – Johnny Lopez

EZIA Group Leader/Bike Mechanic – Darron Manley

Group Ride Weekly Schedule and Training Focus:

Tuesday 6:30am (27 miles Group Paceline Practice)
Thursday 6:30am (26 miles Hill Climbing)
Saturday 8am (45-65 miles )
Saturday 8am (15-20 miles beginners)

Before Each Ride:

Please sign in at the EZIA Concierge Desk
Listen to the group leader for ride instructions
Check your gear and enjoy the ride

What to bring for an EZIA group ride:

Fun Attitude
Serviced Road Bike
Helmet
Water Bottles
Clip in shoes
ID
Food
Spare Tube
EZIA Jersey/Shorts

EZIA Beginner Group Ride Tips:

1. Know what type of group rides you are joining!

Listen to the Group Leader before the rid and do not be afraid to ask questions. Does the group maintain a steady pace the entire time, or is there a section of road where rules go out the window?

2. Communicate with your hands.

Signal for turns, regardless of your place in line. Point to the ground and even snap your fingers to warn of ground debris and rough pavement. It’s ok to yell hole, or stopping when necessary. For larger road hazards (joggers, parked cars,) wave your hand behind or above you, motioning away from the object. A slap on the butt( your own) also communicates that an obstacle on the side of the road looms ahead. When you are read to finish your turn on the front, flick your elbow on the same side you expect a new leader to pass.

3. Do not be afraid to draft.

Get used to following closely to the rider in front of you to get the benefit of the draft. You use much less energy following a cyclist than riding out in the wind by yourself. Top riders feel comfortable riding within inches of the wheel in front. In a rotating pace line, stay as close together side to side and front to back.

4. Ride smoothly and predictably.

Never accelerate or brake quickly. If you are running up on the wheel in front, slow down by moving into the wind slightly. Do not overlap wheels with the person in front of you and avoid hitting the brakes.

5. Maintain a constant speed.

When you get to the front, glance at your cycle computer. The tendency for new riders is to jump and pick up the pace.

6. If you tire, rest.

Sit out as many turns as necessary at the back. Let riders coming back know that you are resting, and give them space to move in ahead of you.

EZIA Advanced Group Ride Bike Tips:

Here are some next level tips. Some are basically the same but with a different slant might help any misunderstanding. Riding in the peloton takes knowledge, a level of comparable fitness and cycling know-how. Many enthusiast riders, taking that next step and showing up for a group ride is the best way to not only meet other cyclists, but to take your riding to the next level.

1. Relax
Relax in the peloton and learn to move with the flow of the group. Once you have some experience riding in a group you will soon realize it has a certain dynamic to it. You will quickly be able to find the spots with the most draft, away from the wind, and the spots where it is the safest to ride.
There is no better way to learn how to ride well in a group and gain comfort in a peloton than to spend time riding with others. Be calm, focused and observant. This will help to improve your bike handling skills and make informed tactical decisions.

2. Stay Up Front
Stay towards the front of the group, as you are more likely to avoid crashes, be ready for attacks and stay ahead of splits in the group, and you will not feel the whip of the elastic you will surely experience at the back of the group.

3. Accelerating Corners
If a rider at the front is accelerating out of a corner at speed, you will need to do exponentially more work the further back in the group you are because a peloton goes progressively slower through a corner and therefore progressively faster out of the corner. To win, you need to be in the front, out of trouble and saving energy. A good place to be is in the first 10 to 20 riders, as you’ll be out of the wind but ready for any surprises.

4. Work Smart
While in a small group or breakaway, do only as much work as the rider who is doing the most—never more, otherwise he or she will have more energy left than you when you get to the finish line.

5. Watch for Erratic Riders
Look out for riders who are dangerous, and steer clear of them. A rider who is not holding a straight line, who is taking his hands off the bars all the time, whose bike isn’t in good shape, or who isn’t looking ahead is someone to keep away from.

6. Look Ahead
Always keep your eyes on the road ahead of you and not only the rider in front of you. Watch out for corners, potholes, etc. It is a bad idea to put blind faith in the rider in front of you. Keep your head up and be aware.

7. Make Allies
Be respectful of other riders in the group. An adversary may quickly become an ally when you’re in a breakaway with him or her. Nobody likes a loud-mouth or a dangerous, inconsiderate rider. Being in a peloton is like driving in traffic—be respectful of others and don’t get road rage. Make friends in the peloton. If people like you, they are more likely to cooperate in the breakaways and let you into the line to get a draft.

8. Get Fueled Early
Fuel up in the early kilometers of the race with both liquids and solids and this will pay endurance dividends. When you’re cruising along in the bunch, try to eat around 350 calories an hour, and stay hydrated by drinking one to two bottles each hour, even though the pace may not be high and the race stressful. A bonk comes down on a rider like an axe on a piece of wood. It will come by surprise, rip you in two and will end your race. Stay fueled.

9. Sprint Smart
Sprinting success requires more than just power and speed. You must position yourself well, keeping your nose out of the wind until the final meters of the race without getting boxed in by other riders. You want a clear shot at the line and don’t want to be impeded by another rider.
It is an art that requires intelligence, guts, risk and aggression. A good sprint also requires as much saved energy as possible. Be smart, stay out of the wind, stay up front in the first 10 and race to the line with every ounce of power left in your body.

10. Hide Your Suffering
Use your game-face to gain a psychological advantage—hide your suffering or show it. When Lance Armstrong was isolated without teammates in the mountains during the Tour, he pretended to be suffering to encourage a high pace from his competitors. They burned their motors trying to drop him early on as they thought he was suffering more than he was.
On the final ascent he hit them with a potent attack, catching them all by surprise and putting himself closer to the overall victory in the Tour. When you’re feeling good, don’t show it; when you’re feeling bad, try not to show it either.

11. The Curse of the Wheelsuck
Don’t be a wheelsuck in a breakaway. Nobody likes a rider who doesn’t do any work and then races to the victory. Doing so is like stealing candy from a kid—dishonest and lame.