Local Ride put on a very successful Race the Ridge BC Cup Road Race, April 28-29. Riders loved the challenging road race, criterium and time trial courses in the virtually undiscovered, but world-class cycling destination of Maple Ridge. The event attracted 266 road racers, 173 time trial riders and 172 criterium participants. Local Ride and Race the Ridge would like to thank all the racers, volunteers, sponsors and fans who made the event possible. We can’t wait to see you all again next year. Or better yet, we hope to see you sooner. Just come visit us!

If you want to keep your fond Race the Ridge memories fresh, click here — WC Design are professional sports photographers who were snapping pictures during the race weekend. 

Local Ride Racing Team
The team is fully immersed in the racing season and achieving top results. At Race the Ridge, Liz placed second overall in the Cat 4 Women’s omnium with a win in the time trial, third in the road race and third in the criterium. Roy powered to fourth in the Cat 4 Men’s overall with a highlight second in the time trial. Steve finished a fabulous fifth overall with a strong top five in the hilly road race. Mike climbed to sixth place in the road race. Dave wins the gold medal in terms of race support, taking good care of the crew. 

Local Ride earned two podium spots in the Brodie Rat Race on May 6, when Steve and Roy finished second and third in their respective categories.  Barry had a super fun time at his first mountain bike race in over a year, and Gord managed to finish despite a broken seatpost. Way to go boys! The team is gearing up for the next FloraGLO BC Cup Road Race – the SFU Coastal kermesse on May 27. 

If you haven’t seen it already, you need to come by the shop and check out the new Local Ride team kit. The newly designed jersey, shorts, shoe covers and vests look hot and they’re selling out fast. We will be doing a reorder, so come in and size yourself up! 

Weekly Special
Save 30% off Sierra Designs and Sugoi winter clothing! That includes tights, jerseys, jackets, booties, arm/leg/knee warmers, beanies. Now that the weather’s nice, you’re probably not thinking about cold weather gear, but this a great deal on some quality clothing, so you should stock up. ’Cause we all know winter will come again…. 

Featured Product
This week we’re featuring a Specialized Body Geometry Fit Session with Barry. Local Ride is offering an introductory special of $60 for a 2-D bike fit that will last between 1 to 1.5 hours. Barry is Specialized Body Geometry certified and with his knowledge and training, he could help you make riding your bike more comfortable and even more fun! For more details on the Specialized Body Geometry Fit Session and what it entails, please contact the shop. 

Sunday Ride
Meet fellow cyclists regularly for a Sunday morning road ride. With such a large number of riders and a varying level of abilities, we’ve created a division in the group. The A-Group rides can be very strenuous and last up to six hours. They’re a great workout for experienced and trained cyclists, but not ideal for people who aren’t used to intense riding. If you’re planning on joining the B-Group, please contact us at the store and let us know. We look forward seeing you! Note: Now that the competitive season has started and races are happening every weekend, many Local Ride riders will not attend Sunday Rides. 

Helmets and road bikes with fenders and fender extenders are mandatory when it’s wet. Make sure you have appropriate clothing. Please call or come by the shop for a pre-ride briefing. 

Where: Starbuck’s at Valley Fair Mall
When: Sundays @ 8:30 a.m. for coffee; ETD @ 9:00 a.m. 

Saturday Women’s Ride
Local Ride’s Saturday Women’s Rides are still going strong. Sandra has tried to form a Swiss franchise of the Local Ride Saturday Women’s Ride, but so far Heidi and her goats have been the only participants. 

Our goal is to gather a group of women focused on building endurance through a steady, fun and supportive road ride of around three hours. We are open to splitting into groups to accommodate different levels. Helmets and road bikes and fenders (with extenders) are mandatory when it’s wet. The ride happens rain or shine (but not if there’s snow and ice)! Please call or come by the shop for a pre-ride briefing. Join us for coffee at 8:30 before we head off at 9:00. 

Where: Starbuck’s at Valley Fair Mall
When: Saturdays @ 8:30 a.m. for coffee; ETD @ 9:00 a.m. 

Sandra Report
Grüezi! (That means “Hi!” in Swiss German) I’ve had the chance to see some pretty fabulous places during my travels in Europe these past couple of months. Last weekend I was smack dab in the Swiss Alps — it could have been right out of a Ricola commercial and you should have seen the chalet I stayed in. It was the most beautiful chalet with the most beautiful view of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau and Lake Brienz. Wow! Next year, we will have a training camp there for sure — that’s after the one we’ll have in Spain, of course. The reason I was there was for Swisspower Cup #4, which was almost like a World Cup in terms of who I lined up with at the start. I really liked the course, as it’s one of the more technically demanding ones in Europe, but I just didn’t have my usual peppy feeling on race day. I pushed through it, however, and placed 14th. I’m now ranked third overall in the series. My next Swisspower Cup isn’t until June 16, but before then I have two World Cups to light up! Check out my race reports, general updates and photos at www.sandrawalter.ca. Miss you all! I’ll be back in home on July 2 for the month.