Column 3: Preparing for Your First Group Ride

My third Shifting Gears column in the Minneapolis Southwest Journal just came out. It contained a sidebar with a list of local club/group rides which the editors trimmed for space. I wanted to be sure not to slight any of the many very good clubs in the area, so here's the list I intended to have included:

• Birchwood Bike Club – Minneapolis – www.birchwoodbiketeam.com
• Erik’s Riders Club (Erik’s Bike Shop) – multiple locations – www.eriksbikeshop.com
• Flat City Cycling Club (Penn Cycle) – multiple locations – www.flatcity.org
• Freewheel Bikes – Minneapolis – www.freewheelbike.com
• Gopher Wheelmen – Roseville – www.gopherwheelmen.org
• Loon State Cyclists – Maple Grove – www.loonstate.org
• Minnesota Bicycle Racing Club (Flanders Bros. Cycles) – Minneapolis – www.flandersbros.com
• Minnesota Cycling Team (Tonka Cycle & Ski) – Minnetonka – www.geocities.com/minnesotacycle
• Silver Cycling (Hollywood Cycles) – Lakeville – www.silvercycling.org
• St. Paul Bicycle Racing Club (Grand Performance) – St. Paul – www.spbrc.org
• Synergy (Now Bike & Fitness) – St. Paul – www.synergyforsport.com
• Twin Cities Bicycling Club – Minneapolis/St. Paul – www.biketcbc.org
• Velo Bella (Women’s Club) – St. Paul/Arden Hills – www.velobella.org

I may have more information to share regarding group riding in the short term, so please check back!