FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

I want to ride with you. How fit do I have to be?
Not particularly. If you can ride 40km or so you are fit enough to come out on the Sunday 8am bunch ride.

Is everyone else fast? What if I can't keep up?
Bunch training rides usually meet at the Clock Tower on Devon St West, most Sunday mornings, at either 7:30am for a faster group (>28km/hr average)that usually does 60-100km, or 8:00am for slower riders (24-26km/hr average) that usually do 50-60km. These rides continue through the holiday period – they are not organised rides by our club as such, but open to all riders who want a bunch training ride.
We want to encourage people to ride a bike, not leave them behind and put them off cycling for life. Try riding as far as you can on a flat road at 25km/hr. That is what we do and it is always easier when you are in a group.

Do I have to race?
Not at all. You do as much or as little as you like. You may find that racing is infectious, exhilarating, exciting and anxious, all at once!!
We run 2-3 races every race day (most Saturdays throughout the season)

• An ‘A’ grade race – distance varies from 40-75km, usually handicapped format, though sometimes we have massed start or graded massed start type races. Fields for these races usually number 25-50.
• A ‘Wheelers’ grade – usually no longer than 30km. Fields for these races usually number 10-20, and consist of riders not wanting to do the longer distance, and novice (Under 17 and Under 15) riders.
• And recently we have been running a “Beginners“ race, for really young new riders.

I have just seen Lance Armstrong on TV. I want to race. What do I have to do?
You're keen aren't you! We can help you. To keep it simple you need to ride club training rides as often as you can in winter to get fitness and bunch riding experience that will see you through the rest of the year, then join Cycling New Plymouth to become affiliated to a racing organisation (BikeNZ for road racing) and get into racing! Next year you can try the Tour de France)

Can I really ride the Tour de France?
If you are good enough. However, did your little brother who kicked a rugby ball around in the park for years ever play for the Hurricanes?

Hey I am fitter than that. Will I leave you slowcoaches behind?
Maybe, but we like to save our fast stuff for local races. What's the point of wasting it on a bunch ride where there are no trophies? A lot of our people also meet up midweek for training rides. If you are fast then try one of these! Mitchell Cycles have Tuesday and Thursday rides for fast riders, leaving at 5:30pm from the shop (not so fast riders are also welcome; bunches split up according to ability and time wishing to ride).

What is the difference between time trials and road racing?
Road racing is you against 40 or more other people riding in handicapped bunches. The groups are made up of riders the same level as you so you won't be riding with the Guns till or if they catch you. Time trials involve a field of riders who go off individually at 1 minute intervals over a set distance. The one who covers it in the quickest time is the winner. There are all sort of abilities in time trials but the person you are racing against is yourself. There are a few races of this format in our race program.

I only have a mountain bike and I want to go out on the road rides. Is this ok?
Yes, we will allow Mtn bikes for first starters in our Wheelers Grade and Beginners Grade. In the interests of safety we will require you to be on a Road Bike as soon as you can.

What is that track cycling all about? I saw it in the Olympics and I wouldn't mind trying that.
Great to hear it. We currently don't have a track! (It got removed as part of Yarrow Stadium revamp). Our Track Committee is working through issues and red tape with the goal of getting a new track for North Taranaki Cyclists. We will keep you posted on developments.

Cars scare me. Do you go anywhere quiet?
Yes cars scare us as well. We try to get off the main roads as much as we can. Most of our racing is on rural roads.

Do I have to have all the gear?
Well, a bike is quite helpful really. It doesn't have to be fancy, just reliable. It is always a good idea to ask around other club members for advice on what to spend your money on. They often have a lot of good quality used stuff for sale.

What do I do next?
Just email us and we will get you out with people you will enjoy riding with. We will let you know exactly where we meet a couple of days before each ride. This way any information is always up to date and you will always know where we are going. Infact we have so much going on you will get swamped with CNP notifications.

If you have any other queries please email us: info@cyclingnewplymouth.co.nz.

More FAQ (Source - men.style.com)

How do you pick the right frame material?
What your bike is made of will greatly affect its ride quality—and your bank account. Steel is cheap, durable, provides a classic, snappy ride, and can be reshaped when bent in a crash (go ahead and laugh now). It’s also heavy. Aluminum is cheap, light, and stiff—i.e., good for transferring all of your pedaling energy into forward motion, but hard on the body. It’s also virtually unrepairable. Titanium is light, strong, corrosion-resistant, and similar in feel to steel, but ridiculously expensive. Thanks to recent technological developments, carbon is fast becoming the material of choice in the bicycle world. It is light, strong yet forgiving, and can be manipulated and fabricated to achieve whatever ride quality the builder desires. Top-line road bikes are often made of carbon fiber, though aluminum still dominates the mountain bike field—a fact facilitated by the proliferation of rear suspension, which helps compensate for its butt-busting brittleness.

What about components?
Components provide endless opportunity for bike geeks to banter about largely inconsequential details. The fact is, Shimano, Campagnolo, and several others make quality gear. Most manufacturers offer various levels of equipment, and while going top of the line gets you slight advantages in weight and materials, you should be fine as long as you’re in the upper-end range. But basically they all work great. So get a good frame, then get the best components you can afford. Worry less about bars, stem, and post—they’re easy to swap out down the road.

Should I concern myself with the type of wheels I get?
Yes. If you can afford it, definitely try to get the round ones—you will not regret it. Seriously, wheels are an important way to cut back on weight, so get the lightest ones you can. For reasons of physics, it’s always better to save rotational weight (i.e., the wheels) rather than stationary weight (the frame and components; you).

 
Should I try to get a deal online, or buy locally?
The answer: Support your local bike shop. You won’t regret it. For a small premium, you’ll get personal service, expert advice, trustworthy maintenance—in other words, a real relationship.

Is it okay to bargain?
Owners of bicycle shops aren’t generally in it for the money, so keep that in mind when you consider making a ridiculously lowball offer. Profit margins on bikes are actually quite small; accessories and maintenance are where the shops make their (modest) coin. So if you’re looking for a deal-sweetener, feel free to ask them to throw in a few gratis tools, an air pump, and maybe a free tune-up. But try not to drive too hard a bargain: The whole point of working with a bike shop is the relationship, so leave the cheap-bastard shtick to Dad.

Owing to my being extremely well-hung, I find biker shorts awkward and restrictive. Are they really necessary?
Easy, big boy. Unless you enjoy chafing, don’t even think about going out on a long back-road ride without the spandex. It’s not an accident that serious cyclists have been wearing formfitting clothes for more than a century.

Speaking of down there, is it true that bicycling can lead to impotence?
The notion that regular bike-riding (especially road-biking, which involves much more time in contact with a saddle) impairs erectile function stems from a 1997 Bicycling magazine story in which the author, citing a still unpublished study, claimed that his 14,000-mile-a-year bike habit cost him his ability to get hard. Obviously not a trivial concern, but the study’s findings have never really been replicated. Just to be on the safe side, though, it’s a good idea to invest in a Body Geometry saddle from Specialized, which is designed to take pressure off the all-important pudendal nerves and artery.

Last question: Lance Armstrong or Jan Ullrich?
Ullrich. The man is the Sisyphus of cycling. How can you not love a guy who’s finished second in the Tour de France five times? Despite countless promises to arrive at the race in shape, Ullrich just loves the Black Forest gâteau too much. And though we appreciate what Lance has done, both for the sport and in recovering from the bout with cancer, we generally never trust a man without vices. As our German friend said once, “It is better to lose the Tour but win the hearts of the people, no?”