Registration for the B-STS is now closed.

Date: January, 2013

The B STS team is putting together our annual Spring Training Series for 2013. If you think the B STS is for you and if you would like to participate in the series, please read the following:

What is the B STS?

The B STS is a weekly series of progressive Saturday rides for dedicated and committed NYCC members that will commence on Saturday, March 16, 2013. The goal of the series is to increase your riding stamina in a group riding environment, to make new friends and to reacquaint with old friends, and to have fun doing it.

Safety has always been, and will remain, the primary objective. You should note that BSTS is NOT an instructional ride series. All participants are expected to be proficient in group riding etiquette, including single and double pace lining skills, to have a familiarity with most common NYCC routes in Bergen, Westchester & Nassau counties, to know basic bicycle maintenance, and to have a willingness (and responsibility) to take turns pulling during the rides. In short, all B STS participants should be graduates of the B SIG or experienced B level riders. 

The Basics

The B STS is reserved for current, dues-paying members of the NYCC. Rides will be held on Saturdays. In the case of inclement weather, we will ride on Sunday. The series will be for 10 weeks and will culminate with a Graduation Ride on May 18, 2013, as well as a “post graduate “ optional ride on Saturday June 1st.

• Registration for the B STS will open on the NYCC website on February 13th
• Space will be limited to 40 registrants
• You must be a NYCC member to join the B STS
• You must be logged onto the website to access the signup button at the bottom of THIS page. The button will be active once registration opens

Once registered, all riders will be expected, as in past years, to attend all the rides. Of course everyone has to miss a ride here and there, that’s understood. However, if you miss three rides, then your name will be removed from the list.  This is an important element in the series that ensures the integrity of the group. Therefore, if you know beforehand that you expect to miss at least three rides, perhaps you should not register for the B STS, thus opening up a spot for someone who hopes to ride every week.

New For 2013

In order to be fair to all who want to participate but were unable to register before all the spots have been taken, everyone must participate in the first ride of the season or else risk losing your spot. If you are not present for the first ride, and the leaders have not been notified of your absence, your spot will be given to the first person on the waiting list.

We will have an optional ride on June 1st (after the series have concluded, Memorial Day weekend and Berkshires have all finished) to an area that we have not previously ventured in the BSTS. You can call it the BSTS post graduate ride . It will be open to riders who have completed the series, but is entirely optional. The ride is an all-day outing and will involve Metro North Trains on both ends, but is worth the trip. More details upon graduation.

What to Expect

We assume a lot of us are not in tip top form in early March. We also expect to accommodate a wide variety of skill and ability levels. At first we will ride together. However, we may have to split the B STS into two groups: a “fast” group and a “not as fast” group.

We would urge you to find your niche after Week 3, and stay within that group. This will enable you to be comfortable with your partners, and to develop cohesiveness within your group, which is one of the goals of the series.

Everybody is expected to ride the same route. Please make every effort to meet at the appointed starting place, and be on time, and not join the ride en route. Important information is shared during the pre-ride remarks, and it is necessary to be present.  It is possible that during the first few weeks the rides speeds may be slower than advertised, but the objective will be to achieve a solid 17/18 by the second half of the series.

Riders will be notified via email of the start time and place as well as the ride details a few days before the ride.

The Rides

The B STS team has created an exciting ride schedule for 2013. We will start off easy, than gradually progress in mileage and degree of difficulty. We have incorporated some of the classic, all-time favorite NYCC rides (eg., Harriman State Park, The Orchards, Bear Mountain, Little Tor, etc.,) yet made significant changes to the ride list in order to inject some variety for veteran B STS participants. Please be aware that your commitment to the B STS is a significant one, and that the rides in the second half of the series are all-day affairs.

You will be required to obtain a Metro North bicycle permit as several of the rides will require us to take the train. Rest stops will be kept to a minimum, in both number of stops and their duration. In lieu of stopping at a diner for a sit down lunch, quick deli stops will be the norm. In this regard, the rides in this year’s B STS will more closely resemble A Rides in spirit.

The Fine Print

The B STS does NOT have a “No Drop” policy. Nobody likes to be dropped on any ride. However, it is sometimes inconsiderate to expect a large group to have to wait often for a single cyclist who is having a bad day. We will make every effort to accommodate a wide variety of cyclists with different abilities, especially in the beginning. Each participant is expected to be able to keep up, and if necessary, to be able to find his or her way home. Therefore, please be deliberate in choosing the sub-group within the B STS that you will be riding with.

• For all B STS-related questions, please send an email to: [email protected].

We’re looking forward to a great B STS in 2013 & we hope to see you on the road on March 16th!