General Information

General information on Touring

Welcome to LCW Touring general information.  LCW touring has been a staple for member cyclists since the club was established in 1967.  The LCW touring is medium to long distance group cycling that is friendly and non competitive, while keeping safety a top priority.  To ensure safety, and to maintain an enjoyable experience, most tours will be led by experienced, trained Group Leaders.  Furthermore, all our routes are designed with safety in mind.

Prerequisites

Only fully paid members of the LCW will be allowed to participate in touring.  

As with all LCW activities safety is priority number one.   All LCW cyclists must read and adhere to all rules and principles contained in the LCW Touring Etiquette Guide prior to participating.

Member cyclists who are new and have not cycled in an organized group at a previous club, are asked to identify themselves at the out set of a ride to the ride leader. We offer an introductory clinic in the spring for new members to help you build confidence to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable ride. Please contact the touring director or president for details. 

Requirements

You will need a bicycle in good working order  (road bikes with clipless pedals and 700c tires is the touring standard - for gravel a wider selection is recommended from 33mm and up).

You need a bicycle helmet - no exceptions.

Touring Rides

All LCW rides are advertised on the calendar.  Riders meet at the designated starting point. Please aim to arrive 10 min before to sign-on and receive instructions.   Tours occur based on group leader desire and availability. Please consider being a group leader. It is rewarding and helps us offer more rides. 

Riders must sign in  with the appropriate group leader at the start of every group ride for insurance purposes. All tours will leave at the designated start time.  Sign-in begins 10 minutes prior to start time.

Please make sure to sign on with the group leader matching the pace, distance and route you've chosen from the calendar. Cyclists may pick whichever group they feel is within their abilities and meets their needs for the day. The LCW Touring Etiquette Guide provides guidance on selecting a group.

Touring Director and Group Leaders

The Touring Director is responsible for the touring operations of the LCW and may also act as a Group Leader.

 Group Leaders will guide the touring group by announcing turns and ensuring everyone is riding in a safe and predictable manner.  Decisions with regards to detours en route are the discretion of the group leader. All leader instructions and warnings must be heeded at all times while riding as a group. ie “Single file”,  “Stopping”, “Slow down”, “Keep to the Right” or "No overlapping wheels" etc  

 Cyclists are not to call out directions during the ride (extending the direction call by a group leader is the exception).  This can create confusion and therefore is potentially hazardous.  Use of hand signals by all in the group is appropriate.  

 Despite a Group Leaders guidance with regards to tour directions, it is the responsibility of all cyclists to be familiar with the tour route in case they need to return home on their own. Unless otherwise specified LCW group rides are not “no-drop” rides.

 Cyclists must comply with the Highway Traffic Act  - therefore stopping at all stops signs, signaling your intentions, keeping to the far right where possible etc.

Ride according to the LCW Touring Etiquette Guide

Groups will be made up of a maximum of 20 riders.

 Riders who ride in an unsafe or reckless manner will be warned only once by the Group leader.  Further unsafe riding will result in being asked to leave the group.  Continued unsafe riding throughout the season could lead to being banned from touring altogether.

 If you decide to ride back home on your own or with other cyclists without the aid of a qualified Group Leader, notify the Group leader first. You will be considered no longer part of that LCW tour and outside the scope of the LCW insurance coverage. 

What to Bring

Weather and Cancellations

Tour destination will be according to LCW calendar.  A tour can be cancelled by Touring Director in response to extreme weather. Efforts will be made to announce cancellations with as much advance notice as is possible.

When there is lightning and thunder before or during the tour, the ride will be immediately halted and proper shelter sought.  Riding will not continue until the storm has sufficiently past.