As we embrace the later light of the spring evenings our thoughts turn to the social rides and the 60th anniversary celebrations.

But first a message from the SWCC Catering Team:

“The SWCC Catering Team would like to thank all those who kindly donated cakes for the Charity 10 and the TLI last month. The cakes for both events were absolutely amazing and received lots of very positive comments. Only a few crumbs were left behind.

Thank you also to anyone who came along and ate the cakes and donated to our charity, we hope you enjoyed them as much as we did.

Altogether around £250 has been raised through the sale of teas, coffees, biscuits and cakes at our past three events and every penny will be going to this year’s chosen charity – Men’s Minds Matter.

Thank you all,”

Julie, Rea, Teresa and Karen.

Events

Social Rides

The monthly social rides commence on Wednesday; our Club Captain has provided the following information:

Ride All Roads — Multi-Discipline Cycling social ride and Meet-up

Gravel. Road. Trail. Adventure. One ride. All styles.

Join us for a Multi-Discipline Cycling Ride — a unique group ride that brings together cyclists of all kinds. Whether you’re on a road bike, gravel setup, MTB, or hybrid, there’s a place for you on this ride!

Date: Wednesday 7th of May

Time: 18:00

Start Location: Horseshoes

Ride Format: Split-route and groups

Pace: Friendly & flexible

Distance Options: Short 15 miles, Medium 25miles and Long 30 miles, plus an off- road option.

What to Expect:

• Mixed surfaces (pavement, gravel, light trails)
• Routes for every style of rider
• Collaboration between disciplines
• Great community, great conversations
• Post-ride food, drink and hangout!

Who Should Come?

• Anyone who rides.
• Everyone who loves bikes.  

60th Anniversary

Our celebration of the Club’s 60th anniversary will take place on 28th June 2025, at Sleaford Rugby Club. There will be options for a 60-mile, or 60-kilometre ride followed by various family-oriented activities, food and drink. Tickets are £5 for members and £10 for non-members. Tickets can be purchased at the social events on Wednesday evenings or directly from Kerri. Timings are to be confirmed in the forthcoming weeks.

As part of the celebrations Rich Howes had designed a new motif for a T-shirt and Hoodie which captures all the designs of previous club kit. We are still waiting for the pricing to come through but I will put out a dedicated email to ask for orders in the very near future.

Events coming up in May

• Saturday 3rd May – Ladies ride
• Sunday 4th May – Focus Ride at Well Vale
• Wednesday 7th May, social ride. Leaving Horseshoes at 18:00, ride options available on the day. Check out Facebook and Website for further details.
• Thursday 8th May – 10 League round 1
• Saturday 10th May – ITP Sportive in Lincoln
• Sunday 11th May – Lincoln Grand Prix racing
• Thursday 15th May – 10 League round 2
• Wednesday 21st May – TLI race at Brattleby
• Thursday 22 May – road bike 10, round 1
• Sunday 25th May – return of the gravel rides, location and distance TBC
• Thursday 29th May – 10 League round 3
• Weekend of 30th/31st May – Ladies weekend away at Matlock. Further information available from Kerri.

Events coming up in June

• Wednesday 4th June, social ride. Leaving Horseshoes at 18:00, ride options available on the day. Check out Facebook and Website for further details.
• Thursday 5th June – 10 League round 4
• Saturday 7th June – Ladies ride
• Sunday 8th June Focus Ride, round 4, Withcall
• Thursday 12th June – 10 League round 5
• Wednesday 18th June, TLI race at Skillington
• Thursday 19th June – Interclub 25-mile TT
• Thursday 26th June – Spare date for Interclub 25-mile TT
• Saturday 28th June – Social event of the summer, join in the 60th anniversary celebrations and ride either the 60km or 60mile route. Timings and route will be announced via Facebook and Website.  

Did you know?

In 1991 the largest cycling agency “Union Cycliste Internationale” introduced compulsory use of helmets during some of its official sporting events. This change was met with very strong opposition that even went so far that some cyclists refused to ride the 1991 Paris–Nice race. However, in March 2003, Kazakh cyclist Andrei Kivilev fell from his bike during Paris–Nice and died from his head injuries. Immediately after that race, stronger rules were introduced into professional cycling, forcing all participants to wear helmets.

Source of info: www.bicyclehistory.net

Helmet manufacturers generally recommend replacing a bicycle helmet every three to five years. This recommendation is based on the average time it takes for the materials used in helmet construction to degrade under normal usage and environmental conditions. It’s essential to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to ensure that the helmet retains its protective properties throughout its use.

Protection efficacy refers to a bike helmet’s ability to keep a rider safe from head injuries during a fall or crash. As bike helmets age, their protective capabilities may decrease for several reasons:

• The EPS foam that absorbs impact energy can degrade over time, reducing its shock-absorbing properties.
• Exposure to sunlight, heat, and other environmental factors can cause the plastic shell to become brittle, compromising its structural integrity.
• Normal wear and tear can lead to weakened straps, buckles, or other integral parts of the helmet, resulting in diminished functionality.

One from the archive

Courtesy of Brian Barnes, back in the day!

Kind regards

Nige