Want to Join a Team in Seattle?

[Eden]

Just thought I'd let all of the known Seattlites and any Seattle lurkers know about the Meet the Teams rides (http://www.wsbaracing.com/meettheteams.asp)and the Intro to Women's Cycling and Racing Teams (http://www.wsbaracing.com/womenmtt.asp) rides that will be starting up very soon - Satudays and Sundays in September - here in Seattle.

Hope to see some of you there!

p.s. If you want to do this but feel nervous about it don't! It is a very supportive atmosphere. Feel free to ask questions publicly or privately.

[KnottedYet]

Oh, man, I sooooooo want to do this! But I don't know how to paceline or draft or anything like that. And I don't have a road bike. (yet. Does an older steel Waterford count?)

I know NOTHING but I love to ride, and want to be a better rider and kick more butt in triathlons, and maybe even road race.... oh, yeah, and I'm no spring chicken.

sigh.

[Eden]

An older road bike is fine, but I would say you want to have a road bike for these rides - oh and please no aero bars, they are dangerous in pacelines. The rides are no drop, but you should feel comfortable riding about 25 or 30 miles. The usual route for meet the teams and the women's rides is the South Lake Washington loop. They leave from Leshi, go down to Renton, around the airport, stop for a restroom break at Gene Coulon park, back up the east side of Lake Washington, across Mercer Island and the I-90 bridge to return to Leshi.

You definitely would not be the only person there who has never ridden in a paceline before. All of the groups will have experienced riders with them to give them pointers and answer questions.

Oh and about the spring chicken thing - one of my stronger team mates, who can often kick my butt, competed in the WA state Senior Games this year ;)

[KnottedYet]

Maybe once I get my "new" Waterford and ride more I'll take a look at this again.

It sure sounds like fun!

[BikeMomma]

If I only lived in Seattle.....I'm considering a move to the Portland, OR area though, in the next couple years or so, so who knows.

Have fun, whoever joins in on this!
~BikeMomma

[freshsushi]

Eden, any word on which teams might be there?

[Eden]

Eden, any word on which teams might be there?

Do you mean on the women only rides intro rides? Last year there was a very good turn out from my team, Group Health (I will be there), and from Wines of Washington. I think a few from Starbucks came as well. They don't have a meet the teams ride though, as they are invitation only. I don't recall many women from TiCycles coming - maybe one I think.
As far as other teams with women go I know one gal on Zoka, I think she may be the only one, and AVA Counterbalance has a fair number of women for a small team, but this year at least, they focused mainly on track.

[Eden]

Bump!
Just a friendly reminder Meet the Teams starts this weekend (no worries its a men's team this Saturday) and the Women's Intro to Racing rides start next weekend.

Intro rides: September 17, September 24, October 1, and October 8
Meet the Team's (teams who currently have female members)
September 16 Wines of Washington
September 23 Team Zoka
September 30 Team Group Health
October 14 Ti Cycles
October 28 AVA Counterbalance
November 4 Native Planet Outdoor Club