Sharing the knowledge
If you’re interested in getting into group cycling for the first time—or if you want to review the basics before the cycling season begins—the ERTC skills development sessions will equip you with everything you need to ride safely in a group.
These weekly sessions start with the basic fundamentals of cycling including safety, bike handling skills (such as how to ride up and down curbs and corner and stop safely), and communicating with fellow riders, cycling in two-by-two formation, and drafting safely.
ERTC is the only cycling club in Edmonton providing beginner and veteran cyclists with this level of training sessions. When you join ERTC, you have access to development opportunities and the shared experiences of one of Alberta’s most established cycling clubs.
Female identifying cyclists can also join Women of ERTC activities, like women’s-only social/learning rides and race training.
These sessions are for ERTC members only, so visit our registration page and sign up today! We have an option for new riders who want to just attend the skill sessions on the registration form to register for a discounted rate.
Skill sessions start For 2024 on may 7, and recur on may 14, 21, and 28. as always, You should join Strava to REGISTER AND get any real time updates.
What can I ride?
In general, we do not allow mountain or hybrid bicycles on our rides, and for your personal success, we highly suggest you ride a well-fitted road/gravel bicycle with a wide range of gearing, with tires suited to the conditions. If you are unsure if your bicycle is appropriate for our rides, please see below for a detailed list of requirements:
Functional Front and Back Brakes – type does not matter.
Maximum Handlebar With of 510mm(51cm) across the top, “drop” style (No Mountain Bike Bars or Aero/Triathlon/TT/Pursuit Bars. If your aero bars are detachable, please take them off. “I promise not to ride in them” is not acceptable). Flared Drops/”Dirt Drops” are allowed (wider at the bottom of the drop than the top).
Maximum Tire Width of 2.0inch / 50mm
No rear suspension with linkages. We recognize that many “Allroad/Gravel” bicycles come equipped with damping or suspension systems. These types of bicycles are allowed.
No Triathlon Bikes with Pursuit Bars / Aerobars. If you have a regular road bike with Aerobars, please remove them for the clinics and rides.
Legal to ride on the road without a driver’s license. This means that if you have an electric bicycle, it must be governed to 32 km/h and be of the “pedelec” type, and not throttle operated, along with all the previously mentioned items.
All clinics will meet at the Edmonton Research Park at 6pm unless otherwise noted. Meet up here: ending at approximately 8-8:30pm.
Session 1
Dress warmly, there will be a lot of standing around. You should bring yourself, a bike, multitool, mini hand pump (or co2 cartridges), flat repair kit, at least 1 bicycle water bottle, cellphone, wallet.
Introductions, basic safety checks, verbal/hand signals, etiquette, what-ifs (45 minutes)
Safety Checks Both brakes working, shifters working, wheels reasonably true, seatpost tightened, no weird rattles, wheels on tightly, steer tube smooth, flat repair kit, basic tools, bell and lights, frame damage, helmet fit
Signals: left, right, slowing down, stopping, pothole or object, loose gravel, perpendicular crack, parallel crack, 1up/2up, U-turn, stand up, pull through, shift right/left
Etiquette: pee breaks (anyone can call one!), blowing your nose, pulling through, half wheeling, eating
What-ifs: answer questions of what to do in x-situation
Split into 3 streams - you may mix and match streams per session:
I have group ridden before and would like to brush up on my individual skills and etiquette. (40% group riding skills and 60% individual skills)
I have not group ridden before much and would like to focus more time on group riding skills (60% group riding skills and 40% individual skills)
I am newer to riding and would like a balance of individual and group oriented skills. (40% group riding skills, 40% individual skills, 20% bike stuff (fit, maintenance, nutrition)
Stream Activities:
Stream A - Session 1
Discussion on group riding do’s (predictable, communicate, 2-up riding, feather braking) and don’t (half wheel, sprinting, surging)
Warm-up laps (3) in 2 up, pointing at obstacles
Drills - Front wheel pops, back wheel pops, figure 8s. Do a few times, discuss, them them again with learnings. If time permits, bumping drill, buzzing (front tire to tear tire contact)
Stream B - Session 1
Review of hand signals - ask everyone to participate (again)
Discussion on group riding do’s (predictable, communicate, 2-up riding, feather braking) and don’t (half wheel, sprinting, surging) demonstrate using volunteers.
Warm-up laps (5) in 2 up, pointing at obstacles
Drills - Front wheel pops, back wheel pops, figure 8s. Do a few times, discuss, do them again with learnings. If time permits, bumping drill, buzzing (front tire to rear tire contact)
Stream C - Session 1
Bike Nutrition
Tire/flat changes, more bike maintenance
Drills - hard braking (front, back and both), straight line riding (narrow, looking ahead) cornering line choice (set up with cones in parking lot if not gravelly),
SESSION 2
Little less standing around, but still dress appropriately. Bring all the things you would on a normal ride.
Safety check, signals, etiquette review
Split into streams
Stream A - Session 2
4 warm-up laps, signal, etiquette, 2 up riding.
Review last weeks drills (front/back pops, figure 8s). Move to short “rollable” curb (<1 inch, or cone) to work on front and back popping to get up and down curbs.
New drills - review line choice and higher-speed cornering, cornering with people next to you, bumping drill, buzzing, bottle pickup, effective drafting
Stream B - Session 2
Review group riding do’s and don’ts
5 warm-up laps, signal, etiquette, 2 up riding, work on closer drafting
Bumping drill, buzzing (front tire to rear tire contact)
Echelons, (wind direction, and rotating through) discuss, then ride 3 laps practicing. Stop, review good things and bad things, then do again.
Stream C - Session 2
Review what 2-up riding is, why we do it, etc.
3 laps, signalling, riding 2 up. Focus on tighter riding. No pulling changes. Group up after corners.
Discuss drafting, pulling, etiquette around that. 3 more laps, pulling off every 30 seconds, focus on keeping it tight. Change to 1 up mid way and back to 2 up again.
Drills: slalom, front wheel pops, back wheel pops.
SESSION 3
Safety check, signals, etiquette review
Split into streams:
Stream A - Session 3
4 warm-up laps, signal, etiquette, 2 up riding.
Echelons, (wind direction, and rotating through) discuss, then ride 3 laps practicing. Stop, review good things and bad things, then do again.
New drills: bottle pick up, foot down
Bonus drills: full height curb pops, track stands (balance progression, how to practice)
Stream B - Session 3
6 warm-up laps, signal, etiquette, 2 up riding, pulling off and echelons
Cornering with people next to you, bumping drill, buzzing, bottle pickup, effective drafting.
Bottle pickup, foot down drill
Stream C - Session 3
Etiquette and signal review, drafting and pulling.
4 laps, pulling off every 30 seconds, focus on keeping it tight. Change to 1 up mid way and back to 2 up again.
Drills: review line choice and higher-speed cornering, cornering with people next to you, bottle pick up
SESSION 4
This session may leave the city.
Q and A (What if?)
Split into streams:
Stream A - Session 4
Signals and etiquette review.
Group ride - 30km, group choice. Time allotted to stop and discuss. Can try Tuesday interval session.
Stream B - Session 4
Signals and etiquette review.
Group ride - 30km, group choice. Time allotted to stop and discuss.
Stream C - Session 4
Signals and etiquette review.
Group ride - 20km, group choice. Time allotted to stop and discuss.