2022 - ERTC New Year Update

Happy New Year! 

We welcome our new Vice President, Scott Klarenbach to ERTC! Behind the scenes he is already contributing a lot to our upcoming year! 

I’ll keep this one short and sweet and dial up the hype factor at a later time for what hopefully should be a return to a normal year. This is your notification that sign-ups are now available for 2022. Check out the link here: https://zone4.ca/reg.asp?id=28052

You are getting this e-mail as you were a member in 2021. We will send another email in February or March reminding you to sign-up and that will be it for communications to the 2021 membership list. If you do not wish to continue getting emails from us, let me know now and I will remove you from the list that the next e-mail goes to. 

In other news (and equally important), the City of Edmonton is currently considering making large parts of the naturalized River Valley “preservation areas” which would allow only foot traffic, which would mean that mountain bike trails would not be allowed. Our friends over at Hardcore have put together a fairly comprehensive overview of the issue, with links to relevant information and how to make your voice heard, attached to the bottom of this email. We have a reciprocal agreement with Hardcore where our members may participate on their rides, and theirs on ours and this is one way we can help support our relationship, even if you do not ride mountain bikes yourself. 

A copy of this email is saved on our blog for posterity, however we usually do updates directly to the blog and link via email. Our blog is over at www.ertc.org - just scroll down after the splash page.

HardCopy

News, views and shameless promotion.

Edmonton's Singletrack Trails are at Risk

Hi everyone, this newsletter is long but really important! Please take the time to read it through!

TL/DR: The City is threatening to make singletrack trails in Edmonton illegal (again...). They are holding consultation sessions next week about new river valley policies. Please consider going to one of these online sessions or doing their survey. Letters to the Mayor and Council wouldn’t hurt either. 

Wait! What's Happening to the Trails?!

The City is updating policies related to the river valley and ravine system, which will impact our amazing network of singletrack. The new policies will determine what activities and amenities are allowed in different areas (called ‘river valley reaches’ in the City’s documentation) - including mountain biking and mountain bike trails. The proposed policies would make the vast majority of the river valley and ravines ‘preservation areas’. Only foot traffic would be allowed in these areas - not cyclists. It seems like new bike trails wouldn’t be allowed and that any existing trails could no longer be used for biking. This would mean that some of your favourite trails like Six Shooter, the Trap, Go Trail, Root Canal, West Coast Trail and many others would become illegal. It would also mean that local clubs and groups would no longer have the City’s permission to maintain trails in preservation areas. Those of you who have been around long enough will remember that singletrack was illegal in the late 90s. We thought we were past that, but evidently not. Ironically these new policies come at a time when access to trails close to home is more important than ever, and as interest in mountain biking just keeps growing.

See Proposed Preservation Areas

How You Can Help Save the Singletrack

Public consultation sessions

The City is hosting two public consultation events in the next two weeks. If you can, please sign up for one of the two online workshops. They are happening Feb 7 (afternoon) and Feb 8 (evening). There is already a waitlist for the Feb 8 session! (Maybe the City should add more sessions?)

City survey

You can fill out the City’s survey, but know it doesn’t give you an opportunity to review the details related to where singletrack trails will and will not be allowed in the future. You''ll still be able to share your thoughts though. 

Write to your councillor

A letter or email to your local council member wouldn’t hurt either. Maybe tell them how important mountain biking and singletrack trails are to you, your family and your community, and that more consultation and more details are needed (now not later) about the future of Edmonton’s trail network. Find your councillor here. 

More on Public Consultation

Find Out More

City of Edmonton Information

You can find maps and information about the ‘Ribbon of Green’ on the City’s website. Their maps don’t show any singletrack trails though. (Be ready to compare with Trailforks and/or Strava). They mention bike trails very briefly in page 9 of their Project FAQs. 

Edmonton Mountain Bike Alliance

EMBA has more information about what’s happening on its website. 

Need Some Stress Relief After All That? 

Our bike trainers are on sale! And it looks like there's another deep freeze coming so now's the perfect time to get set-up! We've got a bunch of different ones in stock, including Wahoo Kickr Core, Snap, and V5, Saris Mag+, and Tacx Flow Smart.

Check Out Bike Trainers

Shop Hours

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Saturday: 10 - 5

Sunday & Monday : Gone Riding

Since 1989, Hardcore Bikes has been the rider's choice for bikes, parts, clothing and advice. We Ride and Race what we Sell.

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The “It’s Getting Cold Update”

Hey everyone! While we haven’t completely shut down for the year yet due to the unseasonably warm temperatures, rides are slowing down, which means it’s time for our annual general meeting. 

Our AGM is a place where we can discuss how the year went, how we can do better next year, hang out with each other, and elect positions for next year.

Our AGM date is November 26, at 6:30pm. 

Please see this poll for questions relating to hosting the AGM: https://forms.gle/wpdyepHGZgqy1Az66 

We usually have a poll soliciting feedback on our various rides and programs, but we had quite the cut down schedule and very little programming. If you have any direct feedback or thoughts on how we can do better, you can email/DM/chat to anyone on the executive team. 

Positions open for this year include:

1. Vice President (Currently held by Kelly MacGregor)

2. Secretary / Communications (Currently held by Cheryl Voordenhout)

3. Women’s Cycling Manager (Currently held by Tiffany Baker) 

Position descriptions are here: https://www.ertc.org/the-executive-team

Kelly and Cheryl will not be seeking re-election and thus their positions will be vacant. The executive team has some people they have asked to consider putting their name into the running, however no-one has confirmed they would like to take part, so I would ask you to consider putting your name forward during the AGM, or asking a current member to nominate you. If you have any questions on how it all works, let me know and I can help answer. 

Tiffany will be seeking re-election with the understanding that this will be her final term if elected, and is looking for people to help fill the gap once she is gone in 2023. She will be reaching out to you personally if she thinks you are a good fit. 

As of this writing, there is still no snow, which means that we will continue to have Thursday Rides (bring lights). Pickup rides are always welcomed and you are always free to propose a ride and meeting place on Slack.

ERTC Clothing Update

Clothing Update September 1, 2021

Hello ERTC Members,

Thee ERTC webstore with Rogelli is currently live and open for clothing orders at:  https://www.rogellicanada.com/ertc.

Ordering will be available until SEPTEMBER 12th which enables enough lead time for the late fall riding and cyclocross seasons.  ERTC also has some clothing float on hand for immediate fulfillment so please contact me directly at mjhaydo@yahoo.ca for details. The Executive plans on opening the webstore for orders approximately three times per season (late fall, early spring, late summer).  Robert Martens, our clothing representative with Rogelli, also has a variety of clothing items on hand for delivery within one week of placing your order on the webstore.  Items are shipped directly to the address provided.  If Robert does not have your item in stock (especially larger sizes or special orders), it will take approximately 6 weeks for creation and fulfillment as these items are created in Europe and shipped to Canada.

A list of all on-hand inventories in an excel file has been posted to the #clothing channel on Slack.  Have a look!

As Rogelli is our new clothing partner, here are a couple general points you may wish to consider when placing an order on the webstore:

1. SPEED LINE – Gender specific; utilizes fabrics with increased stretch to achieve a race/aerodynamic fit.

2. COMOFRT LINE – Unisex; utilizes a mix of fabrics to achieve a more relaxed but still a more tailored fit.

3. BIBSHORTS (for both the SPEED and COMFORT lines) – bibshorts are gender specific due to the men’s or women’s chamois; in most cases you generally pick the same size bibshort as your jersey size.

Sizing is available for all men’s, women’s, and unisex clothing from XS to 5XL.  Sizing always remains a very personal preference.  If unsure of your size, a good starting point is to utilize the sizing chart provided on the webstore.  Each size has a measurement range provided in the chart- landing on the low end of the range would be closer to the speed line fit while being on the higher end of the measurement range is closer to the comfort fit for each size.

For example:  A men’s chest measurement on the sizing chart of 88-94 cm is considered a “small” jersey in both the comfort and speed line.  An actual chest measurement of 88-90 cm may be more indicative of the speed fit vs a chest size measurement of 92-94 cm which may be more indicative of comfort fit in the same size small jersey.

Initial feedback provided by members indicates that sizing for both the speed and comfort lines is generally on par with other clothing suppliers but the speed line tends to fit a bit more “snug”.  When your body measurements fall on the low end or high end of the size ranges you may wish to size up or down depending on your preference for the tightness of fit.  You can certainly mix the speed, comfort and gravel lines together as all of the kit pieces work with one another seamlessly (I especially love the aero socks!!!). 

Please reach out to me on the #clothing channel on Slack for any further questions you may have.  You can always arrange a visit to my residence in the Bonnie Doon area to have a look at the clothing or try on some of the items before you place an order.   Also watch for a link on Slack to a survey to help Rogelli and the ERTC Executive serve you better as your input on our new clothing supplier is very much appreciated.

Keep the rubber side down,

Michael

ERTC End of August Update!

It’s a not-so-hot (cause its almost fall, get it?!) update!

Road News

• Tuesday Intervals are now cancelled for the remainder of the year. Please continue to use strava for updates on Thursday / Saturday rides. Feel free to use slack to organize your own impromptu rides! In lieu of Intervals on Tuesday we will be switching over to Cyclocross with some skill sessions. More information soon!

Track News

• Track Provincials happened a couple of weeks ago, and our very own Amanda Scott won Women’s Masters 30-39 in a variety of events! Let her know how awesome she is for repping ERTC at the track next time you see her!

Track League is now over for the season, with Courtney Parker getting the best newcomer to track award!

MTB News (MTB? What?!)

• This past weekend, Emma Bedard took the overall Women’s Open win in the 6 hour Maraton MTB provincials, getting her a provincial champion jersey! Let her know how awesome she is for repping ERTC on the Trails (that’s what the T is for… right?)

Cyclocross News

• As noted earlier, in place of Tuesday Intervals we will have CX Skill sessions - more on that when we hammer out a plan.

• ERTC will, once again, be attempting to host our “School of Cross CX Race” - we will be needing volunteers. You can sign-up here: https://volunteersignup.org/T8TE9 - we can’t run this race without volunteers and this race represents one of the opportunities that ERTC has to “give back” to the larger cycling community in Edmonton.

Club News

• Clothing orders are back open, I will be sending out a separate email as it is very information dense. Shoutout to our new clothing manager, Michael Haydo! You can contact him on slack or at mjhaydo@hotmail.com if you’ve any questions regarding clothing.

• An outdoor social event with sponsor “beverages” (Read: Blindman Brewing Beers) is in the initial phases of planning.

ERTC - Summer is here update!

Hey Everyone!

Big updates for the club this time around, so let’s swing right into it!

Road Updates:

1. WoERTC Rides are back! If you identify as female, or non-binary, and would like an inclusive ride for you, please reach out to Tiffany(88keys.t@gmail.com)  if she hasn’t reached out to you yet. Guys - feel free to tell the people in your life who you think would be interested as well!

2. Tuesday Night Intervals are back at the Research Park: Aimed as a way to get fitter as well as work on your individual cornering skills, this is a great option for people of all skill and fitness levels - https://www.strava.com/clubs/2845/group_events/749906 

3. Saturday rides are back again! If you have been on a group ride before, we welcome you to RSVP on the strava page here: https://www.strava.com/clubs/2845/group_events/975120  If you haven’t or are feeling unconfident around others, ERTC-Lite might be for you! More on that in the next point. 

4. Speaking of ERTC-Lite, we will be booting up ERTC-Lite in the coming weeks and would like your feedback on programming. More information here: http://www.ertc.org/ertc-lite and check out the poll here: https://forms.gle/Nxnr9UwZuk46wUms7 

Track Updates:

1. Our introduction to track nights have been a huge success with several members over several sessions getting their first few tastes of riding on the track. We will be transitioning to more track programs for Tuesdays, so keep your eyes peeled for that on strava. 

2. Check out what a couple of our club members had to say about their experiences on for the track so far:

   1. Amanda Scott, our host for the track nights and aspiring nationals racer: “Great to see so much interest from club members in trying out the track! We have had two beginner nights at the Velodrome so far. While our June 28 session was cancelled due to hot weather, we have July 3 booked from 6-8 pm for another club intro session. Stay tuned for information in the next update on some formal instructional sessions from the velodrome that will be available this summer, as well!” 

   2. Courtney Parker, first time “Track League” racer at the velodrome: "I was the only beginner at the track for their first Thursday race. I felt a little intimidated but everyone was really encouraging and supportive. They shared spare parts and worked on my borrowed bike to make me (slightly) more competitive. I'll definitely be there again and hope to see some competition in the C category!"

3. And now, a bit of promotion for the track ;) : Want to try racing track, and feel like skipping Hills Night? The velodrome's summer Thursday Night Track League will also start July 8. Come once to try it out, or come regularly to accumulate series points and have a chance to win category prizes. Participants must have prior experience riding on the track (past track racing experience, or participation in several weeks of Learn to Ride or Learn to Race sessions) and have an understanding of the Argyll Velodrome’s rules and etiquette. More information here: https://www.argyllvelodrome.com/2018-results (yes, weird URL…) 

4. Have you heard? Edmonton is building an indoor velodrome, with estimated completion in 2024. You can find more project information Here: https://www.edmonton.ca/projects_plans/parks_recreation/coronation-district-park-development

Club Updates:

1. With restrictions being lifted, we may start looking into social events soon, with an outdoor park meet-up in our fine river valley. If you haven’t been to one of these before, these are catered events with food and hanging out, and usually some treats from our sponsor, Blindman Brewing (https://www.blindmanbrewing.com/)  at no cost to you. More information soon! Summer is a busy time for all of us between families, vacations, and just wanting to ride your bike so don’t worry, there will be more! 

2. Water Bottles are now in stock! Buy them online here: http://www.ertc.org/teamkit/ertc-water-bottle and you can pick them up at a ride or at the residence of one of our Executives! Someone will reach out to you about arranging that after purchase. 

3. Join Slack (https://join.slack.com/t/edmontonroada-7u36621/shared_invite/zt-r9cz31ub-0OIcKY_Ow33BJCw_yyAQCg) for ride updates and general chat among your clubmates!

Women of ERTC Kick-Off and Season Outline

Hi,

For those new to the club whom I haven’t met, I’m Tiffany. I’ve been riding with ERTC for the past 8 years, and formed the Women of ERTC (WoERTC) in 2015. And I’m the textbook example proving you don’t have to be fast, a racer, or have much experience riding at the front to be a leader in cycling. I truly subscribe to ‘if I can do it, so can you’ - and this is the driving force behind the WoERTC.

The WoERTC is a group within ERTC geared towards anyone not identifying as male. Our structure and focus has morphed through the years, and we completely paused WoERTC specific rides during COVID. Given this long pause, and influx of new members, the WoERTC is going back to basics for 2021.

Our focus will be developing group riding skills and comfort first, fitness and miles second - although depending on your road riding experience, you may develop the latter while focusing on the former!. Our regular ERTC rides certainly address fitness development, so we will aim for WoERTC rides to both be a stepping stone, creating comfort and confidence to try the regular club rides, as well as an opportunity for the women/not identifying as male club members to ride together.

What does that look like for the rest of the season?

• When: Weekly on Monday evenings, 6:15pm until usually around 8:30pm-ish.

• Where: Start location and routes will vary between the following, and will be communicated weekly in the WoERTC Slack channel:

  • Millbourne Mall : Riding southeast of the city out Millwoods Road

  • Hawrelak Park: For a city loop or a forward-hills circuit

  • Terwillegar Rec Center: Riding west towards Devon out Cameron Heights

  • Research Park: Interval/cornering/speed work

  • Muttart: Reverse hills circuit

• Distance: Anywhere between 25-50km with breaks. Estimates will be given each week depending on the route.

• # of riders: For now, I’m capping the rides at 10 riders. RSVP’s are required on Strava, similar to all club rides. After a few rides, we may increase to 15 or add an additional group (pending response to the next bullet) .

• Ride Leaders/Sweeps: I’m looking for experienced riders to either lead a second group or be responsible as a sweep on rides. Ride leading experience not required to be a sweep - just good knowledge of group riding and the routes.

Next week’s ride is up on Strava, and the bulk of informal communication regarding any WoERTC rides will be communicated through our Slack channel. If you haven’t been added, please let me know! And if you haven’t joined ERTC’s Slack space at all - CLICK HERE.

If you have any questions about what to expect, or anything else WoERTC related - feel free to reach out either via Slack, or to Women@ertc.org.

I’m (tentatively) hopeful that this is truly our path back to a more normal cycling season, and am looking forward to riding with you all!

See you on the road!

Tiffany

ERTC - Phase 2 Update

3 updates in a week?! As per the phase 2 re-opening strategy we are allowed to have group rides again. First one up is this Saturday. 

A quick overview of the rules as they apply to us (however, further clarification is forthcoming)

1. There is no physical distancing requirement while you are taking part in the sport.

2. There is no limit on active participants in sport.

3. There is a limit of 20 for all social / outdoor gatherings provided you are physically distanced. This does include people not actively participating in sport.

4. Masks/PPE should be worn if you need to be within 2m of someone else while not in sport (helping with their bike, administering first aid, etc.)

5. People with symptoms must be screened.

So what does this mean for ERTC group rides? In the interest of a slow start and to help people ease back into a post-COVID(hopefully) world, we will be conservative with our re-launch. For now, our group rides will look like this:

1. We have changed our meeting location from cafes and other hotspots to parking lots with more room.

2. We will ride with a maximum of 20 people in a group so that we will always be below point #3 above.

3. You will be required to have a mask on you at all times in case you need to use it.

4. We will continue to ask screening questions at the beginning of all rides. 

5. The ride itself will be normal, with 2-up riding where permitted just like before. 

6. As usual, you can see all of currently scheduled rides on strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/2845

Remember to sign up for slack! https://join.slack.com/t/edmontonroada-7u36621/shared_invite/zt-r9cz31ub-0OIcKY_Ow33BJCw_yyAQCg

ERTC Update - Week of June 7

Hi All,

Usually don't do updates with this sort of regularity, but we've had an influx of new members as we are back to some sort of programming and the weather is amazing! Some updates for you:

1. Due to COVID regulations we are unable to run any traditional group rides. The only rides that are taking place are the rider skill development sessions and Thursday hills, as these rides can take place without being within 2 meters of one another.

2. I have added a 3rd Thursday Ride option - If a minimum of 5 people is met we will have a 3rd ride leader and a 3rd ride. Remember to strava here: https://www.strava.com/clubs/2845 as you will be required to RSVP to every ride for contact tracing.

3. For everyone asking if you have to come out to a Wednesday Ride before attending a group ride, we do not run Wednesday Rides nor other group rides. Regardless of whether you have ridden in a group or not before, we encourage you to come out on a Thursday Ride.

4. There are still 2 spots remaining for the rider skill development session tomorrow at 6:30pm at Hawrelak. Please apply here: https://forms.gle/ZhukTeWGG5XC8Nxd9 and you will be notified if you have been added as soon as you are confirmed. If interest allows (IE, we have more than 6 more people who are interested) we will look into attaining another coach and starting that skill session next week.

5. Remember to register for our slack as we continue to try to depreciate our reliance on Facebook, at https://join.slack.com/t/edmontonroada-7u36621/shared_invite/zt-pwn9mg5v-lPDYjxdcge7zQ0ws3C85SQ in order to get the latest updates and banter with your fellow clubmates!

ERTC Update - Hey, we're out of lockdown (Again) Update!

Hello all!

With the recent lifting of the restrictions, we are back open for limited rides. Based on the current restrictions, we are able to hold a couple of rides coming up.

1. Thursday hills are back on!!! -  with a forwards and reverse option based on that is best for you to ride to. Check out both rides here: https://www.strava.com/clubs/ertc it is important to note that there is no speed or skill requirement and all are welcome as long as you sign up. This is a no drop ride. Remember to RSVP, and there is a maximum of 10 people per ride, so it there are more than 10, please sign up for another one (or message me and we might be able to get a 3rd ride going based on demand)

2. Organized by Amanda Scott, we will be fulfilling the “T” in ERTC by hosting a beginners track night at the Argyll Velodrome on Monday, June 7! You do not need anything other than a helmet to participate as there are additional bikes there, but you should bring your favourite pedals and shoes to swap them onto the track bikes available (free of charge) and a saddle you prefer. The event time is 6pm to 8m, but please show up earlier if you want to swap out anything. There is no cost for this, so please come if you are interested in trying the track at all, and all skill levels are welcome, and I will see you there!

3. Weather dependent, we will be launching our ERTC Riding Skill Sessions, Tuesday June 8, starting at 6:30pm. All other details will be the same, so please refer to previous communications. 

4. Remember to register for our slack as we continue to try to depreciate Facebook, at https://join.slack.com/t/edmontonroada-7u36621/shared_invite/zt-pwn9mg5v-lPDYjxdcge7zQ0ws3C85SQ in order to get the latest updates and banter with your fellow clubmates!

ERTC Update - COVID Update + Slack

Good morning,

As you likely have heard, at 6pm yesterday evening, Jason Kenney announced additional public health measures that apply to Edmonton, and impact ERTC.

While the prohibiting of all outdoor sports and recreation outside of your household doesn’t take effect until Sunday night, in the spirit of doing our part to “Stop the Spike” now, until further notice all ERTC rides are cancelled. This included the Rider Development session tonight - and we thank everyone who showed-up for their patience and understanding. 

Few things to note:

Rider Development Sessions: We will email out some practice drills you can do on your own at home. If you have any questions as you work on these, see the next point. We will have coaches available in the Rider Development Slack Channel who will be happy to answer any questions you might have over the next few weeks.

ERTC communications moving to Slack. Finding a communication medium that works for the most amount of members possible has been challenging. This season, we are going to trial Slack - a communication app that works on IOS, Android, and desktop, and doesn’t require a social media account.

You will receive an invite by email, using the email you used when signing up for ERTC. You will be asked to download the Slack app and create a free account (or use your existing Slack account). 

Within the ERTC Slack ”workspace”, there are different ‘channels’ that allow for communication on specific topics. You will be automatically added to all channels listed below except those noted as ‘private’’. Private channels will have controlled entry - if you’d like to join please direct message or email Albert or any other members of the exec team. 

ERTC Slack Channels:

• General Club chat: Any general questions you’d like to put out to all club members

• Announcements: Information the Executive share formally to the whole club

• Classifieds: Available for anyone to post any bike related items for sale

• Thursday Hills: Chat specific to Thursday Hills, to be used as a way to communicate weather information, or any other information pertinent to the hills ride

• Rider Development Course (private): Chat for all those taking the 2021 sessions. Attendees will be automatically added.

• Women of ERTC Chat (private): For all those who noted ‘female’ on their registration. If you didn’t, and you identify as anything other than male, let me know and you’ll be added. This will replace the Facebook WoERTC chat.

• High Performance/Racing (private): For members training at a high-level and targeting or actively racing.

• Other channels will be added as we’re able to consistently offer other regular rides

Slack does not replace Strava. Once rides start again, to attend you will still be required to RSVP via Strava. Slack allows those who don’t have Facebook to be a part of member communications and not miss-out on more real-time communications.

While not the start to the riding season we were hoping for, we hope that everyone is able to stay safe, and sane, over the next few weeks - and we’ll see you all in June!

ERTC Update - HILLS ARE ON!

It’s the nice-ish weather update!

With a high of 18 degrees this Thursday, we are ready to begin official hills! Please sign up on strava (https://www.strava.com/clubs/ertc) and RSVP. We are currently limited to 9 riders and 1 leader, as per the current AHS regulations -  the relevant sections as noted below:

• Outdoor fitness training is allowed, as are physically distanced group fitness classes with a maximum of 10 participants.

• Outdoor group physical activity must be limited to 10 people or fewer.

  • Keeping the activity to members of the same household is strongly recommended.

  • Members of different households must maintain 2 metre distancing at all times.

This means that no traditional group rides will be going ahead at this point in time, as they require us to ride within 2 meters of each other, as we ride in a 2-up configuration. Hills will go ahead as long as we stay distanced while moving between hills (hills themselves will naturally break up the group).

Our skill development program gets underway next week as well, with our first session being Tuesday, May 4th. Sign up here https://forms.gle/vk1vUVAB7H2Xi6KFA so that we have numbers and get a rough idea of where everyone is at so we can plan our programming accordingly. Please have this filled out by this Saturday (May 1) in order for us to come up with lesson plans and groupings. The specifics about where we are meeting and what time will be detailed in the plans that will be emailed to you by Sunday (May 2). We will be breaking into small groups each with a coach, based on the answers you have given in your signup form. Also come with any questions you might have about your bike, riding your bike, or even racing your bike.

ERTC Update - Week of April 19

Quick and Dirty Update Time!

1. Official Intervals and hills will start when the temperature stabilizes above freezing. So far, no luck - while Tuesday looks warmish, Thursday will see snow… Group riding is still off the table as they cannot happen within AHS guidelines as tight group riding is less than 2 meters away unmasked.

2. Kit store is now closed. If you wanted kit by June, you’ve missed your chance. You can always order Jakroo kit from our website, however note the heavily penalty for a single order. You can always see if anyone else wants to order kit with you, however. There will be another kit order in the summer to get kit in time for late summer / cross season.

3. You can always organize unofficial rides via our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2316916558. Just post a distance and a time and a meeting place and a pace and you’ll definitely get some takers. While we don’t have any hard rules (since they are unofficial) we suggest following any applicable AHS guidelines.

4. Remember to join our group on strava. https://www.strava.com/clubs/2845/recent_activity which we use to track riders and numbers for all official rides.

5. Rider Development Sessions will begin once the weather is warm enough to stand around and receive coaching outdoors. We are targeting the beginning of May. We encourage all current members to come out and participate, as after a long winter some skills might be rusty. We will be splitting into small groups based on how many people are interested. I will be putting together a signup form shortly once we have more concrete plans. 

6. If you wish to ride Mountain Bikes with Hardcore Bikes, I will be putting together information and forwarding that to the people who flagged they were interested un their registrations. If you did NOT flag it on your registration, email me so I can add you to the list.

ERTC - April Update

Happy spring, ERTC members! As you can imagine, there is still a lot of uncertainty around our upcoming season, but we wanted to give you a sense of what we are hoping to offer this year, pending provincial health orders.

• Kit purchases from the webshop will be held open an additional week. Purchase kit here. Note that there are men’s and women’s cuts and the determination will be made based on your billing name. Shop here: https://ertc.rogelli.com/shop/

• Weekly Rides: Tuesday night intervals and Thursday night hills will start as soon as the roads are swept and temperatures are consistently at least a few degrees above freezing in the evenings. We will run these rides in small groups of 10 or fewer and will observe physical distancing practices. Stay tuned; we will announce the start dates over facebook and via email.

• Rider development: skills sessions for new riders will also start in May. Stay tuned for more information about this. If the weather holds we may start earlier.

• Cohort riding: as the season gets underway, we will support our racing members to train in a cohort structure (i.e. you train with the same group all the time, and take a 2-week break from group riding if you want to switch cohorts).

• Personal rides: note that riders are welcome to continue to use the ERTC facebook page to coordinate their own rides, but these are not sanctioned by ERTC or covered by your club insurance.

Stay safe everyone, and we will see you on the road/trails soon.

Your ERTC Exec

Welcome to ERTC, 2021 Edition

Hi All,

With no update on COVID-19 restrictions, we have decided to open up registration this year for ERTC with a reduced rate, as we cannot offer many of our services this year, such as social events and first-time-racer incentives. ERTC continues to stand by our commitment to developing new riders and giving people the confidence to tackle their own goals this year and will continue to hold early-season skill sessions. 

As such, registration is now LIVE with the link over at https://zone4.ca/reg.asp?id=25705 with our first rides starting when the snow melts from our roads. Your $80 registration fee includes the following:

1. Access to 2 regular rides welcoming to all rider levels, per week, with experienced leaders (subject to COVID-19 contact tracing protocols and social distancing) We are unable to facilitate any official group rides at this time due to social distancing, however intervals and hills continue to be possible as these do not require tight pack riding. This may change. 

2. Access to skill sessions led by certified coaches in order better help you handle your bike and be safe on the roads. Further information is available by checking the requisite option on the registration form. 

3. Liability insurance though the Alberta Bicycle Insurance to the tune of $5,000,000.

4. Mountain bike rides with Hardcore Bikes. Further information is available by checking the requisite option on the registration form. 

If you joined in early 2020 and did not join for the latter part of 2020 due to restrictions, please check your inbox for a coupon code for a discount on registration this year. 

We will continue to use strava for contact tracing with a strict requirement to RSVP to the ride before the start of your ride. You may visit our website at http://www.ertc.org/joining-strava for more information on how to RSVP to our rides. 

We are officially switching to Rogelli as our kit supplier this year, as last year production was halted until August due to the production facilities being in Italy. You will find that the pricing on the new kit is 30-40% cheaper than Jakroo with more options for accessories. If you are worried about the fit, ERTC will be keeping a limited amount of inventory on hand, in case you are not happy with your sizing, we can swap if the tags are still on. The Speed Line is available in women’s specific fits, and you will automatically be sent the women’s specific fits for your shorts / jersey based on the name you use for your shipping information. If you do not want this to happen, or have a gender-neutral name please email me. Kit will be directly shipped to you from our supplier and we have no control over the ordering or shipping process. The webshop will be open for 2 weeks starting today and ending on Sunday, March 21. If you miss the order cutoff, we will have another order coming later on in the season, or you can always order the old kit from Jakroo (link on website since I don’t want people accidentally buying Jakroo kit) You may purchase the new kit here: https://www.rogelli.com/en/ertc

As usual, I look forward to meeting and riding with you this year, and hope that the latter part of the season brings us better news! 

ERTC Update - July 7

Hello all, 

Quick and dirty updates for you! 

1. Rides now have a maximum of 15 people, as per ABA regulations. They will still be required to be physically distanced. 

2. We are bringing back Tuesday interval rides. Check out the description here: http://www.ertc.org/weekly-rides It continues to be difficult to put on a traditional weekend group ride due to physically distancing requirements, however we felt it possible to put this one on. If this ride or Thursday Hills interests you and you are still not a paid member this year, please sign up at www.ertc.org. Remember to RSVP on strava. 

3. The scavenger hunt continues for all of July with round 3 being available over at: http://www.ertc.org/ertc-socially-distant-scavenger-hunt

ERTC Update - June 7

Hey Everyone!

Some new updates for you - the ABA has allowed us to resume some form of club rides however they will look very different. Please review here: http://www.ertc.org/covid19 

Please note that even if you have registered for this year (in both free and paid capacities) that you will be required to register AGAIN due to a new waiver you are required to sign. If you have already paid, please check your emails for a coupon code for free registration for the remainder of the year. As it is a reduced fee, the balance can be applied to next year, or you can simply choose to pay now and roll over your full registration to next year. If you’ve already gotten a refund, you shouldn’t be receiving the code. You can register here: https://zone4.ca/reg.asp?id=24012

In support of physical distancing, we are having a scavenger hunt! Read more about that here: http://www.ertc.org/ertc-socially-distant-scavenger-hunt 

ERTC Update - May 23

New Member Info

Hey, it's me! Anyways as you may have noticed that these updates have been getting a little more concise and formal as of late and that is due to the efforts of Cheryl, our Communications Coordinator! Anyway a couple of things before we get to the nitty gritty. The Alberta Bicycle Association is working on a plan along with AHS to allow us to host group rides again, we will notify you when this is a possibility once again. Note that if there is a return to outdoor riding, we will be collecting a reduced membership fees in order to cover the costs of putting these on. 

To our new members, we invite you to join our "ERTC Social" facebook group. While not mandatory, many of our members enjoy using this site to connect, swap gear, ask for advice, etc. You can also join our strava group here: https://www.strava.com/clubs/ertc strava is our primary means of disseminating group ride information. 

Digital Offerings

While group riding is still not permitted (and thank you to all our members for respecting this), the ERTC is continuing on with our Thursday night tradition of hills and beers through Zoom https://zoom.us/j/95638753911 starting at 8:30. They will be hosted bi-weekly until restrictions are such that we will be able to do this in person again!

 We will also be adding ERTC to climbduro digital challenges. To participate, all you have to do is sign up on the climbduro  https://climbduro.com/  and send in the Strava link to your rides. Climbduro will rank the data, and they even give prizes or donate to charity!

Also of interest to our compatriots who also prefer riding on dirt, Shantel Koenig of Redbike has also put together digital Fat Tire Tuesdays, check them out over here https://www.trailforks.com/event/4736/

2020 Sponsors 

This year's sponsors are in, and we are pleased to be continuing with our title sponsor, Blindman Brewing. Their sponsorship supports social events with beer, as well as offering wholesale pricing on beer for our public-facing events, plus providing swag at our AGM.Our other sponsors, in no particular order, are:

• Willow Family Medicine, with contributions going towards social programs and advertising.

• Central Wealth Group - Raymond James, with contributions going towards rider and coach development and prizes for riders recognized at our AGM

• Rosso, which supports our AGM with gift cards that recognize volunteers and riders, and offers discounts on post-ride food (not including alcohol).

Other logos included on our kit come from causes we support, including:

• Women of ERTC, the women's support and development arm of the ERTC 

• iwill, a charity dedicated to educating the public about helmet usage on bikes. This charity was founded by former ERTC member and past executive Aaron Schooler after he tragically lost a brother to a head injury. 

• Alberta Cycling Coalition   https://albertacyclingcoalition.com/  - A working / lobbying organization that works to have cycling-friendly safety legislation passed within the province of Alberta, made up of all types of cyclists. 

2020 Kit 

Speaking of kit, the 2020 specimens have arrived.

Unfortunately due to COVID-19, and the manufacturing facilities being based in Italy, there is a large delay in the storefront set-up and the process in general. We hope to bring you ordering details soon.

Thanks to all our members new and old; we appreciate your continued adherence to our temporary club ride ban. We hope to see you soon, and will continue to update you as the province begins its phased approach to reopening.

May 1st COVID-19 Update

Group Riding Update

As Edmonton’s largest and most inclusive cycling club, we have a responsibility to be role models in our cycling community. We are also bound by ABA policies, as they are our insurer. That’s why the ERTC is asking all our members to refrain from club group rides of any size, as per the latest update from the Alberta Bicycle Association. We have not received any complaints about our members group riding; we’re proud of this club and grateful to all of you for your leadership. 

This means rides cannot be organized through ERTC’s social media platforms (facebook, Strava, etc). We are also asking that if you choose to organize small group rides on your own, please refrain from wearing your ERTC club jersey if you have another jersey option available. Unfortunately, the optics of groups of riders wearing matching club kit gives the impression of a club-sanctioned group ride. We understand these are challenging times for everyone, and social rides are a stress reliever for all of us, so we really want to thank you for your cooperation.

Membership Update

With respect to the 2020 season, the ERTC board is now offering free registration, which will provide access to our social sites, newsletters and any future virtual training options that may be offered in 2020. Please share this offer with your friends who may be “ERTC curious.” 

For those who have already paid to register in 2020, you may choose to roll your fee over for 2021, or get a refund. To get a refund, please contact our President. If you choose to have your entry fee rolled over into 2021, you don’t need to do anything. 

The ERTC will continue to follow further direction from the provincial government and the ABA. We are looking at options for virtual training and possible social meetups as restrictions relax in the future. In the meantime, stay safe and take care of yourselves.

ERTC Holiday Update

Happy 2020, ERTC! As a year-end gift to all our members, the ERTC Executive has decided to make a donation to support cycling worldwide and help people in developing communities. We know we're a club of compassionate, engaged humans, and we want to reflect that with a $197 donation to World Bicycle Relief, which provides one bike for people living in a rural community in a developing country. We will also match any donations made by our members up to the purchase of a second bike, so if you'd like to donate, please do so at the link above, which is connected to the ERTC team fundraising page, by the end of January.

And for those keen to be the first members of 2020, our registration is now live!

AGM Announcement - November 29th 2019

It’sa me, Albert! With the conclusion of cyclocross season in Edmonton and Nationals in Ontario, its that time of the year again where we start to plan for next year! 

Before we go on though, I’d like just casually mention that Sarah Gilchrist has successfully defended her Masters A Cyclocross National Title!

Anyway - this is mostly meant to be a business type email, officially announcing our AGM on November 29th. You may RSVP by emailing me or heading over to https://www.facebook.com/events/535329543701212/ . Please email or message me any dietary concerns - we will have vegetarian, gluten-free, and nut-free options so let me know if you have any others. Beer will be provided courtesy of our Sponsor, Blindman Brewing -  and it will be catered by Mai of Gourmai - https://www.instagram.com/maicaroon/?hl=en

Up for election this year are the Vice President; Communications; and Women's Cycling Manager positions. All three incumbents have released these positions to be filled by other club members, but have all offered their on-going support during a transition phase and will remain in the club and continue to actively support the Exec as needed.

As usual, we would like to get feedback on how we’ve done this year via survey - check it out here! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5SRGP87