If you are not a Dallas Athletes (DA) member, please join us for a workout or two to see if the organization is right for you! Our Wednesday night and Saturday morning rides have ride leaders who will make sure you don’t get dropped! PLEASE keep in mind that workouts may change due to weather. Check out our Weather Policy below for specifics.
David is a veteran multi-sport athlete having participated in over 100 triathlon, cycling or running events in the past 10 years, including 3 Ironman distance races. David was selected by Dallas Athletes members as the 2007, 2008 and 2009 Male Member of the Year! He was also voted by readers of Competitor Magazine as one of the top cycling coaches in Texas for 2008. And for good reason! David is reliable, organized and PASSIONATE about cycling. We think you’ll find David’s #1 concern is safety for all riders. Keep an eye on his cycling page. He is active with updates!
Feel free to contact David to talk shop about cycling or Dallas Athletes! He is a wonderful resource! david@dallasathletes.com
May 13, 2013
6th Annual Coppell Ride of Silence
This week there will not be a Wednesday Night Standridge ride. Instead, DA will participate in the 6th annual Coppell Ride of Silence to be held Wednesday evening, May 15th at 7:00 PM.
The Ride of Silence occurs on the third Wednesday in May in cities all over the world to commemorate cyclists killed or injured while riding legally on public roads. It is ridden in complete silence and at a slow pace, around 12 mph. There are no sponsors, no registration and no fees. All levels of cyclists are welcome. Just show up and be part of it. Helmets are mandatory.
The Dallas Ride of Silence that began it all in 2003 will be held that same evening at White Rock Lake. With the death of Greg Dean on July 22, 2007 we wanted to hold a Ride of Silence in Coppell. Our first Coppell RoS in 2008 drew 70 riders, and has grown in size each year. Greg lived in Coppell with his wife, Patti, and daughter. He was a member of the Carrollton Cycling Club, Dallas Athletes, and Lone Star Randonneurs. This ride is for him and all the others.
The ride will start and finish at Coppell High School, 185 W Parkway, Coppell, TX 75019 (one block west of the Denton Tap and Parkway intersection). We ask that riders be lined up and ready to go by 6:45 PM. After a short announcement and message from Patti Dean, the ride will begin at 7:000 PM. It is an 11 mile course and we should be finished by 8:00 PM.
The Coppell Ride of Silence will take part on city streets with no police escort so we will need to obey all traffic signals and stop signs. We will split into smaller groups of around 20 riders so we do not impede the normal flow of traffic. Ride Marshals will be in each group to lead the way and a support fan from Bicycles Plus will follow the last rider.
David
Touching wheels:
It happens fast. One second you are cruising along nicely drafting off the rider in front of you and then next thing you know, they have slowed for some reason and you are right on top of them. Touching wheels is one of the biggest causes of riders going down in a group ride. There are the obvious things you can do to prevent it, like keeping a reasonable distance from the rider in front of you, staying out of the aerobars so your hands can be close to brakes, communicating what is going on so the rider behind you knows you are slowing, etc.
But what to do if you do touch the wheel of the rider in front of you? Some riding skills are straightforward and instinctual. This is not one of them. Our natural inclination when our front tire rubs against another is to turn away from the other tire quickly to escape danger.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly the wrong thing to do in case of tire rub. Quickly turning away at best takes you immediately off your line (and in a group will likely cause you to veer into other riders), and at worst leads to an overcorrection that throws you completely out of balance, bringing you down.
The proper, paradoxical, remedy is to turn slightly into the tire yours is rubbing. Doing so allows you to maintain your line and balance, and to slowly ease away from the wheel by slowing down just enough to extricate yourself.
Another paradox about this technique is that it’s actually easier to accomplish the faster you’re riding. So many riders go down touching wheels on slow hills because it is harder to maintain control throughout this process at a slower speed. If you’re already riding slowly, your balance is more easily upset, and it’s harder to slow down enough to “back off” the wheel you’re rubbing.
If you’re cruising along at a good clip, though, you’re in better balance and can more easily scrub a little speed just by easing off the pedals a bit as you pull back and escape danger.
Remember, it’s best to do what it takes to avoid getting yourself in a “touchy situation.” But it’s almost inevitable that it will happen to you at some point. So fight your instincts, turn into the wheel you’re rubbing, ease away, and stay upright to ride another day.
(Credit to the 2/7/13 RBR Newsletter)
February 3, 2013 - GDB Super Bowl Ride - Riders from all over the Metroplex converge on the West End for lunch. Multiple starting points around the Metroplex. We will start at Andy Brown Park East. Coppell, TX.
March 23, 2013 - Ride Ataxia - This is a new rally for us. Ride is out of Denton, which is also a new start point for us. Always looking for something new and different! Denton, TX
April 27, 2013 - Muenster Metric Century - Known for its hills and its beer, what more can you ask for! Muenster, TX.
May 4, 2013 - Shiner GASP -Great fun. This ride is 100 miles from Austin to Shiner, ending at the Spoetzl Brewery. And if we are as lucky as we were last year, we will have a headwind the whole way! We will be doing a training program to prepare for this relatively early season century ride. Austin, TX.
May 15, 2013 - Ride of Silence -Join cyclists worldwide in a slow-paced ride in honor those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways. This will be the fourth year for the Coppell edition of this ride. Distance of 10 miles at a pace of 12 mph. Coppell High School north parking lot.
June 15, 2013 - Tour d’Italia- It only sounds European. Actually a rally in Italy, Tx. Still great fun with some great scenery. Distances of 42, 50, and 60 miles. Italy, TX.
July 27, 2013 - Goatneck- Rolling hills in the heat of the summer! This is a good tune up for the big daddy, Hotter ‘N Hell. Distances of 41 and 70 miles. Cleburne, TX.
August 24, 2013 - Hotter’N Hell Hundred - This has become an annual event for us. We will be doing a training program to prepare riders for this 100 miler. We will also have team accommodations and carb loading meal on the night before. Wichita Falls, TX.
September 21, 2013 - Autumn in Bonham - Change of scenery with a variety of distances. Bonham, TX.
October 5, 2013 - The Paluxy Pedal - Features a hill known as “The Wall”! How can we resist?. Glen Rose, TX
October 12, 2013 - Gainesville Depot Days Bike Rally - DA’s own bike rally. 100K ride out of Gainesville. Great rolling hills, stunning scenery, and of course the famous Dallas Athletes post ride/race festivities. Gainesville, TX
DA Winter Loop -Lighted road loop for winter night riding (Bike). ExxonMobil Loop in Irving. Las Colinas Blvd south of Royal Ln. Park on the north bound side of Las Colinas Blvd, south of Customer Way (not in the Neiman Marcus parking lot!).
MAP
Standridge Stadium- Carrollton-Farmers Branch Natatorium (Swim-Bike)
1334 W. Valwood Parkway, Carrollton, TX 75006
MAP
Coppell Aquatics Center-Andy Brown EAST (Swim-Bike-Run)
234 E. Parkway Blvd., Coppell, TX 75019
MAP
Lake Grapevine, Sand Bass Point (Swim-Bike-Run)
MAP
Mondays
Monday Night Recovery Ride (during daylight savings time) Starts Mar 11!
When: 6:00 pm
Where: Bicycles Plus in Coppell
Description: 18 mile recovery ride at a very max of 17 mph. This is a real recovery ride, it is all about spinning and relaxing. Lead by Bicycles Plus.
Wednesdays
DA Wednesday Morning Ride
When: 9:10 am
Where: Parking lot of Coppell Aquatics Center
Description: This ride is lead by our Running Coordinator Kuay Sullivan. A typical ride is 25 to 30 miles. All level of riders are welcome. If you are coming out for this ride for the first time, feel free to contact Kuay for information and potential changes at Kuay@hotmail.com.
DA Wednesday Night Ride
When: 6:15 pm
Where: Standridge Stadium, Farmers Branch, TX
Description: This is the “track workout” of our cycling activities. A 23 mile route through Irving and Las Colinas. Ride leaders available, with No-Drop leaders assigned each week. Though a lot of riders use it as their sprint workout, this is also a great ride for beginners as it is a clearly defined loop route with some alternatives to shorten the distance. Since we will still be short on daylight these first few weeks, high visibility clothing and flashing taillights highly recommended.
Saturdays
DA Bike Ride
Where: Andy Brown Park EAST
Description: We have 3 groups that go out on Saturdays. Please pick the appropriate ride for your skill level. Start time for all groups is7:00 AM.
Alpha Ride, 40-50+ miles at 19+ mph: Leaderless ride on a variety of routes.
Intermediate Ride, 35-40 miles at 17-18 mph: Ride leaders assigned to guide you on one of our many routes out of Coppell.
Beginner Ride, 30 miles at 15-16 mph: This is our No-Drop Saturday ride. Ride leaders will make sure you know the route and come back with the group. Please note that we do not have specific rides leaders during the winter so be sure we know if you are new to the DA ride and we will make sure you covered.
Saturday ride times are subject to change based on weekend races, weather, etc.
Changes are sent via e-mail to members on a weekly basis.
Sundays
DA Bike Ride
When: Ride at 8:00 am (time varies depending upon the sunrise open water swim time)
Where: Minnow Loop (just west of Sand Bass Point) , Lake Grapevine.
Description: This is an open-ride for cyclists of all levels. No ride leaders at this ride! Sunday ride times are subject to change based on weekend races, weather, etc. Changes are sent via e-mail to members on a weekly basis. Expect smaller groups during the winter months.
Of course everyone needs to use their own judgement based upon their comfort level and experience, but general guidelines for group rides:
DA Cycling route maps are available on MapMyRun.com. Do a keyword search on DAAC to see what is available. I have built a set of basic routes then added additional maps that show extensions or alternates to those routes. Some however show a starting point of our old location. Be sure you check the schedule above to know where the ride start is.
Road cycling is an inherently dangerous activity. Knowing and understanding these rules will help us be safe out on the road.
Disclaimer: Each rider is responsible for his or her own safety on our training rides leaving from DA, Inc. DA, Inc. assumes no responsibility for accidents that could happen.
