Fitness & Training

When you can't get out to ride during the winter, your body can get out of shape quickly. Fitness and mountain biking go hand in hand. Check out these 3 resources to help you reach your goals, whether it's getting in shape or making it to the top of Copeland Forest's mile high bike trail with no breaks.
1. Raw Crossfit CrossFit is the principal strength and conditioning program for many police academies and tactical operations teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, and hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide.
2. bikejames.com A two day, strength training program for mountain bikers from MTB Strength Training System creator James Wilson. A serious mountain bike strength training program.
3. Insanity No No Gym, No Problem The hardest workout program ever put on DVD, no gym required.

Copeland Forest

Crownland Forest has some of the best riding in Southern Ontario, and I like to think of it as home to the CTS bike club. Crownland Forest is super in the spring, fabulous in the fall and where we ride 90% of the time. The forest if full of lush undergrowth, towering old trees and of course sick single track. Crownland was the first place I ever rode single track and it blew my mind, it continues to blow my mind even now even after five seasons of riding Crownland forest we continue to find new trails almost every ride. Crownland has everything from beginner to pro, and I find that the trails are best experienced starting at the intermediate level. There are huge climbs that seem endless which can be combined with rippin' fast descents. With over 50km of single track, there is enough trails to put together a full day of epic riding.

2010 Riders Choice Awards

The CTS riders choice awards. At the 2010 CTS banquet Sept 12th. You decided the winners. Now here's the video.

3 trail myths

MTB training, like many other sports, has a lot of misconceptions or myths surround it. When someone decides that they want to become better on the trails they are usually told these three myths.

"To become a better rider you must..."

1. Work on your cardio: While cardio is important, the real key to riding faster and longer is to achieve better efficiency on the trail. You can compare your cardio to the size of your gas tank and your efficiency is the mile per gallon. You get more by working on both cardio and efficiency rather than simply adding more gas to the tank.

2. Ride your bike more: Getting out on your bike is a must, but when new riders first start every time they go out for a ride they feel like they are improving. However, after a year or so of riding most people have maxed out their current fitness and skill levels, and the improvement stops. Strength conditioning is the most efficient uses of your mountain bike training time and can dramatically raise your performance.
3. Get a bike fit: Bike fits are great – if you're a roadie. Mountain biking requires a high technical skill level and you want your bike set up to best fit this need, not to work around your mobility and movement deficits. Most bike fits looks to change how the bike is set up around you regardless of how those changes affect the balance and handling on the trail. Some of the most common bike fit "fixes", such as changing stem length, will negatively affect your ability to corner and handle your bike. It is rarely the fit that is holding a rider back; it is more often the tight and weak rider that is holding the bike back.

For more great MTB tips go to: bikejames.com

Studded Bike Tires

For those hearty CTS members that keep riding regardless of the weather, specially designed tires for riding on snow and ice can help maintain traction under treacherous conditions. Studded snow tires are available commercially, But can be costly. A more cost effective option is to make them yourself. If you have an old set of tires kickin' around you can do-it-yourself by running small machine screws through a tire from the inside out. Whether you buy or make studded tires you'll want to use these tires only when there is ice and snow present. Running around with them on dry pavement will make a lot of noise, wear down the studs or damage the tire. You may want to look into getting or making a pair before our first annual "Across the ice" trip. I bought a pair last winter and they made a huge difference. A good pair of snow/ice tires can turn a snow packed sidewalk into a rippin' section of single track.

How to dress for winter weather

When the temperatures drop, don’t give up mountain biking. Learn how to dress for winter weather!
Base Layer: Choose a base layer that fits tight and will wick perspiration away from your body to keep you dry.

Insulating Layer: This layer is meant to keep you warm and also keep moisture away from your skin. It shouldn’t fit as snugly as your base layer. A wool jersey/sweater, or a fleece will do the job.

Outer Layer: Your outermost layer of clothing should be windproof and waterproof.

Hot Head: The big holes in our helmets are designed to keep our heads cool in the summer, however, they can make you head too cold during the winter. Wear a balaclava or headband under your helmet.
Icicle Hands: On your hands, choose a pair of wind and waterproof gloves. Shifting will keep you from wearing mittens, though they keep your hands the warmest. You can also choose to wear a lobster style glove, this two finger lobster style offers increased finger warmth (inner liner still has five fingers) but still allows you mobility to shift gears.
Happy Feet: Don’t overlook your feet as they will likely get cold first. Choose thicker winter socks or double up on two thin pairs. Wear a pair of shoe covers over top of your mountain bike shoes to keep your feet warm and dry.

The Truth Behind Soy Protein

The reason why soy is so bad basically boils down to the isoflavones that it contains. Two of these isoflavones, genistein and daidzein, are what cause the majority of negative effects seen with soy protein use. These two villains bind readily to Estrogen Receptors. This can have numerous adverse effects on everything ranging from Testosterone production, thyroid production, muscle growth, and even health. The ability of soy protein to decrease Testosterone levels has been well demonstrated. One study displayed a 76% reduction of Testosterone production in men, after ingestion of soy protein over only a brief period of time. Another study, using healthy adult males, a diet containing soy was compared to a diet that consisted of meat protein in terms of sex hormone concentrations. Well, after evaluation, Testosterone levels were significantly lower in the soy diet. Not only this, but the estimated amount of free Testosterone was 7% lower after the soy diet as well. The evidence seems pretty conclusive. There may, of course, be other factors, but it's enough to give one pause when considering whether or not you should add some soy to that protein drink after your next ride.

References Cited
www.t-nation.com

Don Valley Sabotage

Mountain bikers who frequent the Don Valley trails have raised the alarm after a narrow wooden bridge on a ravine trail was sabotaged. The supporting beam of the bridge appears to have been deliberately cut partway through in several places that couldn’t be seen by anyone crossing above. The damage put the structure at risk of collapsing, which could have caused serious neck injury, broken bones or worse. Cyclists should be on their guard.

“Never cross any structure unless you’re sure of its safety,”

Full story at www.thestar.com

WEEKEND AT RAY’S

This past weekend CTS members: Wayne, Chris M and BMX Dennis went to Ray's indoor bike park in Cleveland, Ohio. Located in an urban warehouse space just west of downtown, Ray's has everything an Epic bike park should offer: progression-oriented features, challenges for any skill level with a friendly vibe. Have a look at the video above and you will quickly see how amazing Ray's is. The combined length of all the trails and stunts at Ray's is approximately 10 miles and the terrain consists of Logs, roots, rocks, trees, skinnies and a cross country loop, all indoors, all under one roof. The guys had a blast and after watching the footage of them rockin' it, I'm set on going. So, in the near future we need to plan another trip down with more of CTS.

My Growing Wish List.

As if my Christmas wish list wasn’t long enough already. In this past week I’ve snapped the soles of both my shoes, cracked my helmet and ripped through my gloves. Now I need to add these items on top of all the other mountain bike stuff I want for Christmas. When it comes to mountain bike gifts, there are a ton of amazing products to choose from. Sometimes it can be difficult to decide on what you want to ask for. To help you out I have put together the top 10 mountain bike gifts for the 2010 Christmas season. Whether you are looking for gifts to put on your list or if you are looking for the perfect gift for the lucky mountain biker you know.
1. Mountain bike socks: this is a great low cost mountain bike gift. You can never have too many mountain bike socks.
2. Mountain bike gloves: another great gift you can’t have too many of. Gloves can get pretty nasty if you don’t wash them. I usually have at least two pair in circulation. I recommend the full finger gloves.
3. Spare inner tubes: let’s face it, flat tires happen. We all need to carry spare tubes. Check the side of the tire for its size and get the appropriate tube.
4. CTS bike jersey: it’s nice to have a few jerseys so you can always start your ride off fresh. Just let me know the size and I will order one up. CTS jerseys cost $55.
5. Trail multi-tool: my amazing sister bought me this tool two years ago and it has come in handy on numerous occasions. Every mountain biker should carry a multi-tool in case they break down on the trail. I recommend a tool that has a built in chain break.
6. Bike shorts: this is another great gift that you can’t have too many of. A pair of baggy stly shorts will be most appreciated, remember we are a spandex free club.
7. Hydration pack: not only do they make it easy to stay hydrated on the trail, they also provide a place for you to keep your snacks, tools and a hand held tire pump. I recommend a medium sized pack. It’s big enough to carry what you need an keeps your carrying weight low.
8. Bike pump: this is the first tool every mountain biker needs. I recommend to have both a floor pump with a pressure gauge and a light weight mini pump for your rides.
9. Upgrades: there is always something that could be replaced on the mountain bike.
10. A new bike: you are one lucky person if you get a mountain bike as a gift. However, it is important to make sure you get the right bike. You will have to ask what kind of bike the person wants, or at least what kind of riding they will do.

CTS @ JoyRide 150

CTS @ JoyRide 150 November 14th 2010.

Broken Scaphoid

A picture is worth a thousand words. Yesterday at JoyRide 150 CTS club member Geoff Millett Broke his Scaphoid in his wrist. The fracture requires him to wear a cast. The Scaphoid is known to causes arthritis so doctors are worried his wrist maybe messed. The accident happened only after a couple hours of riding, but Geoff toughed it out for another two hours to let us ride. Geoff, we all hope you recover well. Video will be up later this week.

Great deal on Titus frames

Bike Zone Barrie has a amazing deal on some Titus frames. They have just brought in the last couple titus frames from the distributer. A couple are already sold. So here is what is left. 1 small titus FTM in white, 1 small titus "x" in green, and 1 large titus "x" in blue. These are frames only. Regular price is $2800. CTS member price. $850. This is a smokin' deal.

Torrance Barrens

Hey Guys, you all know that I'm always on the look out for new places to ride in Ontario. Well I just heard about this place called Torrance Barrens in Muskoka. You can find Torrance Barrens immediately north of Highland Pond. The trail runs northwest to southeast along the southern shore of Pine Lake. It can be accessed from the main trail. This trail is the best example of the 'ridge and trough' pattern that characterizes the Barrens landscape. It may be worth checking out in the spring, sometime before the black flies come out. Visit http://vimeo.com/4739121 to have a look at some of the terrain.

Sunday JoyRide

I know some of you just went, but if anyone is interested Myself, Sean and Geoff are heading down to JoyRide 150 this Sunday Nov. 13th 2010. We will meet at the Tim Horton's by Wal-Mart Midland for 8:00am and convoy down together. Please leave a comment if your are interested in coming down with us. JoyRide is so much fun. Remember to wear your CTS jersey's
What’s at JOYRIDE 150 Indoor Bike Park?

CTS Exclusive Deal

The Bike Zone Barrie has recently become a new CTS sponsor. The Bike Zone Barrie is offering CTS an exclusive deal, they are offering members 10% off all regular priced merchandise if you come into the store with your CTS jersey on! This offer includes bikes!! For other great deals from The Bike Zone Barrie follow them on Twitter and Facebook

Get turned on by cycling all year round.

Staying in cycling shape over the winter can be a real challenge, especially in cold and wet areas like Southern, Ontario. If you want to ride stronger in the spring getting into a winter training routine for cycling can make things a lot better. The following are some tips to make winter training more enjoyable, keep yourself focused, and improve next years performance.

1. Write it down. Set both short-term and long-term goals. Keeping a log book will help you track your progress.

2. Keep an open mind. Not all training methods are for everyone. If you can't stand a training method you won't keep with it. Try new training tactics until you find one that works for you. Many CTS club members have had successful training programs and are open to discussing them. Check out RAW Crossfit.

3. Find a friend. Winter riding is a lot more fun if you have a partner. Getting dressed for the cold weather is a pain but with the right clothes and friends you can really enjoy it. Plus riding on the snow adds resistance and makes for a great work out.

4. Cross training. Keep your overall fitness up with other winter sports like cross country skiing and snowshoeing. It is much more fun than riding on a trainer in your basement. The CTS bike club will organize some cross country skiing and snowshoeing trips this winter. Stay tuned for dates and details.

5. Ride indoors. Indoor bike parks are a great place to get out of the cold and onto your bike. With JoyRide 150 opening in Markham, Ontario last fall we have no excuses to not get down there at least once this winter. The indoor park does not have the kilometres we are use to but they have great obstacles that push you to improve your bike skills.

I hope to see all of you out at some point this winter

Trick or 'Eat'

This Sunday was the Annual CTS Halloween bike ride, a fun bike ride to support a good cause. Yourcostumes were amazing! I wanted to send out a big thanks to everyone who came out to support the Midland Food Bank. Thanks to your generous donations we raised over 100lbs of food for the Midland area food bank. With new reports showing the biggest increase in hunger in 15 years this ride and your donations could not have come at a better time. To learn more about how you can help the Midland food bank please go to Salvation Army Midland Community Food Bank.

Cameron Pain & Injury Clinic Members Only Deal

New CTS Sponsor - Dr. Bill Cameron would like to offer all CTS club members a great discount on his services to treat any of those mtb injuries that may occur... Cameron Pain & Injury Clinic is offering all CTS bike club members: 33% off New patient exams (CTS price only $50) and 20% off Regular treatment fees (CTS price only $40) You Just need to let them know you are a part of CTS and they will give you this amazing deal.
http://www.painandinjuryclinic.ca/

Fully Hard?

Full suspension or hard tail? This question is by far one of the most important questions to ask before you start looking for a new bike. The answer to this question will greatly affect the outcome of your purchase. You need to know what type of riding you will be doing and what your performance expectations are from your bike. Outside of dirt jumping, if I was asked whether I would purchase a hard tail or a full suspension I would now recommend a full suspension, even though I ride hard tail myself. A full suspension bike is much more comfortable, enjoyable and better controllable when compared to their hard tail counterparts. The trade off is a little extra weight, which is well worth it for all the added benefits. I use to disagree with this and in 2009 I bought a hard tail bike. My thinking was that I would have more pedal efficiency on a hard tail, this is true with the terrain is smooth but when is the terrain ever smooth on our rides? Another thought was that I might get into some cross-country racing and a hard tail mountain bike would be lighter than the full suspension. Little did I know that bike weight means very little when you are already over 250lbs. The rear shock can be set to the weight of any rider, and some endurance racers have switched over to full suspension. Unfortunately, full suspension mountain bikes are a bit more expensive than hard tails. If you can't afford a full suspension with decent and reliable components, then I would recommend buying a good reliable hard tail from a specialty bike shop like Bike Zone. So for now I will keep rockin' my hard tail, though as soon as I come across some extra cash I'm getting me a FULLY!

CTS Member Goes World Wide!

Wayne Legault CTS member, made the Summer Gravity Camps 2010 (SGC) video for a split second, well more his bike then him. Thou, It is a nice bike. SGC based out of Whistler, BC. is the Ultimate Week Long Freeride Mountain Bike Camp to help you take your riding to the next level! You can see Wayne at 2:37 into the video. Very cool Wayne, can I have your autograph? http://vimeo.com/14023562
Below is another photo of Wayne at SGC

Bikepacking Weekend

Next summer CTS needs to go bikepacking. A cross between backpacking, camping and bike touring, bikepacking is an easy way to get away, ride freely, and explore a new places we can't reach in a single day. I have been trying to plan this trip for years now with no success, I suggest we give it a try before we write it off. Where and When should we go? Please leave your suggestions below.

Night of the Living Deadlift

All you can drink, and live music. for just $25. RAW is holding a “Night of the Living Deadlift” Halloween bash on Saturday Oct. 30th after the trip to JoyRide 150. If any CTS members want to continue the party into the night, their doors open at 9:00pm. We are all more than welcome. Kegs and live music will be provided. Costumes mandatory. Don't get too drunk and miss the CTS halloween Ride on Sunday 1:00pm at Total Sports.

Fall Foliage

Sweet fall photo sent in from Darryl of his Giant at Awenda Oct 17 2010. Great Shot! Enjoy other autumn mountain biking photos in these scenic spots, including Aspen, Colorado go to: Bicycling.com

Past Peak

CTS -FYI: During the off season every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. the CTS Group meets and rides at Copeland Forest, (We may move to Chris R's Awenda Trail - To be Announced) this will continue while the weather is still good. I have doctors orders not to exercise for a month, so unfortunately I won't be out there with you. It's killing me not to ride, I'm hoping the snow holds off so I can get out there again once I have the green light from my doctor.

Over the winter we have planned a few group rides to hold us over until the spring, when our peak season starts back up:

1. Halloween ride http://cancelthatshit.blogspot.com/2010/09/happy-halloween.html
2. Wayne has extended an invitation to the club to hit his dirt jumps on the weekends of after work.
3. Some of the guys are heading down to Cleveland for a weekend in Nov. to ride Ray's the indoor bike park.
4. JoyRide 150 indoor bike park in Toronto - We will likely do many trips to JoyRide The first of which is Saturday Oct 30th Others will be announced.
5. Across The Ice - Jon Dunnings is leading us in in a bike trip over the ice this winter should be really cool. Date will be announced.

I hope to be riding soon All the best! Go CTS Go! Watch your email and this Blog for updates.
Greg Brewer

Kona Lisa Found!

Good News, the Kona that was stolen from Joell and Erica's garage last month was found! Midland Police returned the bike to them yesterday. I'm not sure, but I think the success of finding this bike was do to the little CTS sticker Erica put on it before it was taken.

Going Down :)

Thanks to the opening of JoyRide 150 last winter, with all the obstacles that pushed me to improve my biking skills, I was trying more stuff out on the trails this season. A few months back I was thinking about how crash free my season had been, and how much new stuff I had been trying. Most of the time I was able to keep it rubber side down, but sometimes the trail just wants to remind you who's boss. I had been relatively 'crash free' but that all came to an end one ride at Hwy 26 in Barrie. At one point in this particular ride I found myself 6 feet up on a wooden ramp without enough speed to get over... I had hesitated out of fear, and I found myself staling and falling off at the highest point. This crash really shook me up, it took me a long time to build the courage to get back on that kind of stuff. My confidence was gone and I found myself falling on a lot of obstacles that normally I would ride without incident. As soon as I realized that my crash happened because of self doubt, my confidence came back, and so did my skills! My point is this, if you fall off the horse get back on. If you ride with confidence you will keep the rubber side down. And, if by chance you don't, I'll be there with my new GoPro camera to catch it on video.

Team CTS Dirt Jump Freaks

I would like to share with you guys what some of the CTS bike club do in the off season/spare time/almost every night.........all at Wayne`s World! So feel free to come hang out on a Saturday, or even some nights during the week(ride till 7 or so) Oh and if you like to dig let us know too.

Wayne:



Chris Mak:



Jerett:



Chris R:



Denis B:

Members Only Deal

CTS Members Only, get 20% off a RAW CrossFit On-Ramp program if you come in with your CTS jersey on. CrossFit is a great way to stay in shape during the off-season. CrossFit is the principal strength and conditioning program. Their program delivers a fitness that is, by design, broad, general, and inclusive. Their specialty is not specializing. Combat, survival, many sports (MTB), and life reward this kind of fitness and, on average, punish the specialist. CrossFit is delivering results like no other fitness program before it. info@rawcrossfit.ca / 705-529-9348 / 19 Laurier Rd., Penetanguishene, ON. L9M 1G8

5 Secrets to Speed on your MTB

I think it's a common goal for most of us in CTS, to get faster on our bikes. Now most of you will know I'm not the fastest in the club, but I have found some great tips for speed from Dirtworld.com
1. Moving out of our comfort zone. Speed is our friend; Speed brings stability; Stability is good.
2. Go with someone that is faster than you. Try following them through some singletrack. Notice how much they pedal and where they put the rubber.
3. Try not to apply the brakes for each corner. Remember that every bit of speed that you can carry through the turn is speed you don't have to gain back on the next straight.
4. Avoid the temptation to brake too early or when you really don't need to. Ride with all eight fingers wrapped around the bars. Don't have one or two hanging over the levers just in case. You know where the brakes are, you'll find them if you need them.
5. Keep your head up and keep looking well down the trail.
Even though improvements may seem small one corner at a time, it will add up and it will make a difference. You worked way too hard for that speed to just turn it into break pad heat for no good reason.

October Glow

Wow! What a great ride this past Sunday. Copeland Forest never stops surprising me. Even after four seasons of riding there, we keep finding new trails to ride and this Sunday was no exception. Did you know that Copeland has an O-Cup DH track? Man, what a rush! October is such a great season to ride. Too often riders will pack it in by the middle of September, but they are missing out on so much. In October the temperature is much more moderate allowing you to bike longer compared to those 30°+ summer days. By October the buzzing of our friend the mosquito has stopped, making our top of the climb rest breaks more restful. As well, in October the greens of the forest turns into a spectrum of colours making every turn a stunning photo opportunity. So, don't rush to hang up the bike this October, get ready to cancel some $#!% and get out here. Enjoy the Video! All the footage was captured on new GoPro camera. (thanks guya) Music by: Two Fingers - Fools Rhythm
Watch the video on PinkBike

Stolen bike recovered, two men charged

There seems to be an epidemic of stolen bikes. Joell LaBrie's wife, Erica & a friend some of you many know, Marc Matthews have had there bikes stolen from their garages only two weeks ago. This week, the Midland police caught two bike thieves, maybe they are the same guys? The following comes from the Midland Mirror. A call from a bicycle owner who spotted someone riding his stolen bike last week helped Midland police solve a number of area break-ins. After receiving the call on Sept. 20, police captured a 20-year-old Barrie man riding the bike, but were unable to stop a second man from fleeing. However, an 18-year-old Midland resident turned himself in some time later, telling police he was responsible for a number of recent shed break-ins. The teen has been charged with possession of stolen property, plus three counts of break and enter to commit an indictable offence. The Barrie man was charged with possession of stolen property. Both men were released with a court date of Oct. 28.

Happy Halloween

Get your costume and bicycle ready for the scariest ride of the year. "Trick or Treat Track" A community celebration of Halloween and bicycles. The slow-paced ride will cover some of Downtown Midland Ontario and the Midland Rotary Waterfront Trail. The ride is friendly, open to all, and a great way to spend Halloween afternoon. Riders will meet at Total Sports the bike shop for 1:00pm Sunday Oct 31st 2010. More details to come. Please contact me with any questions. Please bring a non-perishable food item for the Midland food bank.

Please let me know if you would like to come, Sign-up on FaceBook

No Tuesday Ride... It's a Sad Day

Today is the first Tuesday of 2010 with no CTS ride. It make me cold and sad inside, but I can only be sad for a moment. Because this Sunday we will ride again. Copeland Forest 9:00am. So we will have to make sure we don't drink too much the night before at Wayne's Poker/Bike-Porn night. This Saturday Wayne is having a bbq/poker night on saturday sept 25 at approx 6:00pm, all are welcome even if you don't play poker and just wanna hang out/drink/watch bike-porn. If interested just let either Wayne or Chris M. know and they can arrange the food situation.

The Off-Season

Even though the weather is still great outside the days are getting shorter and the start of the off-season is right around the corner. This is the time of year to start thinking about what you want to improve upon for next year and get a plan in place. My plan is to do P90X again. I will be starting up P90X in October if anyone would like to join me please let me know.

Almost Famous

Make sure to keep your eyes on the magazine stands, because today I sent in our group shot into "Trail Mix" of Mountain Bike Action Magazine. The Trail Mix section of MBA allows readers to submit photos of there riding adventures.

Day to night

CTS night ride. Night video is hard to do. See it on pinkbike

Bike to work

See it on Pinkbike
My short ride to work on Sept 14th 2010 in Midland Ontario Canada. I bike to work every day and I encourage you to do the same if you can. The music in the video is by: "Ice Nine Kills - The People Under the Stairs" for a free MP3 go to Purevolume

CTS Tail Gate Ride & BBQ

watch it on Pinkbike

MTB Podcast

Hey guys, I found this great podcast MTB Strength Coach Its GREAT! Learn how to enhance your riding by focusing on the most important part of mountain biking... you! go to www.bikejames.com

Day-to-Night

Next Tuesday Sept. 14th we're not going to let the early darkness stop our ride. Bring your bike lights, because next Tuesday we are going to bike until it gets dark, and then we are going to keep on goin'. Place: Line 7/8 AKA Tom's Forest. Time: 6:00pm until we get tired or our batteries go dead.

Baby Ben Loves CTS & Bikin'

Ben would like to say hello to all his future club mates and all the new CTS baby's on the way this fall and winter.

Nominees for best ouch photo of the year are:

Send your vote to greg@ctsbikeclub.com

Rippin' Up Copeland Forest

View it on PinkBike

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday...

The CTS ride schedule will change the week after our tale gate. (Sept. 12th) The daylight hours are getting shorter and we will not have as much time to get out after work. So, we are moving the ride to Sundays at Copeland Forest 9:00am. Our first Sunday ride will be September 26th, do to the Terry Fox Run Sunday Sept 19th.

Can't find my MOJO

You will decide who wins.

The CTS riders choice awards. It's time to nominate the rider you think deserves the award from the list below and why.
1. The Endo - For best crash.
2. The Stay Down - For the most crashes in a season.
3. The Rookie of the year - For best new CTS rider.
4. The CTS spirit - For the best Cancelling of shit.
5. The Gear-up - For the most improvement in a season.
6. The Invisible Rider - For the most missed rides of a season.
7. The Ouch - For best cut or bruise photo.
8. ???
The CTS awards will be handed out at this years CTS tale gate banquet (Sept. 12th 2010) Send all your votes to greg@ctsbikeclub.com

CTS B-SIDE

SO now that CTS has grown to 30 riders it might be a bit crowded on the trails. For those that want to ride some other trails we now have a B-SIDE to Tuesday Night Rides. The last two rides myself, Rich and Darryl (last week) went off into Copeland without our 'GPS' looking for some new and old trails... and yes we do get lost and end up riding more hills then ususal... and since the group is smaller, we don't rest as much... and we might not hit all of the wicked downhills that we ride often... The B-SIDE is about exploring the forest in a smaller group, getting the heart rate up and giving people an option to try something different. In turn it may lower the numbers on the A-SIDE and open up some space between tires. You might not want to play the B-SIDE all the time (me included) but now and again you can find some pretty sweet tracks on the flip-side....

August Rush

For the CTS mobile device users, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCyPeHUgdVo

Cycling Revolution

I stumbled across this article from the London Evening Standard last night in my daily quest for random knowledge, Boris Johnson's London bike hire hits the streets

London’s Mayor Boris Johnson has pledged and delivered a cycling revolution to the city. This cycling revolution will give all Londoners the opportunity to hop on a bike and experience the joys of cycling. The aim is to have one in five commutes in London made by bike, this is a situation that hasn’t been seen since 1904.

Amazing idea?!

Midland is following suit with its own cycling revolution. Now, our revolution might not be as grand but it’s a step in the right direction. You may have noticed around town the new share the road signs? The first time I saw one it brought an instant smile to my face. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been run off the road by cars, trucks, and angry grandmas, on my commute to and from work. For those of you concerned for my safety the risk factor is far less now that my commute has been knocked down to 3 minutes walking distance.

I can’t help but think these signs are the first step in Midland’s very own Cycling Revolution, hopefully soon to be followed by bike lanes on the busiest of our roads. I might be stepping out of line here, and tooting our own CTS horn, but I also can’t help but think our Annual Bike to Work day might have had an influenced on the Town’s decision to post these share the road signs along our roadways. Along with the determination and dedication of our two town councillors Steven Kramp and Pat File who have always pushed for bike lanes and cycling awareness in our community.

It’s undeniable that there is a growing cycling community in this town. We should feel proud to be a part of this community. We all share common interests; an interest in a healthy lifestyle, an alternative green mode of transportation and the love for the two wheels we ride. We are bike enthusiasts and we are a part of a growing group that should continue to push for beneficial changes for cycling safety in Midland and the surrounding area.

I truly feel that through hosting bike to work events, Halloween group rides, and riding our bikes daily we are making our presence known and helping push for our very own cycling revolution. We can make a difference one pedal stroke at a time.

If you want to become more involved in making changes for cyclists in our community email our Town Councillors Stephan Kramp or Pat File to see how you can get started.

CLIF BAR, Keeps You Moving

More then just healthy energy, Clif Bar comes to the rescue. During this past Tuesday's group ride, fellow CTS rider Kevin found himself with a flat tire. We were an hour into our ride and at the deepest part of the forest, walking out now would have taken forever. If you ride a lot you know that flat tires happen often and you need to be prepared. So, being prepared, I gave him my spear tube and pump. As he pumped up the new tube he notice that he didn't just have a pinch flat, he had a tear in the wall of his tire. Riding with the tube swelling out of the side wall was not going to work very well. Kevin wouldn't have gotten very far before it popped again. The obvious thing to do would have been to cut the old tube and lay it on the inside to cover the rip, but no one had a knife or scissors. We tried biting the tube and stabbing it, but neither worked. Then it came to me, I had a Clif bar in my pack, we could use the wrapper to line the inside of the tire so the tube wouldn't blister out. Not only did it work, it worked GREAT! Kevin road for another two hours with no issues. So that's how a Clif Bar can save the day.