Want to grow your fitness and cycling abilities in 2022?

Perhaps your New Year’s Resolution is to take on a fitness challenge? Lose weight? Train smarter?

If you want to know how to take the first steps, grow your ability to the point where you can confidently tackle a big road cycling challenge, and actually enjoy yourself doing it, then read on…

This is the 2022 iteration of the hugely successful KGB group.  There are a heap of KGB graduates out there riding with style and poise around Kapiti.

Does any of this sound like you?

• You’ve got the basics but want to take it further.
• You want to return to the level of fitness you’ve had in the past (and possibly then some).
• You think you’ll enjoy belonging to a group that will encourage, motivate, and grow with you?
• You’re keen to enjoy the confidence and big benefits of riding in a bunch.
• You want to save time by learning from experienced and qualified coaches.
• You have a road bike and can currently ride between 30-50km.
• You want to grow your bike handling skills through step-by-step practice sessions.

This is a 12-week stepped cycling program aimed at enabling you to take on the likes of the Taupo Cycle Challenge, K1 or 2, Iron Maori, The Graperide, and any number of other endurance events up and down the country. 

This is NOT a program for ‘guns’ or expert cyclists, nor will it put unrealistic expectations on anyone. It is aimed at people who can currently ride between 30 and 50km comfortably.

During the 12 weeks you’ll learn, or be refreshed on such things as, what to wear, what essentials to bring on a ride, how to change a tyre, good cycle etiquette, eating and drinking ‘on the move’, and the best coffee places for that all-important post-ride chat.

The rides will start at an easy level of both distance and speed, accommodating all in the group. Over time the distance covered will increase and we’ll learn good bunch-riding skills, while gradually improving fitness and confidence

You do NOT need to attend every week.  While we'd love you all to get the absolute most out of the group - we realise that 12 weeks of Sundays is difficult to commit to at the best of times.  It's totally fine to miss the odd week - we'll still send you the details of what we covered that week - so you'll have to ask questions and perhaps do some 'homework' out on the roads ;)

Once the program is complete riders should feel confident enough to move to one or more of the regular rides happening in the area, which continue all year round.

What’s included:

• Entry to the 12 weeks of structured group sessions and rides.
• Weekly progressive skills drills lead by qualified Cycling NZ coaches.
• Weekly email updates about the upcoming route, with hints and tips included.
• A year’s membership to Kapiti Cycling Club with access to a full calendar of challenges and events that comes with that.

Cost:

$55 per person to cover the full 12-week program (incredibly good value at just over $4.50 a session.  The organisers, leaders, and coaches are all members of the Kapiti Cycling Club and give their time and effort entirely voluntarily.

When and Where:

The first session will be Sunday 20 March 2022

The last session will be Sunday 12 June 2022

We’ve intentionally left out the Sunday the 17th of April, being the Easter break.

All 12 weeks will begin outside Farmers at the back of Coastlands, Paraparaumu at 8.10AM. Other regular groups also leave from this point so don’t be concerned if you see some flash gear rolling around; chances are they’re not with your group.

What to bring:

There are all sorts of opinions on ‘the essentials’ to bring on a ride. But if we pare that down to the necessities then you should have the following:

• A roadworthy road bike
• A helmet
• A spare tube or two

Everything else we can cover as we go.

See below for basic details of each week's session

Contact Adrian at adriangmckenzie@gmail.com to find out about joining the Kapiti Good Bunch.

How to Join:

Joining is easy - simply select the Kapiti Good Bunch option here: https://www.kapiticycling/Join-Us/Join-Us. And contact Adrian (details above) to let him know you have done so. If you are already a member of the club then your entry to the group is already covered, just contact Adrian to let him know you want to join the group.

Program for the Kapiti Good Bunch

At the beginning of each ride, the ride leader will discuss for max 5 minutes the ‘theme of the week’ (see below).

Each ride will build upon things covered previously as well as in distance and time (unless it is the hill-climbing or cornering weeks where we will go out and practice this stuff in the real world).

We will start every session with 20 mins of coach lead - skills work, which will progress as people improve.  

We will finish every ride with a bunch “debrief” at a local café.

Week 1: Welcome

• Introductions
• Collect email addresses
• Explain the route for today (this will happen each week)
• 1.5 hour ride the first week.
• Explain the plans for the 12 weeks
• We all stop when somebody needs/wants to stop (puncture, change clothes etc)
• Always communicate
• What kit should you have and do people have? (tube, tyre levers, pump)
• Pre-ride checks ABC and Q
• No problem if you miss a week: check with others about the theme you missed
• Email the coordinators about whatever
• Keywords.  “Hello, my name is…”   “On time is late”

Week 2: Bunch riding

• Signals (arm on back, gravel, point out potential hazards, slowing and stopping).
• At the head of the group, you’re the eyes of the bunch and should initiate calls that get relayed back.
• Shout ‘clear’ on crossings (if clear J) and ‘car back’ when cars want to pass.  But everyone is responsible for themselves, make your own mind up about when it’s safe.
• Some activities you only do when you’re at the back: nose-blowing or drinking/eating (unless you have that fully under control).
• When you’re at the back: communicate in time when there is a split in the group: ‘Ease!’
• Discussion on when to focus your attention.
• Communicate!  Lots of talking.
• Keywords: smooth and consistent.

Week 3: Clothing

• Gloves: padding, nose-wiping, sweaty hands are slippery.
• No underwear: chafing cream.
• Padded shorts (if not all are wearing them already).
• Close-fitting clothing is a lot more aerodynamic…  Less matches burnt.
• Comfort is key – try out different kit to find what works.
• KCC kit is wonderful.
• Keywords:  Comfort, and efficiency.

Week 4:  Confidence

• Body language (taking the lane, signaling intentions, holding your line).
• Communicating: with other riders in your bunch and with car-drivers. Make sure other road-users always know where you’re going.   Acknowledging people positively.
• Knowing where to brake – especially in the wet.
• Staying out of the door zone.
• Railway lines and painted lines – crossing at right angles.
• Keywords:  Positive and confident.

Week 5: Rotating

• A rotating group maximises efficiency and can travel way faster than an individual.
• Advantage of drafting
• Rotating techniques (depends on the wind, importance to ‘wait’ once you’re leading, make it ‘smooth and consistent’)
• One finger up = single file
• How to start a rotating paceline from single file (easiest for the 2nd rider to initiate)
• Don’t go to the front if you are having difficulties keeping up.
• In the middle is easiest: the front is not drafting, the back is dealing with varying speeds
• Keywords:  Smoothness and efficiency.

Week 6: The Bike

• Riding essentials: tube, tyre levers, pump, $10 and ICE-details.

• Simple speedo is fun ($10 at Torpedo 7): distance, average, max speed etc.
• Cleats (show, the advantage of pulling).
• Lights.
• Cleaning materials available in bike-shops (brushes, soaps, etc).
• Tyre pressures – different volume tyres.
• How to change a tyre.
• Terminology:    
  • Big gear= higher gear = changing up = harder to pedal
  • Small gear= lower gear = changing down = easier to pedal
• Change gears before you need to, ease on pedal pressure and change one of the levers at one time. 
• Keywords:  Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance!

Week 7: Posture

• Advantages of a bike-fit (check prices, explain how it works with video, etc).
• Ride the bike as a jockey rides its horse.
• Sit on your sit bones only, not on the soft tissue.
• Arms are relaxed with elbows bent (shock absorbers).
• The pedal should be under the ball of your foot.
• Focus on pulling through the bottom of the stroke and up (if you have cleats).
• Relax your hands and keep shoulders down, aim for a still body. (check seat height if rocking).
• Keywords:  Comfort and efficiency.

Week 8: Cornering Technique

• Looking where you want to go.
• Getting set up before the corner.
• Weight on outside foot.
• Slow speed before higher speed practice.
• Exaggerate technique to start with.
• Keywords: “Flow over go”

Week 9: Hill Climb Technique

• When to stand, when to sit.
• Hand positions.
• Relax the upper body.
• Riding your own pace.
• Positive mind games that can help.
• Bunch positioning to maximise your chances of staying with the group.
• Keywords: Ride your own hill.

Week 10: Nutrition

• Eat before you are hungry.
• Drink before you are thirsty.
• Have a nutrition strategy that you’ve tried and know works.
• Practice nutrition strategies on group rides and find what works for you.
• Keywords:  Tried and true.

Week 11: Bunch Surfing

• Knowing when to conserve and when to spend energy.
• How to use cunning as well as fitness (sometimes instead of fitness) to negotiate a ride.
• How to read the bunch.
• Developing tactics.
• Keywords:  Thinking, thinking, thinking.

Week 12: What’s next

• How to continue to grow your abilities?
• Different training methods
  • Periodised
  • Polarised
• Joining other groups.
• Recap on what we’ve covered.
• Keywords:  Go forward with confidence.

Article added: Monday 21 February 2022