Biking Group

Have cats and need bike panniers -- for commuting or short trips to the store? Now you can combine your passions with this article as a guide..

Darkness comes earlier in the Fall -- and you don't want to be caught on the road in the dark before you get home. Here is a nice instructional on being visible and staying safer at dusk and night.

Tired of an ordinary bicycle -- there is plenty of inspiration (build your own wooden bike) from Kevin Kelly on observations around the World.

For those getting older, or slower -- there is a solution. How about a gasoline (250mpg) powered bicycle for commuting? Sort of a do it yourself project as shown in this article by a gentleman from Phoenix, Arizona.

The Providence to Newport Ferry Service to end this year -- The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority said the service will end because the last of a series of federal grants for the service is expiring. The seasonal service resumes on May 16 and will make its last trips on October 16, 2008. (Ed. This may be our last chance to do our ferry down to Newport and bike back to Providence ride.)

Cyclist Told He Shouldn’t be on the Road - By Police -- The cyclist was out for a ride on New Year’s day and returned through Providence. As he was heading past the State House he was almost hit by a police SUV, pulled over and "grilled". Do you know the bicycle laws in Rhode Island?

The biking community looses one of its greatest supporters and a most informative person. Sheldon Brown passed away this February. His web site is one of the largest, providing volumes of information about bicycles and biking.

Still, RI confounds bikepath logic. (The new bill was quietly withdrawn.) After 14 years Rhode Islanders never quite understood which side to use on the bikepaths. Two years ago a new bill was introduced to revise the Rhode Island State bike path rules so that they would be consistent with both Connecticut and Massachusetts when the new bike paths link up. The new laws were to take effect Summer of 2008 so that State bike paths would conform to normal instincts by directing all bike path users, whether they are biking, walking, skating or traveling by any other non-motorized means, to travel in the same direction on the right-side of the bike path, to pass to the left and to give appropriate warning to other users when passing, and travel at safe and appropriate speeds. (Read the press release) (Link for history of issue.)

CHARLESTOWN - A Warwick man was killed yesterday (Sept 4, 2007) afternoon while riding his bicycle along Route 1 south between Kings Factory Road and Posser Trail. The accident happened around 4 p.m. when a gray Buick Rendezvous sport-utility vehicle traveling south on Route 1 veered off the road into the shoulder, fatally striking Frank J. Cabral, 41, who had left a summer cottage he was staying at on Matunuck Beach Road to go for a bicycle ride. Cabral was riding in the same direction, on the shoulder of the road. www.projo.com

News Release 5/31/2007 - East Bay Bike Path turns 15 today -- The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) today announced that 2007 will be a busy year for bike path development, beginning with the 15th anniversary of the dedication of the East Bay Bike Path today. RIDOT has built a network of more than 40 miles of bike paths across Rhode Island and looks forward to projects that will expand that network even further. (read the press release)

Midday Bike Rides -- Be sure to monitor our website message board for midweek/midday bike rides. They will be posted a couple of days before the planned ride, listing the leader, contact information and general area of the ride, weather permitting. Please join a group of newly retired, part time workers for last minute bike rides in our lovely state!

The Narragansett Chapter offers bike rides at several levels within the diversity of Rhode Island and outlying areas. Within the catagories of "Easy Riders" rides and "Intermediate" rides, we hope to give all that want to ride with us, some rides that they can relax on, and some faster rides that riders can get some good exercise on. We welcome first time riders, both active members and prospective members. We do not require you to be a member of the AMC to join our rides.

Our rides are listed in the Gansett Gazette and on the AMC Chapter database. All of our rides require the participant to call the leader or coleader to find out the starting time and location. If the leader does not know the rider personally, they will probably ask them about their experience. All of our rides require the rider to sign a waiver agreement. Most of our weekend rides start in the middle morning and end in the middle afternoon. Riders usually bring a lunch or snack for a lunch break. Weekend rides range from easy 10 miles, to 30+ mile rides. Our midweek rides begin late in the afternoon, allowing for riders coming from work, and end before sunset. The length of the midweek rides is based on the amount of daylight available. On the many flat and traffic free bike paths we sometimes extend our rides into the dark and enjoy a quiet evening ride. Many of our rides end on a social note, which could include indulging in ice cream, or heading out for pizza.

We offer free clinics for those who wish to learn the basics of bicycle maintenance. During the ride the leader will have access to tools to fix any flats or minor adjustments that might impair the safety or comfort of the rider. A map of the route is usually provided for the participants on our weekend rides, especially if the route is complicated. We do not let the riders string out, but have frequent 'stop and regroup' breaks to let the slower riders catch up. To keep riders from getting lost, a sweep is always on the ride to keep the last riders company and help any rider that might have mechanical problems.

Rhode Island has a wonderful network of roads, typical of New England, that includes a network of stiff rolling hills in the north and western sections, and fairly flat roads in the south and eastern part of the Rhode Island and Massachusetts (yes, we sneak into Massachusetts sometimes). Coastal rides in the summer are especially pleasant, and on hot days beaches which have resident only parking restrictions, are fair game for riders (ie. bikes are free) who remember to bring their towels.

Easy Rider Rides -- Helmets are mandatory for all rides. Gloves and mirrors are recommended. The riders should have a bike that is suitable for the ride. A rusty 3-speed with 20 year old tires just isn't going to do it. (See our biking resources pages for information.) The rider should carry a spare tube that fits their bike in case of a flat. A means of carrying lunch and water should be available, which means as little as a wire handlebar basket or a small backpack. If the ride is to possibly extend into the evening hours, the bike should have adequate reflectors and flashers attached. It is also wise to carry a bike light in this situation. The rider should carry proper personal identification. The rider should be able to ride at least 10-15 miles and maintain a average pace of 6-8 mph. The actually difficulty of the ride will depend on a large extent on the hills on the route.

Intermediate Rides -- Helmets are mandatory for all rides. Gloves and mirrors are recommended. In addition to all the items required for the Easy Rider rides, the rider must be able to average a 12 mph pace over 25-35 miles. Again hills will add to the difficulty of the ride. We do not have advanced rides because we do not ride competitively, but the leader will tell you if they condsider their ride 'relaxed' intermediate or 'fast' intermediate. The bike should be a multispeed road bike with suitable gearing for hills, which usually means a triple chain ring gearing. (ie. 18-27 speed gearing) The speed of the rides usually rule out mountain bikes unless they have narrower "slicks" for tires.

The overall AMC Leadership Requirements and Guidelines will apply to all our leaders.
We also require that you participate in two rides, and at least two co-leads before a lead position.
The leader must schedule their ride and get approval from the biking sub-chair. They then have the responsibility to get the ride listed. Either doing it themselves, or informing someone else that will do it for them.
Since all our rides are pre-screened, the leader, or designated co-leader must take calls or emails from prospective riders. We try to arrange our rides for comparable skill riders. If the leader feels that someone does not have the ability to keep up with the level of ride advertised, they should discourage that rider from joining the ride. Suitable "Easy Rider" bike rides are offered for beginners and slower riders, and the leader should encourage the applicant to join one of those rides.
We like to give our riders a map of the route (especially if the route is complicated), so the leader should be able to make up a readable map of the route. If the leader does not have access to a copying or making a readable map, they may be to obtain the map from someone else. For the shorter weekday evening rides we do not require a map, but the leader must have one, know the route, and be aware of sunset limitations.
The leader must be able to change a flat tire and make simple adjustments, and have the proper tools, which includes a working air pump. If not, the leader should arrange for someone to join the ride that is adequately prepared.
The leader is responsible for designating a "sweep" rider in the group to make sure that the last rider is adequately supported. This duty may be rotated throughout the ride, but the leader must know who it is.
The leader is responsible for getting all riders back to the starting point.
The leader should know what to do in an emergency or accident.