PVC Group Rides

Monday Night Women’s Ride:

This is our weekly women’s-only developmental/recovery-paced ride. It is our most social ride with an average speed 14-16 mph and several wait spots to maintain the “no-drop” status. This ride is offered for those new to group riding, or for women who have ridden hard or raced the weekend before and want a slower pace. Distance is approximately 16 miles on a loop that includes rolling terrain and hills. Please make sure you have a road bike in good working condition with drop handlebars and narrow road tires. Cleated cycling shoes with non-platform pedals are strongly suggested – i.e. clipless pedals. Front and rear lights may be required at the beginning and end of the season.

Starts rolling on Monday May 6, 2024 5:50 PM (weather permitting).
In September the ride will start at 5:30pm.
Last Monday ride will be on September 23, 2024

All MNR rides start and finish at Emmaus Lutheran Church, 265 Middle Road, Falmouth 

For more information, email Jen Battis

Route Maps:
Click HERE for RideWithGPS Route Map for MNR (15.5 miles)  Route 88/Princess Pt Route
Click HERE for Strava Route Map MNR

• Women’s Tuesday Night Ride:

This is a women’s-only training ride for those seeking a little midweek intensity. Some group riding skills preferred but not necessary. This ride is designed to hone riding skills including hill climbing and descending techniques. Recreational pace* over a distance of approximately 30 miles through Falmouth, Cumberland, Windham and Westbrook. The route includes rolling terrain, climbs and descents with 4 wait spots to allow for regrouping. Please don’t be intimidated by this ride. Those that will charge ahead on the hills will circle back and do the hill again so that those of us slower on the hills can do it at our own pace. Win-Win.

Front and rear lights may be required during early and late season.

Starts rolling on Tuesday May 7, 2024, 5:30pm then moving to 6:00pm on May 21 (weather permitting) through August.  In September the ride will be at 5:15pm.
Last Tuesday ride will be on September 24, 2024

Starts and finishes at Payson Park, parking lot at foot of hill by Ocean Ave.

For more information, email Chess McGee

Route Maps:
Click HERE for RideWithGPS Route Map
Click HERE for Strava Route Map

• Wednesday Night Ride (Coed):

The Wednesday Night Ride is a group ride that begins at the South Portland High School Parking lot on Highland Avenue.  The “A” ride leaves at 5:30pm and will ride 20-26mph no waiting. If you get dropped on A ride keep going or take a short cut to catch back on. Prouts Neck is a perfect place to turn early and grab the group.  Pace is dictated by both groups but plan for a hard ride most nights.  The route traces much of the same route as the Saturday Morning Ride (SMR), except that we turn left on Pleasant Hill Road, then right on Fogg Road before turning left onto Black Point Road (to avoid evening traffic). Sprint for the glory at the end, if you like! Most nights the “A Ride” is the fastest ride of the week, including the SMR.

Starts on Wednesday April 17, 2024, at 5:30pm from South Portland High School Tennis Courts Parking Lot. In the Fall the ride will start earlier due to daylight.
Last Wednesday ride will be on November 13, 2024

This is an A ride with pace (20-26mph)

Route Maps:
Click HERE for MapmyRide Route Map
Click HERE for Strava Route Map

Saturday Morning Rides:

• Saturday Morning Ride (SMR):

This is a team training ride, open to all and group riding skills are important.

The ride is about 30 miles long, departing Cyclemania and goes throughout South Portland and Cape Elizabeth to Prouts Neck and back along the shore. It’s mostly rolling to flat terrain. There are 4 major sprints on the men’s ride: “Prouts Neck”, “Fire Hydrant Hill”, “Inn By the Sea”, and of course the “Cookie Jar”.  This is the largest competitive ride in the state and attracts all major Maine teams, with riders from Bethel, Augusta and York and Cumberland counties.  The men’s ride is an intensity pace* (>23MPH average) and has as many as 75 riders in the summer.

Usually starts the first Saturday in March (if roads are clear of snow) through the last Saturday before Thanksgiving; every week. Month of March no sprints.

Starts March 2, 2024

Ride begins at Cyclemania and leaves at 7:30am

Double Loop with Cash Bonuses on November 16, 2024 Ride. Last Official SMR of the season.

Expect a 1.5 hour ride and join us post-ride at PVC sponsor Coffee by Design on Diamond Street.

Route Maps:
Click HERE for RideWithGPS Route Map
Click HERE for Strava Route Map

• Women’s SMR Ride:

Starts rolling on Saturday, May 4, 2024, 8:00am and then moves to 7:30am on May 25th (weather permitting) through the Saturday before Thanksgiving. 

 

We may switch to an 8:00 start time after Indigenous Peoples’ Day (formerly known as Columbus Day).

 

The ride leaves from CycleMania and the route is the same as Co-Ed ride

 

The ride is a no-drop ride and a recreational pace similar to the TNR (without the hills). 

 

There are a few regrouping spots on the route: The first one will be at the Highland Ave.,  South Portland tennis court parking lot, there will also be on at the Black Point Inn in Scarborough and the last one will be the Cookie Jar parking lot on Cottage Rd. in South Portland. There will be 1-2 more TBD at the start of each ride and once finalized will be posted here in June.

 

There are no sprints.

 

There is always the option for post-ride coffee at CBD and/or an option for folks to post if they wish to extend the ride after we return to Portland either before or after coffee.  

 

Route Maps:
Click HERE for RideWithGPS Route Map
Click HERE for Strava Route Map

 

For questions about the Women’s SMR, e-mail  Linda Sheehy.

 

• Sunday Morning Ride – SuMR Coed Ride

There are group rides that happen on Sunday’s which are announced by email before the weekend specifying the start location, distance, and route. All are welcome and the pace is Club Pace with some Intensity at times but always regroups. No one is left behind.

Note: These are road rides so a road bike is required. Tri-bikes are not allowed in group rides for safety reasons.

*Club (or Recreational) Pace: As on all rides speeds can vary greatly based on conditions and terrain but it is reasonable to expect that these rides will average between 16-18 MPH over more than 20 miles. Club pace groups may break up at times, for example on hills, in crosswinds or after long sections at slightly higher speeds. The group will also stop to get back together at relatively frequent intervals if riders have gone off the back of the group. If riders have flats or other mechanicals the group will stop. PVC tries to have a designated ride leader and sweep at every Club Pace ride.  The leader and the riders should work together to make sure that no one rides alone.

*Intensity (or Tempo) Pace: This is harder than Club Pace.  Riders in these groups should be fit and experienced.  These will average 3 or 4 miles an hour faster than Club Pace.  There likely will not be a designated leader or sweep rider. Riders may get left behind particularly near the end of the ride.  The group may not stop for mechanicals or flats.

*Race Pace: This refers to hard efforts for the fittest riders with appropriate bike skills.  Riders are expected to be fully self-sufficient. If you flat, get dropped, or get lost then tough.  This is the level of effort to expect if you join the race team members on a team ride. (Expect no less than a Cat 3 ride level.)