Michael Woods began mountain biking as a teenager. Through 20 years of starting a family and building a career, he never grew tired of two-wheeled transportation.
But these days, he prefers to pedal on the pavement.
“Road cycling is a more efficient use of your time,” he said. “You can ride to work in the morning and go for a long ride after work, and still be home for dinner.”
“And it’s solid riding.”
He still hits the rougher trail terrain with his kids on camping trips, but long road rides prepare him for the endurance based cycling events like the Ride to Conquer Cancer (200 km), and the Gran Fondos (>122 km) across the province.
As Woods cycled around the streets of Chilliwack for transportation, training or recreation, he’d frequently see other men and women enjoying an afternoon or weekend ride, but they were always on their own.
“There weren’t any structured, organized clubs out there,” Woods said. Groups of friends might ride together for a day, but there wasn’t a formal, registered club with a greater goal in place.
In the summer of 2014, Woods decided to take it upon himself to change that.
He talked to some local bike shops for ideas, scrambled some sponsors together, registered through Cycling B.C., and started spreading the word about the newly founded Odlum Brown Cycling Club.
The club’s membership continues to grow year to year as more people get into gear.
Scheduled Odlum Brown Cycling Club rides begin in March (running Thursdays and Saturdays) and continue through the fall. The rides are less frequent and weatherdependent during the darker, winter months.
The enjoyment you get out of every ride depends on what you put into it, but there are a few factors that make for smooth cycling.
Woods says he’s always looking for different scenery, whether its a new farm country road, or simply taking a familiar route and riding it backwards.
Riders always have fun when there’s a challenge. Like trying to “hold the wheel,” meaning keep up with, the fastest rider in the group, or pushing your limits to beat a personal best ascending a steep hill.
But casual rides are great too, Woods said. Particularly on the weekends, there’s a great chance to have a good chat with the rider next to you as the group strolls around a lake.
“Road cycling is very much a team sport,” Woods explained. The riders in the front of the pack “break wind,” meaning that they work 30 per cent harder than those who are just inches behind them.
On club rides, cyclists will rotate positions every few minutes. “It means that everyone stays strong, and everyone stays fresh,” Woods explained.
“We’re a supportive, diverse group of riders,” he pointed out. “We welcome everybody with open arms.”
The diversity of gender, age and skill level is all part of the fun. In fact, “our fastest rider is in his mid 50s,” Woods laughed.
When a new member joins the club, existing members help them to feel comfortable and confident on the ride, and they’ll do what’s necessary to ensure no one gets “dropped,” meaning left behind.
The club will continue to grow this summer as more members of the Chilliwack community get hooked on the joys of cycling.
“Riding out there in the fresh air, it’s a great way to clear your head,” Woods said. When you’re determined to finish a 50 km ride in a set period of time, or to beat your personal best up to the Ryder Lake fire hall, you’re not worrying about the stresses of work.
Plus, the long rides are a great way to improve your physical fitness and get to know like-minded people.
Odlum Brown cyclists keep track of their rides on Strava.com.
Visit obcyclingclub.ca to learn more about the club or to become a member.
More cycling opportunities
Additional cycling clubs nearby include the Fraser Valley Road Cycling Club (fraservalleyroadcycling.com), the Mt Cheam Cycling Club (contact pedalsport.com), and a variety of group rides are scheduled through the Chilliwack Outdoor Club (chilliwackoutdoorclub.com).