Ride

Why I Love to Ride

Why I (Love to) Ride

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This coming Sunday, July 20th, Rapha is encouraging women across the globe to ride 100 kilometers or more. A great chance to get together to spend a day riding on beautiful roads between here and Mt Wachusett? We wouldn't miss the opportunity. We are very excited to be hosting very fun rides of 100 kilometers and 100 miles in length. Each ride has a group riding at a more casual pace, one moderate, and one quicker. Choose the distance and speed that's right for you. We have many wonderful women who are leading and sweeping so no matter your pace or comfort level, you'll have others to ride and share the day with.

More reasons to come out to ride on July 20th:

  • We have a very special and unique Rapha apparel promotion just for you on July 20th.
  • Receive a discount for a massage with Kimber Green - she is an outstanding massage therapist who practices in Lexington and Somerville who understands what active women and men need.
  • Enjoy Enerchi Bites as fuel on the ride - these are well formulated whole food and active nutrition created by local women who ride. (As seen in the Rapha souplesse jersey in above photo. Taken by Michael Lovely.)
  • Meet the RSC Expedition Team - this is a group of six ladies who love to ride and have deep experience in most kinds of riding, racing, juggling work, life and riding, and who are more than happy to answer questions, or simply give you confidence.
  • How is your bike working? Any day leading up to the ride, anyone registered may have her bike serviced by our pro mechanics. This week we'll treat your bike to our "Rapha Women's Ride Pro Bike Prep" service: we'll adjust your derailleurs, lube your chain, fill your tires with air, and give the bike a safety check - so you're ready to go on Sunday for $35. Please call ahead so we will expect you (339) 970-0187.
  • Have the chance to buy Molly Hurford's book Saddle, Sore - a book written just for women addressing issues and questions that women have on the bike.

Register Now

Why Do You Ride?

We ask those who register, "Why do you ride?" Here are some of the responses we've received from the ladies who will be riding out of here on July 20th:

Allison:  It makes me feel stronger. I'm exhausted after a long ride or race, but I feel accomplished. If I can get through a grueling ride, I can do anything!

Christina:  For fun and triathalons!

Helen:  It helps clear my head after a long day and after using up all my energy from my ride I can sleep like a rock at the end of the day! This is my first big ride with so many people and it is really exciting to get out on the road and train for it!

Courtney:  I love it!

Kelley:  I ride because it feels good! I like feeling the wind in my face, my legs working below me and the general feel good vibe that comes from exercising. Also by riding I get to explore new routes and see new parts of cities and towns I would have otherwise missed. Riding in groups doubles the fun as you have other people to share the experience with!

Charlotte:  I ride because it makes me feel independent and empowered.

Melissa:  It never gets dull.

Ashley:  I ride because I love its freedom. Freedom to go wherever you please, from being stagnant, from connection to technology, from being on the grid, freedom from life's distractions and the ability to just enjoy the ride!

Dana:  Being on a bike is joyful. it is meditative. it is simple. it allows me to do something i love with people i love and get to places i love and go swimming. it is shared with my littlest nephew, age four, and my oldest grandmother, age ninety-one. i know my strength and joy on a bike.

Jessie:  The way you experience the world on a bike is like nothing else, and it is one of the best feelings there is.

Portia:  Friendship, competition, speed; wind on my face and burn in my legs

Zabeth:  Because on a good day my legs, my heart, and my breath are in harmony and all is right with the world as I fly along just above the ground.

Laura:  Fun!

Jeanette:  Because it is liberating & a blast.

Liz:  Joy, freedom, fitness, obsession, you name it!

Emily:  Cuz it's a gnarly fun time.

Mona:  Exercise and for fun!

Paula:  Because I feel so healthy and alive!

Agnes:  Because it is a great way to stay fit and active and have fun with friends at the same time!

Jessica:  I ride because I love seeing how far my legs can take me. And I love climbing hills!

Nancy:  It's awesome... like flying like a bird

Laurie:  It feels like flying sometimes! A sense of freedom It's like being a kid again, playing with friends

Sarah:  I ride to keep my mind, body, and soul at ease.

Heather:  Relaxation, fitness, sights, smells, sweat

Michele:  It helps me clear my head.

Brittany:  I love to ride for the workout and to enjoy being outside. I love the reward of a downhill after a difficult climb.

Emilia:  Riding is my freedom

Katia:  To save on hair products. Wearing a helmet does wonders to my hairdo! Also, padded spandexed shorts are the new little black dress! Don't take my word for it, just take a look around you :)

RSC Expedition Team pedals through a peaceful apple orchard in NH.

 

Riding is the Best Kind of Meeting

Riding is the Best Kind of Meeting

by Patria Lanfranchi

TeamShimanoPatria

This past weekend, I had the chance to ride for Team Shimano at the Best Buddies Challenge from Boston to Hyannis, a 100-mile ride that raises a lot of money for Best Buddies. You've likely heard of them, but you might not know the impact that they have in the lives of people. They are dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Having two days with Shimano meant talking a lot about what's happening with technology and the future of Shimano and all sorts of related products. I was amongst a group who are very technically minded and they geek out on the cool stuff. The hot topic is Shimano electronic Di2 shifting. Soon mountain bikes will be equipped with Di2 and, with a small addition of a sensor, your bike computer will be able to tell you what gear you're in--no more looking down to see which cogs your chain is sitting on. I saw a lot of Di2 bikes ridden amongst team members (I'm one of those riding Di2 on my Seven Evergreen and I have been extremely impressed with how well it works*).

ShimanoGroupShot

We had a good time talking about what's coming out as well as how Shimano and other bike shop owners and fitters solve interesting challenges. The new technology and options are making riding better in very noticeable ways. There is a lot of solid engineering and testing behind the new products we're seeing. 

Among what's new is: 11-speed drivetrains, disc hydraulic road brakes, electronic shifting, impressive lighting options battery- and generator-driven, new action camera options, and fancy technology in GPS, touch-screen bike computers. These are the first to pop to mind, there are so many others.

Is it a blessing or curse that we in New England have so many roads that go in many different directions, constantly changing names, that it's nearly impossible to do a long ride without a multiple page cue sheet or a GPS bike computer?  I'll leave the answer to that for another day, but it's yet one more excuse to buy a new toy: the Garmin Edge 1000 which I used for the first time on this ride. Coming from spending a lot of time with the Edge 800 and 810 models, moving to the 1000 is a breeze. I'll post my full impressions of this unit as soon as I've had a chance to give it a test in a less structured environment (read: when I get to go off-road with it). Between this unit, the Garmin Touring Plus, and the simple, economical Garmin Edge 200, it seems there is a bike computer out there that will strike a good balance for every kind of rider who values some kind of mapping functionality. (We have all of these and a few other models on our shelves.)

Watch for more posts, photos, news, everything, we've got a lot going on that we want you part of and we're sharing it via our blog (here), Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and our newsletter - catch it all, we want you to join us!

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Thanksgiving Day Ride

Group rideStart Thanksgiving Day with a great 58-mile ride and get home before the feast begins! We'll be meeting up here at the Ride Studio Cafe at 7am and follow this route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/823126

This is an intermediate ride, with the pace being ~17-18mph (it's a base-building, fat-burning kind of ride).

The Studio is closed on Thanksgiving, but the doors will be open to riders before and after the ride! If this ride is too long to fit your schedule, feel free to do the portion that works for you.

RSVPs are appreciated but not required. We're looking forward to riding with you!