BUG shirt prototype.

At last we have in our hot little hands the prototype for the new BUG shirt. Thank you to Rick and Wally for organising this through Wear It.

The shirt (as shown photographed below) is based on the design sample presented a couple of meetings ago by Rick.

Transcript of minutes:

“Russell” Mockridge modelled a design based on previous discussions. Checked sleeves, pockets and collar and CHBUG named on back. Objective is to get away from the tight lycra racing look. “Wear it”, a local shirt manufacturer, has been approached to produce a shirt that’s not a total fitted production shirt, but more a casual shirt with visibility and wicking. Shirt shown that was purchased in Sydney, however this material is not available for 6 months. A second material sample was offered that is available – still wicks – micro fibre. Also looking at collar to turn up. Half zip front. Costed at $50-60 – could have short or long sleeved, small, medium and large choice and quantity not an issue. This price includes the venting material. Suggestion was made to add a reflective strip on top of pockets and/or around sleeve cuffs.

Those present were happy about pattern, colours, collar, material, small logo (to go a little lower down.) and back writing - Rick to provide options to be voted on, on specifics to be written there. Reflective piece liked as long as doesn’t detract too much or add too much to cost. Looser finish as opposed to elasticed cuffs and waist. UV 50+. Zip – longer the better.

This manufacturer is very flexible, you can measure a favourite shirt an inch under the arm pit and measure left to right and they’ll recreate the size.

It is modelled here by some bloke that (photographer) Cheryl refers to as the "local village idiot" (AND she called him a clown!)... The rest of us might recognise him as Brian. (Thanks for doing the catwalk thing Brian, and don't let the pressure of the fashion industry get to you...)

So - BUG members! - after you've looked at it (and you can click on each photo to go to a larger image), it would be great if you could add your feedback via the comments link below. (There are instructions in the sidebar about how to add comments, however if you have problems, email them to coffsbug(at)gmail.com).

Those who went on the Thursday morning BUG ride this week were able to look at it close up, and below the photos is a summary of their reactions so far. This list will be edited as feedback comes in.

Cheryl will also bring the actual shirt to the Sat morning community ride if you'd like to see it in 'real life', and my guess is that it will be discussed at the next BUG meeting in June.




Feedback from Thursday riders:

• Main complaint was the brightness of the yellow (or rather the lack of it). After some discussion, preferred option was the yellow of the ROMAC shirts (much brighter yellow but not the lime greeny look of the old BUG shirt) *
  
  
• People didn't like one big pocket (it's just one pocket with a zip). The feeling was it would be hard to get things out whilst on the move, things wouldn't sit evenly on long rides. Suggestion was to make it two pockets - one with a zip, one without. Everyone thinks the 3 pocket system makes them 2 small ie hard to shove a folded raincoat in them, thus the 2 pocket option and one without a zip for easy access on the move.
  
  
• Some, but not all suggested a zip front, not buttons as on a ride they might start buttons up and want to unbutton as get hotter and zips are easier.
  
  
• Finally some want long sleeve but think we could probably get it in either and don't think the harlequin would be too much for a full sleeve.
  
  
• Overall I think people liked the design and loved the side "breathable" panel.
  
  
• At least one instantly didn't like it.
  

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* ROMAC shirt - for the benefit of comparing yellows.


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In regard to the feedback, the question is, with the changes that are suggested, as above, how many will be prepared to buy it? Already there might be a few to take off the estimated numbers who would buy a new shirt, as surveyed by Dale earlier in the year (or was it last year?)

Riding for a Smile

Quite a few BUG members took part in the ROMAC Ride for a Smile in April this year. Brian Whitcher completed the whole 500km as a solo rider. Ian Scott was part of a team and clocked up well over 200km in riding himself – he’s considering taking on the whole 500km in September! Marc Schmidt, Cameron Scott and Garry Paskin appeared in the wee hours of the morning and did a sterling job as pacemen and Marc and Tracey are now considering whether they could take on the challenge on their tandem; Cheryl Dooley is the Promotions Manager for the event and also rode in the ladies team as did Deb Meredith, Ann Bartley, Dale Casley, Erica Scott and Sue Sheath.

For those of you who don’t know this ride, solo riders and teams of up to six riders will attempt to ride 500km in less than 24 hours. The average speed for these cyclists is expected to be 28kph. Individual riders will be allowed a 10- minute “comfort” break every 2 hours and at around the halfway mark there will be a 30 minute break to allow a change to warmer gear for the night riding and a hot meal. Money raised helps to bring children from developing countries to Australia for life saving and/or dignity restoring surgery.

There are lots of ways BUG members can be involved in this very worthwhile event. If you can ride at an average of 28km (and in the “train” you save about 10% of your energy), you may wish to become part of a team of riders (teams can have up to 6 members) to take on the 24-hour challenge. The event is also running a ladies team on the top track which will not complete the 500km, but which will keep a lady on the track at all times, going at whatever pace they feel comfortable with. In April many of these ladies were invited to join in the “train” of riders and found they could keep up easily and really enjoyed the ride. Pace riders are also needed, as are people to help organise activities and to display their bikes and we know we have the most interesting bikes in the region in this group.

Deb Meredith riding the top track for the ladies team


Cheryl Dooley, riding for the ladies team, being invited to join the ride "train".

The ride train in action

It’s hoped there will be live entertainment all day as well as other activities including:
- Helmet checks for both children and adults including the correct way to wear a helmet (so many wear one without doing them up correctly)
- Cycling skills development “fun” particularly for children, on the criterium circuit adjoining the velodrome
- Road safety forum which discusses all aspects of road safety for children
- Fun rides on the top of the velodrome
- Displays of various bicycles eg various types of single bikes eg road versus mountain, as well as tandems, triplets, trikes, recumbents and combinations for family riding.
- Bike checks i.e. checks of brakes, gears and tyres and basic “how to” advice on bike maintenance.
Interested? Contact Cheryl Dooley on 66543793 or at dooleydy@bordernet.com.au or check out the ROMAC website http://www.romac.org.au/news/coffs

Thursday BUG riders on a roll!

For quite some time now Jim Ward has been leading a BUG Thursday morning cruise to Sawtell headland and back from Howard Street. The group is growing and lately has had some extra fun.
Firstly Tracey, Webmaster "extraordinaire" recruited the group for a photo shoot for the BUG Website upgrade. The first time they tried it everyone involved had an idea of what would work and so several angles were tried and at the end of it all, none of them worked! However there was enough in one of them for Tracey, or rather the “boss”- daughter Caitlin - (as the graphic designer, the real web designer) to decide on what they needed.

So the next Thursday the ride group headed to Sawtell headland as usual, and then back to Howard Street and then up over Beacon Hill to the jetty for another photo shoot. Mild mannered Tracey was concerned about keeping the group in order and where she really needed them. Enter the groups barking Sergeant Major Dooley who commanded the troops as requested and this time a near perfect shot was obtained – yahoo! I might add that the weather was superb for both shots! No one was very concerned about the detour to the jetty as all enjoyed the great coffee and goodies at Wild Harvest, (formerly The Tide & Pilot).

A pictorial record of "The Photo Shoot" rides can be seen on our BUG Flickr photo album site >> here.

The following week the group wondered what would be the ride highlight, given there was no photo shoot to attend, but they shouldn’t have been concerned, ride leader Jim had things in hand. As he led the group from the airport road onto the cycle way, heading for the headland, he took a wide curve and ended up on the grass beside the cycle way. “No problem” He said to himself. (Anyone who knows Jim can hear him saying that…) and he just moved the steering on this mountain bike slightly to rise up onto the cycle kerb. Sadly the bike had other plans and just keeled sideways and much to every ones’ surprise Jim rolled gracefully off the bike and over and over again and was then back up on his feet and back on the bike before anyone could really take it all in. No damage done to his body, well none that he was admitting to at that point, the ride continued.

Everyone is very thrilled that Carolyn Peddie has joined the group on her new trike. Rob’s been riding with us for a while now and we all wondered how we could lure Carolyn into the fun and get her up to speed quickly. Come the 15th May, Carolyn had been out on a couple of Thursday rides and seemed to be improving with every turn. On this Thursday though, with a strong headwind Carolyn ran out of puff. She struggled and pushed but somehow nothing was working. She and Rob fell further and further behind and eventually Carolyn sent Rob ahead to let the group know she was turning back – she simply wasn’t up to it. After Rob left, she stopped for a while and then on resuming she realised that for the entire ride she had had her handbrake firmly on! Ah Carolyn the traps that are there for beginners! When the main group found her in Howard Street we all laughed our socks of, but where was Rob? We think we were on the airport road when Rob went down the cycleway and completely missed us – he found us eventually and all enjoyed great coffee and laughs.

So there you have it. If you have time for a Thursday morning ride we recommend it. Starting at 7.30am at Howard Street, heading for Sawtell headland and then back over to Wild Harvest most times. The pace is a bit slower, so this is very suited to beginners and we are usually all done by 10am.

The Thursday group adoring Carolyn and her new trike.

Cheryl

A PS. from Tracey:

Thursday 4th June will be another Thursday morning ride hijack! We are entertaining some Bike North visitors in Coffs for three days of riding (Wednesday, Thursday AND Friday), and we are working on showing them as much of the cycling in and around Coffs as possible. (Am using the term 'we' in the royal 'we' sense a bit here... but I hope you'll be able to roll with me on the ride proposals !!)

The plan is to start a bit later (well, doesn't it take till nearly 7.45 to get going from Howard St anyway?!)... and take the "scenic" route to Sawtell via the International Stadium, the highway bike path, and Lyons Rd, ending up as usual on Sawtell Headland - the plan being to arrive at the Sawtell Surf Club by the time it opens at, we think, 9am. (There is scope to meet up at Sawtell for those who don't want to go the longer route.) It seemed kind of appropriate to take the Sydneyites on their "Winter Sun Tour" for coffee overlooking one of our wonderful surf beaches.

On the way back we'll take a detour in to the velodrome for a look/see, and then wander back to the Tide and Pilot Wild Harvest (I had no idea the name had changed!) for an early lunch, before the craziest among us head off to "Do Bruxner"- returning to Coffs via Moonee Beach and the highway... the return trip sounds a bit hairy, but the shoulder is pretty wide all the way from Moonee to Coffs.

(Friday is the Bello loop ride, from Repton, via South Arm road, returning via North Arm Rd.)