Cycle Stratford rolls into new season May 4

The 2025 season for Cycle Stratford launches May 4 with a Sunday ride leaving Market Square at 9 a.m.

The cycling club has been together in its current iteration for about 11 years with a membership of typically around 60-70 riders. Members of all ages are encouraged to join in on routes that are the right fit for their experience and skill.

Pete McDonnell, president of the cycling club, has been riding pretty much since he could walk. His uncle was a dedicated cyclist who made a big impression on him, and he too is now passionate about the sport.

“I commute by bike as much as I can, and the club is involved in a lot of advocacy work as well promoting active transportation and cycling as a mode of active transportation. I am very fortunate to live and work in town, so I commute by bike as much as possible even in the winter,” said McDonnell.

Routes are generally not structured in advance of the ride. The group assembles in Market Square where leaders will ask those gathered how they are feeling, what kind of distance they are looking to ride that day and what the wind is like.

“The first ride will be a shorter, easier ride. Some of our members stay on their bike trainers indoors through the winter but most don’t, so many won’t have fresh legs. We will take it easy the first few rides as we build up our strength,” said McDonnell.

Sunday rides start at 9 a.m. and Wednesday evening rides start at 6 p.m. All rides begin at Market Square and are weather dependent – weather will factor into the route as heat can make it difficult, as can wind.

They are planning to try a gravel route this year, likely to be held once a month to see if there is enough interest. The route will be a little longer and challenging but there are fewer cars and hopefully the road is not freshly graded. There are a number of options and strategies in the route that can be employed if that is the case.

This is a group that does not do drop rides. Those that do drop rides tend to be more competitive and, if someone falls behind or has a flat tire, then that is something the rider must contend with on their own. Within this club, there is a leader and a sweep who follows at the end to ensure all riders are accounted for at check points and no one falls behind.

“A decent portion of the membership appreciates the social aspect of the group but also being able to participate in a group exercise with likeminded individuals. It’s a very supportive group. We’ve had people with a flat tire and there would be a cluster of people offering to help. There’s comradery among the riders,” said McDonnell.

New cyclists wanting to try out for themselves before committing are welcome to participate once signing a waiver found on the website. The waiver allows them to ride with the club twice so they can see if this is something for them and they enjoy the route.

“Folks are more than welcome to come before 9 a.m. on Sunday morning and meet some of the members, see what we are planning to get up to that day, or show up a bit before 6 p.m. on a Wednesday and do the same thing. Sign a waiver and you are welcome to join us for two rides to see if you like it,” said McDonnell.

The safety of riders across all skill levels is paramount. There is a dedicated safety officer who is involved in anything ride related in terms of scheduling rides, training, or a short safety briefing before setting out on rides. New cyclists are greeted with a chat about where they are at with their skill level and  recommendations for an appropriate cycle route they can join in on.

The biggest challenge to the club when riding is pot-holes, but Stratford is a very bikeable city. Riders need to keep their wits about them and be aware of traffic, but by choosing the appropriate route, riding can be a pleasant and fruitful exercise.

For more information about Cycle Stratford, to become a member, or to sign the waiver to try out the ride, visit cyclestratford.com.