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A Message From the President
July is here, and that means one thing for our club:
The Gold Coast!
Before discussing that, some important news:
Our first in-person (Yay!) meeting will be Tuesday, July 6, 7:00 PM in the Harborfields Library Community Room. The maximum number of people allowed will be 35, and that will be strictly enforced.
If you wish to attend, you must sign up like a ride on the event calendar.
The Library has implemented Covid policies for meetings as well: If you are not vaccinated, you must wear a mask and keep a 6 foot distance from others. Vaccinated people are encouraged to wear masks and distance as well. The Library's entire Covid policy is the next section below.
Thanks to VP John Greene and ace photographer, John Siedlecki for accompanying me to the Rally for the Robert Moses Bikeway. We met with Tim Kennedy, the State Senator who heads the State Transportation committee as well as County Executive, Steve Bellone. They were both very positive about pushing for funding this bike path from Gardiner County Park onto the Robert Moses Causeway. This would connect to the Jones Beach Bike path. Cyclists could start in Suffolk County and access Jones Beach and ultimately the Bethpage Bike path.
New Committee members: Congratulations (I think!) and thank you to Arne Johnson for becoming the Assistant Webmaster. Look for his Blog on Pot Holes.
Jeff Erlitz is now officially the Road Conditions Chair. He will be posting news of pre-pavings, updates of road work and general conditions of the roads we frequent. Please look on the Forum for this information under the title,"Road Conditions". You have the option to get an email alert from this Forum, instead of from the Groups.io.
Some changes to our ride descriptions: Rides will now be a maximum of 12, with a 3 person waiting list.
As per the CDC, masks are not mandated for outdoors, but are required indoors if you are not vaccinated, or if the dining establishment insists on them being worn. Have them handy on all rides!
Now, the Gold Coast. If you intend on riding the Gold Coast with a leader on a scheduled ride July 10 or July 11, please sign up now. The sooner we know who wants to ride in a group, the easier it will be to make sure there is a group with a leader for each ride desired. If you wish to ride one (or all!) the routes on your own, you don't need to sign up, but do take pictures and send them so we can post them.
I cannot say this enough, please patronize our Gold Coast sponsor "rest stops/dining areas". Mention that you are riding the Gold Coast with the HBC. Their information is on the Cue sheets and all of the RWGPS routes. This will be discussed in detail at our meeting Tuesday.
I look forward to seeing you in person at the meeting, Tuesday.
Ride safely!
Karen Gellert, HBC President
| Please read this information put out by our meeting host:
Harborfields Library COVID-19 Procedures
Last Updated:
06/24/21
Please Follow Our Procedures
The health and well-being of our community is our top priority!
- Masks are optional for fully vaccinated individuals. Unvaccinated individuals, over the age of 2, must wear a mask while in the library and maintain six feet of social distancing.
- The Library will not require staff or patrons to show proof of vaccination while in our building, relying, as per NYS and CDC guidelines, on the “honor system.”
- Masks must be worn at all times for unvaccinated patrons attending any indoor programming.
- Please leave furniture in place.
- Curbside pickup and remote printing will continue to be available
|  | | Talking about the possibility of having a Robert Moses Bikeway originating in Suffolk County's Gardiner Park. Here with County Executive, Steve Bellone. |  | | The Crankin' meet the "Newbies"! | | |
Empire State Ride Long Island information:
Here is the website to register: https://esrlongisland.com
Club member code: HBC2021 that will give HBC members a $10 discount.
Date: Saturday, July 24th
Routes: 10, 25 and 62 mile options
Location: Start and finish of all routes is Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park in Oyster Bay
Proceeds: Funding collaborative clinical trials for cancer treatments between Roswell Park and Catholic Health of Long Island
Catholic Health Info:
Catholic Health is not a destination hospital network, but primarily cares for those in its communities:
Good Samaritan – West Islip
Mercy – Rockville Center
St. Catherine – Smithtown
St. Charles – Port Jefferson
St. Frances – Roslyn
St. Joseph – Bethpage
Two of those hospitals, Mercy and St. Charles are DSH (disproportionate share hospitals), meaning they serve a disproportionately large number of low-income patients as compared to their total patients
Lastly, funds generated from Empire State Ride Long Island will support Clinical Research Programs where all are accepted – regardless of income. |  | | Sayville with Arne |  | | Greene at Greene | | |
Featured Article:
Everything You Need to Know
About Bike Fit
A PROPER BIKE FIT (DIY OR PRO) CAN MAKE YOU MORE COMFORTABLE AND EVEN FASTER ON THE BIKE
BY JOE LINDSEY, for Bicycling
So you just bought a bike. Or because it’s one of the best ways to get around, you’re about to.
But now you find out that maybe you should pay even more money to make sure it fits so your ride is comfortable. Sounds like a lot, but don’t dismiss the idea: A bike fit is designed to ensure your bike fits you properly, which means it could be the key to loving that bike even more or never using it.
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Why proper bike fit is important
“Bike fits are for everyone, especially new riders,” says Kyle Russ, a biomechanical engineer at Trek, who helped create that company’s Precision Fit system. Serious cyclists will tell you that proper bike fit is essential so that you can produce the most power, most efficiently. And that’s true. But there’s an even more important reason that matters for cyclists of all levels: comfort.
Proper bike fit means you have a position on the bike that lets you ride as long as you want, as hard as you want, and stay comfortable the entire time. A good fit can also help prevent overuse injuries that result from an improper position. The correct position will vary from person to person, depending on factors like age, style of riding, and physical attributes like flexibility.
How to dial in the basics yourself
A quick do-it-yourself fit isn’t a substitute for a professional fit by an experienced fitter, but it can get you in the ballpark. After making changes to your bike, go on a few short rides to assess whether they’re working for you.
1. Size: No fit can fix a bike that’s fundamentally too small or large for you. So start by making sure your bike, or the one you want to buy, is the correct size for you. Any good bike shop should make sure you’re on the right size bike as part of the buying process. On more traditional bike frames with horizontal top tubes, look for one to two inches of clearance between the tube and your crotch. For bikes with sloping top tubes, which are more common now, look for at least two inches (more for performance-oriented mountain bikes) of clearance. You also want to make sure the length of the bike is right for you. You can make some changes with a longer or shorter stem, for example, but a bike that is too long or too short for your upper body won't work well in the long run.
2. Seat Height: A seat that’s too low or too high can cause more than just discomfort. “That little amount of pain you are feeling right now can lead to more serious injuries down the road,” says Todd Carver, founder of Specialized’s popular Retül fit system. Use one of these two broad-stroke methods to get in the general range of proper seat height:
- Position the crank arms so that they’re parallel to the seat tube. Sit on the seat and put your heel on the pedal. If you can’t reach the pedal, lower the seat until you can; if your leg is bent at the knee, raise the seat just until it’s straight.
- If you are using clipless pedals, you can also use a mathematical formula. Here’s how: Stand barefoot on a hard floor, back to a wall, with a book snugged up between your legs, spine facing away. Measure from the floor to the top of the book spine. Multiply that number by 0.883, and subtract 4mm (1/8th inch). The result is your seat height, measured from the center of the bottom bracket to the top of the seat, along the seat tube.
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- 3. Reach to Handlebars: Proper reach to the handlebars keeps your upper body pain-free, says Julie Bates, a Fit Instructor with Retül. A chestnut from the Old Italian Cycling Bible is that the top of your handlebar should obscure your view of the front hub, but that’s not strictly true.
The new way: When you sit comfortably in the saddle, you should be able to easily reach the tops and brake hoods on a road bike, or the grips on a mountain bike. Your elbows should be slightly bent, not locked. And the lean of your torso should be supported by your core in a comfortable position. You shouldn’t have to slide forward or back on the seat.
Pro tip: Check your seat position first.The clamp connecting the saddle to the seatpost should be relatively centered in the saddle rails, not slammed all the way forward or back. The seat itself should be level or, at most, angled a few degrees down in front (never up).
4. Set Your Cleats: For road or mountain cleats, lightly (!) grease the cleat bolts before installing. Set the cleat on the shoe and install all the bolts, just finger tight.
Then, set up position:
For lateral cleat angle, align the tip of the cleat to the apex of the : (the farthest-forward point on the sole). You can use a small ruler to line up the cleat.
For cleat fore-aft, position the cleat so that, with the cleat over the pedal (don’t clip in yet), the pedal spindle sits just behind the ball of the big toe, but in front of the ball of the little toe. This spreads your weight evenly over the pedal body.
Tighten the cleats. Clip in and ride around until you get your natural pedal stroke. Most cleats have “float” or lateral movement. If there’s resistance, adjust the cleat angle a degree or two to the opposite side. For road cleats, once you get the right position, you can trace the outline of the cleat on the sole of the shoe so you know exactly where to replace them when it's time for a new set.
When to turn to the pros
Most of us can at least get started with the DIY approach, but there are some cyclists who may want to opt for a professional fit from the start.
If you’re very short, or very tall, a bike fit can help solve issues that people on either end of the height spectrum face. If you have old injuries, or known biomechanical issues like different-length legs, then a bike fit right when you buy a new bike could help stave off comfort issues later on.
Riding a bike should be comfortable, so you should also consider a fit if it isn’t. Pain, numbness, or tingling—especially in the hands, feet or butt—are signs that something about your bike doesn’t fit you properly. The fix could be simple, but if you’ve tried the self-setup measures above, and it’s not fixing the problem, it’s time to call in the pros.
When assessing comfort, don’t focus exclusively on the contact points with the bike. Knee pain can indicate improper saddle height, while upper back or neck pain can be a sign that your reach to the handlebar is off, or even just that your bars are too wide.
A proper position is one you can maintain. If you’re constantly fidgeting in the saddle, if you can’t find a comfortable hand position, or if what feels OK in the first hour of a ride doesn’t feel good in the third, a bike fit can help.
Finally, serious cyclists who feel as though they have plateaued in terms of performance could benefit from a pro fit or a new fit. The more you ride, the stronger you get, which means you might be able to adjust your position on the bike for more speed and power, and a pro fit might help you address what’s holding you back.
What to expect from a pro fit
Bike shops offer a variety of fit services, using a number of different platforms (Retül, Precision Fit, Guru, and Shimano are four popular ones). There is no one “best” fit methodology, and a good fit relies far more on the fitter than the tools. Ask how long your fitter has been doing fits and what certifications he/she has.
What it should include: A complete fit covers: a conversation with the fitter to go over your riding experience and style, particular issues you’re having and current bike setup, and a brief physical assessment of factors like flexibility and checks for issues like leg-length discrepancies. Some fits will involve checking proper saddle width and shoe size, as well as factors like insole support. Finally, there’s an on-bike session (on a stationary trainer) where the fitter will assess your fit and form on the bike and make adjustments and corrections. The fitter will address cleat setup, seat height, pedaling motion, reach to the handlebar and cockpit (seat and handlebar size). Expect a comprehensive fit to take one to two hours.
Tips: Be honest with your fitter about injuries and issues, particularly with the seat (yeah, it’s a little uncomfortable, but think of it like a discussion with a doctor). Ride naturally; don’t try to “impress” your fitter with good form.
What you’ll pay: Expect to pay $150 and up for a comprehensive fit. There may be a discount or credit involved if you schedule a fit for the purchase of a new bike. You might be swapping out a part like a handlebar or saddle, so keep those potential costs in mind. If a fit is very important to you, factor that in to your total budget for the bike.
Afterward: Your body will need time to adapt to position changes. Especially if your fit on the bike has changed a lot, back off the volume and intensity of riding for a couple of weeks to give your body time to adjust. Major changes should be made incrementally, says Retül’s Carver, to avoid shocking the body.
Fits should include an optional follow-up assessment to address any persistent issues, or changes that aren’t producing positive results.
|  | | Breezin' it at St. Rocco's |  | | Tom and Dom | | |
 | | King's Point with the B+ Group |  | Frank competing in a Dualthon
Great to be young! | | |
Minutes from the meeting of the
Huntington Bicycle Club
Meeting of the Huntington Bicycle Club
June 8, 2021
Call to order: 7:02 PM
President-Karen
1) Accept minutes from the May 11 meeting
Minutes accepted
2) Thanks to John Greene and Matt Frisch who came to the rally at the Nassau Court House advocating for safe streets-show picture/QR code
The state legislature is voting on it on Thursday, please email Assemblyman Jim Gaughran and Senator Steve Stern to urge them to back this bill.
3) Gold Coast sign up process-wait until we have new members sign up, All routes in place. Will start being posted. Old members should not sign up till the end to let new members sign up.
List multiple rides so that all people can sign up. Can be done without ride leader
VP/Ride Chairman-John
- People not signing up and are slowing down the process of getting started
- Ride leaders please check the waitlist so others can go on ride
- Send email about finished rides to John for ride leader points
Secretary-Pat
Treasurer-Gregg
- Shared a report for March/April
- Presenting financial report and summary, relatively stable account
- Will establish cash flow for the next six months with the Board
Membership- Sal Levy
- Membership is up
- Re-signs from past years- familiar old faces
- 40 members have chosen not to renew
- Numbers even out with the same amount leaving as joining
Gold Coast-Steve
- A lot of unknowns - don’t know how many people are going to show up
- Not an economic gain or loss due to how it is occurring
- Designated sponsors from many food places
- Many flyers are being handed out
Web/Media-Malachy
- Added a more visible link for log in
- Club express is used by many clubs so it makes it easy to use
Safety-Arne
- Left hand turns- traffic behind and in front of us- cars are going quickly- riders are not looking just following the leader (make sure the entire group can get to the left). Make pedestrian turns.
- Traffic that is red- wait behind the last car due to unexpected right hand turn
- Must comply with the car back and single up. Very discourteous!
Guest speaker-Kathleen Eaton on nutrition
- Powerpoint presentation about nutrition in long endurance events
- More than 90 minutes-ok, I get it.
- Hydration and nutrition on a ride
- Powerpoint will be available for members if requested.
- Old Business-none
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New Business (announcements)
- Will make announcements on the Web page about road work and newly paved roads. (label with closest mailbox)
- Laws that says if a pothole is reported there is a certain amount of time in which it must be repaired.
Next Meeting:
July 6, Tuesday,guest speaker tba, topic:
Meeting adjourned, 8:30 PM
Respectfully Submitted,
Patty Kalvar, HBC Secretary
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