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Captain's
Corner |
In
last week's newsletter, I shared a few tips
about cycling in cold weather. This
week's tip will be about checking your bike's ABC's
before every ride - A is for Air, B is for Brakes, and C
is for Chaining.
Every
time you ride your bike, you should make sure that your
tires are properly inflated and that your brakes and
chaining are in proper working condition. If you ride
with under inflated tires, besides the fact that you
work harder pedaling the bike because more of the tire
surface contacts the road which increases friction and
slows you down, under inflation can damage the tire and
rim. On the other hand, if you ride with over inflated
tires, your tires will wear out quicker, your stopping
distance increases, cornering and/or wet conditions will
increase the risk of skidding, and the increased stress
on those tires can result in a blow-out with bad
consequences. Similarly, improperly functioning brakes
and/or chaining will you and other riders around you in
a dangerous situation. If in doubt, please consult with
your local bike shop.
If you are a
participant in the CP training series, please join us
for coffee and bagels on Saturday January 31
before the ride at the Team Shell tent which will be
located in front of Sun & Ski.
Lastly, registration
for on-bike safety training is filling
up fast. If you have not signed up yet, please do so
immediately (see the Safety Corner for details). For
those attending this Sunday's class, please arrive 30
minutes early and remember to bring your bike, helmet,
cycling clothes, etc.
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CP
Training Series |
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The CP training series officially kicks off this
Saturday at 7:30 AM in front of Sun & Ski in the Katy
Mills Mall parking lot. This route gets you quickly out
onto some great country roads. There will be a long
and a short
option. If you are a new rider, don't feel like you must
do the long ride. This is the first of a twelve-week
training program, take it slow and build up your
confidence on your bike and riding in a group. The
weather forecast look very favorable. Dress
appropriately in layers
(refer to last week's newsletter for tips).
Always check the
official CP website
for directions and
up to
date details about the CP training
rides.
Also, we're
still looking for volunteer SAG drivers for the April 4
ride. If you, a
friend, or a family member can volunteer, please e-mail
us a phone number to:
ShellCyclingTeam@shell.com. |
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Safety
Corner |

The
goal for Team Shell is to complete the 2009 MS150
training and Houston-to-Austin ride with Zero
Incidents. Towards this goal, all riders
on Team Shell must meet the following two safety
requirements:
Requirement 1: Every rider must
have completed at
least one on-bike safety training class
since January 1,
2006. Riders residing more than 75
miles outside
Downtown Houston
may watch this
online
Safety Video as
a substitute.
The following classes are
being
offered for free
by Team Shell:
1. Sunday January 25, 2009, 2:00-4:00pm,
Shell Woodcreek
2.
Sunday February 22, 2009, 2:00-4:00pm,
Rice University
3.
Sunday March 8, 2009, 2:00-4:00pm,
Rice University
Shell Woodcreek is
located at 200 N. Dairy Ashford. Use the 3rd gated
entrance to the facility just north of the I-10 feeder
road.
Rice University
training will be at the northwest corner of the Rice
Stadium parking lot, located on Greenbriar between
Rice and University.
To sign up for a
training class,
click here.
Requirement 2: Every rider must
complete the National MS Society's online safety quiz. The
link to the quiz will be announced as
soon as it's made available.
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Fundraising |
Team Shell is a proud
supporter of the National MS Society and its Lone
Star Chapter. Although you
pledged to raise a minimum of $400/rider when you
registered for the
ride, Team Shell urges all its members to
beat our 2008 average of $856/rider!
Our
team fundraising stands at approx $20,000 out of a
target of $300,000. It's time to kick your
fundraising campaign into high gear. We are counting
on YOU.
For more information
on Fundraising:
click here
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Other Training
Rides |
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To find out about other MS recommended
rides around the Houston area,
click here.
This weekend's featured
ride is the
Frost Bike Ride,
Saturday Jan 25, 8:00AM start, at
Cy-Fair College, Cypress. |
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