Sign-up for the Spring 2007 Program!

The New York Cycle Club is pleased to announce its second annual NYCC Youth Program. The program is dedicated to creating opportunities for young people, ages 16–22, to participate in the NYCC’s popular spring training series (SIG)—a group riding program that has involved hundreds of New-York-Metro-area cyclists each year since 1986.

The goal of the NYCC Youth Program is to involve city youth in the sport of cycling. The value of sports has multiple benefits, from raising one’s self esteem to encouraging a lifetime of fun and fitness.

In 2006, the program’s inaugural year, we recruited 6 teens from various high schools who showed a remarkable enthusiasm for learning how to cycle. The group leaders taught group riding skills, bicycle maintenance and an introduction to bicycle touring throughout the suburbs of New Jersey, Westchester and Long Island.

This year the program intends to double the number of participants. The club looks forward to welcoming and sharing our love of cycling with a new group of young cyclists.

The Program
The adult SIG (special interest groups) program incorporates the youth into their 10-week training program and provides the opportunity for youth to learn about the wonderful world of cycling. Group riding skills are taught, along with bike maintenance and bicycle touring. Each week the mileage will increase until the graduation ride, when participants ride 60-80 miles.

Each participant will be asked, prior to the course, to do a qualifying ride by riding 4 laps in Central Park. Each participant will then be placed in a group appropriate to his or her riding level, ranging from beginner to advanced. A full description of this training series can be found by “clicking” on Rides, then SIG on our web site.

NYCC provides each young participant with basic riding gear, including a jersey, cycling shorts and tights, and other cycling related items. If you do not own a bike, not to worry, we will supply a bicycle for you, with an extra bonus of keeping the bike upon completion of our training program. If the participant is not in need of a bike, please inform us so we can help others less fortunate.

Requirements
Participants are expected to make a personal commitment every Saturday for 10 weeks to the SIG program. Meeting times vary, but usually are between the hours of 9:00-10:00 A.M. To advance one’s level of fitness, additional riding or other aerobic activity performed during the week is most beneficial for success of this program. The most important requirement is to have enthusiasm and desire to learn a wonderful sport.

Application and Dates
February 7, 2007 – application deadline!
March 3, 2007 – riding begins
Click here for downloadable application

Our Youth Program committee members:
Lynn Baruh, Derek Chu, Rich Conroy, Alisa Judy, Claudette Lajam, Rick Marcus, Stan Oldak, June Robins, Sage Schoenfeld and Jenn Thomson.

For questions or more information, click here to contact us by email.

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