A tutorial for using the CIBA Ride Calendars
The CIBA calendars have over 700 rides per year. It can be a maze to work through to find a ride that meets your needs. Here, we offer some guidelines about the different CIBA rides to help explain what the rides are and how to find them in the CIBA Calendars.
All rides start and end at the same location for that particular ride.
Weekend/Holiday Rides
- Supported with rest stops that have water and snacks along the route
- Roadways have painted markings (Dan Henrys*) and maps and/or cue sheets provided
- All skill levels and paces with different mileage lengths (typically 15, 30, 50 sometimes 50+ up to 100 miles)
- Mentors to assist riders new to CIBA
- The most popular rides as it meets the needs for nearly all riders
- Has different ride paces; many group rides are fast; read the ride description for details; some have paces among 12 to 16 m.p.h.
- Held weekly (usually on weekday evenings) with the same location, time and routes, marked with Dan Henrys*
- Generally two or three distances available
- Group Social Ride centers on an event or activity to discover and explore other parts of Indiana and bordering areas
- Maps provided, and group stays together or regroups regularly
- Ride Lengths of 25 to 50 miles
- For full description, go to www.rsdesign.info/grand_touring_rides.html
- No formal ride support (no SAGs), might have or not have Dan Henrys; maps provided
- Ride lengths 10 to 25 miles, group stays together or regularly regroups
- Some Fun and Fitness rides are scheduled weekly
- Ride to a restaurant for a meal, then return to the start location, often a different route back
- Maps provided and group stays together or regularly regroups, ride lengths are typically 30 miles or so
- Participants should be able to ride at least 12 m.p.h.
- Group goes to Indiana State Parks or private facility for off-road biking
- All skill levels; trails vary from beginner to advanced level
- Ride as a group and nobody is left behind
- Tandems: A bicycle built for two
- Maps provided, and group stays together or regroups regularly, ride distances are generally 35 to 50 miles
- Sponsored by HOOTs (Hoosiers Out On Tandems)
- For more information, go to http://tandemhoots.ning.com
- Designed for riders aged 10 and under; Emphasis on bike safety and handling
- Parents are expected to ride with their children
- Ride distances are 5 to 10 miles on quiet neighborhood streets
- Designed for ages 10 and over; Children must ride with parents, emphasis on bike safety and handling
- Pre-ride equipment check with pre-ride meeting stating objectives and expectations
- Speed, distance, and conduct enforced by the ride’s trainer to the group’s ability level
- Group stays together
- Riders carry necessary camping gear (self-contained) with panniers or a trailer attached to a bike
- Typically start Saturday morning and return Sunday afternoon
- Ride lengths generally 30 to 50 miles each way
- Participants should be able to ride at least 12 m.p.h. when loaded with gear
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Where among the CIBA Calendars do you find these rides?
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If you are a rider new or returning to cycling, these might the rides for you.
- Weekend/Holiday Rides
- Grand Touring Rides
- Fun and Fitness
- Repeating Rides (check the ride description)
- Fun and Fitness
- Breakfast and Dinner Rides
Experienced riders or riders looking for high level of fitness may enjoy:
- Weekend/Holiday Rides
- Repeating Rides
Rides that have a moderate fitness level or a higher social element include:
- Weekend/Holiday Rides
- Grand Touring Rides
- Fun and Fitness
- Breakfast and Dinner Rides
- Camping Rides
Rides suitable for adults with children:
- Weekend/Holiday Rides (typically the shorter routes)
- Breakfast and Dinner Rides
- Family Rides
- Instructional Rides
[Note: Children are usually welcomed on any CIBA ride. They are expected to meet the fitness level described for the ride.]
Other options
For places to go off on your own, there are several Internet sites to search and view rides and routes posted by other riders.
The list includes:
Wherever you go and how you go, it’s up to you to decide what fits your needs. We’re here to help you to have fun, socialize, achieve fitness and ride with safety. If you have questions, contact the ride leaders listed in the ride descriptions, or the CIBA Ride Committee Chair, Michael Zukunft at cibaridechair@ciba.org or 317-709-5737.
Dan Henry (1913-2012) was a Pennsylvania bicyclist and former commercial aircraft pilot. Henry is the creator of directional pavement markings used to guide riders along the route of bicycling events and routes. The markers themselves are usually called "Dan Henrys" or "Dan Henry Arrows".
Originally, the markings consisted of a circle with a vertical line from the edge of the circle pointing in the direction of travel (straight ahead, left turn, right turn). Other common markings are a circle X to denote wrong way, and a circled horizontal line to denote caution.
Variations of the circle pattern may differentiate different rides for use among the same roads. Variations include color, triangles, squares, letters, etc.
SAG (Formal Support) is an acronym for "support and gear" or "support and grub." For CIBA rides, SAGs are typically "rest areas" where riders stop to retrieve refreshments of water, snacks, sometimes fruits such as bananas, oranges, watermelon chunks and flavored beverages.