Top Memories from the 2011 MS Bike Tour

As we begin planning for this year’s MS Bike Tour, let’s take a minute to remember some of the highlights from the past Tour season. Here are our Top Memories from the 2011 MS Bike Tour:

Biggest Tent Village to date. In Grand Bend, we had our biggest tent village ever. It was great to see our returning teams grow in size and welcome many new teams. It will be a challenge for all MS Bike Tours to top last year’s numbers in Grand Bend, but let’s see who takes the top spot in 2012!

New BBQ for Top Fundraisers. The 100 Club Barbecue was a new initiative at the 2011 MS Bike Tour. The BBQ was added as an upgrade to the VIP areas for our amazing top fundraisers, who are recognized by their special yellow rider bibs. The BBQ included an exclusive menu of pulled pork or BBQ Chicken and a selection of salads.

Tasty lunch in Niagara. Participants still remember the delicious corn brought by RONA, the MS Bike Tour’s long-time, now former title sponsor. The MS Society of Canada would like to recognize and thank RONA Inc. for more than a decade of committed sponsorship of the MS Bike Tour.

New stops along the Acton to Waterloo route. Cyclists in the Acton to Waterloo Tour enjoyed two gorgeous new stops along their way. In the Brian Carrigan Century Loop, riders took a serene break at the Starkey Hill Conservation Area, a spot that is popular among hikers and birdwatchers. And on Day 2, took in the sites at the Warren Greenhouses during their lunch break in Kitchener.

Extreme Weather. Many of the Tours in 2011 were hit with crazy weather. In Grand Bend to London, riders experienced a hot, sticky heat wave.  Cyclists in the Acton to Waterloo and Niagara Tour all powered through torrential downpours. But Toronto riders were left unscathed, ending off the season with fabulous summer weather!

Enhanced online fundraising system piloted in Toronto. It was great to see the enhanced online fundraising system be put to use for the first time in Toronto in 2011. The system is now being used for all MS Bike Tours, making it even easier to register, create your personal fundraising page and get started on your fundraising.  New features allow you to upload personal email lists, post a photo or video, monitor and share your fundraising progress, track offline pledges and much more.  Visit msbiketours.ca to check it out today!

Thanks again to everyone who made the 2011 MS Bike Tour such a success! We look forward to seeing you and many new faces in 2012! Register today!

Did we forget something? Have another great memory to share? Leave us a wall post on Facebook or a tweet on Twitter! We’d love to hear about your favourite memory from the 2011 MS Bike Tour.

NEW MS Bike Tour - Prince Edward County

We are thrilled to announce that there is a new addition to the 2012 MS Bike Tour. Gear up for the first annual Prince Edward County Tour in Picton, Ontario and ride the picturesque trail across Prince Edward County on July 8, 2012. We look forward to kicking off the 2012 MS Bike Tour with this new addition!

Enhanced Online Fundraising System for MS Bike Tour

Check out the enhanced online fundraising system at http://www.msbiketours.ca! Now making it even easier to be a part of the 2012 MS Bike Tour in Ontario, you are just clicks away from registering, creating your personal page and getting a head start on fundraising. New features include the ability to create your own personal fundraising page, post a photo or video, monitor and share your fundraising progress and much more. Get geared up for the 2012 MS Bike Tour and for the three Canadians diagnosed with MS every day. Together, we will end MS.

Choose to ride at any of the six Tour locations:

Prince Edward County: July 8 NEW!

Grand Bend to London: July 28 - 29

Ottawa: August 11-12

Acton to Waterloo: August 18 – 19

Niagara: August 26

Toronto: September 9

Cycling Shoes Suggestions

Any shoes can be worn while cycling, although there are many specially designed shoes that can provide advantages for cyclists looking to achieve a more efficient energy transfer while pedaling. Traditional cycling involves the use of flat pedals, but more consistently we see many cyclists with their feet locked to their bike, whooshing by. This is possible due to “clipless” pedal systems, which is usually considered by advanced cyclists as it allows a more efficient and less tiring ride. And for this type of system specialty cycling shoes are required.

Cycling shoes differ from basic athletic shoes as they feature stiffer soles in order to protect your feet from surrounding objects, while supporting the full length of the foot to reduce fatigue and cramping. These shoes are matched with a corresponding pedal in order to keep feet secured to the bicycle, offering improved control and decreased energy loss while pedaling.

For more information on shoes that may be the best for you, visit http://bit.ly/sxVHAD

Helmet Help

Helmets have greatly evolved over the years; they have become ultra-lightweight and are now sporting added ventilation and more sleek designs. Helmets come in three styles to correspond with the kind of cycling you prefer, though any helmet can be worn interchangeably as the most important feature of a helmet is to protect your head from injury.


Road Bike Helmets: Lightweight, plenty of ventilation, and sleek aero dynamic design.

Mountain Bike Helmets: Provide added features for protection from trailside obstacles, offering more protection at the back of the head and a visor.

Sport Helmets: Worn by both road and mountain bikers as well as inline skaters.

Like a shoe, helmets come in various sizes and should fit you properly to ensure safety. The fit of your helmet is crucial in the protection of your head. To find an appropriate fit, measure the circumference of your head with a flexible measuring tape or ribbon. Most helmet packaging will provide the measurements of the helmet, because what you are looking for is a snug fit.

Visit http://bit.ly/1AzUPQ to watch a video about finding the right helmet fit.

The Inline Skater

The 55 kilometer ride can be difficult for some people. Everyone faces the challenge in their own way. Some train extensively for the weeks and months leading up to the ride, while others practice how to keep hydrated and pack an array of protein shakes and power drinks for the tour. While some believe finishing is the goal, others know that attempting the bike tour is success in itself. Alain Quintard is always up for the challenge, but his experience is a little different…he participates in the bike tour on inline skates.

Alain first bladed his way to the finish line in 2004, when the RONA MS Bike Tours was still the RONA MS Bike and Inline Skating Tour. An avid skater, he jumped on the opportunity to participate as it allowed for a longer skating time with well-stocked check points. What initially began as a hobby became a mission for personal reasons.

“I had a chat with our friend’s daughter who is affected by MS,” Alain said. “She was telling me a little bit more about some of the challenges. So I’m not ready to stop, not when I know some people are struggling like that.” This year, Alain, a local Toronto resident, participated in his eighth MS Bike Tour. In total, he has raised approximately $40,000 for multiple sclerosis.

Cycling Tips to Keep You Safe

Cycling is a multifaceted sport. There are many obstacles that affect a cyclist’s ability to ride - vehicles and pedestrians; weather conditions and; unpredictable terrain. Here are a number of tips you can use in preparation for an event!


Breaking - When approaching a quick stop, make sure you firmly press the breaks and move your bottom to the very back of the bike seat. This decreases the chances of flipping over the handlebars.

Downhill – Refrain from holding your breaks for extended periods of time. This can cause the tires to overheat and lead to a blowout. Instead, periodically tap your breaks lightly.

Uphill – Shift gears to keep a normal tempo. You can also conserve energy by staying in your seat.

Night/Poor visibility – Always wear bright colored and reflective clothing. You should also use a headlight and other bike light accessories to increase your presence on the road.

Pedaling – Avoid pedaling in high gears for long periods of time, as this can escalate pressure on your knees and can lead to injury. Switching to lower gears allows for faster revolutions and adds more to your exercise without straining your knees. The best pace for most cyclists is 60 to 80 rpm.


 
    For more cycling tips visit: http://bit.ly/vsAqX0