What we’re about
We are Team On Draft! Bikes and Beer to Cure Multiple Sclerosis!
Draft (verb) : 1. To follow another cyclist (or motor vehicle) so closely that the leading vehicle takes the brunt of the wind resistance, and acts as a windbreak for the drafting cyclist.
2. The process of dispensing beer from a bright tank, cask or, keg - by hand pump, pressure from an air pump or injected carbon dioxide inserted into the beer container prior to sealing.
Based in the Triangle Region of North Carolina - we ride for fun, camaraderie, and to raise money to combat Multiple Sclerosis in the weekend-long Bike MS event held in New Bern, NC each September.
We are a very inclusive and diverse group where you don't have to be a "hard core" road biker to join in a ride. We ride in several locations around the Triangle. We host regular 15+ mile training rides on weekday evenings in summer months. We host longer distance pick-up rides on weekends all year and our members participate in several organized charity rides around the Triangle throughout the year.
Anyone interested in road cycling with a group is welcome to join us for a ride. It helps if you like to have adult beverages after the ride, because we do!
***Short blurb for fundraising: ***Aside from our anti-MS fundraising, we also need money to fund team parties and rides. We have an annual fundraiser and also welcome contributions from fellow Drafters in lieu of regular dues. You may notice that the name of On Draft Captain Chris Bagley appears on the donation page, because he is a signer for the team bank account. Trust him.
Now for some safety and legal stuff:
1. Wear a helmet. We cannot allow any riders on our group rides without a helmet.
2. We adhere to a "no drop" policy on our weekday evening group rides. A designated ride "Sweep" will stop at turns to make sure slower riders stay on course and be sure that anyone having trouble gets assistance. This does not mean that someone will ride beside you the entire time. Please make sure you can average a pace of 13 MPH or greater when coming out to one of these rides. Please note our routes do include hills.
3. You are responsible for bringing an ID, bike tools, spare tubes that fit your bike, and any food and hydration you require. We try to schedule longer distance rides (25 miles and above) with a rest stop at a convenience store, but this is not always possible. Our weekday training rides do not have a rest stop (until the end when the pints are served!)
4. The following things are prohibited in a group ride: No ear buds or headphones, No riding in a pace line while using aero bars, No using a cell phone while on the bike, No touching another rider without their express permission.
5. It's a RIDE, not a RACE. This is a social, casual riding group and we expect you to watch out for one another. We’re going to go out in several pace groups. Please keep your groups together and try not to drop those in the back of your pace group. Stop at Lights and Stop Signs until you re-group.
6. Ride single file in small groups if the road is not wide enough or traffic is heavy.
7. We follow traffic laws. Stop at stop signs and stop lights. NC Law considers you to be a vehicle. We do not pass cars at stoplights. We PASS on the LEFT.
8. Braking - must call out SLOWING and STOPPING whenever you are doing either. ANY TIME YOUR HANDS TOUCH THE BRAKES, CALL OUT.
9. Passing - ONLY PASS OTHER CYCLISTS ON THE LEFT unless an emergency or the slowing rider is coming off the front in a paceline. Call out when passing another cyclist “PASSING ON LEFT”.
Same goes for vehicles, only pass on left, and We Do Not pass cars when stopped at a light, etc.
10. Wheel Overlap (aka half-wheeling)- Avoid riding so your front wheel overlaps another riders rear wheel. This is very dangerous and can take both riders down.
11. Point out Hazards & Turns - Point and call out your hazards and upcoming turns. Call out "CAR BACK" if there is a car behind the group.
12. Pacelines:
Communication in the pace line is key. Stay alert and aware, call out slowing, stopping Lines are about consistent EFFORT, not necessarily consistent SPEED.
Avoid Wheel Overlap. This creates a dangerous situation. If overlap occurs do not brake hard. Try to get out of the line and catch wind resistance to gradually slow yourself.
Rider on the front should always be pedaling. This does not mean they should be accelerating, only maintaining rotation of their feet while on the front. This prevents the YO-YO effect.
13. By signing up for messages regarding our rides, and coming to a ride with us, you acknowledge that road cycling is inherently dangerous, and that Team On Draft is not responsible for your safety on the road. We plan our routes to try to avoid traffic and road hazards; however there are no guarantees when you are riding. Team On Draft and our Ride Leaders cannot be held liable for your safety on a group ride.
That's it! Come join us and have FUN!
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Bike MS 2024 - Historic New Bern RideUnion Point Park, New Bern, NC
Bike MS is back in 2024! Put it on your calendar! While we don't know whether the weather will be perfect, soggy, or hot and muggy, we're gonna act like it'll be 80 degrees and sunny with a 90% chance of 202.2 miles of riding.
If you have questions about logistics, please contact Chris Bagley. Questions about fundraising? Contact Bagley or Scott Zargo. Once you are prepared to throw yourselves into the awesomeness, you can join our team on our MS Society team page: https://events.nationalmssociety.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=register.start&eventID=1980&teamID=58613. Registration is $20 until March 11 if you enter the promo code JOINME.The ride begins at Union Point Park, 210 E Front St, at 8 a.m. on Saturday, September 7. There will be routes of 30, 50, 75 and 100 miles on Saturday and again on Sunday.
We'll gather at the team tent Friday evening at 6 p.m., also in Union Point Park, for a team dinner and ride-strategy session.
Requirements:
Fundraising Minimum: $300
Age Minimum: 12
Awesomeness Minimum: 8.5/10. - Hillsborough BBQ ride, 33 milesgravel parking lot by Hillsborough BBQ, Hillsborough, NC
This 33 mile ride on Sunday, September 22nd is to show appreciation for the continued sponsorship of the team by Device Solutions. They have now been a sponsor for 10 years! Starting a ride at their place of business isn't appropriate so we're doing a ride from where the company first started - Hillsborough NC. We will be riding very near the original place of business. Hillsborough BBQ is always a fun place to start a ride with their big gravel parking lot with ample parking across the street. Please park at the back of the lot so we don't obstruct their business.
Here's the route:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38702413After the ride, we'll be eating at Hillsborough BBQ which has nice food and beer options.
There is not a convenience store along this route. We can stop midway on the ride so bring two bottles of water and a snack. Last time we stopped in The Kraken's parking lot although it wasn't open yet.
Please be there a little early to get your bike ready - we roll at the posted time.
16ish avg pace for me but we can split into a few groups - I'm sure a few faster folks will be there. We can decide on groups in the parking lot before the ride.
A helmet, water, spare tube, patch kit and pump are required to have on hand for your bike. Glasses are recommended for eye protection. There is a waiver on this site that applies to the ride.
If you haven't done so this year, please sign the digital waiver:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZ7Gz6Zi9mbhgyt4KFo2ZLCRYaYSBXijcRYa6laoh_3O8dEA/viewform
- BikeFestNeeds location
This is one of the best charity rides in the Triangle, and it's now in the fall, so it's less likely to be hellishly hot. Register at https://www.bikereg.com/bikefest. Registration ends on September 29th and there is no on-site registration. Registration is $50 for adults and $30 for ages 17 and under.
Routes open at 7:30 a.m. None of the routes have set start times, just suggested start times. More info on that here: https://tarwheels.net/wp/bikefest-schedule/
BikeFest 2024 BikeFest is a friendly, non-competitive ride that celebrates our cycling community happening on October 5, 2024 Riders of all ages and skill levels will participate in a fulfilled mix of rides! Families can enjoy our 7-mile Fun Ride, which is free, while the 35-, 45-, 62-, and 100-mile routes cater to those who want to make a day of it in beautiful Hillsborough. All proceeds support organizations that make biking safer and more accessible, which this year includes Triangle Bike Works, Bridge2Sports Adaptive Cycling Program, and Durham Bike Cooperative. Routes are well-marked with rest stops and importantly, snacks! Rolling start time provides ease and comfort for folks new to group rides.
More information: https://tarwheels.net/wp/bikefest and bikefest@tarwheels.net
