What we’re about
Welcome! First, who are we? The main thing that has brought us together is the love of bicycling. About three times per week small groups of us get together to go cycling somewhere; either in the Victoria area or occasionally off island. Our rides usually include between 5 and 15 people and cover about 50 km at the low end to over 100 km. Rides are often at a leisurely pace; some are faster and on more challenging (hilly) routes. We've biked many scenic routes in the Victoria area. Yearly favorites are the Halloween and Christmas lights rides. Outside of Victoria we’ve ridden out to Leechtown, Kinsol trestle, across Vancouver, on Saltspring island, Saturna island, across the strait to bike up Hurricane ridge. We get around. We’re always on the lookout for new ideas. If you really want to get to know this area, our bike rides will probably at some point take you to places you’ve never been before and will want to revisit.
What else unites us though is just our interest in meeting new people, and socializing with our new friends. Almost every ride will stop at some point at a coffee shop for an engaging, and usually unpredictable, conversation. The rides can just be a springboard for getting together to do some completely different things. Our region offers a lot of options.
While we always want to have fun, our highest priority is safety. Cycling does come with some level of risk. A basic rule we have is always to be mindful of safety, review and honor our clubs pointers on safety. Pay attention to the ride leader’s reminders at the start of the ride. So, for more, please read on.
So, some of the nitty gritty.
Welcome! To join an event, you need to first sign up with the Victoria Cycling Adventures (VCA): http://vcac.net/join-the-vcac so that you can be covered by our liability insurance. Include your first and last name and an email address so we can reach you. You also need to read the Waiver: http://vcac.net/Documents/VCACWaiver.pdf and complete the Cycling Safety Quiz (http://vcac.net/CyclingQuiz.php) .
Fees: Your first ride is free! If you wish to join a second ride, the annual fee is $35 ($30 for new members and existing members if paid within 1 month of the expiry date). Payment is made by e-transfer to our club email at [victoriacyclingadventures@gmail.com](mailto:victoriacyclingadventures@gmail.com). In the e-transfer message please put your first and last name so we can match you in our database and your VCA meetup nickname so we can match you there.
MeetUp: It helps us if you include at least the first letter of your last name so we can find you in our database in the club. Make sure your MeetUp settings allow for you to receive messages and email notifications. Follow these steps:[ https://www.meetup.com/Victoria-Cycling-Adventures/pages/28207167/Organizer_Contact_Settings/](https://www.meetup.com/Victoria-Cycling-Adventures/pages/28207167/Organizer_Contact_Settings/)
About our rides: As mentioned above VCA offers rides at different pace levels from beginner (Pace 1) to advanced (Pace 4). Members ride road bikes, hybrids, e-bikes and mountain bikes. For safety reasons, only e-bikes that require pedaling are allowed on our group rides. The ride leader will indicate if certain bikes are not appropriate for the ride and if you are unsure, just message the ride leader via MeetUp. Cyclists are expected to always ride between the ride leader and the sweep and follow the rules of the road at all times. Riders wear a helmet and bring water, snacks, and a spare tube or patch kit, pump, gloves and gear appropriate for the weather anticipated. Your bike must be in good working order and have front and rear lights for evening and night rides. Riders are responsible for their own safety and fitness. Event leaders are volunteers and may not have first aid or survival training. If you aren't sure where you fit in, try a Pace 2.5 for your first ride. If you decide to join VCA, please complete the member questions so that we have an idea of the most suitable rides for your riding level.
Ride Paces (speed is on a flat, paved surface):
1. 10-14 kph 2) 15-20 kph 3) 18-22 kph 4) 23+ kph
Upcoming events (3)
See all- Pace 2 Short Ride to Hatley Castle, LangfordJanion Plaza, Victoria, BC
For those looking for a slower, shorter ride to maybe get back on the bike after a while! This ride will be about 25km at a slower pace 18-20 kph.
After meeting at Janion Plaza we will cross the bridge and head up the E&N trail to Colwood, carefully cross the highway and turn left onto the Galloping Goose path to Langford and then on to Hatley Castle at Royal Roads University. The route back we will stay on the Galloping Goose, with a stop at The Nest for coffee or refreshments.
ALTHOUGH THE NOTE TO THE RIGHT STATES THIS IS A REPEATING EVENT, IT IS NOT: IT WILL OCCUR JUST ON AUGUST 30, 2025.
IMPORTANT: If this is your first ride with us, please join VCAC here: [https://vcac.net/Join.php](https://vcac.net/Join.php) and complete the Waiver BEFORE you sign up. Dues are then paid before your 2nd ride. For members: If your dues have expired, please pay by e-transfer (I will send you a link through the app right after you sign up). If you haven't paid your dues or filled out the membership form & waiver, we will notify you on the app and place you on the "Not Going" list until you are AOK to go. We will then move you back onto the ride if there is still space, or you'll be on the waitlist if the ride is full.
E-bikes are welcome, but bikes that are capable of self-propulsion without peddling are not allowed for safety reasons.
- 2.5 Fun ride and swim out to beautiful Matheson Lake in MetchosinJanion Plaza, Victoria, BC
IMPORTANT: If this is your first ride with us, please join VCAC here:
https://vcac.net/Join.php and complete the waiver BEFORE you sign up. Dues are then paid before your 2nd ride.
For members: If your dues have expired, please pay by e-transfer (I will send you a link through the app right after you sign up).
If you haven't paid your dues or filled out the membership form & waiver, I will notify you on the app and place you on the "Not Going" list until you are AOK to go. I will then move you back onto the ride if there is still space, or you'll be on the waitlist if the ride is full.E-bikes welcome, but bikes that are capable of self-propulsion without peddling are not allowed for safety reasons.
About 65k, a few small hills, moderate pace (about 22-23k on the flats).
THE ROUTE:
We will take the E&N to the Galloping Goose to Happy Valley Rd. Then up Rocky Pt, returning to the Goose off Taylor Rd (to avoid the big hill - feel free to go up it, if you like), then back to Rocky Pt, down the big hill to Matheson Lake for our (optional) swim and picnic lunch.
We will take the Goose all the way back to town, but feel free to peel off en route.
BRING:
A towel, your lunch, a cap?, and PLENTY of water, as there is no water en route. Also, bring some shoes you can walk in if your bike shoes are not suitable, as we will walk up the path a bit to a good swimming spot (avoiding the noisy beach with dogs and children :-).
There is a washroom there to change into your swimsuit.If it is too chilly that day to swim, I will update the ride plans, but we will still go out to Metchosin.
- Meetup Decommissioning - Heylo LaunchNeeds location
On September 1, Victoria Cycling Adventure Club will stop using Meetup, and will begin using Heylo (heylo.com) for organizing all of our Events.
Heylo was built from the ground up for organizing groups like cycling clubs, making for a great experience for all our hard working volunteers like Ride Leaders and Board Members, and for you, our members too. A handful of us have been testing it for a few weeks now, and we're all really excited to share the news with you. We think it's going to help us build an even better community.
To make this change easier for you, Heylo will import our membership data, including your account information, and will automatically send you an invitation to join us there. For the best experience, you may want to install the Heylo app on your smartphone, but you can also use the web site for everything.
Once we make this change, Heylo will automate the process of tracking waivers and membership dues, and will make communication among us all much easier. It will feel a little familiar, if you've used Meetup before, but adds some nice features that we're sure you'll come to appreciate.
After you've activated your account on Heylo, you'll be able to communicate with club leadership in one of the "Chats", and you should start to see upcoming rides posted very soon after.
We are also about to launch a renovated web site, which you'll find at the usual address. Importantly, the web site now presents our new protocols for joining the VCAC. We still offer "your first ride free", but joining our Heylo Group requires the payment of the annual membership fee, so the policy going forward will be that after your first ride, you may ask for a refund.
If you have any questions or concerns, or need a helping hand with the "onboarding" process, please email me directly (michaelhedlin@gmail.com), or email our volunteer who has helped with both of these projects, Michael Reinhart (michael@above.care). We are both here to help.
