About MHCC Rides

Introduction

The Mohawk Hudson Cycling Club (MHCC) consists of over 600 members who live in and around the Capital district area. Within this territory and sometimes beyond, MHCC sponsors a wide variety of road and gravel rides for beginning through experienced riders.

The MHCC website is run on behalf of MHCC. Non-members can go on one club ride, after which, to fully participate and to ride in more rides, you must be a MHCC paid member (a $20 annual fee). This allows a rider to participate in rides while covered under MHCC's insurance policy. 

MHCC rides are conducted through the riding season, roughly March into November, and throughout the Capital District area concentrated in Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga and Rensselaer Counties, sometimes venturing into adjacent areas.

MHCC rides are "recreational" in nature and vary greatly in pace terrain and distance covered. If you are considering a ride, please read the detailed information about it on the Ride List. If you have further questions about a ride, please contact the ride leader.  Riders leaders and the club itself are covered by insurance during the ride.

Prospective riders are encouraged to carefully review the information in the Ride Rules section (below) and come prepared for the ride. Your bicycle should be in good (and safe) condition for the ride posted and you should have reasonable confidence that you can complete the listed ride at the pace indicated. 

Our rides are classified as follows:

These guideline paces are the intended average speed for the ride. On the flats and descents the pace may be faster, on the climbs slower. The classifictions can also provide a clue about the nature of the ride. Quick rides may have pace lines, infrequent or no stops, and riders may be dropped. Casual rides will be no-drop with frequent regrouping.  

No-drop rides are where the ride leader or a designee will ride with the slowest rider and this will be indicated in the ride description.  Also note the regrouping policy for the ride. This refers to if, and how often (or where) the group stops and waits for everyone as well as allowing time to take in some fluids or food, or to adjust clothing. 

The ride listing will indicate the total gain in feet (TGIF) and if you click on the link to the route in Ride With GPS (RWGPS), you can view the elevation profile for the ride.

MHCC Ride Rules

MHCC requires that Ride Waiver forms be signed ahead of the ride. As a member, you can do this online when you register for the ride.   

Non-members can participate in one ride prior to joining the club. Contact the ride leader prior to the day of the ride and you will be asked to either complete a paper version or an electronic version on the ride leader's phone before the start of the ride. After the one free ride, you must be a dues paying member to participate in additional club rides. MHCC members can sign up for any number of rides.  

Once you are a MHCC member and signed in to the site, just click on the ride list, then click on the name of a ride that you want to participate in.  After the ride description you will see a waiver form.  Fill it out and save it and you are registered.   Note that the same functionality is available on the ride list for smartphones.  On your smartphone,  just tap on the ride name and you'll see full information on the ride, then a waiver.

Navigating Rides: For purposes of route navigation, riders are recommended to download the rider leader's posted GPS route file or print a paper copy of the cue sheet and bring it to follow the route while riding.  If a rider does not have those resources, contact the ride leader in advance of registering for the ride in order to make sure that the ride leader can provide a printed cue sheet.  

Please register at least two hours prior to the ride time so that the ride leader will have adequate advance notice of your intention to participate.

If you are unable or change your mind about doing a ride after you have signed up, please unregister for the ride by going to the ride listing and selcting Signup and then Revise My Signup.

A minor (a person under 18) must be accompanied by their parent or a responsible adult designated as such by their parent on all MHCC rides.  To register for a ride and fill out a waiver a minor must first be a paid MHCC member.

Riders should arrive at least 15 min. before the ride starting time. See the ride listing for information about paces and terrains for a specific ride.

All riders must wear helmets. A rider will not be allowed on a ride if he/she does not have a helmet. Riders are expected and required to follow all traffic rules and regulations. Examples are stopping at stop signs and red traffic lights, as well as riding single file when being overtaken by traffic.

MHCC supports and allows the use of Class 1 and 3 pedal assist e-bikes, e-trikes, and e-recumbents on any club ride.  E-bike riders are expected to follow the club's rules of the road, and observe common group ride etiquette.

Use of Aero bars is dangerous to all riders in the group and discouraged.  If you must use aero bars, you should ride separate from the group and not in a pace line.

Use of headphones is prohibited.  And, while smartphones may be used for navigation, you should make sure that you have the application set up and the route loaded before the ride starts.  It is best to test this process on a ride by yourself before trying it during a group ride.   Allowing the smartphone to distract you in any way is a hazard to everyone in the group. 

Rail trails (a.k.a. multi-use paths) have rules and speed limits posted.  Ride groups should abide by these rules and limit speeds wherever there is other traffic (e.g., baby carriages, walkers, dog walkers, skateboards etc.) on the trail.  Safety and courtesy to other trail users comes first.