About Sound Cyclists

Sound Cyclists Bicycle Club is a community of cyclists that provides a safe, fun, social environment for riders of all levels to improve fitness and riding skills. The club advocates safe cycling practices and supports cycling-related initiatives.

The club is dedicated to offering well-organized rides, promoting the general interest of cycling, to promote a cycling-related social forum and to encourage safe bicycling.

As part of the club's mission to promote the general interest in cycling, Sound Cyclists makes charitable donations to cycling-related organizations from time to time. If you would like to be consider for a donation, click here or on the PDF icon to the right.

In late May or early June, Sound Cyclists hosts the Bloomin' Metric^® Bicycle Tour, the largest and most popular bicycle tour in Connecticut, which annually attracts almost 3,000 cyclists. This is a 'Rain or Shine' event. Once you register a spot is reserved for you. There are no refunds or transfers of registrations.

Detailed information about the Bloomin' Metric^® can be found on its very own website at www.bloominmetric.com. You can click on any of these green links or the large logo on the left to access it.

The Bloomin' Metric^® offers cyclists a choice of a 15-mile, 25-mile, 75-kilometer and 100-kilometer route. For an entry fee, riders receive a map and cue sheet, follow a route marked by arrows, and stop for cookies, fresh fruit, and sandwiches at food stops, where they can also drink water and energy beverages.

Routes are patrolled by "sag wagons," driven by experienced cyclists who can offer assistance with mechanical difficulty or give a ride to a tired cyclist.

The Bloomin' Metric^® takes place during the height of the dogwood and azalea blooming season in the spring. This is where the event's name was derived. It leads riders along the shorelines and beaches and through the tree-lined watersheds of Fairfield County. A portion of the proceeds are usually donated to a charity.

The club has a number of ways in which it communicates to its members and the public at-large. Each serves a specific purpose: Website, Ride News, E-mail and Facebook.

The Web site has two areas: general and member-only. The general area has information on the club, special events and news, safety information, ride categories, and much more. We invite you to look around the site to learn more.

The Member Login area is set aside for members only. Access to this area requires a user name and password. The log-in information is member created when you apply for membership. The Members Only area is where the Ride Scheduling System is located, along with other member-specific documents. Contact Web Support if you have any difficulties accessing the members only section of the web site.

Ride News is a membership only communication system. It is used by ride leaders to post urgent messages about changes to planned rides - such as weather related cancellation or delays. Members are invited, and strongly recommended, to join this group on joining the club. The use of this system is monitored to ensure its purpose is not abused. If you are not a member of Ride News for some reason Contact Web Support

We recognize that people rather not be inundated with E-mail, and we have provided options for members to manage the types of messages that you will receive from the club. The club has a standing policy not to provide its E-mail list to any third party.

The club will send by E-mail formal club announcements notifying members of club events.

• The club will distribute an E-mail every Thursday with the ride schedule for the forthcoming 10 days (covering two weekends). Members will be able to choose the ride levels highlighted in the E-mail. All forthcoming rides are included in the E-mail.
• The club will send E-mails, occasionally, with information about sales, promotions and events at bicycle shops that offer discounts to members. Members will be able to opt out of these E-mails.
• The club will send E-mails, occasionally, with information on rides organized by other clubs, charities and 3rd parties. Members will have the option of opting in to receive these E-mails.

Members can change their E-mail options on their profile in the Ride Scheduling System. Contact Web Support for assistance with changes options.

The club has a Sound Cyclists Facebook Page. It should be used to post general cycling communications, (many of which were previously sent through Ride News). There is also a member Sound Cyclists Swap Shop Page for offering used cycling related items.

Members may post messages and articles of cycling related topics that they want to share with other members. Examples are items of local news about cycling or cyclists, or regional rides. Members are encouraged to use this medium to join up with other members on non-club rides, or request information about club or other rides. Members should not use this medium for solicitations of any kind. The page is monitored and should not be used for inappropriate communications. Members who abuse the use of this page may lose their entitlement to post to this page.

Long before we had a website and our ride scheduling system, and various other means of communicating with our members, we had a paper newsletter. The original Sound Cyclists newsletters that were published was back in the 80s and 90s were produced on a word processor and old computer equipment and was printed by a real printer – not a laser printer.

Getting the rides calendar in the hands of the membership was quite a challenge because ride information had to be gathered up well in advance of the printing date. There was no way of getting last minute information to the members once the printing started. Older member who remember these days can go through a number of these newsletters by clicking on the button above.

The club depends on volunteer members to plan and run all events. These tasks range from the scheduling and leading of rides, organizing the Bloomin' Metric or helping out at club picnics. We encourage all members to volunteer, which is also an ideal way to make friends.

The club sponsors two events to thank the volunteers who make the club possible. The Ride Leader Appreciation Dinner usually takes place in February or March and thanks all the members who lead or sweep rides during the year. The Volunteer Appreciation Party usually takes place in June and honors the efforts of all volunteers, particularly those who run the Bloomin' Metric^® and members involved with the day-to-day running of the club.