Week ONE is done!
Even though the rain got the better of us this week, practice at Blackhawk will happen soon…
Hi NICA families!
We started our 2021 season off with a bang at Blue Mound on Tuesday with well over sixty riders! That’s definitely a record for us, and it was awesome to see so many new faces. Unfortunately, the rain had other plans for our second scheduled practice of the year at Blackhawk; that said, we got to test our team communications systems!
Speaking of which…please double check to make sure you are signed up for the GroupMe text messages and that emails from the Driftless MTB Google Group are headed to your inbox rather than your spam folder. For detailed info on our communications systems and how to sign up, please reference this email from Director Scott Lindsey.
Weather & NICA Practice
To provide some further clarity on inclement weather policies: we will not practice in lightning/thunderstorms or if there is a steady rain forecasted, but we will host practice if there is only a light sprinkle or chance of rain predicted. All weather-related decisions will be communicated by 4 p.m. the day of practice, via GroupMe and email.
These decisions are three-fold: First, rider safety is always our main priority. Second, it is essential mountain biking ethic that we do NOT ride trails when they are wet/leaving ruts; if trails are wet or closed and we still host practice, we will do skills-related drills in grassy areas instead in order to minimize impact. Third, basic rider comfort is always a consideration. If we’re all going to be miserable, we don’t want to force anyone through a super-soggy 90-minute practice.
Remember, if practice is on, riders should come prepared with appropriate clothing and gear. Hot or cool, sun, wind, or light rain, please be ready to ride in all the lovely weather conditions that Wisconsin has to offer!
Bike Basics to be practice-ready
Last week at practice we went over the bike “ABCDEs” (families, ask your rider what each letter stands for!) - that said, we have a few more in-depth reminders about having a practice-ready bike.
Remove kickstands - many folks are used to having a kickstand on their bike, but for trail riding, they pose a safety hazard and can damage you or your bike if you fall.
Double check that your bike meets minimum NICA requirements - wheel sizes less than 26” in diameter will ultimately be inappropriate and difficult to use once we hit trails in the coming weeks. Check that your rider’s bike has 26” or larger diameter wheels.
Look at brake-lever reach - many of our younger riders have smaller hands; one of the essentials of mountain bike riding is to have one to two fingers covering the brakes at ALL times. Most bikes are set up for larger hands. If your rider is struggling to reach the brake levers, you can adjust them so they fit more comfortably. If you’re uncertain of how to do this, find team mechanics Coach AJ or Coach Ethan at our next practice, and they can help!
Adjust seat height - Dang, NICA athletes grow fast! We saw a couple of low-riding seats at our first practice. While dropping your seat may be awesome for jumps (or maybe you just haven’t adjusted it in a while and you grew sixteen inches last winter) making sure you have proper seat-post height will be essential to mastering skills required for technical trail riding. This applies to dropper posts in their fully-extended position, too!
There are always a lot of little details to dial in bikes at the beginning of every season! Here’s a great resource for tackling some of the issues mentioned above. Remember, if you ever have any questions, our team mechanics and coaches are here to help!
We’ve also created this RIDER PRACTICE CHECKLIST to help your student athlete remember all the essentials for each practice.
TEAM CLOTHING & Kits
One of the most exciting parts of a new sport is getting geared up for the season! Thank you for submitting your practice shirt orders. We have sent our team order off to the printer (with a few extras just in case) and they should be ready soon.
We are also happy to share that we now have an awesome selection of team gear and apparel (casual and technical items, like those shown below) available for order, thanks to Coach Cheryl! Check out your team store and order directly from SquadLocker. You can order as many times as you want and the SquadLocker store will be open throughout the season.
Our team uniform (often called “kits” in cycling lingo) will be available to order via Pactimo beginning the week of July 11. We will send a quick note to you with the store link as soon as it is live, as it will only be open for a short period of time. Kits are required for athletes who choose to race this fall. Riders have the choice of a tight-fit cycling jersey and shorts or bibs, as well as a “trail-style” baggier fit shirt and shorts (or both!) Either are excellent options. If you have questions about what to order, please feel free to ask our coaching team.
If you’re looking for other gear/clothing needs (like a highly-recommended pair of padded liner shorts), don’t forget that NICA student athletes get discounts from many retailers, both locally and online. Please see the NICA benefits page for details, and always ask your local shop if they offer a deal for NICA riders and volunteers.
Informal Gear Swap & Sale
We’ve realized we have an extensive network now that our team has grown and we love that you’re already reaching out to each other for gear needs. Let’s expand on that and take advantage of our Driftless MTB network by clearing out your gear closet/garage! Bring gently used gear (bikes, clothing, parts, racks, anything!) to practice at Blackhawk on Wednesday, July 28 and offer it for sale or swap in the West Chalet. The sale/swap will be open for all family members of riders to purchase items.
What to expect for the next few weeks of practice
While many of our more advanced riders are itching to get back to trails, the first few weeks of practice are an excellent time for us to review foundational riding skills. Even professional racers go back to the basics when training: all riders benefit from a review of the essentials. Additionally, younger or less experienced riders will look to our seasoned student athletes as role models and examples of skills! This is a huge benefit of all of us riding together.
Our coaching team will be refining some different combinations of rider groupings for skills practices in the next few weeks and will be implementing a team captain structure for our 2021 season as well, to provide leadership opportunities for our student athletes! If your student athlete has not yet completed the RIDER SELF ASSESSMENT FORM, please have them do so before the end of the week.
Thank you to our new coaches and volunteers!
And last but not least: a massive shout-out to the new volunteer coaches who have joined us this year. We are so grateful for you jumping in to help with our growing team! If you are not yet an official NICA volunteer and you are interested in riding along at practice, we would love to have you. Please contact team directors for information on how to join us.
Action Items & Summary
Whew…the beginning of the season means we have a lot of info to communicate. Thanks for your patience and attention to detail with team news. Here’s a quick summary with action items:
Stay connected with the team news via GroupMe and email (especially for weather cancellations)
Go over you rider’s bike one more time to make sure it is dialed in/practice ready (remove kickstands, check brake lever fit, and seat height)
Save our rider practice checklist for future use
Stay tuned for a team uniform/kit order next week
Mark your calendars and clear out your closet for our upcoming GEAR SWAP/SALE on Wednesday, July 28 during practice at the Blackhawk West Chalet
Have your rider fill out the RIDER SELF ASSESSMENT FORM (a carry-over from our last update!)
