VELO CLUB de VIS - THE CLUB

The Velo Club de VIS is a lightweight (dis)organization that aims to encourage IEEE VIS participants to ride together following the conference each year.

After a few enjoyable bike rides with VIS colleagues over the years we marked IEEE VIS’ own Tour de France in 2014 by establishing an open and informal road cycling club as a post-VIS tradition. We Strava ourselves silly throughout the year - here's the Strava Club - please join.

In 2018 Le Tour de VIS will be in Berlin, Germany on Saturday 27th Oct - early start so that people can get back for afternoon flights - 7am to 1pm.

Historical average H/L are 11/5C. Historical coffee / patisserie consumption - high.

Bonded by our simple Terms of Reference and love of the saddle, we have cycled round the Château de Versailles, under the Tour Eiffel, along (and in a couple of cases almost into) Lake Michigan, through the fall leaves in Maryland and across the Arizona desert. We have shivered, soaked, fixed flats, quaffed coffee, slugged red wine, gawped at cacti and powered through raging rain and wind together. Memories are logged with the #LeTourDeVIS tag. And we force ourselves into colourful tight jerseys.

The annual Tour de VIS is a full day ride of around 80-100 km completed at pace of  20 kmh / 12.5 mph. There are plenty of stops en route and on request, and we make sensible decisions on the day in light of local conditions etc. But you do need to be able to cycle all day to participate. And we need to get to the airport in the late afternoon.

Feel like a ride? Head to the SIGN-UP page! Then get some miles in before the end of October.

The whole idea is to encourage you to stay physically and mentally fit by cycling throughout the year ...

*no shoppers, grifters, choppers, sit-ups or hybrids - we're road biking on road bikes!

LE TOUR DE VIS 2018 ... SATURDAY 27th OCTOBER 7am-1pm BERLIN, Germany

An 85-100km group ride at a steady pace along a yet to be determined route on Road Bikes*

To participate :

  1. comply with our straightforward Terms of Reference

  2. make sure you get a decent road bike to ride in Berlin

  3. SIGN-UP in advance

  4. keep your details up to date on the SIGN-UP page - use the little pencil logo to the left of your name

  5. you might want to buy a club jersey

  6. attend the MeetUp : on Thursday 25th Oct (TBC).

Oh, and get some miles in your legs before VIS in October: use #LeTourDeVIS as a challenge and excuse to get out on your bike and keep fit.

All riders must attend the MeetUp on Thursday to sign up, share contact details, discuss the route and riding and chat about bikes.

The ride will start at 7am and end by 1pm on Saturday  - please bear this in mind when booking flights or signing up.

RIDING LE TOUR DE VIS ...

Rides will be conducted with a ‘no-drop’ policy, so we ride in a supportive manner as an Autobus at the pace of the slowest rider (la Lanterne Rouge) – no racing.  So we’re anticipating a gentle but full day’s cycling. Depending on numbers and preference we may ride in groups - with established times and locations for rendez-vous. This will be determined on the day of the ride.

Rides should begin somewhere near to the conference and / or places where folks can rent bikes and hopefully be indicative of and sympathetic to local conditions and roadie culture.

Riders will participate at their own risk and should ensure that they are prepared, equipped and insured to participate in these activities and complete them safely. Even though 'un tour de vis' suggests a tough day out, we'll go gently. But be sure that you can complete the distance at the required speed given the terrain. We travel at the pace of the slowest rider, so make sure you can do 20kmh for 80-10km - and enjoy getting fit in preparation!

PARTICIPATING IN LE TOUR DE VIS ...

If you are interested in finding out more and perhaps participating, then ...

None of this commits you to riding, but means that we'll let you know what's going on.

LE PROLOG

A Friday afternoon ride using the public bike scheme worked very well in Chicago.

We also used the Grid Bike Share public rental scheme in Phoenix.

If people want a leisurely social ride on Friday afternoon then feel free and volunteer to coordinate or come to the club MeetUp and we can arrange something there of the weather looks good. Critical mass meet at the Brandenburg gate on the last Friday of every month...

Les Randonneurs du Velo Club de VIS    -    veloclubdevis@gmail.com