• Saturday morning checkin and same day registration begin at 6:00am  (Official Route Maps will be given out)
• The registration and picnic area will have cover and heaters to keep you warm before and after the ride.
• 7am mass start of the Highlander Century and the Metric Century
• 9am start for the Half Metric Century
• Routes will be clearly marked.
• Rest Stops will have Heaters, Food, mechanics and much more to make your ride enjoyable (the rest stop sponsors are competing for your vote of best rest stop)  It’s between La Rocque Better Roofs, REI, and Chaffey Auto Body.
• Ride Marshalls and SAG vehicles will be available throughout the ride
• At the finish line there will be Century Medal of Achievements given out
• After your finish there will be food, drink, heaters and bragging rights for all that finished.

With rain in the forecast we suggest a couple of things for you to be prepared.

Jacket, full finger gloves, Knee/Leg Warmers, and shoe covers will ensure you have an enjoyable ride.

Visit your local bike shop or REI Rancho to gear up if you don’t already have the right winter gear.

REI

Incycle

Coates Cyclery

Competitive Edge

Roys Cyclery

This will leave enough time to get your registration packet.  Go through your goody bag and pick out your T-shirt size.  Then you can do some warm up stretches and compose yourself before the start.

Not a morning person? Come Friday night 11/11 to downtown upland from 5:00-7:00 and checkin, get your registration packet and goody bag.  Listen to music and talk cycling with other riders.  Even carbo load at one of downtown uplands restaurants.

Friday night checkin will be on “A” street east of second ave.

At the end of this years ride raffle tickets will be given to all the finishers.

2 things will happen with the tickets.

1. They’ll be used to vote for your favorite rest stop.

2. Then they’ll be used to draw raffle prizes.

So there’s a chance that after your ride you can be eating lunch, hanging out with friends and then BAM!!! you win a really cool prize!

Cycling Connection has rides nearly everyday of the week that you can join.

Click below to see their list

http://cyclingconnection.org/Meeting_Locations.html

Another group that meets a couple times a week is Psycho-Lists.

Click below to see their rides

http://www.meetup.com/Psycho-lists/

Both ride organizations have regular riders that help support the Tour de Foothills.

1. I just registered but was not asked for my free T-shirt size.  Do we pick sizes when we pick up our goody bags?  Yes

2. Will there be a more detailed route/ instructions on the website? The official route will be announced the day of the ride.

3.What time does each ride start? The Century Ride and Metric Century Ride start at 7am.  the 1/2 Metric Century starts at 9am

4. How do I sign up? Click on the register button from our website.  You will be directed to active.com where you can register.

5. Do I need to be a pro rider? No. The ride is open to all experience levels.

6.How many riders are expected? Last year we had over 900.  This year we expect 1100+

7.What if I can’t make the whole ride because of the hills? This year LaRocque Better Roofs, REI, and Chaffey Auto Body will have roaming support throughout the course and will help.  There will also be bailout options to help you get back safely.

8. How much water should I bring? We suggest bringing 2 bottles.  Each rest stop will also have water, food, and nutrients.  When you get done with the ride you can vote for the best rest stop.  The winner gets a trophy and bragging rights.

9. I am a beginner cyclist.  Should I even consider this event? Yes!

10. I don’t see my question here.  Who do I ask? Go to our facebook page and ask (others may have the same question) or call 909-204-4465 or email: riders@tourdefoothills.com

Most of us have fond memories of riding a bike as a child. We want to pass that feeing on to the next generation. Not only is bicycling fun and freeing, it’s an excellent way to get healthy exercise. That’s one of the reasons that over 1,000 riders will participate in the upcoming Tour de Foothills bike ride.  Whether you’re participating in the ride or not, you can bring your kids down and reap the many health benefits of bicycling.

Bicycling can be healthy and fun if it is done safely. REI and Upland Christian Academy are co-sponsoring a bicycle skills event designed to teach young bicyclists the skills they need in order to be better cyclists. By learning bike handling and traffic skills, one can enjoy bicycling more and reduce the chance of injury.

The ride will be held during the Tour de Foothills ride in Upland on November 12^th. It will be staged in Memorial Park and run from 10am to 2pm. Bicyclists aged five to twelve are invited to attend. This event is made up of a series of stations dealing with an important aspect of safe cycling. Participants will have their bicycles inspected and will then learn about and practice bicycle-handling skills that will increase their enjoyment of bicycling and could some day save their lives. Parents are invited to participate, too.

For more information, contact Adam Howle, Store Manager of REI in Rancho Cucamonga at (909) 646-8360.

What makes a great rest stop?

• Granola Bars?
• Reeses Peanut Butter Cups?
• Bananas?
• Oranges?
• Water?
• Clif Shots?
• PBJ?
• Hammer Products?
• Power Bars?

At the finish of the ride you’ll be given an opportunity to vote for 1 of the 3 sponsors rest stops.  The winner will get the most important prize of all.  BRAGGING RIGHTS- and an awesome trophy.

Starting Friday, October 7th, the first 25 people who register for the Tour in-store at REI will receive a free water bottle with a gift card inside (Value; $5 – $100).

REI members save 20% on one full-price item. Not a member? Join and realize these benefits today. Some exclusions apply. See associate for details.

1on1 financial is a sponsor of the tour and is a local supporter of cycling.  If you see them riding around, tell them the tour de foothills ride says “Hi”

Bike Touring the California Coast –  FREE CLASS
Tuesday, September 20th @ 7 pm

Crashing waves, barking sea lions and gorgeous sunsets.  Do you dream of tour the California Coast on your bicycle?  How about the  wine country?  REI will help you plan your adventure.  We cover the basics of gear and planning.  Learn about our favorite tours.

Bike Maintenance Basics –  FREE CLASS
October 11th and November 8th @ 6:30 pm

This class covers practical, season-long maintenance for wheels and tires, drive train and brakes.  Learn to change a flat tire and make other adjustments that will keep you on the road or trail.

Comprehensive Bike Maintenance
Details Below

This class offers quality, hands-on time working on your own bike with a certified REI Bike Tech.  REI provides tools and bike stands.  Just bring your bike and be ready to learn! 

Part 1:  Deraileur Systems Class $45/Members; $65/Non-members
Saturdays, October 8th and November 19th;  9 am—12 noon

Part 1 reviews derailleur installation and adjustment in depth, and discusses chain wear and cogset wear.

Part 2:  Rim Brake and Disc Brake Class $60/Members; $80/Non-members
Saturdays, September 24th and October 22nd

Part 2 covers lever mounting, housing length, cable installation, bleeding for hydraulics, pad placement and alignment.

The No-Drop Zone –  FREE PRESENTATION
Wednesday, October 19th, 7pm

Join cyclist Patrick Brady, author of The No-Drop Zone: Everything you need to know about the Peloton, Your Gear and Riding Strong.

Patrick covers all the information necessary for a new cyclist to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to take them from buying their first bicycle to starting their first race.

It talks about what to eat and how much to eat during a ride.

A couple highlights from the article:

• Eat about 250-300 calories per hour and don’t over overeat.
• change up your sweet snacks with pretzels or trailmix.

The Homewood Suites by Hilton Ontario/Rancho Cucamonga is offering a Special Group rate of $89.00 per night plus tax Full hot breakfast starting at 4:30am

Please call 909-481-6480 or toll free 1-800-225-5466 to book your reservations and ask for the tour de foothills rate.

11433 Mission Vista Dr. Rancho Cucamonga, Ca 91730

Or visit our website at www.homewoodsuites.com

enter TDF in the Group Code field.

The Courtyard by Marriott Rancho Cucamonga is offering a Special Group rate of $89.00 per night plus tax Full hot breakfast buffet included

Please call 909-481-6476 to book your reservations, & ask for the tour de Foothills rate.

Or visit our website at www.marriott.com/ontcy

enter TDFTDFX or TDFTDFY in the Group Code field.

Reservations must be booked by October 28, 2011 to guarantee rate and availability.

The Hilton Garden Inn is offering a Special Group rate of $89.00 per night for rooms with either one king or two queen beds.  Rate includes a full cook to order breakfast.

Please call 909-481-1800 to book your reservations, & ask for the tour de Foothills rate.

Or visit our website at http://hiltongardeninn1.hilton.com/en_US/gi/index.do

Group Code “TDF” to be used when booking room

Also 20-25% off all remaining 2010 bikes

15-50% off clothing.

Click to Check out the flyer, then check out the sale.

We heart REI!

Introduction to Road Cycling Class

Description: This outing is perfect for beginning cyclists who know the basics of riding but are looking to improve or brush up on their skills. You’ll receive instruction on proper shifting, braking and hill descending/climbing techniques. Road riding etiquette will be emphasized. Please bring proper riding apparel.

Skills you’ll learn:

Learn how to balance and maneuver a road bike. Learn the proper technique for shifting, braking, and hill descending/climbing. Learn road riding etiquette and how to avoid hazards in the road.

Duration: 6 hours

This will be a great ride.  We can’t wait!

Description: If you ride a bicycle, this class is for you! An REI technician will cover practical, season-long maintenance for wheels and tires, , drive train and brakes. We’ll show you some common adjustments you can make on the fly to keep your ride running smoothly. Learn ho to change a flat tire and get back on the road or trail. This class is a recommended pre-requisite for our Comprehensive Bike Maintenance Series classes. Registration for REI’s free classes is preferred, but not mandatory.

Basically open the app press start and go.

Everyone who uses the app during the Tour de Foothills will be able to compare how they did with eachother.

Here’s a sample ride by our good friend HalfWheeling

The other cool app out there is Instant Heart Rate.

This app will tell you your heart rate by using the camera on your phone.  Need we say more?

We’re thankful to have such a great presenting sponsor!

You may see them out on a ride or driving around town. If you do, please say hello.

This was my 2nd year in a row at the Tour de Foothills. I had so much fun last year that I had a few friends and family members come out with me this time. I was very happy with this years event and here are some reasons why..

1) The sag stop was great, plenty of good chilled water, well stocked with great snacks (personally I loved the chocolate muffins), and the (Andy Gump porta potties get 5*).

2) The route was not to difficult for some of my people’s first cycling event. We will all be returning next year, hopefully with a few more to tag along.

3) The food after the ride, OUTSTANDING MEAL. That was the nail in the coffin for us this year. The lasagna and salad were fantastic.

We definitely appreciate the time and effort that goes into this events planning and as long as this event exists I can promise you that my family and I will be there as our annual get together. Thank you to everyone that made this so very enjoyable. See you in 2011.

Don’t forget to order your official tour jersey

Note: We will not be giving any refunds for pre-registration or jerseys that are pre-ordered

Inland Empire Women Cyclists got together on Sunday to make a Tour De Foothills training ride.

Check it out

Call Cristina Chavarin at 909-204-4465 or email her at cristina@uplandchamber.org to become a sponsor today.

The night before the ride. Eat at one of downtown’s upscale restaurants then head down to “A” Street (east of 2nd Avenue) for live music, great conversation and early checkin.

Start: 7 AM from Upland Memorial Park

Rest Areas: There are four manned rest stops and several other parks with restrooms on this route.

Elevation Gain: 7,500′

The Maps: This is an expert-level ride.  You’ll be riding in remote areas of the Angeles National Forest  for about 30 miles, so being prepared, both fitness-wise as well as equipment-wise is crucial.  We’ll have 3 cutoff points to ensure that you get back in time.As you head out, the first 25 miles will be fairly fast, mostly flat or down.  There is a 360’, one mile climb at mile 13.  The real climbing starts on Glendora Mountain Road at mile 29, with 2,562’ of elevation gain in the next 10 miles, topping out at the Glendora Mountain Rd/Glendora Ridge Road junction.  Then there is a 5 mile, very steep descent on Glendora Mountain Road (-1,429’)  as you head down to East Fork Rd.   You’ll descend out of San Gabriel Canyon on East Fork Road & Hwy 39 (-2,096’), but there are still some climbs along the way, with a total gain of 951′.  Once you are back in Glendora , the route gradually climbs back into Claremont .  The last big climb is up Mills Ave/Mt Baldy Rd at 74 miles, where you’ll climb 1,113’ in 5 miles.  Then you’ll experience a fast downhill into Upland and Rancho Cucamonga for an easy finish. 

Official routes aren’t released until the day of the ride.  But the map below is a general idea of the route.

The Jersey

The 2011 Tour jersey is made from Aussie Apparel’s eco-friendly fabric line utilizing 50% post consumer recycled water bottles. This lightweight, breathable fabric has the same look and feel as any high performance fabric. The jersey is only available in unisex sizes.  Must be ordered by 9/18 to receive the day of the event.  Orders after 9/18 will be accepted and your jersey will arrive as soon as possible.

• Cycling Connection
• Butts on Bikes, Inland Empire
• Riverside Bicycle Club
• Psycho-lists
• Go Faster! Women’s Cycling Club
• Inland Empire Women Cyclists

“This was my first cycling event I’ve done, I did the metric and I had a blast! The pros of this were the great scenery, very challenging, course was great (fast and long downhills, hard and steep uphills). The biggest downside was that the road markings were nowhere to be found half of the time, I kept having to look at the map to find out where I am supposed to turn and thankfully I live in the area so I pretty much knew where everything was.”

“This ride took us past beautiful scenery and did its best to keep us off of main streets and I appreciated that. I thought it was a pretty flat ride with a nice, challenging climb followed by a fabulous screaming downhill. I missed one turn and believe there was one turn that wasn’t marked but other than that I thought the route was very clearly marked. I liked the bagpipe send-off and the police escort at the beginning. The lunch was good quality and generous. I had a great time and would do it again. Oh, I did the metric century.”

“I have done many 100 mile Centuries. I enjoyed this ride, found it to be well marked for the most part. Next year it will be easier as there will be GPS data available from this year.

The winds were very challenging going up to Sierra/15fwy, but that’s part of riding. The tail wind heading south on Sierra was out of this world. What an experience 47 mph with no wind noise! I’m glad I did the whole ride.

Looking forward to next year. I am sure this ride will improve with age. Great feedback from my other reviewers I am sure all will be addressed. I am looking forward to the beer garden… bring in the Boys from Dale Bros!”

“My wife and I did the Metric Century on our Tandem and had an AWESOME time!! This was our first time on this ride. We thought it was very well supported, I saw more SAG cars than on any other ride I’ve been on. GREAT job and we look forward to doing it again!!”

“I am new to recreational bike riding events, but we had a team of local Inland Empire folks and from San Diego. Our group represented several levels of riders from very basic to pretty advanced. This ride was fantastic. It was organized really well, and represented one complete day of biking fun for all riders. I am looking forward to repeating the event.”

Read more reviews now.

Check out halfwheeling.com or follow Halfwheeling on Twitter.