Hancock Handlebars Bicycle Club of Findlay, Ohio
Questions were answered by Mick Gould, HHBC Past President
When was your club founded?
The Club began in the late 1950's as a loose-knit group of bicycling friends, and eventually becoming affiliated with the American Youth Hostelling organization. The club was formed as the Hancock Handlebars with an AYH charter in 1970. We have rides every day of the week. Some days there are as many as six different scheduled/organized rides. Our most popular rides are our family rides on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening (we always try to include an ice cream stop here), and our fitness rides on Tuesday and Thursday evenings (no ice cream stop here).
How many members do you have?
More than 300, which logged more than 140,000 miles in the 2007 season. We still have some of the club's original members participating: one in their 90s is still riding well over 1,000 miles per year.
What is the club's mission?
Our goal is to promote bicycling as a form of fitness and leisure activity for the whole family as well as the go-fast group, while promoting all types of bicycling advocacy organizations. We partner with the Hancock Park District on many projects. We would like to see safe bicycle routes throughout our area so everyone can ride safely, so our children may one day be able to ride their bicycles to the parks and to school safely, instead of being squired around in a car playing video games.
What is your club's best ride?
The Hancock Horizontal Hundred, which we have been hosting on the first Sunday after Labor Day every year. This will be the 40th year.
Cycling in Northwest Ohio
The roadways of Hancock and surrounding counties are ideally suited for cycling. The secondary roads are well paved, lightly traveled and well marked. The terrain is relatively flat and scenic. The landscape is covered by farms, streams, rivers and small forest plots and is dotted with small towns and villages.
Most of our small communities have parks that offer cyclists water, restroom facilities and a place in the shade in which to rest. Many also have locally owned and operated eating establishments, each of which is known for particular specialties such as homemade pies or ice cream and for small town hospitality.
The Hancock Handlebars, in cooperation with the Hancock Park District, help to maintain three designated bicycle routes that traverse the county. These routes have printed maps that are available from the Park District Headquarters, local bicycle shops, and from the Hancock Handlebars.
Why Join a Bicycle Club
The Hancock Handlebars are a friendly and diverse group of individuals who share a common interest in cycling. Participation in club-sponsored events gives our members the opportunity to share in the enjoyment of a healthy outdoor exercise while developing their personal cycling skills.
For beginners, the club offers the opportunity to learn about basic cycling techniques and safety issues. Topics such as hand signaling and draft line etiquette are discussed and practiced by our riders. Ride leaders are appointed for our novice level rides. Ride leaders provide all participants with maps of the planned route and follow at the rear of the group to provide assistance to the riders.
For intermediate and advanced cyclists, the club offers a variety of events that are more challenging in terms of pace and distance. Participation in group activities at this level offers cyclists motivation and encouragement to extend themselves in order to improve their cycling abilities.
All About Us
The Hancock Handlebars Bicycle Club is a non-profit organization, established in 1969 and incorporated in 1977, which is dedicated to the following objectives:
· to promote the bicycle as a means of transportation
· to develop an awareness of bicycle safety issues in our community
· to encourage the development of bikeways, bike trails, etc.
· to organize bicycling activities
· to advance interest in bicycling for recreation and fitness
· to bring together those who share a mutual interest in bicycling
The membership is composed of over 300 individuals covering four categories:
· Adult members are persons who have attained the age of 16 years and have joined the organization as an individual.
· Youth members are persons under 16 years of age who have joined the organization as an individual.
· Family members are persons who have joined the organization as a family unit.
· Life members are persons who have life membership in the League of American Bicyclists or the American Youth Hostels.
Benefits of Membership
· Membership Packet
· Annual Mileage Awards
· Local Bikeway Map
· Club History and Bylaws
· Annual Banquet
· News letter and Events
· Calendar
· New Friends!
Activities for All Ages and All Seasons
Club activities are planned for all levels of ability. We have as many as 4 scheduled rides per day every day of the week during the season. Our events calendar annually includes over 6000 miles of organized rides varying from 12 mile evening tours about town to 400 mile week long excursions.
Evening rides are held four times per week and range from 8 to 30 miles in length. The evening rides are a good starting place for novice riders. Leaders are present to distribute maps and to insure that everyone gets back to the starting location.
The evening rides are attended by both casual cyclists and the more experienced who are out for a hard ride, thus the evening rides provide an activity which can be enjoyed at either a leisurely or competitive pace.
Weekend rides vary in distance from 20 to 100 miles, are held locally and generally have a target destination. The New Riegel Rib Ride, Dola Fish Fry and BG Pizza Ride are some favored events. Weekend rides tend to increase in distance somewhat as the year progresses in recognition of improving weather conditions and physical conditioning.
Away rides are events that are sponsored by other cycling clubs or organizations. These may be one-day tours, weekend events or weeklong cycling vacations. Typical events include the Horsey 100 held in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky and the Hilly Hundred held during the fall color season in Brown County, Indiana. We also participate in the annual TOSRV (Tour of the Scioto River Valley) which travels from Columbus to Portsmouth and back over a Saturday and Sunday in May. Some more exotic vacation tours have been organized to places like the Colorado Rockies, the Netherlands and Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Family rides are planned for Monday and Wednesday evenings this season. they will be 8 to 18 miles in length and carry an average speed of about 7 to 12 mph so that younger children can participate. Check the ride calendar for details of each ride.
The Mid Morning Milers are a special branch of the Hancock Handlebars that includes many of our more senior members who are free during weekdays and enjoy leisurely rides to local destinations.
While most club activities are scheduled between the months of April and October, winter is not overlooked. For those willing to brave the cold and wet, and there really are some, winter rides scheduled Depending on Weather and Riders (DOWR)
Keeping In Touch
The "Handlebar Herald" is a newsletter published quarterly by the club, which contains the events calendar, various articles relating to bicycling issues, equipment and safety, and material contributed by members reporting on club activities or relating humorous anecdotes.
Copies of the newsletter are distributed to all club members, various local cycling clubs, organizations and bicycle shops.
Getting Down to Business
The business and planning of club activities are coordinated throughout the year during club meetings that are held at Oakwoods Preserve. Issues discussed include community relations, budgeting, club events and preparations for the annual Hancock Horizontal Hundred Bicycle Tour. All members are encouraged to attend and express their point of view.
A budget meeting is held in December. The November meeting is held in conjunction with the annual club banquet. During the November meeting elections are held for club president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer and four trustees.
Officers and trustees meet in December to prepare an annual budget. The budget covers the financing of ongoing club activities such as the newsletter and the Hancock Horizontal Hundred Bicycle Tour. It also designates a certain amount to philanthropic projects that serve to promote bicycling in our community and throughout Northwest Ohio.
Also in January the president appoints chairpersons to head the Rides Committee and the Social Committee and a director for the Hancock Horizontal Hundred Bicycle Tour. These individuals are responsible for recruiting and organizing members to plan the activities calendar, social events and the bicycle tour.
As in any organization, continued success of the club is dependent on good planning and a willingness on the part of members to devote their time and talent as required. All are encouraged to become actively involved.
The Main Event
The Hancock Horizontal Hundred (HHH) is a bicycle tour sponsored by the club annually on the first Sunday following Labor Day. The tour is open to the general public and regularly attracts around a 1000 participants from across the United States and Canada.
The tour provides marked 32, 62 and 100-mile routes which traverse Hancock and adjoining counties. Three rest stops are provided which are amply stocked with fresh fruit, doughnuts, drinks and homemade cookies. Lunch is also served to each rider.
The tour gives club members an opportunity to introduce themselves and the community to fellow cycling enthusiasts from many different places.
In addition to promoting cycling and business in our community, the Hancock Horizontal Hundred serves as the main fund raising event for the club. Proceeds from the tour are used to support most of the club's business, social and philanthropic activities.
The Hancock Horizontal Hundred is a major organizational challenge for the club.
Arrangements and planning for the event begin as early as March. All club members are called upon to provide assistance in some capacity.
Wrapping It Up
The riding season culminates for the Hancock Handlebars on the second Saturday in November at the Annual Club Banquet. This festive event is held in the Lodge at Riverbend. All club members and their families are encouraged to attend.
A social hour is followed by a buffet dinner. A guest speaker then gives a presentation on a topic of interest to cyclists.
A brief business meeting is held during which new club officers and trustees are elected.
To end the evening, mileage awards are presented to members who have participated in at least 25 club sponsored events throughout the year. Those participating in 50 or more events receive a $20 gift certificate. Those participating in 25 club events receive a $10 gift certificate.
The banquet gives everyone a chance to reflect on the years events and enjoy each others company one last time before the onset of winter and the holiday season.
For Information on how YOU can get involved, please write:
Hancock Handlebars Bicycle Club
Post Office Box 232
Findlay, Ohio 45839
President@hancockhandlebars.org
or call: