Memphis Hightailers Bicycle Club


Welcome
Welcome to the home of the Memphis Hightailers bicycle club. We are dedicated to promoting cycling in the Memphis and Mid South community. MHBC is a volunteer, non profit club with over 600 members. MHBC organizes weekly bicycle rides and social events for all levels and abilities. Rides are held every weekend through out the year. During the summer months, regular rides meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Check details available on the Weekly Rides link.

Events
Please check our ride calendar often. Many rides do not require you to be a member of the Hightailers, but we do encourage membership which helps the club prosper. We have three big Club Events planed for 2010 with a lot of Club Rides throughout the year. So visit the Club Calendar often to get the most up to date information. Club members get a weekly email that details the most up to date club information and rides. Our members some times travel to more distant locations to explore cycling events in other parts of the states and even Europe. Most times these are posted for other members to join along in the fun. Our Focus is on Riding. We offer several weekly rides during DST and our members also support other weekly rides in the area some are Bike Shops, Racing Teams. There are ad hoc meetings during the year which can feature slide shows of bicycle trips, discussions of cycling safety, and tips on repair, equipment and routes. All scheduled meetings are announced in the newsletter and on the web.

Membership
Annual dues are $25 for individual ($40 for two years) or $40 for family ($70 for two years). Click on the Join MHBC link on the left. Please contact our membership director if you have any questions.

MHBC Safe Cycling Practices
	DO
	Come to the ride on time. You, your bike, your gear ready to ROLL OUT at scheduled time. Some groups will leave without you. Others will wait, but realize that you are holding up the others by being late. Carry spare tube, tire levers, adequate fluids and fuel for your ride Ride single file and stay RIGHT, inside of 2 feet from the edge of the road .... PRACTICE THIS!! Give APPROPRIATE SIGNALS to other riders and cars. Normal hand signals. Verbal warnings .... SLOWING .... STOPPING .... RIGHT (LEFT) TURN .... HOLE (BUMP) are all that is necessary .... we don't need to YELL car up or car back .... ASSUME THERE IS ONE THERE and RIDE LIKE THERE IS ONE THERE. Ride double file ONLY WHERE ROADS AND CIRCUMSTANCES PERMIT .... inside rider stays within 18" of road edge, outside rider keeps within 12" of inside rider's handlebars .... as a PAIR you shouldn't take up more than 6 feet of the road .... this takes SKILL and PRACTICE .... it you don't feel comfortable like this RIDE SINGLE FILE! CREATE a little SEPERATION on corners, hills, rough roads, around heavy traffic .... give your fellow riders an extra margin for error as situations require. FOLLOW THESE RULES .... you will cover ground more efficiently and safely this way .... this is a GROUP ride. RIDE AS A GROUP.
	DON'T
	HALF-WHEEL .... when not in single file, ride next to another rider, in PAIRS TWO BY TWO .... don't get your front wheel up inside the rider's in front of you real wheel. If he or she swerves, YOU will go down. YO-YO .... keep an even tempo .... don't race down a hill only to die coming up the next grade .... you can keep FORMATION this way and RIDE MORE EFFICIENTLY. PASS .... every time the ride in front of you slows a little .... as you pass your rider, the rider behind you is passing you and the next thing you know your are taking up the whole road! Cars are blocked and the riders at the back are screaming CAR BACK like crazy .... not a safe, efficient, or enjoyable way to group ride. OVERGEAR ON A HILL .... learn how to use your gears properly .... choose a gear on a hill that allows you to maintain CADENCE on a grade ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP.