By Pat Summers Special Writer
About 600 members; a monthly newsletter whose scope and spirit would make some newspapers envious; numerous activities and social events as well as a giant annual fundraiser; volunteers left and right taking care of the organization’s business … obviously not a beehive, although its activity level would suggest that. Nor is it a separate principality, despite government with laws and periodic voting. It’s the Princeton Free Wheelers. This year the bicycle club marks its 30th anniversary — still having fun after all those years.
Or, as its milestone motto puts it: “30 and Thriving.”
Just imagine hundreds of bicycle riders spinning through scenic sites all over central New Jersey, especially on weekend days and especially now — the start of high season for cycling. Behind this free and easy (dare we say “freewheeling”?) image, there’s a crowd of busy people. Mostly the same people.
“A lot of us are former runners who can’t run anymore,” Ira Saltier says of Princeton Free Wheelers (PFW) members. Since joining in the mid-’80s, he has logged about 45,000 bicycle miles. He leads about 40 rides a year and helps with the August fundraiser.
In her second year as president, Pat Van Hise has been with the organization since 1985. She thinks people are often prompted to join by a life event — losing a partner or a job, for instance. After that, the camaraderie and natural high of cycling keep them going.
The only real requirement is being at least 18. Current club members range from their 20s to their 80s, with a ratio of about 60-40, men to women. People from all walks of life participate, with the joy of riding superseding personal and professional background.
“I cycled with a woman for 11 years, and we chatted about riding and hobbies and such. All that time, I didn’t know she was a VP at McGraw Hill,” Ms. Van Hise remembers.
Once a month, members receive PFW’s booklet-formatted newsletter, “The Freewheel.” Among innumerable other things, it shows all rides that are scheduled, with date, time, title (“Sourland Training,” “Back by Lunch in Cranbury” . . . ), route description and leader, with contact specs.
The key information shown for each ride is its “ride class,” or pace — the speed at which riders will move. The nine classes start with the fastest “AX” (average speed 23 mph and cruising speed 26+ mph). They move through A+, A, B+, B, C+, C, and D+ to D (average speed 8-9 mph; cruising speed up to 10 mph).
Members self-select into the ride class they think is right for them — that is, how fast they’ll cycle. Ride leaders review those who sign up and may filter out participants who missed the newsletter’s advice: “Do not bike off more than you can do.”
Not all PFW members are active all the time, of course. Weather (too cold, hot or windy, for instance) and jobs can dampen enthusiasm. Summer-fall riding weather usually entices more cyclists to join, moving membership closer to 700 by October.
Besides deciding the start place, which must have car parking, the ride leader typically goes over the route ahead of time, noting details to include in directions that go to every participant. Ms. Van Hise — a “perennial ‘C’ rider” and a frequent ride leader — describes riding the course with someone in an accompanying car taking notes for that purpose.
Those who sign up for a ride drive their bicycles to the designated start spot and go from there in groups that can number 3-25 cyclists. The leader reviews safety procedures and calls out hazards s/ he encounters en route. Bringing up the rear, the ride “sweep” wears a distinctively colored shirt, so that if the leader can see her or him, all riders are accounted for.
PFW rules require cyclists to wear a helmet and be able to make basic repairs. Beyond that, specialized clothes are optional, and gear can include an odometer, a mirror and a cue sheet clip for the handlebars.
Bicycles taking to the road on a PFW ride can include tandems, recumbents, mountain and road bikes. Aero bars, which extend in front of the handle bars and allow for a tuck position and elbow rest, can’t be used during a ride. “It’s too hard to respond quickly,” Mr. Saltier says.
Membership ($20 individual; $30 family) entitles those in the organization to receive ride lists via e-mail and the newsletter, but that’s far from all. Events throughout the year foster fellowship, reward commitment and in one case, raise money.
The September picnic and a winter holiday party follow the annual fundraiser on the first Saturday in August — this year, Aug. 7. Around 1,250 cyclists participated in ‘09, riding one of five routes from 12-100 miles. Rest stops are included on each one, with three on the hundred miler.
This 30th Annual Princeton Bicycling Event will begin and end at Mercer County Community College this year, with preparation well under way. Mr. Saltier, who chaired the event four years ago, says it’s “like putting together 17 weddings.” He has also handled the food for all the rest stops — something like 1,600 bagels and 700 pounds of bananas, along with watermelons. (He learned that 88 watermelons in one layer took up one bay of his garage.)
The cycle god — would Mercury come closest? —– has smiled on the PFW each August: it has never rained hard enough to call off the event. Consequently — is this hubris? — there’s no rain date.
It would seem their affiliation with PFW has sufficiently pleased some charter members from 1980 to keep them riding — and volunteering. Take Mike and Phyllis Suber, for example. Both board members at large, she handles “membership and general information,” while he specializes in bicycle advocacy.
They’re either C+ or C in ride class, depending on the terrain, Ms. Suber says. They used to be a bit faster, and took their last “century ride” (100+ miles in one day) in 2001. A favorite ride is from Princeton to Sergeantsville and the state’s only remaining covered bridge, and back. It’s 50 miles, with lunch at the Rosemont Café optional.
For cyclists who don’t ride year-round, it’s hard to get used to the saddle (seat) again each spring. Matter of fact about this problem, which any cyclist would recognize with a wince, Ms. Suber says, “We just do a few short rides until the bottom toughens up.”
A relative newbie in membership years only — he joined PFW in 1991 — John Powers has a big finger in lots of PFW pies. Most visibly, he edits the monthly Freewheel newsletter and manages the organization’s comprehensive website, where he also handles the “InfoGuy” column. And he maintains the information base for all activities connected with the August fundraiser.
Not surprisingly, Mr. Powers says he doesn’t really know how much time he puts into Free Wheeler activities.
That attitude of just pitching in seems common among members — probably a major reason for the organization’s “thriving” condition. And speaking of that: Happy anniversary, Princeton Free Wheelers, and many, many more!
Princeton Free Wheelers, P.O. Box 1204, Princeton, NJ 08542-1204. Phone: 609-882-4PFW(4739). PrincetonFreewheelers.com.
Freelance writer Pat Summers also blogs at AnimalBeat.blogspot.com.
