Whether you’re a seasoned racer, an occasional mountain biker or even a beginner, the Trolley Square Cycling Club may be the perfect fit for you.
The club boasts a core group of competitive, veteran riders, but organizers are looking to add enthusiasts of all levels, says Paul Horan, the club’s president. To attain that goal, the club is adding several new rides and activities to its list of weekly and monthly events this spring, including an overnight camping trip.
“We’re offering a lot more than we did in the past,” says Horan. “We’re adding all genres of riding.”
The club, based at Trolley Bikes in the heart of Wilmington’s Trolley Square, recently added another home base with the addition of Brandywine Bikes (formerly Brandywine Cyclery on Marsh Road).
The club continues to offer its popular Tuesday night ride that starts in the Piccolina Toscana parking lot, makes a couple stops in Greenville, and then continues on a 30-mile trek. Top riders average 25 to 35 mph for the duration of the trip. During the height of the season, 80 to 90 riders participate. A less-taxing ride happens on Wednesdays, when the group leaves Trolley and covers 5 to 10 miles before heading back to the square for appetizers and a drink or two at one of the many local spots.
Horan is excited about the new intro to bike-packing trips. One weekend a month, riders will leave the Brandywine shop and follow the Northern Delaware Greenway Trail—a path filled with rolling curves, short drops and a scenic stretch that runs through Alapocas Run State Park—to Trolley Square. Riders then head to a campground for an overnight stay. Novices fear not. The good folks at the club will transport your personal effects to the campsite.
“There is definitely going to be something for everyone,” Horan says.
For a rundown of rides and events, visit the club’s freshly renovated site at www.trolleysquarecyclingclub.com.
