Many people from Vancouver Island are looking for coaching qualifications in their chosen sports. Pacific Sport is offering a number of courses in different disciplines, including ones for those who are new to coaching. Go here for information

Nanaimo has a number of excellent bike shops catering to the roadies, tri-guys and to mountain bikers and BMX fans. Now there is a place where you can buy second-hand bikes, or even have your own bike sold on consignment. Three months ago serendipity brought three individuals with a common vision together; opening a community bike shop in downtown Nanaimo. Jawn Lafratta, Justin Francis and Keegan Metheringham are the founding members of the Hub City Cycles Community Co-op, which just opened March 1^st at 12 Lois Lane, just off Terminal Avenue opposite the library. They wanted to find a different way of doing business, one focused on human need not human greed, where users and members of the community (who own and govern the business) collectively enjoy the benefits.

The trio are all residents of Nanaimo and avid cyclists. They felt they could offer a bike shop with a more convenient location and with the quality of services and products which best served the unique personality of the downtown area and south end community. With the impending closure of the Pedal Pusher, the only other bike shop downtown, the timing was perfect.

Aside from all the stuff you can expect from a regular bike shop, this will be a place where people can find, donate and sell on consignment used parts and bikes. Co-op members can learn how to fix their own bikes through a variety of programs, and also use the shop space and tools at their leisure. Also of note is the mobile bike mechanic that can come right to your door to fix your bike, and hopefully in the future there will be food delivery by bike too!

It’s not necessary to be a member to enjoy some of the services, but there are benefits. Becoming a shareholder/member is easy. Visit the shop, fill out an application, and with the minimum purchase of one share, which costs $5 (refundable upon leaving the co-op) almost anyone can become a lifetime member.

A member of the co-op is entitled to use the tools and shop space for an hourly, monthly or annual fee and can also attend free workshops. All members have a say in how the business is run, can attend meetings of the association, run for a position on the board of directors, vote for board of directors and vote on other important issues at meetings. Regardless of how many shares each member has, they only get one vote. Here, every member’s voice is equally recognized regardless of amount invested.

Hub City Cycles is a non-profit community service cooperative who’s purpose is to be a resource that nourishes the neighbourhoods in and around downtown Nanaimo by providing affordable bicycle-centric services and advocacy that build, empower and support healthy and sustainable communities, providing a safe and welcoming space for people to come to learn, share skills and network with other community members.

In an effort to increase participation by women in the Mid Island Velo Association cycling club,Janna Gillick, the club's Directeur Sportif Feminin, has prepared a survey of women cyclists in Nanaimo. The goal is to determine whether there is something MIVA could be doing differently to better serve women riders.

She would appreciate it if you could please take a few minutes and respond to the ten questions. All responses are anonymous but you will be able to see the tally upon completion of the survey. You will find the survey here.

 If you aren't familiar with MIVA, they are the road-cycling club in Nanaimo and are responsible for events like the Nanaimo River Rd time trial series, the Boxwood Criteriums and several other fun events.

Please pass this on to other women in your circles and our apologies if you've received this more than once.

Thanks!

Sunday's fifteen kilometer time trial on the Duke Point Highway, Nanaimo,  was pretty hard as there was a strong easterly wind, low temperature and the last kilometer was mostly up the steepest incline on the course. Among the starters were Dave Steen and newcomer Sean Funk who came from Thetis Island , MIVA committee members Janna Gillick and Doug Merrick, and Kim McCarley. Also present but not riding the event were Leigh Blaney and Ross Palfery, MIVA Secretary. Top three finishers were surprisingly close, with Doug Merrick posting the best time of 26 minutes six seconds and Septuagenarian Dave Steen doing a great ride at just 21 seconds behind If the old standard on age criteria had been used, he would have won by over 3 minutes! Janna Gillick was third, and first woman) in just under 27 minutes. Doug's computer showed the course to be just over half a kilometer long at 15.53km. So the 15 km finish would have been near the bottom of the final hill and would have resulted in almost two minutes off the times.

The next time trial on The quiet Duke Point Highway will be on Sunday March 18^th. , registration at 10.30am and start at 11.01am. The finish will be moved just over half a kilometer down the hill!

RESULTS

	NAME	CLUB	TIME
1	Doug Merrick	MIVA/CVCC	26'06”
2	Dave Steen	BCMCA	26'27”
3	Janna Gillick	MIVA	26'59”	1W
4	Sean Funk	Ind.	31'53
5	Kim McCarley	MIVA	38'59”	2W

Your editor used to be a good hill climber but age and a bad accident three years ago have robbed him of much of that ability. In a search for advice that would help him maximise what little power he has left, a myriad of articles on how to improve hill climbing ability were read. Some of the advice was in the form of motherhood statements. Other well-meaning tips turned out to be way off the mark  and a lot of information given by so-called experts was downright wrong!

Here is one of the better articles on the art and skill of climbing all types of hills. Read it and then go out to your favourite hill and try out some of the ideas you may not have used before.

The photo is of Frederico Bahamontes attacking  one of the legendary ascents in a Grand Tour.  He was one of the all time climbing greats of the post-war era and won numerous races in the mountains.