Tuesday Evening Rides

These rides start in early April and continue until the end of September. There are a good variety of routes, going north, south, east and west out of the city, returning at or before dusk. The Tuesday routes are shorter than OBC weekend rides, ranging between 35 kilometres in the spring and fall, and up to 65 kilometres in early summer when the days are longest. Rides normally leave from Billings Bridge Shopping Plaza, but about 40% are remote starts at other Ottawa locations, selected to reduce the amount of time spent riding in city traffic. Be sure to check the schedule before going to Billings, to ensure you are aware of the correct pre-arranged start location. This schedule is listed in the OBC Calendar or on the Tuesday Tour Schedule page.

Rides normally start at 6:00 PM, but a 5:30 PM start is scheduled in April and September due to the shorter days. The rides are planned to finish before sunset, but sometimes stuff happens - flat tires, mechanical issues, lengthy latté breaks...for these eventualities you should carry a lighting system on your bike in case the ride unexpectedly extends into darkness (white light in the front, red in the back).

The Tuesday rides attract a range of abilities, from Rambler (~ 21 km/hr) through the various levels of Touring groups up to and including the 30+ km/hr range, with group speeds being set by the slowest rider in the group. OBC Group leaders are available for all levels, but there is a particular focus on accommodating the newer OBC members who wish to obtain group riding experience on these shorter evening routes. This focus is more pronounced earlier in the season, while the Saturday Group Riding Clinics are still being held. The Tuesday program follows the same structured approach to groups, speeds, and planned routes as do all other OBC touring events, but there is more personalized attention from the organizers due to the smaller size.

For more information:

• Contact the Tuesday night program leader Scott McDougall at 260-2748 or :

• Contact the Touring Director, or the Club Office by e-mail.