July 11, 2017

Local Profile: Charlie Cools Cycling Club

Image @cyclebro
How did your group start?
It all started back when Charlie Cools Coffee was still around. Charlie Cools Coffee was a hole in the wall coffee shop in West End. I hadn’t ridden a bike in years but some of my mates from school started to ride in for coffee in the morning. Cycle Dad & Rushy convinced me that it would be good for business to start riding as well. 3 months later the Charlie Cools Cycling Club was born :)

How many riders are there in your group?
We have 7 riders in the Charlie Cools Coffee team but over 40 in the actual club. 
How often do you ride together?
The lads ride together most days of the week. Brisbane’s cycling community is pretty tight, so you can usually find a group ride to get around. 
How far do you ride?
The average week day ride is around 35km but weekend epics can be as long as you make them.
How many stops?
During the week you only want to stop for coffee at the end of the ride. Weekend epics can call for multiple stops for food and hydration.

Where do you stop to fuel up on your ride / journey?
The Roastery Cafe in West End & Bunker Coffee in Milton are our 2 go-to’s
Do you set yourselves milestones? 
All the guys in the team have different goals they want to achieve throughout the year. A good weekly base we try and hit is about 250km with 3000m of elevation. It can be challenging with work/life commitments though.
Do you participate in team events? 
The team races out at Murrarie most weekends. We target various road races and community cycling events as well (Brisbane to Gold Coast, Velothon).

If so… How do your rides differ from those times when you are training for an event.
Training rides will vary depending on the type of race we have coming up. A good example is the Sunshine Coast Velothon next weekend. Its going to be a gruelling 3 days, with plenty of climbing. The lads have had to adjust their training accordingly. 
What are your emotions at the end of a race / ride?
Riding and racing has become part of our day to day schedule. You always have a sense of achievement irrespective of the outcome. Most of the time it’s just great for team morale.

Why do you wear Pedla?
Its all thanks to our good friend Greg from Kern Cycling. He put us in touch with the Pedla lads originally, when he designed a kit for the club. We haven’t looked back since :)
Written by Elle Alihos