Bombay's Challenge Event Training Series (BCETS)

Started in 2004, Bombay’s Challenge Event Training Series (BCETS) is a 15 week series of early season training rides preparing riders for hilly endurance events such as The Horribly Hilly Hundreds (HHH) in June. The rides will challenge you on your way to attaining peak performance in mid June. BCETS is also suited to riders who just want to improve their climbing skills, endurance and overall fitness regardless of participation in a challenge event.

The length and elevation profile of the rides are progressive, meaning you will be riding further and climbing higher each week for 15 weeks. The first two rides of the season are rather gentle, but each subsequent ride becomes longer, hillier, and increasingly challenging. Ride distances average 30 to 70 miles, with one supported century ride later in the schedule. Riding up hills is the challenging feature of the program with rides ranging from 1,000 to 6,000 ft of climbing.

Is BCETS for Me?

• BCETS does require good physical and medical fitness prior to the start of the program. During the winter months, we recommend preparing by riding indoors - eg joining the BBC Zwift Events, running, swimming or other regular physical activity. If you aspire to reach a minimum average speed of about 13 mph for up to 100 miles over very hilly terrain to improve your fitness and climbing skills, you will fit in
• You'll get help and motivation from other friendly BCETS riders eager to share their passion and encouragement for riding the hills in western Wisconsin

The Training Series

• We have an orientation social on Tue Jan 23, 6pm at the Fitchburg Community Ctr. Topics include BCETS ride schedule, cold weather gear, nutrition and training basics. The meeting is a great opportunity to get answers to your questions/concerns and to meet fellow participants
  
• Weather permitting, outdoor training rides take place every Saturday morning beginning the first weekend of March through mid-June (the week before the HHH)
  
• Ride distance and elevation increase through the 15 week series, beginning with two relatively easy rides and quickly progressing to very hilly and challenging routes. Rides range from 30 to 70 miles with a 100 mi ride towards the end of the program
• Select here to view the BCETS RWGPS Routes
• Riders must follow the BBC Rider Safety Responsibilities
• To register for BCETS, an active BBC Club membership is required. Select Member Signup / Information to join. (BBC Club Membership is annual with renewal in April. The annual membership cost is $35 for an individual and $50 for a household)
• The BCETS program fee is $70

The Routes

• We ride through all the hills and roads of the HHH coarse on the gorgeous and very hilly terrain in and around Blue Mounds and Mt Horeb. Select here to view the BCETS RWGPS routes
• The routes are designed to be physically demanding with the goal of riders reaching their peak form in June
• We ride in small groups to accommodate different abilities and to minimize our footprint on country roads. Each group is led by an experienced rider

Dressing for Cold Weather

 

The temperature can be cold for the first few rides. We have you covered though, checkout our comprehensive Blog post here

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BCETS RWGPS Club (Recommended, free)

Your BCETS registration includes the highest level of RWGPS features to:

• Wirelessly transfer Routes from a phone or pc (Pin) to a GPS device
• Use the RWGPS app on your phone for turn by turn navigation with audio cues
• Print a route map and its cue sheet
  

 

To join, select here (The BCETS RWGPS Club is separate from the BBC RWGPS Club)

• If you already have a RWGPS account, select Sign in to your account and enter your RWGPS personal account email and password
• If you don't have an account, select the Sign up button and enter your name, email address etc.
  

 

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BCETS Zwift Club (Recommended, free)

If weather cancels a ride, we will substitute a Zwift hilly ride with optional Discord. If you're new to Zwift or need a refresher, select here

• The Zwift ride will be at 10am on the same Saturday as the cancelled ride
• The ride will be posted on the Zwift Companion app on the morning of the cancelled ride. Select CLUB, BCETS then  + 

To join, select here (The BCETS Zwift Club is separate from the BBC Zwift Club)

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BCETS Discord Channel, 'BCETS-Riders' (Recommended, free)

• As needed, download the Discord app for your phone/tablet/Mac or Windows 10/11 pc. Make sure Discord and Zwift are run on different devices
• You'll need a Discord account. If you don't have one, select Create Discord Account
• You'll also need to join the BCETS-Riders Discord channel, select https://discord.gg/Xn6MMbUFk7 then Accept Invite
• Start the Discord app on your device. You can also run it from a web browser by selecting here
  • Use the Text channel, general to ask questions, share riding experiences or to give feedback
  • Use the Voice Channel, General for Zwift rides that are replacing a ride that was cancelled for bad weather. A wired or wireless headset or earbuds with built-in microphone is strongly recommended. This reduces the background fan and trainer noise others will hear
    

 

  

• Select BCETS-Riders from your Discord channels on the left
• Select Voice Channels, General. You are now live with everyone who’s on the BCETS-Riders Voice Channel

As needed, select  to mute/unmute to talk. The noise cancellation isn’t perfect, if others can hear your background noise, it's best to stay on mute then unmute to talk

 

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FAQ

 

• Do we ride if the weather is less than ideal?
  Yes! One of the benefits of BCETS is learning to ride in different kinds of weather. We start when it’s still cold, and we end up riding in weather that may reach the 90s. Safety always comes first though. We don’t ride when the road conditions are dangerous (ice or snow) and we may cancel rides due to extreme weather events such as high winds or thunderstorms. Ride cancellations will be posted 1hr before the ride start time on the BBC website Home page and on the BCETS Facebook page.
  

 

If weather cancels a ride, we will substitute a Zwift hilly ride with optional Discord. The Zwift ride will be at 10 am and posted on the Zwift Companion app, BCETS Club on the morning of the cancelled ride. To join these rides, you must join the Zwift BCETS Club (free). Select here to join. Note, this is a separate club from the BBC Zwift Club. 

• Do I need special cold weather gear?

  Yes, the temperature can be cold for the first few rides. Select here for our comprehensive Dressing for Cold Weather blog

• Do you provide sag support and have dedicated water stops?
  We do not provide sag support or food/water out on the routes, however the rides are designed to go past parks with water fountains and convenience stores so you can refill water bottles and refuel if needed

 

• What kind of routes do you provide?
  Each ride has an up to date, scouted Ride with GPS route that you can transfer to your GPS device or phone. Select here to view the BCETS RWGPS Routes

 

 

 

 

 

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Testimonials

 

I joined BCETS without knowing much about it. As a newer cyclist, I was looking for a way to grow my skills, build some muscle, and get some early season rides in. My partner's mom, a long time BCETS rider, immediately recommended the program. I love the community that BCETS provides, and the early season practice lead to a great summer!

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BCETS has become more than just a cycling group for me – it's a community that has enriched my life in countless ways. The shared laughter, the collective push up challenging hills, and the post-ride beer/coffee chats have become integral parts of my routine. I'm grateful to be part of a group that not only shares a love for cycling but also understands the true essence of community and friendship.

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I plan on signing up for BCETS again. It is not as scary to me as it used to be. I used to avoid hilly rides. Now I can handle them. Being with a group of other riders definitely helps me to get outside on my bike very early in the season. Doing BCETS makes the rest of the bike season rides more fun when you start with a solid base of training. BCETS helped me to do the Horribly Hilly Hundreds and the Dairyland Dare for the first time in 2023. I’ll be out there again looking forward to seeing friends I’ve made and meeting new ones.

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I heard about BCETS through the cycling grapevine. I'd always been intrigued, but hadn't ever signed up as I enjoyed a break from cycling in the winter. In 2023 I'd decided to attempt Ride the Rockies in Colorado. I thought BCETS would be a great motivator to ride more in the late winter/early spring and the hills would help me with the long climbs I anticipated facing in Colorado. It worked! I rode much more in late winter/early spring. I enjoyed the camaraderie of my fellow BCETS participants. On Saturdays when I'd have most likely rolled over in bed to hit the snooze button in past years, now because of my BCETS commitment, I arose and gathered my cycling gear for yet another ride up Blue Mounds! The ride in Colorado was splendid. BCETS really prepared me physically for the ride, but also prepared me for how to dress for the ride in Colorado. I was surprised how similar March weather in Wisconsin is to June weather in the Rocky Mountains! I had so much fun last year that I'm back for another year of BCETS in 2024.

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I first learned of BCETS from a friend who couldn't say more about how hard and rewarding it was to be part of the group. I decided to sign up the following spring to level-up in training and take on new & challenging rides. The routes are not only challenging (and they are), they are some of the most scenic routes in Wisconsin. Period. Along with weekly training rides, BCETS vets share nutrition tips, climbing techniques and strategy through clinics and social events which is a great way to get to know folks...and what they look like without a bike helmet on! The wrap-around support is great, and camaraderie through the long winter months, a welcome chance to form new friendships.

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Interested in Being a BCETS Ride Leader?

The role of ride leaders is minimal as we expect all BCETS riders to be self-sufficient for navigation, nutrition/hydration and emergencies. A Ride Leader's role is to:

• Gather your group at the start location

• After the BCETS coordinator has given the route and safety talk, lead out your group

• While on the ride, help avoid riders inadvertently getting separated

• Encourage social interaction within the group to support each other

• Help riders find their appropriately paced group at the start and if necessary, changing it during the ride by going ahead or dropping back
• Organize a paceline if the group is comfortable with it
• Offer climbing, descending and general riding tips (you'll get help with this topic)

We recruit 10-15 ride leaders. Each ride leader has about 10 riders in their group. You may be asked to help with a group that is slower than your pace if we do not have the needed ride leader coverage.
A bonus of being a Ride Leader is your registration fee is waived

If you'd like to volunteer to be a BCETS Ride Leader, please send an email to BCETS@bombaybicycle.org

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