Oakland University has its own cycling club, where riders meet Tuesday and Sunday to participate in a variety of cycling disciplines.

The riders meet at the campus in Varner Hall and leave for rides at local trails such as Velodrome at Bloomer Park, Pontiac Lake State Park and Stony Creek Metropark. Currently, 20 active members are on the team, but the club is always open to new members.

Psychology graduate student and vice president, Chris Holden, joined the team in August of 2012. He has used the club to help him get familiar with the area.

“I am glad to be connected to a network of cyclists with similar interests,” Holden said. “As someone who is relatively new to the area, it has been nice to learn about cycling opportunities in the area that otherwise may not have been known.”

Setting goals

Holden also has specific goals for the club, one of them to give students the opportunity to pursue cycling or explore a new sport.

“I would like to promote cycling as a healthy, green, and enjoyable alternative to transition transportation methods,” Holden said.

Senior Justin Sackett, president, would like to see the club continue to grow and eventually compete against other schools.

“Right now, the club meets casually to go on group ideas, hang out, and make friends with common interests,” Sackett said. “We would like, at some point, to have a cycling team that competes locally against other regional universities, but the club is much less competitive.”

Leading the pack

Sackett has eased into the leader role as he tries to help other cyclists, even making sure that the riders are aware of their surroundings.

“I try to act as a leader the best I can in front of the group,” Sackett said. “I attempt to show others how to lead a successful group ride or race, being conscious of your fellow team members and the surroundings like car drivers and cyclists (that) don’t always get along.”

Sackett also said how he wants to grow and stabilize the club to have several group rides every week, and start racing a team, rather than individuals.

Combining Sackett’s attitude and his passion for this relatively new club puts him in high spirits.

“It’s pretty cool to watch the club grow (and be able) to put on an OU cycling jersey and wear it out on rides for people to see and ask about the club,” Sackett said.

Continuing to grow

In the past semester, each rider would focus on the route and pace to best fit not only themselves, but also the group, according to Holden.

Tim Zvekan, who joined the team at the start of the 2012 season, says he has a fun time riding and bonding with the members.

“It’s a great group of people that are passionate about the sport and enjoy riding while having a good time along the way,” Zvekan said. “I’m very positive about the club and what we do.”

Zvekan agrees on Sackett’s view about the club turning to a team.

“It would be great to watch the club grow and evolve to the point that OU could have a competitive cycling team. But for the time being, it’s about having fun and everyone sharing their experiences,” Zvekan said.

Zvekan adds how Sackett is a great leader.

“Justin works hard to make sure that there is a mix of rides throughout the season from trail riding at the local parks, road rides from campus and casual rides so everyone can do what they like,” Zvekan said.

Being an active member, Zvekan, had to face a slight injury that affected him slightly.

“I did break a couple fingers last October on a night ride, but we have bicycle specific headlights that allowed us to ride the trails at night and it’s a lot of fun,” Zvekan said.

There are not many rules when contributing to this club. The presidents cannot require that club members wear a helmet or bring necessary tools and gear, but it is highly recommended in order to avoid injuries.

During the season, some members like to ride more than others, and some do it for fun.

Just how Zvekan says, “it’s not about where we ride but the ride and the people that’s so fun.”

Contact Staff Intern Monica Nowak via email at [email protected]