It’s a Thursday morning in May and a group of a dozen or so cyclists is unloading equipment and adjusting gear along the edge of Dean Street. Yesterday a similar group gathered outside of La Baguette Magique on Market St. An even larger group will meet at the St. Agnes parking lot on Saturday morning. They will leave at 8:30 for a 57-mile tour of western Chester County returning just in time for an afternoon beer at Iron Hill. While ages range from 18 to 85 and skill levels will span A to C- (advanced to beginner), they are all members of the West Chester Cycling Club, a roughly 500-member organization that has all but redefined what it means to bike in West Chester.
Twenty years ago, the now prolific WCCC (you know them by the Iron Hill emblazoned kits they wear) was born out of a desire by some YMCA spin class members to ride outside. After ride two, the group decided they needed a uniform. A kit before a club? I ask.
“It’s a cycling thing,” WCCC president Chris Linzey tells me over lunch and a beer. I met him and long-time member and current club treasurer Viktor Ohnjec at Iron Hill, the long-standing lead sponsor of the club. We’re discussing what’s changed with the sport over the last two decades, what’s next, and why everyone in this town suddenly seems to be cycling.
“Our club members like to ride bicycles,” says Viktor by way of explanation.
Charting a different course
I suppose there is something to that because WCCC currently boasts around 500 members. It swings between 450 and 600 riders depending on the time of year. Each week riders can choose from a selection of a dozen or so rides across a spectrum of levels. While most of the rides take place on roads, there are also options for those who prefer gravel and mountain biking. There are even group trips planned, some as close as Lancaster, others as far as Europe. Just today a group left for a biking tour of Loudoun County, VA. There will be lunch stops for BBQ and a brewery tour. I get the feeling this is a – work hard, play hard group.
Since the beginning, the group has done things a little differently than other cycling clubs. When the group began all rides started at the same time and location. There were no annual fees or signature rides. No, Tour De Shore – or other large fundraising initiatives. There has, however, always been a commitment to the community. WCCC Cares gives the group a philanthropic arm and has been used to support a variety of local nonprofits over the years. A big one, and a constant, is the Westside Community Center’s Giving Bikes Back program.
“It’s not just, here’s some money, here’s some bikes. It’s also here’s some volunteers,” Viktor says on the group’s active approach to outreach.
Of course, some things have changed since those early rides. Ride start times and locations now vary daily – the club has just gotten too large for everyone to meet up for a single ride. There is also a membership fee. Insurance requires it, but it’s modest and waived if you order the custom club kit. However, comradery, community, and a love of cycling remain at the core of the club.
Riding toward the future together
According to StreetLight’s Active Transportation Monitor, cycling popularity in the United States climbed 37 percent between 2019 and 2022. It has since plateaued but it hasn’t backslid – yet. WCCC has seen a similar trend in its membership and while numbers remain as high today as they did during the height of the pandemic, the club is fighting against several trends that threaten to erode that growth.
One is development. “The amount of trees we ride by is decreasing while the number of houses is going up,” says Viktor. Another is the roads, which are often narrow or poorly maintained, but by far the greatest threat is drivers. “Rarely do you go on an hour-long ride where you don’t have an incident [with a vehicle],” says Chris.
To combat this the club has made safety a priority. Rides are led by ride leaders who keep members in a group and lead by example, obeying traffic laws and riding safely. They ride under the motto, “Work together. Stay together.”
They’ve also made adjustments to their routes. They used to ride in and out of the Borough via Miner St, but no more. Drivers are just too aggressive. They also avoid Marshallton Thorndale Rd near Poorhouse Rd., an area sports parents will know as the home of United Sports, Downingtown’s busy athletic complex. There are just too many parents in the area in a rush to get to an upcoming event, Viktor says. Yes, I agree. It may not be fair, but the area should be avoided.
And that’s not to say the bikers are always right either. Both Chris and Viktor fully admit they are not, but regardless of who’s right, it’s the cyclist who will lose.
“Don’t assume we think we’re pristine,” says Viktor, “but in an altercation between us and a car, a car will win.” He asks that drivers be just a “tiny bit patient.”
Things in a biking world will never be perfect. “We’re never going to be in a place where we’re not complaining about potholes and train tracks,” says Chris. They are good though. After 20 years, the club is active, strong, and ready to celebrate.
As we wait for the check, Chris and Viktor discuss final details for the 20th-anniversary bash being held at the Chester County History Center. “We haven’t had a good party of that size in a while,” says Viktor. As I said, work hard, play hard.
Want to join the West Chester Cycling Club? You can find membership information here.
Want to make the roads safer for cyclists? PennDOT is accepting letters of interest and resumes for voluntary positions on the Pedalcycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PPAC).
Originally published on May 31, 2024
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