SMBC January Newsletter

The Sarasota Manatee Bicycle Club strives to be the premier cycling club in the Sarasota region. We will foster a vibrant and inclusive environment where members of all ages and abilities can enjoy the sport, build friendships, increase their cycling knowledge and skills, and be great stewards within our community.

A Message from SMBC President John Harkey

Dear Members:

As we enter 2026, I would like to take a moment to thank our SMBC leadership team and members who have tirelessly supported our club activities this year. Despite a board operating shorthanded and having to make the difficult decision to postpone our 2025 CycleFest event we have accomplished some amazing things this year.

In early 2025 we completed a club survey which allowed the board to focus on key club priorities. Some of our incredible accomplishments are:

The creation and approval of our first vision statement,
Renewed focus on our recruiting events including new member rides and farmer’s market booths,
Strengthened utilization of social media to market our club to all demographics in our area,
A continued emphasis on safety with safety announcements, healthy riding habits updates and safety classes,
New rides created by our awesome ride leaders,
Continued community support through rodeos and bike maintenance classes, and
Enhanced social opportunities that combine fun, fitness and safety.

We remain financially strong allowing us to continue our donations to a variety of organizations in our region.

In 2026, we will continue to support Tour de Parks and our new board will continue to evaluate the possibility to plan and implement CycleFest 2026.

There will be a message from Election Buddy very soon. The email will come from "https://secure.electionbuddy.com" and will be followed by a code specific to your ballot. Example: "https://secure.electionbuddy.com/1234-ABCD-5678-EFGH"

Candidates for the board have bios posted here:

2026 Board of Directors Election Slate

You may vote for up to 8 of the 11 candidates. You must have been a member in good standing by 12/15/25.

Don Stuart and Rich Josephson have one year left on their terms of office.

New board members will be announced at the Annual Members' Meeting on January 18 at The Inner Compass, located at 10316 Technology Terrace, Bradenton, FL 34211, beginning at 11:30 am.

There will be group rides starting at 9:00 am from the parking lot. They'll return in time for the meeting and lunch.

BIKE MAINTENANCE CLASS

Local bike shop PLAYTRI in Sarasota will be hosting a class on tubeless systems and gear adjustment. It's for more advanced riders, but again all riders welcome.

Thurs., Jan 15, 6-7 pm. Register HERE

The second order of SMBC Jerseys will be available for pickup at PlayTri next week. A separate email will be sent with exact details.

The Round Lake Okeechobee Tour

10 am on Saturday, February 7th with a 60 mile ride from the town of Okeechobee on the lake's levee to the town of Clewiston, Florida. The views from the top of the levees are excellent featuring the lake on the right and the historic sugar cane fields on the left. There will be a support vehicle to provide snacks along the route and to carry our overnight bags.

Our overnight accomodations are at the Hampton Inn of Clewiston where we will enjoy a communal pizza, salads, beer and soft drinks dinner at 6 pm. Call 863-301-5403 for reservations and ask for the SMBC rate to assure the best price.

On Sunday, the return ride starts at 8 am for a 55 mile trip to our cars. The sag vehicle will carry your bags as well as provide refreshments along the route. Overall, the trip is about 60% paved bike trails on the levees and 40% on bike lanes along the roads except for a couple of miles of old broken pavement on the levee.

There will be a $50 fee per person for the bag service, sag stops, and the dinner on Saturday night.

Email: jimhalay@gmail.com with any questions and to add your name to the attendance list.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/53070373

The SMBC Third Annual Winter Golf Outing will be held at Peridia Golf & Country Club, a premier executive 18-hole golf course. The event was created to promote a fun activity where club members can get to know each other while off their bicycles.

For all the information and to register, CLICK ON: GOLF

SMBC RECRUITS NEW MEMBERS AT THE LAKEWOOD RANCH FARMERS' MARKET IN WATERSIDE

Want to join the fun?

Our next date is February 15, 2026 from 9:30 - 2:00.

Email Richard Josephson to volunteer for am or pm shifts.

Eugene Rider, League of American Bicyclists

If you'd like to get involved in any of these 2026 events or volunteer opportunities, we’d love to hear from you. Your continued support makes all the difference.

Feb 21: Youth Rodeo – Pinellas County Urban League/St. Pete College

Feb 28: Manatee County Safety Day & Youth Rodeo

Mar 25: E-Bike/Smart Cycling Class – City of Venice

March 28: Ride MS: We need 8 road marshals

Aug 9: Youth Rodeo – Sarasota YMCA

HOA/PTO Speaking Engagements: 3 volunteers have signed up so far, more are welcome!

Contact Eugene @ridersridersgroup@outlook.com