The potentially icy weather today has forced the cancellation of the Thursday Night Social Ride, but there is still plenty to do this weekend. ACA will be doing their second Traffic 101 Mini class and optional ride. For the ladies, the Austin Flyers are doing a road racing clinic, Bicycle Sport Shop will be having a Trek WSD demo day, and Mellow Johnny’s will be going a ladies only Sweetheart Ride on Valentine’s Day with free champagne.

Here’s a quick run down of recommended events for the coming week from our comprehensive calendar of all cycling events. Thanks to Jason at ATXBS for letting us know about some events we couldn’t find elsewhere. As always, if there is an event you know about that’s not on our calendar contact us, and we’ll add your event on and possibly add it to the weekly round up.

Thursday, February 11

Thursday Night Bike Polo
5:30 PM, Eastwoods Park, 3001 Harris Park Ave
The Austin Bike Polo Club’s weekday match. All bikes and skill levels are welcome and spare mallets and balls are available if you don’t have any. Check out our recent article on bike polo for more info.

Saturday, February 13

Traffic Skills 101 Mini Clinics: The Bicycle from Parts to Fit to Tools
8:30 AM, Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, 400 Nueces St
If you’ve ever wanted to brush up on your bike safety but cannot swing the time for the full Traffic 101 classes offered by the Austin Cycling Association, here’s your chance to pick and choose the portions you need help with in bit sized amounts. ACA will be offering Traffic Skills 101 Mini Clinics starting this week through March in easy to schedule one hour segments. Each class is $10 or $5 if you are already an ACA member. Take the whole series for $50 or $25 for ACA members. This week is Traffic Skills 101 Mini Clinics: The Bicycle from Parts to Fit to Tools with optional hosted ride Another Pleasant Valley Bike Ride.

Austin Flyers Women’s Cycling: Racing Skills Clinic
9 AM- 1 PM, Texas Orthopedics Northwest, 4700 Seton Center Pkwy
Austin Flyers Women’s Cycling, along with our sponsors Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, Pedal Hard, Texas Orthopedics, Holland Racing and Pure Austin present a Racing Skills Clinic. Are you planning to give bike racing a try for the first time in 2010?  Did you do a few races last year and ended each one feeling like you didn’t quite “get it?”  If so, this clinic is for you. We’ll spend time in the classroom, but also on our bikes practicing what we’ve learned.  You will need a road bike for this clinic.  So be sure to bring your bike, helmet, shoes, water bottle and everything else you need to ride.
We’ll cover the following topics:
1. Don’t get disqualified: The rules of bike racing in Texas presented by UASC Official Bonnie Walker
2. Warming up so that you are ready to race
3. Don’t bonk: Eating on the bike
4. Being mentally prepared to race
5. Tactics and Strategies for finishing with the front group

Mellow Johnny’s Scout-A-Ride: Another Pleasant Valley Bike Ride
9:30 AM, Mellow Johnny’s, 400 Nueces St
Saturday mornings spent exploring City of Austin bike routes finding new neighborhoods and ways to get around on your bike. This week’s theme is Another Pleasant Valley Bike Ride. Scout out the City of Austin Bike Routes. A new east route with a foray over the river via Pleasant Valley Rd and rolling back through Travis Heights. It’s a mix of flat, hills, urban and creekside all within minutes of downtown. These rides are meant for exploring so bring your questions and leave your heart rate monitor at home. Come by at 9:00 for coffee. Ride organizer: Eileen Schaubert at eileen@mellowjohnnys.com or 512-426-4851.

Trek WSD Demo Day sponsored by Bicycle Sport Shop
10 AM- 2 PM, Walnut Creek Park, 12138 N Lamar Blvd.
Ladies, discover the pure joy of riding a bike designed with women specifically in mind. Trek was the first major bicycle company to offer a full line of bikes designed specifically for women, and continues to expand and improve their WSD offerings year after year. Food and drinks will be available and our service staff will be on hand to change out pedals.

Pedal Hard Open House
10 AM- 4 PM, Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, 400 Nueces St
Complimentary Pedal Hard Training Sessions Half hour sessions starting at 10:00a, 11:00a, 1:00p, 2:00p, 3:00p. So popular, we are doing it again! Come experience an Indoor cycling class at Kevin Livingston’s Pedal Hard Training Center and see what the buzz is all about. Located in the lower level of Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, the center features state-of-the art Computrainer technology and an experienced, full-time coaching staff. Regularly a full hour in length, these complementary sessions are a half hour of focused, quality riding using metrics like heart rate, cadence and power to track your progress and keep you honest! Bring your bike and riding gear to the center to give it a try. All levels are welcome, enjoy refreshments and mingle with Kevin and the coaches. Capacity for each class is 8 riders, please email training@pedalhard.com or call 512.473.2233 to reserve your spot.

Sunday, February 14

Sunday Morning Fixie Ride
10:20 AM, Posse East, 2900 Duval St
The ride is focused on fixed-gear bikes, but everyone is welcome. The ride will proceed at a social pace from the UT campus on various routes of 25-35 miles.

Sweetheart Ladies Ride
2 PM, Mellow Johnny’s Bike Show, 400 Nueces St
Special edition ladies ride for Valentine’s Day, the one day a year that you get to bring your sweetie along! Meet at the shop at 2pm to try out a new Trek WSD road bike for the afternoon. The ride leaves at 3pm, we will ride for 20-25 miles at a 14-16mph pace. When we come back, enjoy FREE champagne courtesy of Sophia’s and pair with strawberries and chocolate, mmm! Finally, get a mini-couples massage to send you and your loved one into Valentine’s bliss. Get your photo taken in our Booth of Love to remember it all. All of this, and you are on your way by 6pm to enjoy the rest of your evening. RSVP to erin@mellowjohnnys.com to reserve your spot.

Love is Not Enough Sweetheart Social Ride
8 PM, Lamar Blvd Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge, Lady Bird Lake
Fast Folks is sponsoring this Valentine’s Day ride which ends at the Beauty Bar (617 E. 7th, St) with live music by American Sharks and The Madness. In addition, there will be a beer chug trackstand competition, foot down competition, and Simon says.

Tuesday, February 16

Tuesday Night Bike Polo Match
5 PM, Joslin Park, Manchaca St & Redd St
In the last month, Austin Texas Bike Polo Social Club has added matches in South Austin on Tuesday nights.

League of Bicycling Voters Board Meeting
6:30 PM, BikeTexas offices, 1902 E 6th St
Monthly meeting of the League of Bicycling Voters to plan upcoming bicycle advocacy projects.

Wednesday, February 17

Hump Day Ride hosted by Social Cycling ATX
Noon, Lamar Blvd Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge, Lady Bird Lake
The latest new ride from Social Cycling ATX. Social paced ride for the riders that can make it out during the work week. We will have a few stops one at a coffee shop and one for lunch. All levels are welcome. Share with your “funemployed” friends.

Weekly Bike Maintenance and Flat Repair Classes hosted by Mellow Johnny’s
6 PM, Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, 400 Nueces St
Every Wednesday at 6pm Mellow Johnny’s has bike maintenance and flat repair classes. Learn how to fix a flat tire and add life to your bike with simple maintenance and repairs. Please RSVP to Chuck at chuck@mellowjohnnys.com if you plan on attending on of the classes. Classes fill up quickly so RSVP soon so you don’t get left out!

Wednesday Night Road Ride XXX
7 PM, Check site for start location
Formerly the Thursday Night Road Ride, this after dark fitness ride returns after a 7 month hiatus. All levels of riders are welcome on this 20-25 mile night ride with stops to regroup. This is a “friendly drop” ride. This means that if we can see your lights, you won’t drop be dropped. Lights are mandatory and helmets strongly recommended. Come early and enjoy drinks and food before and after the ride.