What we’re about
We ride.
We're an organized, loosely structured group of cyclists who are "slightly" obsessed with cycling. We typically ride no matter the time, no matter the terrain, and no matter the weather. We enjoy all aspects of our sport - all aspects except haughty derision.
LC3 is based in, and operates out of Lake County IL. We host weekly group rides that challenge your abilities in an atmosphere of camaraderie and support. Ride with us and, over time, you'll become a better cyclist while making new friends.
If you're a developing rider interested in bettering your competence, confidence, and capacity, you may fit well here. We're an eclectic group of mixed heritage, culture, and gender that enjoys cycling events from charity sportives, to tours, to endurance rides.
Whatever the goal, fitness and fun are our objectives.
For more information -
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Ride of Crankenstein • Abbey NormalHawthorn Woods Community Park, Hawthorn Woods, IL
Our next RoC installment is planned thus (If you RSVP yes, and your plans change, change your RSVP to NO so that your spot is available for someone else):
Training Ride - Intermediate. No drop (see Remarks below).
Time - Be ready to roll at the advertised time, sharp.
Distance - 50-ish miles. Check the BOLD Route Link below for actual mileage.
Pace - B • 16 mph average (or better). This is an Intermediate, on road training ride. Pace will vary with terrain, fitness, and skill level.
Terrain - Varied, but generally flat with 1% - 3% grades, which is typical for Lake, Cook, and McHenry Counties.
Duration - approximately 4 hours
Routes - Any one of the following. Check the Start Location of the ride before you leave for the ride:
30.LC3 • Loco Motive • LFP
30.LC3 • Morthond Vale • CRBS
50.LC3 • Beignet Barnstorm • HWCP
60.LC3 • Beignet Barnstorm - Largo • HWCPSee our Ride Guide for more information.
Remarks
• Guest riders - Non-member guest riders are generally welcome. However, if you invite and bring non-member guests, you're their ride leader. It's your responsibility to marshal your guests and stick with them if they can't keep up. First, it's not cool to your guests to leave them solo at the back. Second, it's not cool to expect the ride leader to focus their attention away from the regular group as a whole.
• Self support - We're On Our Own. Bring what you need for nutrition, hydration, mechanicals, and punctures.
• No drop - Though gaps may open up, we'll not outright drop anyone who can hold the advertised average pace. We'll keep visual contact as much as possible. Please be prepared to maintain the advertised pace for the entire distance.
• Pace groups - By consensus and based upon fitness, and ability. If you want to try this ride and you're unsure if you can keep the advertised pace, message the Host/Ride Leader and discuss your concerns.
• Foul weather cancellation - I rarely cancel rides. When I do, I make the call morning of. Confirm status here prior to traveling to the start.
• Safety - Helmets are required.
• Personal responsibility - Ride at your own risk.
• Self-awareness - Know your threshold. To help you decide whether you're conditioned enough for this ride; be aware that it is challenging. For reference, to hold an average pace of 16mph, rolling speed must be 17-18 mph for the entire ride (we must offset the influence hill climbs have on our average after all).
Links
- Ride of Crankenstein • Off RoadiesCrank Revolution Bike Shop, Hoffman Estates, IL
Our next RoC installment is planned thus ( If you RSVP yes, and your plans change, change your RSVP to NO so that your spot is available for someone else):
Training Ride - Intermediate. No drop (see Remarks below). Be at the start and ready to roll at the advertised time, sharp.
Distance - Depends upon the trail system, but rarely more than 12 miles.
Pace - Off Road | C • 6-8mph average or better.
Terrain - Varied, wooded single track.
Duration - Roughly 2 hours depending upon how much regrouping and "sight-seeing" we do.
Route - Either one of the following trail systems (you'll know which one by checking the start location of the ride, before you leave to ride):
Paul Douglas Forest Preserve
Sliver Lake Park
Raceway Woods
Palos
Deer Grove Forest Preserve
John Muir Woods (Kettle Moraine South Unit)
Rest Stops - See route links
See our Ride Guide for more information.
Remarks
• Guest riders - Non-member guest riders are generally welcome. However, if you invite and bring non-member guests, you're their ride leader. It's your responsibility to marshal your guests and stick with them if they can't keep up. First, it's not cool to your guests to leave them solo at the back. Second, it's not cool to expect the ride leader to focus their attention away from the regular group as a whole.
• Self support - We're On Our Own. Bring what you need for nutrition, hydration, mechanicals, and punctures.
• No drop - Though gaps may open up, we'll not outright drop anyone who can hold the advertised average pace. We'll keep visual contact as much as possible. Please be prepared to maintain the advertised pace for the entire distance.
• Pace groups - By consensus and based upon fitness, and ability. If you want to try this ride and you're unsure if you can keep the advertised pace, message the Host/Ride Leader and discuss your concerns.
• Foul weather cancellation - I rarely cancel rides. When I do, I make the call morning of. Confirm status here prior to traveling to the start.
• Safety - Helmets are required.
• Personal responsibility - Ride at your own risk.
• Self-awareness - Know your threshold. To help you decide whether you're conditioned enough for this ride; be aware that it is challenging. For reference, to hold an average pace of 8mph, rolling speed must be 10-12 mph for the entire ride (we must offset the influence hill climbs have on our average after all).
Links
- Mr. Moad's Wild Ride • Calling all Hodophiles.Hawthorn Woods Community Park, Hawthorn Woods, IL
Depending on conditions, we will alternate Sunday rides on and off road.
Our next mMWR installment is planned thus (If you RSVP yes, and your plans change, change your RSVP to NO so that your spot is available for someone else):
Training Ride - Intermediate. No drop (see Remarks below).
Time - Be ready to roll at the advertised time, sharp.
Distance - Check the BOLD Route Link below for order of magnitude mileage.
Pace - B • 16 mph average (or better). This is an Intermediate, on road training ride. Pace will vary with terrain, fitness, and skill level.
Terrain - Varied, but generally flat with 1% - 3% grades, which is typical for Lake, Cook, and McHenry Counties.
Duration - approximately 2 hours
Routes - Any one of the following. Check the Start Location of the ride before you leave for the ride:
30.LC3 • Loco Motive • LFP
35.LC3 • Loco Motive ALT • HWCP
30.LC3 • Morthond Vale • CRBSSee our Ride Guide for more information.
Remarks
• Guest riders - Non-member guest riders are generally welcome. However, if you invite and bring non-member guests, you're their ride leader. It's your responsibility to marshal your guests and stick with them if they can't keep up. First, it's not cool to your guests to leave them solo at the back. Second, it's not cool to expect the ride leader to focus their attention away from the regular group as a whole.
• Self support - We're On Our Own. Bring what you need for nutrition, hydration, mechanicals, and punctures.
• No drop - Though gaps may open up, we'll not outright drop anyone who can hold the advertised average pace. We'll keep visual contact as much as possible. Please be prepared to maintain the advertised pace for the entire distance.
• Pace groups - By consensus and based upon fitness, and ability. If you want to try this ride and you're unsure if you can keep the advertised pace, message the Host/Ride Leader and discuss your concerns.
• Foul weather cancellation - I rarely cancel rides. When I do, I make the call morning of. Confirm status here prior to traveling to the start.
• Safety - Helmets are required.
• Personal responsibility - Ride at your own risk.
• Self-awareness - Know your threshold. To help you decide whether you're conditioned enough for this ride; be aware that it is challenging. For reference, to hold an average pace of 8mph, rolling speed must be 10-12 mph for the entire ride (we must offset the influence hill climbs have on our average after all).
Links
- Thursdy Thursday • The Fellowship of the Wring...Buffalo Creek Brewing, Long Grove, IL
One wring to train them all. One wring to time them.
One wring to sap them all, and on the up-slopes grind them.This ride is a joint effort between 'LC3' and 'Let's Ride!'. We're starting out of the same venue and at the same time. That way, whatever pace, "wrings you out", you're bound to find someone's wheel (or they'll find yours).
Either way, ride like you're the Wring-Bearer and the Nazgul are on your wheel.The suffering only lasts an hour and a half, and it'll put your day (possibly your week) into proper perspective.
For those who can make it, our next installment is planned thusly:
Training Ride - Intermediate. This is a drop ride (see Remarks below).
Time - Be at the start and ready to roll at the advertised time, sharp.
Distance - For now - approximately 35 miles.
Pace - A • 18mph average or better. This is an Intermediate training ride. While our actual rolling speed will vary with terrain, it'll generally be above our average.
Terrain - Varied.
Duration - Approximately 2 hours
GPS Routes - One of the following:
30.LC3 • Loco Motive • BCB
30.LC3 • Loco Motive(w/ a Jigger) • BCB
40.LC3 • Loco Motive (Derailment) • BCBRest Stops - none planned.
See our Ride Guide for more information.
Remarks
• Guest riders - Non-member guest riders are generally welcome. However, if you invite and bring non-member guests, you're their ride leader. It's your responsibility to marshal your guests and stick with them if they can't keep up. First, it's not cool to your guests to leave them solo at the back. Second, it's not cool to expect the ride leader to focus their attention away from the regular group as a whole.
• Common courtesy - No spit, and no snot from the front of the line. If you have to clear the pipes come off the line, go to the rear, and do what you must. No-one wants to participate in your bodily fluids.
• Self sufficiency - You must be navigationally self sufficient. Download the route to your app of choice, or print the cue sheet.
• Stay with the group - The Ride Leader is the "front", even if they're behind everyone else. If you're off the front (i.e. ahead of the leader) and you go off course, or get lost...that's on you.
• Self support - We're On Our Own. Bring what you need for nutrition, hydration, mechanicals, and punctures.
• Drop - Gaps will open up, and when they do, they'll be difficult to close. We'll keep visual contact as much as possible, but everybody does hammer this ride and it is difficult...It's also fun. There are sections for recovery and we try to regroup before finishing, but such effort is opportunistic and ad-hoc. Whatever happens, we wait for everyone to finish before leaving at the end. Please be prepared to maintain the advertised pace for the entire distance.
• Pace groups - By consensus and based upon fitness, and ability. With enough riders who can lead, splitting into multiple, ad-hoc pace groups is possible. If you want to try this ride and you're unsure if you can keep the advertised pace, message the Host/Ride Leader and discuss your concerns. Sometimes accommodations can be made for developing riders.
• Foul weather cancellation - I'll cancel the ride only in the event of thunderstorms, or torrential rain at the time of the start. The call will be made day of. Confirm status here prior to traveling to the start.
• Safety - Helmets are required.
• Personal responsibility - Ride at your own risk.
• Self-awareness - Know your threshold. In my experience riders who haven't actually measured their average pace, typically underestimate their rolling speed, and overestimate their average speed. To help you decide whether you're up for this ride; be aware that while it is challenging, it's not impossible.
