SPRING HAS SPRUNG

We’re back baby! Two rides down, many more to go. Feels crazy to say we’re 25% through ‘25 but here we are. Same van, new look. New Babes rides. A SXSW party to remember. A trip to Dallas. It’s been a good year so far and we’re just getting started.

In stark contrast to last year, we’ve lucked out so far with the weather. Mostly. A quick pivot in February meant sunshine and blue skies to kick off the year with DT Swiss and a whole fleet of new wheels to boot. If you haven’t seen our Ride Leaders rolling around on ‘em, chances are it’s ‘cause they’re goin’ too fast.

A new year means a new approach. From weekly to biweekly and alternating routes, the Babes are back and better than ever. Mt. Bonnell who? Plus the first Saturday Babes ride was a smashing success. Don’t forget to give Jordie a high five next time you see her.

SXSW was a weekend to remember. A member exclusive happy hour to kick it all off and we kept the party going right through Saturday afternoon. We’re teaming up with our friends over at EF Adventures for 2025 and beyond, so they hosted us at their Austin HQ for a little look into the brand and what opportunities lie ahead for the BC community.

Things were shaping up to be big on Saturday morning and that didn’t change. Big groups, high speeds, and a ripping tailwind home. What a time!

But the real fun started as soon as we stepped off the pedals. A bar tab on EF, live music from the one and only DJ Grossyall, and our first cask beer collab with Central Machine Works. A little beer garden renovation couldn’t keep the fun away and if all goes to plan we’ll be sharing pints in the shade at the next one.

And just before we closed the books on a big March, we took a few Ride Leaders up to D-town for some flatter miles and even more wind. Friday evening at Manhattan Project feels like a staple at this point – what better way to carb-load than a couple o’ pints? Saturday morning saw the biggest group we’ve had yet in Dallas, and we can’t wait to keep the energy going through the rest of the year. Worth the drive on 35!

April can’t come soon enough…

NEW BEGINNINGS

We call this blog The Sunny Side, but it feels like it’s been anything but that. For a while we thought every BC ride was destined to be cursed and that we might just need to cancel until next year. But finally, May rolled around and the clouds broke.

We got our first sunny ride of the year, and it sure felt like it was the real first ride we’ve had yet.

Rewind to a few weeks ago, and we found ourselves up in the Land of Oz. Bentonville, Arkansas, a ski town for bikes and the home of one of the most unique gravel events in the country – Rule of Three. A contingent of Breakfast Club folks made the eight hour drive up for a week of gravel, coffee, and general two-wheeled tomfoolery. The Meteor drip was flowing strong and the spirit of gravel made itself known on backcountry roads in Northwest Arkansas.

A seemingly endless drive back home and it was full speed ahead for THE BIG ONE. Central Machine Works, our home, was ready to pack the house, and y’all showed up ready to rock.

This one left us spinning. We finally got the ride we’ve been waiting for all year… humidity and all.

Up there with one of our biggest rides to date and one we’re most proud of. Our ride leaders showed up in full force and were absolutely dialed, it was VAN DEBUT DAY, and it did not rain… whew. If ya missed it, well ya missed it. Don’t skip June because it’s only up from here.

From day one, we’ve always said Breakfast Club is for EVERYONE. We don’t care if it’s your first time riding a bike or if you’ve raced in the Tour de France. Well yesterday that couldn’t have been more true. Thanks for stopping by Lance Armstrong.

2024 finally feels like it’s underway, and we couldn’t be more stoked for future sunny rides. There’s plenty more to come as summer is fast approaching – stay tuned…

WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS

2024 kicked off with a BANG! This time literal bangs from the sky and heavy rain which quickly turned Marly Is Lost into Marly Is Surfing.

In hindsight maybe we should have canceled… or maybe that was one of the most epic rides we’ve had to date and one for the BC storybook that we’ll be talking about for quite some time. What started as just the slightest pitter patter quickly turned into a downright downpour. Safe to say we’ll never trust a forecast again.

We somehow managed so squeeze a ride in though, even if it was much shorter than we’d hoped for. But the afterparty at CMW was the real treat. Packed like sardines in the beer hall so we could get just a little taste of the warmth from that space heater was a sight to behold, and one ya just had to be there for. Thanks to the real ones who came out and risked it with us.

Hopes were high for a nicer weekend and debut for Gravel Gang 2024, but yet again the meteorologists delivered some bad news – high winds and frigid temps. This time they were right, so we bundled up for what was to be yet another epic day on the bike. Oh how we long for just a few drops of sunshine to lift up spirits.

On to the next one…

A packed cafe is a happy cafe and we sure did pack the house. STANDING ROOM ONLY for the first Breakfast Club x The Meteor Cafe ride of the year… and we finally got the crisp, sunny morning we’d been hoping, waiting, wishing for.

A perfect day in the hills followed up by some perfect post-ride patio weather. Burn it so ya earn it and earn it we did. Thank you to everyone who came out and made this one feel like the proper 2024 kick off we needed.

After a wet & wild start to the year, we figured we’d catch a break in March, but lo & behold, the skies opened up once again to give us our second soggy breakfast of 2024. All that to say, we made the most of it and had one heck of a time getting poured on out in Manor. Maybe our shoes would have enough time to dry out before we hit the road for Dallas.

Seems like our only luck this year comes on Meteor Saturdays and Dallas was no exception. We took the streets of D-Town with groups looping ‘round Mountain Creek Lake and ‘round White Rock Lake. Thank y’all for the warm welcome and beautiful weather … looks like we gotta go to DTX to find the sunshine now.

More to come as our fearless ride leader Nick Weber makes the move back home to Dallas. Saturday might be something we could used to.

One last ride to close out March and it did not disappoint one bit. We had ourselves a day in McDade, that’s for sure.

Texas spring is in FULL SWING so we treated ourselves to its finest: wide open country roads, tree canopies, wild flowers, and an ostrich? Anyone hang out with Holly for a bit?

Next Gravel Gang is on Star Wars day / MAY FOURTH. Make sure you block the calendar for that one!

Hot on the heels of a streak of sunny weather and it’s time to kick off a year full of BEER HOPS where we spend an hour riding and at least 3 hours drinking. After all it’s the Breakfast Club way.

Alongside ATX Beer Party we raised OVER $800 for the Yellow Bike Project and we had a GOOD TIME doin’ it. From Central Machine Works to Draught House to Holdout Brewing and back again, cheers to having fun and raising funds all in a few hours on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

Fast forward to today and the forecast still says rain. At this point it’s just become a running joke and a joke we’re pretty tired of. BUT, there’s a whole year of rides ahead of us so don’t fret all of the turbulent Texas weather we’ve had so far. Soon enough we’ll be slurpin’ down those CMW beers just to cool the engine off. Until the next one…

ONE LAST RIDE

BC September was one for the books! Everything seemed to click…and then we got rained out in October. We can’t be too upset though, it’s been an unforgettable year and we still got to hang at CMW for the Breakfast part of Breakfast Club. ONE RIDE LEFT! Where did the year go?

A lot has gone on since the last edition of The Sunny Side, and we aren’t slowing down in the slightest, so keep reading in case ya missed any of it.

It started on September 23 and some early morning hangs with Specialized Austin giving out some last minute fixins. Coffee from The Meteor and ice cold BPN in the bottles. Our ride leaders being DIALED IN on a tried and true hills route. A tailwind up Barton Creek. All kinds-a bikes and all kinds-a folks. Not to mention a few pours of our new “Sunny B” beer collab with Central Machine Works to celebrate until we ran it dry.

We tapped our second release in the CMW BREAKFAST SERIES at the September ride, and we won’t forget that one anytime soon.

Breakfast Club and Central Machine Works kicked off the Breakfast Series last year with Ride Lager, but this time around we stepped into the brewhouse and cooked up SUNNY B, a low-ABV, slightly tart Berliner Weisse mixed with a lil’ tangerine puree. We made it to quench post-ride thirst, and quench thirst it did.

And last but certainly not least, JESTER FOR BREAKFAST! And we got up by any means necessary. That was one of the most old school BC routes we’ve done in a while… all in the name of celebrating our last pop up of the year and prepping for the Tour das Hügel.

We talk about Hügel a lot because that ride holds a special place in our hearts. It’s how Breakfast Club started… we bailed out a few years ago and chose breakfast over continuing on. If you joined on the ride and bailed out of a few hills then WE’RE PROUD! It’s the BC way after all.

We have a fun few weeks ahead before we’re done for the year. More to come on that but in the meantime, here’s to blue bird mornings and enjoying this proper fall weather we’ve got goin’ on.

Only ONE RIDE LEFT! See y’all November 18…

RULES OF THE ROAD

Austin is only gettin’ busier and our cycling community is only gettin’ bigger. Lucky for us, we’ve got legal experts and BC Ride Leaders Kevin Fish and Brad Houston to give us a run down on how to be better and safer stewards of the road. Safety isn’t always sexy but at Breakfast Club, it most certainly is.

Know Your Cycling Rights

Texas Transportation Code [paraphrased]:

1. §551.101(a) – A bicyclist has the rights and duties of a motor vehicle, unless by their nature they cannot apply to a bicyclist.

2. §551.103(a) – A bicyclist moving slower than traffic shall ride near the right edge the roadway, unless the lane is too narrow for a bike and car, then the cyclist can take the whole lane.

3. §551.103(c) – Bicyclists may ride two abreast if not impeding the flow of traffic on the roadway.

4. §551.104(b) – At night, (1) a front white light visible 500’ and (2) a rear red reflector visible with headlamps on high beams on from 50’ to 300’, or a red lamp on the rear visible from the distance of 500’.  

1. §541.401(5) – Nighttime means the period beginning one half hour after the sunset and ending one half hour before sunrise.  

5. §545.058(c)(3) – Bikes are exempted from the general prohibition against driving on shoulders.

Austin City Code/University of TX Regs:

1. §12-2-23 – A bicycle can be ridden on a sidewalk except on the UT Drag and UT sidewalks.  

2. §12-1-35 – When road conditions allow, cars and light trucks must give bikes 3 feet when passing; big trucks 6 feet.

What to do if you are hit on your bike?

1. Don’t move, you may have a spinal injury. (If in danger of being hit by traffic, use common sense.)

2. Call EMS and the police.

3. When in doubt, take the ambulance!

4. Wait for the police to arrive unless you are transported by EMS.

5. Obtain the driver’s name, address, phone #, driver’s license # and license plate #.

6. Obtain all witness’s names, addresses, phone #s, and license plate #s if applicable.

7. Get your version of the events into the Police Crash Report.

8. Document what happened, take pictures of the scene, the car involved, license plate of the car, and the driver.

9. Document your injuries by taking photographs of your injuries.

10. Preserve evidence, like your bike, damaged clothes, HELMET, etc.

11. Do not fix your bike or take it to a shop until you speak with an attorney first.

12. DO NOT talk to the driver’s insurance company before talking to an attorney.

BREAKFAST CLUB HAS GONE BANANAS

The hottest one of the year is in the books (we hope) and we have a lot to celebrate. What a wild ride this is turning out to be…

It seems surreal to say, but in the peak of what seems like the most brutal summer we’ve ever had, we had our BIGGEST ride yet. For the first time ever, the line for BPN was longer than the line for beer, and our good friends at Bare Performance Nutrition came stocked up with electrolytes to keep us all hydrated.

Speaking of BPN, if you’re in need of nutrition for both on and off the bike, make sure to go check out the Breakfast Club x BPN collection, where you can snag some of our favorites at a discount!

Breakfast Club took the hills with upwards of 800 riders, safely descending and climbing some of the best hills Austin has to offer. The rides get bigger and somehow they keep getting safer. It’s truly a sight we won’t forget any time soon.

Walnut Creek trail was at full capacity as D group, the heart & soul of what we’re all about, was rolling 60 deep up and down on Saturday morning.

The best part of the day though? Having our fearless ride leader Chris Clouse back at the club and back in action for the first time since an unfortunate incident earlier this year. Chris, glad we could give you a warm welcome home both literally and figuratively.

AUGUST WAS BANANAS. Thank y’all from the bottom of our hearts.

Le Tour de Breakfast

We once again found ourselves with a completely packed Central Machine Works to celebrate the holiday weekend, the first stage of the Tour de France, and the first and ONLY stage of Le Tour de Breakfast.

Pre-ride coffee and BPN electrolytes was the name of the game for what turned out to be quite a warm one, and the action only got hotter out in the hills as y’all turned up for a party on two wheels.

In true Tour de France fashion, we had a jersey giveaway of our own to conduct, no KOM points required. Over 230 of y’all entered, but there’s only one kit up for grabs. And the winner is…

SOPHIA DING

Congrats on snagging what we can only describe as the most comfortable kit possible, especially in this unrelenting Texas heat wave.

We’re bigger than we’ve EVER been and are so thankful for y’all who show up time and time again. We’re not perfect though and every now and then things don’t go to plan out on the road. Thank y’all for your patience and support as we continue to grow and get the logistical side of things dialed.

Speaking of the Tour and kit giveaways… it’s feeling fast around here. Maybe we should go all in and find ourselves on Montopolis bridge again soon…

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

On May 27th, we made a return to the place we call home, Central Machine Works. We’re still trying to wake up from the dream where hundreds of y’all made the big gravel parking lot feel small for the first time ever. It was a ride unlike anything else or anywhere else, and a ride we don’t plan on getting off of anytime soon.

Gone West is a crowd favorite when it comes to classic BC routes, but this one just felt even more special. We’ve never seen the hills of Austin more packed with friends from near and far, surfing wheels and celebrating with International Cycling Club at a hilltop parking lot party. Sour Patch Kids, potato chips, electrolytes and more were just what the doctor ordered after a SPICY trip to the top of Barton Creek.

Breakfast on the horizon, some of y’all raced up Marly for one last explosive effort, while the rest raced back to town for an early spot in the CMW beer line. If you ask us, the latter was the better option.

We’ve been proud many times but this time especially, we’re proud that our D group was the largest it’s ever been. 60 people took on Walnut Creek Trail with no other goal than to ride bikes with others. Breakfast Club has never been about the distance, the speed, or the watts. It has always been about friendship, and will always continue to be.

And lest we forget, DJ GrossYall showed up ready to PARTY, spinning the tunes both pre and post ride. That was the true icing on the cake.

New hats, new bottles, and the first ever STICKER CLUB dropped on site at Central Machine works, and if you missed the hats, you’ll have to stay tuned for the next round because we SOLD OUT.

We said it last month yet we’re here saying it again… this was our BIGGEST (and best?) ride to date. Welcome to Breakfast Club.

BPN BREAK FEST

One for the books… the record books. Hundreds of y’all made the journey up to Round Rock for what was the biggest Breakfast Club ride to date and we’ll be thinking about it for quite some time. If that was any indication of what’s ahead, it’s time to buckle up and enjoy the ride

Some started early from downtown Austin to make it an epic day by riding all the way up to the ride itself, pit stop at Round Rock Donuts included. It was a blue bird day on beautiful rolling country roads to officially kick off BC x BPN. From wildflowers to horses to longhorns and more, it was a quintessential Texas ride, and we wouldn’t have it any other way

BUT post-ride is where the real fun began. As the temps turned up, so did y’all. From electrolyte mix to t-shirts, protein and more, BPN put on one heck of a party for us. Our friends at Specialized Austin joined in on the fun and helped fix up some bikes along the way too. And just in case you were wondering, we consumed over 1,200 cinnamon roll protein pancakes post ride!

And just in case you were wondering, we consumed over 1,200 cinnamon roll protein pancakes post ride!

This is just the start of an amazing partnership with BPN, and we can’t stop thinking about what comes next. THANK YOU ALL for making your way to Round Rock. It was without a doubt #worththedrive on I-35.

Next up, we’re back home on May 27 at Central Machine Works for the REST OF THE YEAR. Until then…

COSMIC SXSW POP UP

It was one of those rides… 

Thank y’all for coming out to pack Cosmic Coffee + Beer Garden during yet another Austin cold snap. Despite the lackluster weather, attendance was at an all time high, which made our *unofficial* SXSW party with Specialized Austin that much sweeter. The coffee was hot, the bluebonnets were purple, the burritos were stuffed and the beer was ice cold. If you ask us, that’s a winning combo right there

Speaking of winning combos, congrats to Jamie Pratt, winner of the Specialized Aethos Frame Giveaway. Ya lucky duck! 

If you didn’t catch ‘em at the ride, we just dropped some new BC Specialized Custom Bottles. Fill ‘er up with water, electrolytes, or your favorite draft beer

Get yours IN THE SHOP NOW

Y’all also peep some of the most recent additions to the Breakfast Club community? Justin Williams and the new Austin Aviators team joined us for the first of many rides together. Prepare for more fun to come with this crew both on and off the bike

There’s something truly special found in the simplicity of sharing a ride, a beer, and a laugh on a cold Saturday morning that keeps us coming back for more. Judging by the turnout, y’all agree wholeheartedly, and we couldn’t be more stoked about it

Get ready for an adventure on April 22, with everything taking place out of Bare Performance Nutrition HQ up in Round Rock! New venue, new routes, but the same ol’ Breakfast Club feel

Until next time 🪐