The Commercial Athletic Club Ride

• What it is: A fast, race-pace group ride that acts as a popular, intense mid-week training session for competitive and high-level road cyclists in the Vancouver area. It's not a formal cycling club, but rather an established group ride.

• When & Where: It traditionally takes place during the road cycling season (spring/summer):

  • Time: Typically Tuesday or Wednesday evenings (e.g., 6:00 PM start).

  • Start Location: The ride often starts near the Stanley Park Roundabout (or sometimes the "laughing statues" nearby).

• The Vibe:

  • "No Mercy Drop Ride": This is the key characteristic. The ride is known for its high intensity and the expectation is that riders who cannot maintain the pace will be dropped (left behind). It's a challenging ride and a true test of fitness.

  • The Route: The route often heads out of the city, frequently involving the climbs into the North Shore (like going up to Sharon/Deep Cove) or high-speed sections on the flats.

In short, the CAC ride is where serious road cyclists and racers go to "light it up" and get a very hard training effort in a group setting.