Breaking news! For the remainder of 2026 all Tuesday and Thursday evening rides from Firemen's Park will begin at 5 pm! 

AMICIS LOVE to TRAVEL AND RIDE their bikes!  Come and join us!

Come back here frequently as we build out all the plans.  

UCI was fun!  What shall we plan for 2027?   Send us your ideas! 

Amici Membership is more than just “Riding Together as Friends”

Check out these Member Discounts and come back to this blog post often for more special offers!

Safety First:

 When you are out on the road, whether alone or in a group, make it easy for others to know your emergency information.

 We recommend “ROAD ID”

 Shop on line and take advantage of a 20% off CLUB DISCOUNT:

Amici Road ID Club Discount

Bike Shop Discounts:

Amici Members may receive a 10% discount by mentioning "Amici Cycling Club" at the following Niagara retailers:

• Front Row Sports, Thorold

Our store kit site is closed for orders.  Please reach out using the "contact botton" (top right email icon on website or aplvniagaracc@gmail.com) if you are interested in kit for 2026.

Check your “Welcome Member Email” for the Store Log in Number

 IT’S NOT MANDATORY but you may ride better in a new kit! :-)

 Our kit is uniquely designed every 2-3 years.  Our partner for 2025-2026 is Verge.

 We offer jerseys, in relaxed (Prime) and Race (Strike) Fits as well as bib shorts and vests.

How to Order:

           Follow the link below to the TEAM STORE  (you will need to contact us for the Store Log in)

•           Check the sizing chart to make sure you are ordering the right size.  No returns
•           Put the item in your cart and “check out” and PAY. You can only pay using a PayPal account
•           The default “store location” will be populated.  Do not change
•           Enter your billing address (must match your credit card)
•           Once your payment is confirmed, you will be returned to the store to confirm successful payment
•           Note your Team Store Order
•           You will receive a confirmation email

 Once we have 20 pieces of KIT ordered, a production run will start. Kit takes 4-6 weeks to arrive and we will distribute on arrival.

Team Store:   

Club Discount Pricing:

HST will be applied at CHECKOUT

As many of you know, I've spent much of my life on a bicycle.

 

Cycling has taught me discipline, resilience, and the importance of looking after my health. Like many riders, I assumed that staying active, maintaining a healthy weight, and logging countless kilometres on the road would keep me ahead of most serious health concerns.

 

This year, I learned otherwise.

 

A routine PSA blood test led to further investigations and ultimately a diagnosis of prostate cancer.

 

The news came as a shock. I felt well. I was active. I was riding. I had no obvious symptoms that would have prompted me to seek medical attention. Had it not been for a simple blood test, my cancer may have remained undetected for years.

Fortunately, I am one of the lucky ones.

 

Because the cancer was detected early, my treatment options were excellent. Following consultations with my medical team, I underwent robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy surgery on May 1. The procedure was successful, and the pathology results showed that the cancer was confined to the prostate, the surgical margins were clear, and there was no evidence of spread to my lymph nodes.

 

In the world of cancer, those are words you hope to hear.

 

One aspect of this journey that deserves recognition is the quality of care I received. From diagnosis through surgery, I was impressed by both the professionalism of the healthcare team and the speed with which my case progressed. I benefited from innovative robotic surgical technology and highly skilled medical professionals who guided me through every step of the process.

 

We often hear stories about the challenges facing our healthcare system, but my experience was overwhelmingly positive. At every stage, I felt informed, supported, and cared for. For that, I am deeply grateful.

 

The experience has reinforced a lesson that I want to share with my fellow cyclists, friends, and family members: early detection matters.

 

Prostate cancer often develops quietly. Many men experience no symptoms in its early stages. Feeling fit, healthy, and strong does not necessarily mean everything is fine beneath the surface. A simple PSA blood test can provide information that may lead to early diagnosis and treatment when outcomes are at their best.

 

I'm not a doctor, and every person's situation is different. But I would encourage every man to have a conversation with his healthcare provider about prostate cancer screening and whether PSA testing is appropriate for them.

 

The test itself is simple. The potential benefit can be enormous.

 

This journey has also reminded me how fortunate I am to be surrounded by supportive family, friends, and fellow cyclists. The encouragement I've received throughout this process has meant more than I can adequately express.

 

As many of you know, I recently published my memoir. In light of this year's events, I decided to donate all royalties from the book to the Canadian Cancer Society. It is a small way of giving back and supporting others who may be facing a similar road.

 

Today, my focus is on recovery, gratitude, and getting back on the bike.

If sharing my story encourages even one person to schedule a PSA test, have a conversation with their doctor, or seek medical advice sooner rather than later, then it will have been worth telling.

 

Ride safe, stay healthy, and don't ignore the simple things that can make a profound difference.

 

I am available and open to chat with anyone on any aspect of my journey to date, because I found speaking with others who have been through it, to be very helpful and supportive. 

 

— Frank....The Tank. 

Amici Members want to know what is going on!  Here’s some tips on how to make sure you never miss out.

Check our Calendar

Our Calendar (on our website) is updated frequently and always represents “What’s happening”.

Find ride start locations, pace, leaders and sometimes details about your ride.

In case of inclement weather, rides will be updated to reflect a ride cancellation.

HINT:  *Add the APLVNCC calendar to your google calendar for easy viewing on your mobile phone (instructions below)

***

Join Remind to be alerted to cancellations or changes

Remind is an APP used by Schools to facilitate communications.  If you join Remind, you can expect to receive a DAY OF instant notifications of ride cancellations.

Here’s How:

•           Download the remind app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store
•           Create an account
•           Tap the +Join a Class Button and input “@aplvncc” as the class

       You can also navigate to remind.com/join from your computer browser and follow the steps above

Notifications: Once you join, you can customize how you receive alerts (app push, text, or email) in your Notification preferences.

 ***

*Adding the APLVNCC + Google calendar (this one is tricky, so go grab your laptop and a coffee)

1. On a computer, open Google Calendar.
• Note: You can only add the APLVNCC Calendar to your Google account from a computer. Once you add the calendar on your computer, you'll see it in the Google Calendar app on your device(s). The APLVNCC Calendar cannot be added directly on a device. These steps cannot be performed within the Google Calendar app itself.
2. You will need to sign in with your Google account.
• To see if you already have an account, click here for instructions.
• A Google account is free. To create an account, click here.
3. On the left side, find "Other calendars" and click the down arrow .
4. Select Add by URL.
5. Enter the following address in the field:
   Calendar
6. Click Add calendar. The calendar will appear on the left side under "Other calendars."

Note: It might take up to 12 hours for changes to show in your Google Calendar.

Download the Google Calendar app and sign-in with your Google account. All APLVNCC Events will populate automatically. The Google Calendar app is available for free for iPad and iPhones from the App Store and Android devices in the Google Play Store. For more information on the Google Calendar app, visit the following page.