Frequently Asked Questions

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  Absolutely—yes, you can join All Ass No Gas Cycling Club (AANGCC) as a guest to see if the team is the right fit for you.  We actually encourage it.

Riding with us as a guest gives you a chance to experience our culture, our energy, and our mission firsthand. You’ll get to meet the team, feel the pace, enjoy the camaraderie, and see how we operate both on and off the bike. AANGCC is built on community, service, and purpose—not ego—so we welcome anyone who wants to get a feel for what we’re about before making a full commitment.

Come out for a ride, get comfortable, ask questions, and see if our spirit matches yours. If it does, we’d love to have you officially join the family.

Becoming a member of All Ass No Gas Cycling Club (AANGCC) is straightforward, intentional, and rooted in our values of community, service, and purpose.  We’re not just a cycling group—we’re a mission-driven family committed to riding with heart and supporting causes that matter.

Here’s how to become a member:

1.  Start by joining us for a ride - We encourage all potential members to ride with us as a guest first.  This gives you a chance to experience our culture, pace, camaraderie, and expectations before making a commitment.

2.  Connect with us on Strava -  All official club rides, routes, and updates are posted in our Strava club. Joining the Strava group ensures you stay informed and connected to the team. 

3.  Review the club's purpose and expectation -  AANGCC is built on discipline, service, and unity. We look for riders who are committed to safety, teamwork, consistency, and the mission of riding for a greater cause—especially our annual MS150 fundraising effort. 

4.  Confirm your commitment -  Once you feel aligned with our values, simply let us know you’re ready to join. Membership isn’t based on speed or experience—it’s based on attitude, effort, and your willingness to show up for the team. 

5.  Participate Regularly - Being a part of the club means being active:

• Attend rides
• Engage with the team
• Support our charitable initiatives
• Uphold the club’s positive reputation on and off the bike

If you’re ready for community, purpose, accountability, and some of the best cycling vibes in Austin—AANGCC is ready for you. 

 No — membership dues do not include the team jersey.

The team kit, which consists of the official jersey and team socks, is a separate purchase. The full kit cost is $149.

Membership and apparel are intentionally kept separate so riders can join the club first, get involved, and then purchase gear within 45 days.  The kit is required for certain official rides and events, but it is not included in the membership fee.

 Our value is rooted in our DNA.  They inform our decisions and our vision of cycling in Austin. They are inspired by our members and what we ask cyclists to aspire to when choosing us as a club. 

We are extremely diverse, fun, and friendly.  We are an inclusive club where all members should feel happy to participate in all our activities. We welcome anyone interested in the sport or cycling regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. We do not discriminate.  

We aim to never leave anyone behind, take collective responsibility for the safety and enjoyment of everyone on a ride, and we give and receive constructive feedback on how to continually improve the club, it's culture, ride routes, technologies, and etc.

Our club is run by members, for members. Volunteering is at the heart of everything we do.   As a club, we support other nonprofit organizations.  Our biggest support is delivered to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.  Since 2020, we have raised nearly $70,000 in the fight against MS.  

  Yes — a helmet is absolutely required to join and ride with All Ass No Gas Cycling Club.

Safety is the foundation of everything we do, and helmets are non-negotiable. Whether you’re a guest rider or a full member, you must wear a properly fitted cycling helmet on every ride. Our routes include open roads, varying terrain, traffic, and long-distance efforts, and we take rider protection seriously.

Wearing a helmet isn’t just about complying with club rules—it’s about protecting yourself, respecting the team, and ensuring everyone gets home safely. AANGCC rides with discipline, purpose, and responsibility, and that begins with the basics: helmet on, every ride, no exceptions.

 If you wish to return a garment, it must be unused and returned in its original packaging within 3 days of receipt. You do this at your own risk, proof of postage is not proof of delivery, so we suggest you use a recorded delivery service, or in person.  

If you wish to order a replacement garment for the returned one,  e.g., you need a different size, please do this separately by placing a new order. 

Road cycling is a sport built for speed and endurance.  Road bikes are lightweight, aerodynamic, and designed to help riders travel long distances efficiently. Cyclists often ride anywhere from 10 to 100+ miles depending on their goals, fitness, and the type of ride. Of course there's a mental and physical side to road cycling that requires training, technique and mastery.  

Road cycling builds powerful legs, strong lungs, and serious cardiovascular endurance. But it also strengthens mental resilience — pushing through climbs, fighting wind, pacing properly, and managing fatigue require focus and discipline. 

Many road cyclists ride in groups, using formations like pacelines and drafting to conserve energy and increase speed. Communication, awareness, and etiquette are key. Group rides build camaraderie and make challenging routes more enjoyable. 

Road cycling is about community and lifestyle.  For many riders, cycling becomes part of their identity—joining clubs, participating in charity rides, challenging themselves with events like the MS150, and using cycling as a way to stay fit, relieve stress, and connect with others. 

In short,  road cycling is the art and sport of riding fast, far, and with purpose—on smooth pavement, with a strong community, and a mindset of growth.  Whether for fitness, fun, adventure, or competition, it’s one of the most accessible and rewarding sports in the world. 

Designed to transfer power more efficiently from your muscles to your pedals, clipless pedals attach to a cleat on the bottom of your shoe, allowing you to ride faster without exerting more effort as you can both push down and pull up on the pedals, and smooth out your pedal stroke for more efficiency. While most road cyclists use them, they’re certainly not necessary, especially if you’re still getting comfortable with the skills of cycling, like bike handling or gear shifting.  

No you don't.  However, to be a member of our club, proper cycling apparel is required.  For the "ordinary Joe", just get on your bike and ride.  While you’re probably used to seeing road cyclists rock skin-tight Lycra, there’s no law saying you need to do the same.

The idea that you have to wear specific clothes to be a “real” cyclist is pure nonsense.  That said, there are a few reasons why cyclists gravitate towards clothing made specifically for cycling:

     (A).  They provide a tight and aerodynamic fitting.  

     (B).  Tight fitting shorts and jerseys also provide sweat-wicking properties.

     (C).  Padded shorts can make riding in the saddle more comfortable.

 If you’re not experiencing any aches, pains, or numbness, you can probably get away with not having one done.  Professional bike fitting can cost anywhere from $129 to $250.  If you are experiencing a bit of discomfort, you can always search the internet for video tutorials on how to make simple adjustments to your bike.  

 At a minimum, make sure to your tires are properly inflated to the recommended pressure.   If you’re running tubeless tires, you’ll also need to add sealant periodically. 

You should also clean and lubricate your chain periodically. Just how often you need to lube your chain depends on the climate, conditions, and how many miles you’re logging. But if you’re hearing a squeaking noise coming from your drivetrain, it’s probably time to do so.

For performance reasons, you might want to replace your hybrid with a road bike.  Road bike geometry puts you in a lower and more aerodynamic position, which makes you much more efficient.

Don’t leave home without everything you need.  This  includes a tire lever, mini pump/CO2 cartridge, spare tube, water, snacks (carbohydrates), and electrolytes.

Yes, yes, yes.  Do not leave home without them.  The more visible you are, the safer you are.

The main reason to wear fingerless gloves is comfort.  They offer padding for the heel of your hands without limiting your dexterity, which you need to adjust your sunglasses, open energy bars, or adjust your bike computers.

Absolutely.  Whether you are riding 30 minutes or 3 hours, you must have water with you at all times.  Whether you think you’ll need a drink or not, bring water.

This is a personal preference, and a  trial by error experiment.  But if we allow science to lead the way, then there's only one way to go... carbohydrate snacks and sport drinks are your best friend.

Great question!  The short answer is yes and no.  It’s normal to feel some level of discomfort in the saddle at first, but if it persists beyond a few weeks of consistent riding, it’s time to make adjustments to your bike, invest in a quality saddle, padded cycling shorts, or seek professional bike fitting.