A parking lot at Legacy Drive and Independence Parkway is the start of the Princeton Loop. And the Wildwood Bakery ride and the Do Rag Loop.

MIKE STONE/Special Contributor

Members of the Plano Bicycle Association took a 50-mile ride from Plano to Wylie this month.

It's there that the Lycra-clad members of the Plano Bicycle Association meet for rides around Collin County.

For the past seven years, the cyclists have gathered at the bagel shop there, donned helmets and gloves, smeared on sunblock, and set out for a series of rides geared toward beginners and experienced cyclists in what's become a cycling tradition in Plano.

"These aren't just bike freaks that like to get on the road and hammer a bunch of miles," said Rusty Nail, who's been riding with the association since 1983, when riders met on 15th Street.

Group members include former distance runners, retirees, busy moms and professionals who share a passion for cycling.

The camaraderie among riders is what attracted cyclist Wendi Figueroa.

An avid mountain biker while living in Seattle, Ms. Figueroa traded dirt for pavement when she and her husband relocated to Plano.

"We've made great friendships," said Ms. Figueroa, who's also part of a smaller group of association members called the Vixens.

Some cycling groups are made up of "elitists and loners," said Ms. Figueroa, but the parking lot pals in Plano have built friendships beyond the bicycle.

For her husband, Sean Figueroa, cycling isn't just about competition, but healthy bodies and minds.

"It keeps you sane," he said.

The group not only fosters friendships but teaches riders the essentials of riding in a pace line and basic safety tips for the streets.

Members of the association call it the PBA Way.

Membership in the group has more than doubled since 2003, when organizers began adding more rides for novices and "tweeners," cyclists not yet ready for the most challenging distances and speeds.

"Two years ago we were saying, 'We've got to hit 200,' " said Bob Molyneux. At that time membership was somewhere between 100 and 120.

Now with 470 members, the Plano association is the largest in Texas, according to Mr. Nail.

Mr. Molyneux joked, "I'm with some of these bums as much as I am my wife."

The sight of helmet-clad cycle junkies atop sleek road bikes may be off-putting for some whose last bike included a banana seat and streamers. But association members encourage newcomers to experience the group-cycling dynamic.

"When you get out of the 'hood, you can't just walk home," said Mr. Nail, who noted that many of the novice riders have mastered neighborhood routes and want a different challenge.

With more than 20 rides a week, riders can challenge themselves at different skill levels.

Rides are offered every day of the week except Friday, and the majority of rides begin at the Legacy and Independence parking lot.

Beginner and tweener rides are offered Saturday mornings, and a variety of distance rides are offered throughout the week – including the Wednesday night dinner ride, which rotates among Plano-area restaurants.

Food played a part in the group's choice of meeting place.

The old spot on 15th Street was near a bakery, but after it closed, the association began looking for a better place that offered more parking and a healthier dose of carbs.

"We wanted bagels. Something a little more '90s-ish," Mr. Nail said.

Roxanne Kosanda, who has been riding with the group for three years, said she has challenged herself as a cyclist.

Outside her SUV on Wednesday night, she donned a pair of socks and cycling shoes in preparation for a ride with her fellow Vixens.

"I was never really an athlete before this," she admitted.

Now, she wants her efforts to inspire her daughters.

She said, "How many kids can tell their friends their mom has logged 3,000 miles in a year?"