# seriously confused on the club runs



## jamma (27 Oct 2016)

As the title points out i am seriously confused about the cycling club i am with as i have been getting emails asking for more volunteers and a facebook post saying Every adult member should aim to help out at at least one event a year. Are you doing your bit? 

So i volunteered to lead a club run on the 6th november as i have a day off but i got told that due to not being a regular attendee i can't lead but there's a new guy who joined the club run on the 16th october has said he could lead the medium route on the same day and the response was cheers for that. 

Should i take the matter up with the chairmen and secetary as they are always posting on facebook looking for a people to lead the club runs and should i also ask them about a midweek club ride for people who can't make the normal club runs i.e emergency service personal, people who work sundays.

I am not trying to get the club into disrepute, i just want opinions on the matter.


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## S-Express (27 Oct 2016)

Maybe the new guy is already a ride leader, or an experienced cyclist, despite only having joined recently. I wouldn't read too much into it.


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## alecstilleyedye (27 Oct 2016)

perhaps offer to marshall at the club 10s or some such, depending on their calendar…


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## raleighnut (27 Oct 2016)

Maybe they're trying to encourage the new guy ?


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## jamma (27 Oct 2016)

alecstilleyedye said:


> perhaps offer to marshall at the club 10s or some such, depending on their calendar…


 
Unfornatley the have finished only thing going is the coaching but need BC qaulifictions


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## alecstilleyedye (27 Oct 2016)

jamma said:


> Unfornatley the have finished only thing going is the coaching but need BC qaulifictions


there's always next year…


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## jamma (27 Oct 2016)

raleighnut said:


> Maybe they're trying to encourage the new guy ?



Yeah i get what you mean but when they keep asking for volunteers but knock people back who want to help isn't exactly great 



alecstilleyedye said:


> there's always next year…



I unfornatley won't be able to them next due to the series of races i'll be entering are on the same night


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## alecstilleyedye (27 Oct 2016)

if it's a decent club they won't worry too much…


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## mjr (28 Oct 2016)

jamma said:


> Yeah i get what you mean but when they keep asking for volunteers but knock people back who want to help isn't exactly great


Maybe suggest they be clearer about what they want volunteers for and what qualifications they need for it. I think some clubs are fairly strict about wanting leaders to have their ride-leading qualifications before leading rides - I think that's part of the reason why our informal group call them navigators, guides or whatever, just so people aren't expecting snaking and marshalling and so on. The new guy might already hold the appropriate qualification from time with another club or a project.

Well done for volunteering, nonetheless. Keep it up.


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## davidphilips (28 Oct 2016)

club asked for volunteers, you offered, if it turns out they dont need you this time you offered so you have done your part. i would not read anything into it, unless you have run a club or helped in the admin then its easy to underestimate the amount of work involved and the amount of decisions required each and every one that can not please everyone, my advice would be enjoy the club.


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## Nigel-YZ1 (28 Oct 2016)

Now I know why I don't belong to a club


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## screenman (28 Oct 2016)

Nigel-YZ1 said:


> Now I know why I don't belong to a club



How many cycling clubs have you been an active member of.


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## mjr (28 Oct 2016)

Nigel-YZ1 said:


> Now I know why I don't belong to a club


You mean you don't like helping other people to enjoy cycling?


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## midlife (28 Oct 2016)

User13710 said:


> You could volunteer to be back marker instead and make a valuable contribution by ensuring no one is left behind, as well as helping with any mechanicals.



Are back markers still common? Just curious as we had them on club runs in the 70's. Even pushed a few people back then to help them keep up 

Shaun


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## cyberknight (28 Oct 2016)

Im in a similar situation, i have been riding with a club for a few years but due to family commitments i cant make it regularly, others have come through and lead rides as they can make it every week and attend other club activities.
Am i bothered ? No because i still have a good time when i do get a ride , i enjoy helping people with mechanical s, getting them back onto the group and even pushed one guy up a hill when he was struggling.


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## davidphilips (28 Oct 2016)

Nigel-YZ1 said:


> Now I know why I don't belong to a club



nothing wrong with not belonging to a club,does not mean anyone is unsocial or does not like helping others or anything else.
main thing is to enjoy cycling should it be purely for transport (if so why join a club) or for competition/sport whatever.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (28 Oct 2016)

I wouldn't be trusting a new guy who's never out(you) to take members on a club ride. (I happen to be a committee member in a cycling club)


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## mjr (28 Oct 2016)

davidphilips said:


> nothing wrong with not belonging to a club,does not mean anyone is unsocial or does not like helping others or anything else.


Sure, but you wouldn't then say that _this thread_ makes you know why you didn't join a club, would you?



> main thing is to enjoy cycling should it be purely for transport (if so why join a club) or for competition/sport whatever.


Joining a transport/touring club/group is a good way to find out relevant news, to get help if you want it and if you go on their rides, you find out about some good routes. There's tons of good stuff I'd probably never have known about if it wasn't for KLWNBUG.


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## paraffinlamps (28 Oct 2016)

As TMN , Smeggers and Cybernight have said , try helping out at the back . 
Practice getting tyres on and off by hand and replacing tubes , get it down to a fine art . Its amazing what a difference it makes on a ride if you have someone who can get punctures fixed quickly with no messing about , especially in the colder months/dark .
Struggling/Newer riders appreciate someone coming back to make sure they are ok , know where they are going , giving advise etc . You can even tell the ride leader what you are doing , this takes some pressure off him knowing there is an experienced rider at the back of the group keeping an eye out . There is a lot of satisfaction to be gained in gently bringing a rider back to a group . 
If you normally ride with a faster group ( I`m guessing you may as you are racing ) once a month try riding with the slower groups . Dont go on the front and smash it though . Stay at the back and help out there , doing this will give your club something back .


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## screenman (28 Oct 2016)

Is Jamma an experienced club rider?


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## Pale Rider (28 Oct 2016)

screenman said:


> Is Jamma an experienced club rider?



Almost certainly not, which is why they declined his offer to lead a ride.

But it might have been better if, rather than responding with a straight, 'no', the response was more like 'no, but you could help by doing...'.


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## screenman (28 Oct 2016)

When organising help with events the worst thing was the guy who said they would help if they were there.


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## davidphilips (29 Oct 2016)

mjr said:


> Sure, but you wouldn't then say that _this thread_ makes you know why you didn't join a club, would you?
> 
> 
> Joining a transport/touring club/group is a good way to find out relevant news, to get help if you want it and if you go on their rides, you find out about some good routes. There's tons of good stuff I'd probably never have known about if it wasn't for KLWNBUG.



lol, did not say i was not a member, just that my view is that clubs are not for every cyclist. 
clubs are great for many reasons and tbh in my view its safer cycling in a club than out solo but thats only my view.

again only my view anyone in a club should support the club even if its only agree with decisions, clubs are only as good as there members and there input,have a good weekend and safe cycling everyone.


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## mjr (29 Oct 2016)

davidphilips said:


> lol, did not say i was not a member,


and I didn't say you weren't, but that IF you weren't for the reasons that you gave, then it wouldn't explain... oh fark it. I can't be bothered explaining conditional phrases here. Have a nice weekend


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## screenman (29 Oct 2016)

User13710 said:


> Are you just trying to have another dig? It depends what you mean by 'club rider', surely? If you mean riding in a chain-gang, that's one thing. If you mean a fairly experienced cyclist who is used to riding with a group, that's another. Both types should be able to ride along at the back of a group, being sensible and looking where they are going though.



No dig, l just asked a question. Being able to ride on the back means to me you have to be as good or better than the person on the front.


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## HLaB (29 Oct 2016)

Life is too short Jamma; just ride and enjoy ;-)


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## screenman (29 Oct 2016)

HLaB said:


> Life too short Jamma; just ride and enjoy ;-)



That I certainly agree with.


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## DCLane (29 Oct 2016)

I don't lead club rides and don't want to. Too much organisation, pressure to manage groups and routes. In my 4 years as a club member I've discovered that those who do tend to be very experienced and/or very good at route-finding.



paraffinlamps said:


> Struggling/Newer riders appreciate someone coming back to make sure they are ok , know where they are going , giving advise etc . You can even tell the ride leader what you are doing , this takes some pressure off him knowing there is an experienced rider at the back of the group keeping an eye out . There is a lot of satisfaction to be gained in gently bringing a rider back to a group ..



However I do a lot of this and it's become known that I'll tend to be either on the front or at the back, helping out other riders. And that's basically what I spent much of my ride this morning doing.


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## steve292 (30 Oct 2016)

Our clubman of the year award went to a guy who spends a lot of time at the back, bringing people back up after mechanicals, looking after people who are having a moment and so on. One of the regulars always does this.
The only club ride that doesn't to this AFAIK is the chain gang, but that's made clear from the off.
You need to be riding lots with the club really, to be a ride leader.


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## Apollonius (31 Oct 2016)

I do front and back with different groups. As long as you know your way round (essential at the front, obviously) then I would say being at the back is a much harder job. That is where the real leadership goes on.


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## PaulSB (31 Oct 2016)

Leader and sweeper are two very different roles both requiring good skills.

As leader one obviously needs to navigate but also maintain the pace which allows the group to ride as a unit. Knowing when to pull away and when to ease off comes with experience as does knowing the right speed at which to coast along while the stragglers get back on and catch their breath.

Riding on the back is, in my mind, the harder task. I always seem to be constantly chasing the group - last man off a junction etc. - or easing back when I'm too quick. Then there is the need to look after mechanicals and give shelter to anyone who is struggling as you pull them back to the group.

I find it very satisfying to lead, especially on those days when you've planned a good route, set the right pace and you can hear all the banter behind you. That's when you know everyone is having fun and you've got it right. A nice feeling.


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## jamma (2 Nov 2016)

Well the club has put a facebook post to get a short club run leader for this sunday


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## mjr (2 Nov 2016)

jamma said:


> Well the club has put a facebook post to get a short club run leader for this sunday


How tall are you?


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## I am Spartacus (27 Nov 2016)

never understood about Sunday rides needing a 'ride leader' it's not a kids club is it?
Anyway there is always someone in the club who just ''overrides' everything... just say '' yeah yeah whatever 'and just leave 'em to it.
I have enough of that sh it at work.
Usually the guff about helping out at least once a year means
stand on a roadside corner for the best part of a Sunday morning with a red flag and watching a race bunch pass every 30 minutes.


If your club doesnt do race events - ignore daft requests. unless you are with a weird group who know you have tombola skills???


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## PaulSB (28 Nov 2016)

Each to his own I suppose.

We have ride leaders for two principle reasons; plan and publish a route on Ride With GPS so if we lose someone not familiar with the area - and we have quite a few - or someone wants to head home early they can get back. Secondly it gives more variety to the rides than a simple "lets go over the Trough" (tough local climb).

As for the guff? Ours is a club running a minimum of 10 rides a week every day other than Mondays so a few people prepared to put in a shift helps.

Marshalling? If your guys turn out for other club's competitive events it's only fair to put something back


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