# Cycling Clubs



## Simba (28 Jul 2010)

Can anyone in the Greater Manchester area recommend some good clubs, were I don't need to download an application form. I live in Rochdale and anything in a 15-20mile radius is fine. 

I have looked on the titernet with no luck so far.


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## dan_bo (28 Jul 2010)

If you're looking for informal rides/riders, there's a good few in the manchester area (myself included) who go out for a baz about on a sunday morning, no strings attached. Keep an eye out on the rides section for rides organised by the likes of colinJ, longers, fossyant, myself and others. i'm usually out most weekends especially at the moment as i'm getting ready for the three peaks in late sept. Give us a shout if you wanna come along.


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## redddraggon (28 Jul 2010)

Manchester Wheelers


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## Karlos (28 Jul 2010)

redddraggon said:


> Manchester Wheelers




I live in Sale and would like to get out with some groups too, though I'm only riding 25 milers at the moment. Are there any clubs/groups for newbies with tender backsides LOL


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## ColinJ (28 Jul 2010)

Fluffy said:


> Can anyone in the Greater Manchester area recommend some good clubs, were I don't need to download an application form. I live in Rochdale and anything in a 15-20mile radius is fine.
> 
> I have looked on the titernet with no luck so far.



I was going to say that you hadn't searched that hard because googling for "rochdale cycling club" brings  ABC Centreville's website up in second place and they were the club that I was going to suggest, but they do require you to download an application form. Why is that a problem? You could always just phone them up - Dave Grogran,  01706 357 113. 

As dan_bo said, I often organise CycleChat forum rides round this area (from Hebden Bridge) so keep your eyes open for the next one.


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## Simba (29 Jul 2010)

ColinJ said:


> I was going to say that you hadn't searched that hard because googling for "rochdale cycling club" brings  ABC Centreville's website up in second place and they were the club that I was going to suggest, but they do require you to download an application form. Why is that a problem? You could always just phone them up - Dave Grogran, 01706 357 113.
> 
> As dan_bo said, I often organise CycleChat forum rides round this area (from Hebden Bridge) so keep your eyes open for the next one.



Its a problem because I don't have a printer. Never had a need for one really. I did see that club and due to the downloading the app I gave it a miss.

On your rides where do you usually go and how far?


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## ColinJ (29 Jul 2010)

Fluffy said:


> Its a problem because I don't have a printer. Never had a need for one really. I did see that club and due to the downloading the app I gave it a miss.


Fair enough. If you popped into your local library you could probably print the form out there.



Fluffy said:


> On your rides where do you usually go and how far?


We have done century rides in previous years but I think the longest forum ride I've done recently was about 85 miles. Normally they would be 50-70 miles from Hebden Bridge, and very hilly - this kind of thing. I've gone along to a few starting from the outskirts of Leeds with CC members out that way.

I've come to the conclusion that I'm not really fit enough for long hilly rides this year (I've not done enough riding and am pretty overweight at the moment) so I will probably stick to 65 miles or less until things improve, though I am toying with the idea of doing a flatter-than-usual round trip to the coast and that would be nearer to 100 miles.

Some of the rides head out to the fringes of the Yorkshire Dales and back. Another favourite destination is the Ribble Valley though it takes most of the 60 odd miles just to get there and back. When fitter, I'd add another 30-40 miles out there. We normally call in at the Country Kitchen cafe in Waddington.

I try to keep off busy A-roads where possible though sometimes the forum rides return on the A646 if we can't face any more hills. I say 'we' - it's normally me who cracks first! I am almost always the slowest rider on climbs so the rest of the group go ahead at their own speed and wait for me at the summits. It means that they get the chance to take a drink, enjoy the scenery and have a chat. So far, nobody has complained and I always make it clear that this is how things will be. They aren't 'chaingangs' and people wanting that kind of thing would be frustrated. 'Slow, scenic and sociable' would be how I'd describe the rides.

Most of the rides are on Sundays, though sometimes we have done them on Saturdays. I often make the Sunday starts fit in with the first trains into Hebden Bridge in case anybody wants to come in by train.


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## redddraggon (29 Jul 2010)

Fluffy said:


> Its a problem because I don't have a printer. Never had a need for one really. I did see that club and due to the downloading the app I gave it a miss.
> 
> On your rides where do you usually go and how far?



In my experience you don't need to print out an application form to go on club runs. You only need to fill in an application form if you want to actually join the club, and if the club is any good, you will want to join it, and you'll make the effort to print the form out.

TBH you might be better off with the CTC at the moment, if you are only managing 35 mile runs.


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## toekneep (29 Jul 2010)

Most clubs will be more than happy for you to join in a couple of rides before committing yourself to joining. Insurance policies provided by affiliation to British Cycling or CTC specifically allow for this I believe. Ring them up as Colin said, or e-mail them.


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## andy_wrx (29 Jul 2010)

Explain to any club that you're keen to join but can't print the form, I bet they'll happily print one off and press it into your hand !


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## Rob3rt (29 Jul 2010)

redddraggon said:


> In my experience you don't need to print out an application form to go on club runs. You only need to fill in an application form if you want to actually join the club, and if the club is any good, you will want to join it, and you'll make the effort to print the form out.
> 
> TBH you might be better off with the CTC at the moment, if you are only managing 35 mile runs.



Following on from James post, 

The wheelers intro ride which takes place once a month is meant to be 35 miles at the pace of the slowest guy (which on our run recently was pretty slow) and you dont need to join to go along, but as I found out, its often under-estimated and we ended up clocking over 50 miles (just over 60 including my getting to the meeting point and then back home after the ride) lead for over half of it by Reddragon, since the official leader stayed with a guy who had an off.


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## redddraggon (29 Jul 2010)

Rob3rt said:


> Following on from James post,
> 
> The wheelers intro ride which takes place once a month is meant to be 35 miles at the pace of the slowest guy (which on our run recently was pretty slow) and you dont need to join to go along, but as I found out, its often under-estimated and we ended up clocking over 50 miles (just over 60 including my getting to the meeting point and then back home after the ride) lead for over half of it by Reddragon, since the official leader stayed with a guy who had an off.



To be fair the intro rides normally do keep to the stated distance, as a lot of us these days use 605 or 705s, and stick to the route planned. However the leader that day did it all in his head, and made it up as he went along. We could probably have stuck to the 35 miles if we had taken the A34 all the way back to Manchester . Aye we will wait, if people are struggling with the speed or a mechanical, however it's handy to let the front know that there is an issue at the back, otherwise the front will keep on hammering away obvious to people silently slipping off the back.


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## Simba (30 Jul 2010)

redddraggon said:


> In my experience you don't need to print out an application form to go on club runs. You only need to fill in an application form if you want to actually join the club, and if the club is any good, you will want to join it, and you'll make the effort to print the form out.
> 
> TBH you might be better off with the CTC at the moment, if you are only managing 35 mile runs.



I can manage more than 35 miles I have just not had a reason to yet.


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## ColinJ (1 Aug 2010)

Fluffy said:


> I can manage more than 35 miles I have just not had a reason to yet.


Well, I'd say a good reason is that you can get to some very nice places from Rochdale once you step the distance up. For example, here are my variations on the  North-West-Passage and  mini-North-West-Passage audax routes.


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## Simba (2 Aug 2010)

The mini one is more in my range at the moment. Don't think I am ready for 130 miles yet.


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## ColinJ (2 Aug 2010)

Fluffy said:


> The mini one is more in my range at the moment. Don't think I am ready for 130 miles yet.


Unfortunately, my fitness is way down so longer rides are currently out for me too. 

When I did the mini-NWP it ended up being just over 100 miles because I rode to and from the start/finish as well with a group of fellow CCers.


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