England : Nottinghamshire An informal cycling club / group in Nottingham?

[Jezman]

Yep.

Ah yes, thought so...thanks. I'm not a big user of forums of any kind but I am aware that the anonymity they offer frequently give people carte blanche to let rip, though I guess that's part of the point of them in the first place. So Hip Priest, patronizing or not, it's water off a ducks back really!

I agree I've been a bit quick in writing off what the local road clubs have to offer without actually riding with any of them but I do know me, and that means anything vaguely regimented or overly competitive is not for me. I'm afraid that's what I see when I encounter them out and about or see what's on offer via their websites. Like I said, I'll see how a few rides with the CTC go. There's a century ride in a few weeks heading in my favourite direction which sounds just fine. They do seem to get a bit of a slating in this particular thread http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/what-do-you-think-of-the-ctc.139579/post-2655082 which makes me want to participate all the more!

 

[screenman]

Jezman, you might know you and I hope you do, but honestly clubs or all the one's I have been involved with are nothing like your perception. There may be sub groups within a club that are competitive, not come across the regimented bit yet though, however there will be a sub section that I am sure will cater for your personal requirements.

I wish you were a bit closer to Lincoln as I would certainly introduce you to the Lincoln Wheelers.

I do not think many of us try to be patronizing, frustrated maybe that people form an opinion without experiencing club life, but hey ho that is the way it seems to be.

Enjoy your cycling and if you ever happen to be this way pop in for a cuppa, oops! I forgot club cyclists were not supposed to be friendly.

I did not like beer until I tried it.

 

[Jezman]

Ha! thanks Screenman, two sugars please. I suppose again I'm being a bit unfair regarding the regimented description. I make things up on the fly and never run to any sort of a timetable and it's unfair and/or extremely difficult to expect others to do likewise I guess. I don't have the level of commitment of most and certainly have a more 'punk' attitude to cycling and life it's fair to say. But like I've said, we'll see how things pan out in a couple of weeks.

 

[screenman]

Look at it this way, you were after some people to ride with in your first post, so by joining a club you would have a choice of say a 100 people you may never have met before, believe me most will have the same attitude as yourself.

Do you ride road or MTB?

 

[Jezman]

Look at it this way, you were after some people to ride with in your first post, so by joining a club you would have a choice of say a 100 people you may never have met before, believe me most will have the same attitude as yourself.

A very valid point that.

I'll happily do either but do lean towards the meandering, exploring style of riding. I'd say I'm more inclined towards the off-road side of things but frequently do this on a rigid MTB with 1.75 slicks so I've got the option to do enjoy a bit of both.

 

[screenman]

I take it that you have been over to Sherwood Pines along with hundreds of other cyclists.

 

[Jezman]

Yes, many times though I only really pass through these days. Having started MTBing back in the days of flex stems, U brakes and the very earliest suspension forks, it was a great place to go and some of the uncharted paths thrown up by the mining (remember that?) were great. It's all got a bit sanitized these days and it even has it's own cycle Scalextric track aka The Kitchener Trail. Good fun once in a while I guess.

 

[Big T]

A bit late to the party, but what are you looking for in terms of distance and speed?

I'm not aware of any "informal" clubs on your side of town. I'm on the eastern side. Beeston CC are a decent bunch of guys and as they're a fairly new club they don't come with the usual baggage that older clubs have.

 

[screenman]

What usual baggage is that then, ours is over 60 years old and I am not aware of the baggage you talk about. Please explain so that I can look out for it.

 

[Rob3rt]

What usual baggage is that then, ours is over 60 years old and I am not aware of the baggage you talk about. Please explain so that I can look out for it.

Possibly old hands that only interact with the club once a year at the AGM, where they attend to ensure that on paper nothing progresses, nothing new is introduced, nothing old is removed, to make sure that transactions are still carried out by cheque and communication is carried out via snail mail, condemn the online entry system and such like Then everyone does whatever they were going to do anyway, and they never know, because as I said, their only interaction is that one meeting a year and no-one sends them any snail mail written by hand, or at best using a typewriter, telling them the current goings on.

 

[screenman]

That is exactly what I thought he meant.

 

[Jezman]

Thanks for your input Big T,

Subsequent to my first post in this thread, I've done a couple of rides with Notts CTC and have found that to my liking. A decent and friendly bunch, good enough pace (I'd say 13-16 av) and good distances (90 and 95 miles so far) to interesting places. I'm also more than happy with the three tea stops that usually occur. With any luck, the rides list will feature more trips into the Derbyshire hills and the Peaks in general but that aside, it's exactly what I was after. The emphasis seems to be on the pleasure of riding and seeing and not based around continual improvement of times or competitiveness as a whole. As I've probably said before, I'm sure many of the CC's offer similar, it's just that I've not seen much sign of it when checking their respective sites. I apologise in advance if I'm sounding like a stuck record on this point! I've come across a surprising amount of criticism concerning the CTC online, and some of the points do hold up I guess but hell, being a contrary b*****d, this makes me all the keener to participate.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I'm hoping to join the Bolsover & DIstrict Cycle Club http://www.bolsoveranddistrictcyclingclub.org.uk/ next Sunday for my first club experience, the forum is a little dead, but they have a group on Facebook, they at least from the outside seem a friendly bunch.

Alan...

 

[P.H]

Thanks for your input Big T,

Subsequent to my first post in this thread, I've done a couple of rides with Notts CTC and have found that to my liking. A decent and friendly bunch, good enough pace (I'd say 13-16 av) and good distances (90 and 95 miles so far) to interesting places. I'm also more than happy with the three tea stops that usually occur. With any luck, the rides list will feature more trips into the Derbyshire hills and the Peaks in general but that aside, it's exactly what I was after. The emphasis seems to be on the pleasure of riding and seeing and not based around continual improvement of times or competitiveness as a whole. As I've probably said before, I'm sure many of the CC's offer similar, it's just that I've not seen much sign of it when checking their respective sites. I apologise in advance if I'm sounding like a stuck record on this point! I've come across a surprising amount of criticism concerning the CTC online, and some of the points do hold up I guess but hell, being a contrary b*****d, this makes me all the keener to participate.

I'm glad you've found them to you liking
The trouble with many groups is the appearance to those riding with them for the first time. I think they're always going to feel cliquey, how could they not, here's a group of people who've spent thousands of miles riding together. It's not that they don't want new riders or don't try and welcome them. Sometimes that welcome comes across as patronising, other times it doesn't seem to be there at all. I don't know how a club gets round this other than to recommend people go for a few rides before making their mind up.

 

[Rob3rt]

I'm hoping to join the Bolsover & DIstrict Cycle Club http://www.bolsoveranddistrictcyclingclub.org.uk/ next Sunday for my first club experience, the forum is a little dead, but they have a group on Facebook, they at least from the outside seem a friendly bunch.

Alan...

I think @endoman might belong to that lot!