Club ride average speeds, could i keep up ?

[matticus]

Official policy: "no-drop, friendly inclusive rides!"
Actuality: riders do what they please. No-one is brave enough to tell grown men what to do. It's easier to just let the weak fall away, where you can't see them.

This is a very common scenario, sadly.

(but BTW, 50kph/30mph on the flat is NOT a common amateur training group pace. Not at ALL!)

 

[DCLane]

@Ripple - it seems unusual. Is this all there is where you are?

There's one group that runs around 50 km/h locally, but they're not an official club and advertise that if you can't keep up it's your problem. The others are generally much more inclusive.

 

[Ripple]

I've done a few rides with another CC back in 2011 and this club was really nice and I was able to stay in group with no problem at all. Alas I moved into another town and they're few hours away from me now.

I also contacted (email, FB, website contact forms) few other local(ish) CCs over the years but no answer from them whatsoever.

I've got an impression that every official CC are for racers only. "We road race, we TT, we track race" etc. If you want just a leisure ride - ah who bothers about that crap.

 

[straas]

I'm still really thrown by this 50km/h ride - I think most semi serious chain gangs will be around the 40kmh mark?

I'd put myself down as a pretty strong rider, but think I'd struggle to not get dropped on a 50kmh ride!

 

[Ripple]

Well if somebody can do 124k ride with average speed of 34.1 kph as per almighty Strava ...

 

[iluvmybike]

This is a perennial problem! Even those groups which start of with good intentions as a more 'social' type of ride I have found soon get competitive and the speed then goes up - so the 'weaker' members of the group are always getting dropped - whilst the group does 'wait' it isn't much fun to always be the one waited for and then you don't feel like going along as you are holding the group up. So weaker riders fall by the wayside and the group gets stronger/faster and so it goes on! I'm female too and in my 60s - I'm not a slouch and can ride all day just not at fast speeds

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Unpopular opinion: if you turn up at a club run that's advertised as 16mph avg and it's maintaining 15.4 or 16.1 whilst you're getting dropped - the onus is you to get fitter. Likewise if you turn up at a ride that's aimed at beginners and posted as 13-15mph avg while you're capable of 21 - the onus is on you to ride to the group.

Seen it a fair bit over the years where A Rider hasn't rode his or her bike in months, turns up out of the blue to a run that's advertised well above their capability and all it does is ruin everyone elses ride, although few say it openly.

 

[matticus]

Unpopular opinion:

Is it? Evidence please!

 

[Ripple]

Unpopular opinion: if you turn up at a club run that's advertised as 16mph avg and it's maintaining 15.4 or 16.1 whilst you're getting dropped - the onus is you to get fitter. Likewise if you turn up at a ride that's aimed at beginners and posted as 13-15mph avg while you're capable of 21 - the onus is on you to ride to the group.

That's why I always contact somebody prior to the ride. I state my age, gender, level of fitness and other relevant info and I ask if it's ok to join a ride. Answer is always "yes sure, no problem". I arrive at the start point only to find group of clones of TdF riders. Well ...

Still the fondest memories about Redhill CC. Done few rides with them. Nice and warm welcome, loads of cyclists of various ages, about 10 women, nobody was left and not the light speed. Alas I don't live there anymore.

I contacted one CC via FB and website 3 weeks ago. Still waiting for an answer. and yes, their FB is updated almost daily.

 

[itboffin]

As a small local club chairman I can tell you it’s not easy to keep it under control at times, certain individuals are either way too fast and can’t help pushing the pace and others way too unfit for even social rides, we’re not long officially formed perhaps 5 years and small circa 20 on avg. but we’ve managed a happy medium and now make it very clear the route, distance ascent conditions and confirmed riders, those factors help no end.

we’re known as a fast club but not a racing club, the handful of members that ride +100 miles and +21 mph avg ended up splitting and forming a new group, we’re now left with those happy to ride at 20 mph and +100 miles for a ride but the avg overall will be anywhere from 16-19 mph due to hilly terrain, I think this is a big factor that gets forgotten not many can carry on riding uphill at full on club pace or want too, then there are a lot that also can climb but not smash it on the flat such as me.

Its all about disciplined club management imo

 

[itboffin]

That's why I always contact somebody prior to the ride. I state my age, gender, level of fitness and other relevant info and I ask if it's ok to join a ride. Answer is always "yes sure, no problem". I arrive at the start point only to find group of clones of TdF riders. Well ...

Still the fondest memories about Redhill CC. Done few rides with them. Nice and warm welcome, loads of cyclists of various ages, about 10 women, nobody was left and not the light speed. Alas I don't live there anymore.

I contacted one CC via FB and website 3 weeks ago. Still waiting for an answer. and yes, their FB is updated almost daily.

erm on that subject I / we are also guilty of not following up, this years we’ve had 21 email enquires which didn’t go answered for a few months, difficult times for everyone

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

As a small local club chairman I can tell you it’s not easy to keep it under control at times, certain individuals are either way too fast and can’t help pushing the pace and others way too unfit for even social rides, we’re not long officially formed perhaps 5 years and small circa 20 on avg. but we’ve managed a happy medium and now make it very clear the route, distance ascent conditions and confirmed riders, those factors help no end.

we’re known as a fast club but not a racing club, the handful of members that ride +100 miles and +21 mph avg ended up splitting and forming a new group, we’re now left with those happy to ride at 20 mph and +100 miles for a ride but the avg overall will be anywhere from 16-19 mph due to hilly terrain, I think this is a big factor that gets forgotten not many can carry on riding uphill at full on club pace or want too, then there are a lot that also can climb but not smash it on the flat such as me.

Its all about disciplined club management imo

My own club is pretty terrible at managing riders, doesn't seem to matter how many meetings or AGMs we have. The avg speeds of the 3 sunday rides are set in stone but the B run has gained at least 1.5mph and the C run has lost 3 - 4 creating a massive gulf if your interest is working to the faster runs.

 

[cyberknight]

My own club is pretty terrible at managing riders, doesn't seem to matter how many meetings or AGMs we have. The avg speeds of the 3 sunday rides are set in stone but the B run has gained at least 1.5mph and the C run has lost 3 - 4 creating a massive gulf if your interest is working to the faster runs.

thats why i swapeed to my current club , the gap between my old medium and fast groups was about 4 mph avg so i was either dawdling or getting spat out the back and left for dead as the old fast group was a"your own you own after the cake stop "ride that used to chain gang it back .

 

[itboffin]

My own club is pretty terrible at managing riders, doesn't seem to matter how many meetings or AGMs we have. The avg speeds of the 3 sunday rides are set in stone but the B run has gained at least 1.5mph and the C run has lost 3 - 4 creating a massive gulf if your interest is working to the faster runs.

oh trust me it’s been hard work I was secretary for 2 years and now chairman in my 3rd and every ride I have to police, we’re getting there all be it super slowly I sometimes feel like the club mother

 

[DCLane]

I contacted one CC via FB and website 3 weeks ago. Still waiting for an answer. and yes, their FB is updated almost daily.

I'd either stick a message on their FB page or turn up. Often the contact person's moved on and you'll get a response from a club's page directly quicker.