Clubs do I or Don't I

[DCLane]

It's also the position I'm in; do I join a club? If so, which one?

Near me there's Ravensthorpe CC and also Wakefield CC fairly near. I see some of them when I'm out on rides but again they have a fairly fixed agenda.

I get my new pedals (SPD 105's) and shoes (BG Comp Pro's) for Christmas, although they're already bought, and I'm intending trying out a couple of clubs when I'm used to them rather than the toe straps and trainers I have now.

 

[brokenflipflop]

I've not joined a club yet but I'd imagine on days I don't fancy it I would give it a miss and when I do fancy it I'd turn up.

I've done a couple of sportives on my lonesome and got lost twice....

Once I followed some riders who weren't on the ride and the other I did an extra 8 miles because I followed the wrong arrow that was from an earlier part of the ride and did the same bit twice.

For those Morrissey types here I'm the mithering get who tries to make small talk.

 

[I am Spartacus]

Clubs are there for the trying at least.
Think about joining a club if (in some sort of order of importance):


You want to start racing/timetrialling
You want to improve your bike skills
Get to know how to read the road and give appropriate signals and shouts (nb not abuse unless provoked)
Take pride in your local community. (many clubs do their bit)
You want to improve your knowledge of cycling (thats the banter related stuff) which leads to
You want to able to talk and ride in a a straight line at the same time

You can handle bad weather and discipline to get out of bed for a 9/9:30 start
To have cheaper access to goods and services when your club is sponsored by a cycle shop.
Depending on club kit I agree, but you will nearly always look better in it rather than a media sponsored corporate jersey for example
Be able to shut the f@k up and roll a big gear and pull some work and deal out some pain behind.

 

[screenman]

How can you yell if you like something until you try it? With most memberships being only a few quid I would say go for it.

 

[Globalti]

I've belonged to a mountain bike club for the last ten years or more but that's different from road riding; mountain biking is about messing around and having fun and being out with a bunch of pals is good fun. I would even say that to be out alone, night riding in winter would be dangerous - I've seen a few examples of riders injuring themselves and needing assistance from fellow riders or just getting lost and needing to use the radio to locate the rest of the crew. It's also quite handy to be in a crew when cycling around the fringes of towns like Burnley and Blackburn at night as you meet some odd characters; I was especially glad to have some pals around one particular day when I blundered into an aggressive Asian bloke and his mates shortly after the Burnley riots.

 

[lejogger]

I joined a club at the beginning of last month... I've cycled solo and with just one buddy for the past 3 years, and with noone but him to compare myself to I was always concerned that I wouldn't be able to keep up with the pace that these guys go at, especially given the reputation of a couple of the riders - i.e. national record holders etc.

In reality, my commuting pace is a good 2-3mph above the club ride pace and I've found myself that on the climbs I always keep up with the lead 2 or 3 riders. We don't go out to belt it, we ride with guys in their 60s and 70s, and a few ladies (lots who ride better than the men so no need to single them out really). We never leave anyone behind, and you'll find that when you're tucked in the pack you travel a good few mph quicker than the effort you're putting in.

The banter is great, but the main thing for me is that on my own I get sick of doing the same routes. With the club we go on a different route every week. The knowledge of good routes throughout Wales and Cheshire etc is extensive so we're rarely on busy roads and always going to places I've never been.

I can't comment on the time trialling side of things or track days etc as obviously I've only joined recently, but for £20 a year, if you can find a good club it's definitely worth giving it a go... in fact most clubs insist you go on 2 or 3 rides before joining to see if it's for you.

 

[MarcA]

Mostly family committments prevent me riding with any clubs. I doubt I would keep up on fast week day rides and other rides on Sundays often don't fit with time I have available. I have completed a few audax rides which offer flexability in that you can ride at your own speed, sometimes on your own or other times get the opportunity to chat with others. Plus the opportunity to cycle in some new areas.

 

[I am Spartacus]

Mostly family committments prevent me riding with any clubs. I doubt I would keep up on fast week day rides and other rides on Sundays often don't fit with time I have available. I have completed a few audax rides which offer flexability in that you can ride at your own speed, sometimes on your own or other times get the opportunity to chat with others. Plus the opportunity to cycle in some new areas.

Don't get me wrong, but despite family commitments you can still dedicate yourself to audaxes on a Sunday presumambly which , I may be wrong , pretty much fill the entire day not just a few hours?
Anyways, being a club member is not all about the rides on a Sunday.
I havent been on a club ride since last March due to racing, I've even left a few club nites slip by without attending..I have even jumped on another clubs turbo nite as they are better setup .. but I still pay me annual dues ( the club sec never forgets) and this year will get some kind of presentation coffee mug at the Xmas meet as I managed to pick up a decent result this summer.

 

[yello]

I ride with a club and I ride alone. It's 2 different types of ride and I enjoy each for it's own merits (though I do prefer to ride alone in truth). The club rides are more about being social for me and it is good sometimes to have a natter whilst riding. It's by no means the bulk of my riding but it's an enjoyable part none-the-less. You don't have to make it an either/or when both is allowed.

 

[cyberknight]

I am a member of our local CC , i had posted in the past about them dropping members but that seems to have been sorted out now the club organizes its big club runs so you can all meet at the same place on a Sunday and pick the group you feel you want to ride with , the club secretary is at every meet so its more organized than before.

I cannot make every weekend but when i do it is the highlight of my week meeting liked minded people and having either a thrash with the chain gang or a more "sedate " ride with a slower group and a good chat about cycle stuff which i do not get in normal circles.

My fitness has improved immensely over the last 6 months as hills i used to spin up in the small ring can now be used for a big ring power stint if i have the legs, i still get dropped by the chaingang but thats all part of the fun .

I can only say that if you are thinking of joining a club then contact the ones you have locally and find out what sort of rides they do and when you find something in your ball park then give it a go as you will never know untill you try .

 

[johnpembo73]

My local club is Crewe Wheelers but how do I find out about other clubs in my area?

 

[KingstonBiker]

It's worth joining our club just for the 10% discount at the LBS, it doesn't take long to cover your membership. But I really enjoy club rides - it motivates me to get out on the bike, plus it's nice to socialise. I have learnt a lot of nice routes that I didn't know, despite living here for 20 years. Most clubs will let you come along and see if you like it before you join, so why not give it a try?

+1
Indeed - just 'cos your a member of a club doesn't mean you always have to go out on the club run. If you fancy a solo ride have a solo ride. Give a club a go though it might be better than you think. I've been a member of a club for a few months and some Sunday's I come home and think the ride was a bit slow/short other times too fast/long - but always been enjoyable so far.

 

[briantrumpet]

+1
Indeed - just 'cos your a member of a club doesn't mean you always have to go out on the club run. If you fancy a solo ride have a solo ride. Give a club a go though it might be better than you think. I've been a member of a club for a few months and some Sunday's I come home and think the ride was a bit slow/short other times too fast/long - but always been enjoyable so far.

Indeed. I've just joined a nice local club (Exeter Wheelers), and though I've no intention of going on everything they do, their Sunday club runs will persuade me to go out sometimes when I might have been lazy, they are a very friendly crowd (but with a good range of abilities), and I will probably go out with their Thursday chaingangs in the Summer. Plus maybe the odd time trial, hill climb, social event etc. Really whatever takes my fancy. All for £12 a year. That's less than 60 miles-worth of petrol (or 160 Co-op chocolate brownie squares.)

And when I don't feel like being sociable, I can go out for a long solo ride. Everything catered for.

 

[JonnyBlade]

Riding in a decent group is definitely so much quicker if each one takes his or her turn at the helm. You work hard and someone skims off your efforts. You are then obliged to return that favour

Riding solo is great also in that I can go where I want when I want. I can chose that hill that falls off the route and I can bust the hell out of it on the way back down. I have to admit though that I do enjoy my own company and when you are with others it takes some of the enjoyment of being out on the road. I don't always like all that chatty stuff.

Riding with a much slower rider does take a lot of patience

Still I always have the opportunity to say no but you can never turn the invite to ride a bike down

 

[briantrumpet]

Riding in a decent group is definitely so much quicker if each one takes his or her turn at the helm. You work hard and someone skims off your efforts. You are then obliged to return that favour.

Actually, so far, I've just been on the sociable Sunday runs, and they've been far easier than my solo rides: when I'm solo I'm constantly pushing myself (I have silly targets), and there's no real rest at all. On the club runs, yes, you do work harder at the front (but if you work too hard you'll be told to slow down so the group doesn't stretch out), but once you're in the group you can be freewheeling easily at 20mph, so plenty of rest and chatter.

However, I think if I get onto the chaingangs in the Summer, it will be much harder work ... but still a quite different rhythm from solo riding.