Clubs do I or Don't I
- Thread starter johnpembo73
- Start date
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briantrumpet
Legendary Member
- Location
- Devon & Die
addictfreak
Guru
- Location
- Boldon, Tyne and Wear
JonnyBlade
Live to Ride
- Location
- Gosport-Hampshire
BT the planned sportivs arranged by Wiggle and the like are great for both. I tagged on to a group of soldiers riding for Help for Heroes on the Twinnng's Salisbury 100 and that was bloody hard even in a group but got me 19.2 mph average for 100 miles. You've probably already ridden them and they are great for challenging yourself.
briantrumpet
Legendary Member
- Location
- Devon & Die
Thanks, but not really my cup of tea ... I'll do the odd charity sportive (to support the charity), but I get in a lot of challenging riding in already at a decent speed, but will be looking at chaingangs for shorter high-intensity workouts, both for the different rhythm of the riding and the close riding skills. And at an annual cost of about half of one commercial sportive.
TheSandwichMonster
Junior Senior
- Location
- Devon, UK
I finally bit the bullet and went out with my local club for the first time yesterday, after much pondering of "am I good enough?". Like Brian T, I'm based in the South West, but my local club is Mid-Devon CC, the same guys who organise the Dartmoor Classic and they have a reputation of being quite a performance-oriented club, at least from all I've heard.
I needn't have been so concerned! All the people I chatted with were friendly and genuinely interested in welcoming me - right down to the point that one guy was apologising for the muddy state of some of the lanes we were riding along! There were three different groups - an "A" ride for the racer/skinny whippet types (advertised at 18-20mph over ~60 miles), a "B" ride for the slower people (15-17mph over ~50 miles) and finally an "M" (middle) group which is roughly somewhere between the two. I went along with the B ride, which was just perfect for me, having not been out in a few weeks. There was a really good mix of ages and personalities and I was taken by how everyone looked out for each other along the way - there seems to be a really great community spirit within the club.
Like Brian, I was most taken with how fresh I felt at the end of the ride. Without ever having ridden in a proper bunch before, it's strange when you finally realise how much easier it is - you start to take notice of the time that you actually spend NOT pedalling. Similarly, the act of pedalling along and chatting with the people either side takes your mind off the grind, particularly when heading up the hills.
All-in-all, it was a very positive experience. I was glad that my fitness hadn't dipped as badly as I feared it may have done in the interrim weeks, but at the same time was humbled by the ability of some of the other riders. I've already paid my membership fees, as I know full well that I'll be going back for more of the same!
I needn't have been so concerned! All the people I chatted with were friendly and genuinely interested in welcoming me - right down to the point that one guy was apologising for the muddy state of some of the lanes we were riding along! There were three different groups - an "A" ride for the racer/skinny whippet types (advertised at 18-20mph over ~60 miles), a "B" ride for the slower people (15-17mph over ~50 miles) and finally an "M" (middle) group which is roughly somewhere between the two. I went along with the B ride, which was just perfect for me, having not been out in a few weeks. There was a really good mix of ages and personalities and I was taken by how everyone looked out for each other along the way - there seems to be a really great community spirit within the club.
Like Brian, I was most taken with how fresh I felt at the end of the ride. Without ever having ridden in a proper bunch before, it's strange when you finally realise how much easier it is - you start to take notice of the time that you actually spend NOT pedalling. Similarly, the act of pedalling along and chatting with the people either side takes your mind off the grind, particularly when heading up the hills.
All-in-all, it was a very positive experience. I was glad that my fitness hadn't dipped as badly as I feared it may have done in the interrim weeks, but at the same time was humbled by the ability of some of the other riders. I've already paid my membership fees, as I know full well that I'll be going back for more of the same!
brokenflipflop
Veteran
- Location
- Worsley
That sounds great TSM. I'm one step behind you having made contact with a chap who runs a CC but I haven't actually been on a ride yet. Something I find strange is that living in a northern city, trying to find a local cycle club is a bit of an ordeal. Around the edges like Bolton, Stockport etc no problem but in the whole of the city of Salford I can't find one ! The club I've contacted is about 14 or 15 miles away.
I think generally you may get more friendly/social/community based groups in places where you are i.e. away from a big city.
Good luck with the cycle club.
I think generally you may get more friendly/social/community based groups in places where you are i.e. away from a big city.
Good luck with the cycle club.
this is something iv debated about as well,,theres a club near me ,,newly formed and i know and have met the guys/girls and they all seem sound ..my dilemma is ,,they have just started (well about 2 month and about 20 members i think)but the runs they go on are a wed (prob a faster run ,,bout 35 miles)and on a sun a bit further (but i believe its a bit more steady ),,now even disregarding the pace i dont think i could do either of those mileages straight away ,,theres no "honeymoon period"or beginners group ,,so its out with all levels and undoubtedly id b at the back,,its all very well saying you wont get dropped ,,come along,,whatever ,,but i feel maybe two groups would b better ,,or even a shorter run ,,or a bail out on these ,,anyway this has made me not join a club at all and just plod away on my own ,,id like to join a club for all the obv reasons ,,but im just not fit enough ,,really what do clubs expect ,,have u to hit the ground running and b expected to just do 50 miles straight off at a reasonable pace ..i (and i bet im not alone ,can do say 10-15 ml quite easy but i think they want too much too soon)would like to ..but havent 
briantrumpet
Legendary Member
- Location
- Devon & Die
Depends on the club - I'm sure some of the bigger do easier/shorter runs, some don't - best to ask first - they should tell you. If in your solo riding you're not too far off what they normally do, then there's no harm in giving it a go. But if you know you're not really fit enough yet, maybe that's a bit of added incentive to extend your solo rides, and to push yourself a bit harder till you get to a better level of fitness and gain the confidence that you'll be OK. I suspect that most clubs will expect a certain level of fitness - it would be interesting to hear what the slowest and shortest club rides in other people's experience.
I was aware that the club I've joined needed a certain degree of fitness and bike-handling ability even for the Sunday club runs (last Sunday was a hilly 58 miles at 15mph, which is leisurely for them), but riding in a group will make the effort less than for the same solo run.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
As i have posted on this forum before our club offers 3 rides on a Sunday morning ranging from 30-60+ miles dependent on the pace you want to go at , i am sure if you find the right club they will have a variety of rides for you to try .The best thing to do is contact your local clubs and see what rides they run .
Remember group riding is a lot easier than solo rides as the drafting effect will save you a lot of energy and the motivation from the group will pull you along.
If the ride is too long you always have the option of heading home early , some our our riders always head for home at the cake stop .
david k
Hi
- Location
- North West
John, I reckon yer own company is the very best company, and CANNOT be beaten. You can work as hard as you like, think about what you want, go wherever your minds eye takes you, without answering to anyone … well apart from the plethora of numpty vehicle drivers that you need to watch out for … as I'm rapidly finding out.
It's a 10 from me
Mozzy
plus 1 for me
briantrumpet
Legendary Member
- Location
- Devon & Die
I love riding (or walking) alone - I'll happily do a 100+ miler by myself. A few months ago I was saying "You won't find me joining a club!" for just that reason (I'd guess that about 7500 of my 8500 miles in the past 12 months have been solo). But....
Just wanting to meet a few more people of my sort of standard, have the occasional sociable ride (I always push myself on the solo ones), have a few more training opportunities, I joined a club .... all for £12. And, if I feel like being a loner, I can still do that. But it's been nice meeting some new people with a shared interest. One day I'll be dead and won't get the chance to make new friends. I figure I might as well do that (when I feel like it) while I can.
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
this is something iv debated about as well,,theres a club near me ,,newly formed and i know and have met the guys/girls and they all seem sound ..my dilemma is ,,they have just started (well about 2 month and about 20 members i think)but the runs they go on are a wed (prob a faster run ,,bout 35 miles)and on a sun a bit further (but i believe its a bit more steady ),,now even disregarding the pace i dont think i could do either of those mileages straight away ,,theres no "honeymoon period"or beginners group ,,so its out with all levels and undoubtedly id b at the back,,its all very well saying you wont get dropped ,,come along,,whatever ,,but i feel maybe two groups would b better ,,or even a shorter run ,,or a bail out on these ,,anyway this has made me not join a club at all and just plod away on my own ,,id like to join a club for all the obv reasons ,,but im just not fit enough ,,really what do clubs expect ,,have u to hit the ground running and b expected to just do 50 miles straight off at a reasonable pace ..i (and i bet im not alone ,can do say 10-15 ml quite easy but i think they want too much too soon)would like to ..but havent
Give it ago, you'll probably find cycling in a group (drafting, motivation etc) makes it attainable. I really like my clubs cafe run on a Saturday and iirc its not advertised as two groups but it usually form into two. And any club worth their salt won't leave you stranded, don't worry and organisers usually design in bail out points, you'll never know unless you go
