Do you like to stop on club rides?

[NorthernDave]

^^^^ This. And the view on your ride being someone else's arse. And having no interest in going fast. And wanting to be flexible with my route and distance depending on what suits ME. And having no interest in dressing in lycra and wearing a plastic h***et. And being an anti-social nobber. Perhaps club riding is not for me then?

 

[outlash]

My local CC's club runs don't, preferring to have coffee at the end of the ride. So I tend to ride with the group on the shorter route, finish and have a drink then get some more miles in if I want to.

 

[Dave7]

I've never done a group ride........I go out iether on my own or with a like minded friend.
I/we want to go at my own pace (smell the roses etc) and stop where and when I want to.
Never having done a club/group ride I cannot be critical but it just doesn't appeal to me.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Aren't we talking while riding though?

If you are, you're not going fast enough :-)

 

[Venod]

My club has regular Saturday morning club runs usually 3 groups at different paces with a cofee stop at the end were all groups meet, there are 4 routes done on a ratating bases, I sometimes attend, but I much prefer a couple of hours ride out to cafe, then ride back using a diffrent route to the out journey, much more interesting.

 

[mjr]

Not being able to stop whenever I want is a big reason why I have zero interest in club runs

That sounds like a logical disconnect. You can stop whenever you want.

^^^^ This. And the view on your ride being someone else's arse.

Stop riding like a stalker then?

And having no interest in going fast.

Not all club runs go fast. I characterise the greatest divide between groups as those that are OK with freewheeling downhill and those that say "keep pedalling, especially when riding downhill. If the lead rider freewheels, all riders behind will have to brake"... which is only true if the riders behind are slipstreaming and not leaving safe stopping/avoiding distances. That's a different type of riding and not one I find relaxing, personally - I prefer freewheeling, especially since I get so little chance for it in Norfolk

And wanting to be flexible with my route and distance depending on what suits ME.

That's a bit trickier, but you can always leave the club run at any point, but it's nice to let the back-marker know so they don't worry you've gotten lost and go looking.

And having no interest in dressing in lycra and wearing a plastic h***et.

Not all clubs have costume rules.

And being an anti-social nobber.

And now we get to the real reason!

 

[robgul]

Our Weds runs have this format :
Always start at the same place and time (save for a car assist in alternate months)
11s stop at the roadside (about 10-15mins) or a cafe if it's raining/very cold
Lunch at a different pub each week - subject to service (and beer consumption) 60 - 75 minutes
3s sometimes - because of widely spread home locations rides are to lunch as a group but then splinter into smaller groups or individuals from lunch

Works a treat.

Rob

 

[Racing roadkill]

I won't go on any club rides that don't stop. Cycling is a hobby for me. Stoping for a drink and a chat is a big part of the enjoyment for me.

 

[Dave7]

Mods....this is somehow duplicated. Can you remove it please
Thanks
ve never done a group ride........I go out iether on my own or with a like minded friend.
I/we want to go at my own pace (smell the roses etc) and stop where and when I want to.
Never having done a club/group ride I cannot be critical but it just doesn't appeal to me.

 

[mjr]

I/we want to go at my own pace (smell the roses etc) and stop where and when I want to.
Never having done a club/group ride I cannot be critical but it just doesn't appeal to me.

A major benefit for me was being shown things to look at that are easy to reach by bike but I'd never noticed in many years living here and motoring around. I'd never been to any of the four annual events that BUG does (the three flower cycle rides - snowdrops, roses and autumn colour - and the fancy dress ride) - and seeing the struggles with car parking at two of them, I would have felt a bit guilty adding another car to them. That was worth the drawback of having to slow down slightly (on most short/medium rides, at least) and stop more often than I would on my own.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Very much depends on the club. Stopping with the Fridays is a feast for the soul. Stopping with my informal club is usually a feast for the stomach. Stopping with my 'proper' club is usually a crashing bore.

 

[Smokin Joe]

When I started winter club runs were all day affairs, 70 - 80 miles usually. Elevenses in a café, lunch at a pub and a tea stop near the end of the run. It was possible then as friendly cafes were dotted about all over the place, there are far fewer now.

 

[RichK]

It's a social ride. The cafe stop is all part of the social interaction.

 

[Venod]

friendly cafes were dotted about all over the place, there are far fewer now

I find the opposite, I think there are far more cafe's nowadays, I don't know if they are all cycle friendly though.

 

[derrick]

Normal Saturday club ride we stop back at the cafe we started at, normally 45 to 50 miles non stop, 100 mile rides we stop at 50 miles for a bit of grub, then at the end of the ride normally a beer.