Don't think a club is for me

[jay clock]

I went out with a local club a few times and it wasn't for me. However I run a tri club and what I set up as a club ride (from my house) has transformed into an unofficial club. I have a mailing list of 70+ and get between 2 and 8-10 riders, mostly I get 3-4. I am very explicit about speed (23kmh) and we always seem to end up being between 22 and 24. Not a help for those frustrated by lack of local groups, but once you have a few regular contacts, it might work

The way I word it is "Print a map out if you have any concerns about being dropped (or zooming ahead!) I am confident we can predict the time pretty well. Average is 23-24kmh, slow and hilly drops this back to about 21-22kmh, on odd occasions it might get to 25-26kmh average with a following wind. That might sound slow, but in a race it is closer to 28-30 over 90 or 180km so I must be doing something right."

 

[steveindenmark]

I cant be bothered with clubs. I like to decide when and where I ride and at what speed, when I stop etc. But I like to ride to relax and put my thoughts in order and not to hold conversations about nothing inparticular.

 

[jay clock]

I cant be bothered with clubs. I like to decide when and where I ride and at what speed, when I stop etc. But I like to ride to relax and put my thoughts in order and not to hold conversations about nothing inparticular.

Conversely I like to ride to relax and put my thoughts in order AND to hold conversations about nothing in particular. Just not in a formal club

 

[screenman]

If a mate phoned up and said are you coming for a ride, would you say no if he belonged to a club. I really do not think some of you may understand how many rides a club has going out each week, 95% are informal rides. Please do not put people off trying a club, by making out every ride is a formal flat out race, they are not.

 

[Venod]

I think we are very lucky here in West Yorkshire, if you want to join a club there are loads to chose from, there are pure racing snake clubs to clubs with a good mix of riders, our club has a MTB section also, the club rides are at a pace to suit everyone, there are loads of other people who organise rides at faster paces and these are open to anybody club member or not, I like my lone outings but sometimes a steady club run to a cafe is great outing as is a faster paced run, I don't do the chain gangs nowadays but if that's your thing there are several available.

 

[steveindenmark]

Conversely I like to ride to relax and put my thoughts in order AND to hold conversations about nothing in particular. Just not in a formal club

Holding conversations with yourself is quite acceptable......once you are over 50

 

[steveindenmark]

If a mate phoned up and said are you coming for a ride, would you say no if he belonged to a club. I really do not think some of you may understand how many rides a club has going out each week, 95% are informal rides. Please do not put people off trying a club, by making out every ride is a formal flat out race, they are not.

I am not trying to put anyone off joining a club, everyone must make their own mind up. Personally, I was just adding my opinion.

 

[BSRU]

I'd join a club but they all have weekend rides which start about 9am, I'm always back home by then as I prefer going out very very early to fit cycling in with my family life.
Also some have a mandatory helmet wearing requirement, which I don't agree with.

 

[PaulSB]

If a mate phoned up and said are you coming for a ride, would you say no if he belonged to a club. I really do not think some of you may understand how many rides a club has going out each week, 95% are informal rides. Please do not put people off trying a club, by making out every ride is a formal flat out race, they are not.

This is so true. Most clubs have plenty of different rides going on, both officially and unofficially. In my club there are official rides of varying types on Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. On Wednesday and Friday there are rides organised between members, I don't think anything happens on Mondays. Our rides work out like this:

Formal
Saturday - Intro Ride on 1st and 3rd Saturday (12-14)
Sunday - Club Run 2nd and 4th Sunday (14-16)
Progression Ride any Sunday, often Saturdays as well, without a club run (to help people move from Intro to Club level) (13-15)
Sunday - Sporting Ride every Sunday (18+)
Tuesday Loop club level - Winter 10 x 2 mile loop (15), Summer 10 miles out, 3 x 3 mile loop, 10 miles home (15-17)
Tuesday Loop sporting level - Winter 20 miles, Summer 30 miles (18+)
Thursday - Winter cycling specific spin session - 60-90 minutes
Thursday - Club level hill training ride
Thursday - Sporting level hill training ride
Time Trial participation
Hill Climb participation
Weekend tours (overnight stay away)
Junior Section

Informal
Wednesday - Park and ride
Friday - Friday Fry Up run (no clues there!!!)
Many local sportives
CX rides
MTB rides
Endurance rides
Facebook rides - "I'm out tomorrow, anyone joining me?"

From my limited experience this is not out of the ordinary and people simply need to look around for a friendly club. Anyone can join any of the above rides, members are though expected to be responsible and select rides which will match their needs and abilities. For example if you are going to struggle maintaining 17-18+ over 50-70 miles don't join the Sporting Ride!! If a rider can't find something to do in that lot I doubt it's the club's fault.

 

[ColinJ]

Holding conversations with yourself is quite acceptable......once you are over 50

Bit embarrassing though, when you don't notice a stealth drafter listening to you, especially if you are doing a Harry Enfield 'Angry Frank' at the time!

And if my pathetic quads started complaining at the first sign of a moderate West Yorkshire uphill gradient, I'd say "Oi legs, no! If you think you can take it easy because of a little lump in the road, you need to take a leaf out of Herr Voight's book of cycling - spinnen sie!"

Er, not that I have ever done that ...

 

[screenman]

I'd join a club but they all have weekend rides which start about 9am, I'm always back home by then as I prefer going out very very early to fit cycling in with my family life.
Also some have a mandatory helmet wearing requirement, which I don't agree with.

That is like no club i have been involved with in the last 45 years. Please read some of the positive posts about club membership and you will see how wrong you might possible be.

 

[ColinJ]

I'd join a club but they all have weekend rides which start about 9am, I'm always back home by then as I prefer going out very very early to fit cycling in with my family life.

That is like no club i have been involved with in the last 45 years. .

What - all of those club rides finished by 09:00?

 

[screenman]

What - all of those club rides finished by 09:00?

We have a guy that used to ride out at 4 am 6 days a week, I know he would have like some company. I am always up for an early ride as well.

What I am trying to get across and Colin you know this is that there are far more rides going on away from the Sunday club run.

 

[ColinJ]

We have a guy that used to ride out at 4 am 6 days a week, I know he would have like some company. I am always up for an early ride as well.

What I am trying to get across and Colin you know this is that there are far more rides going on away from the Sunday club run

Local rider @DiddlyDodds tends to get many of his rides done early before his family are up, but I am not going to volunteer to join him! I can get up early for special rides, such as audaxes and forum rides, but prefer later starts for most of my rides. I am definitely not a natural 'morning person' ...

I also know people who like riding after sunset, but that's not me either.

Yes, you can usually find someone who wants to ride at any given time of the day, and at any given speed.

 

[Dibdib]

I remember seeing a video once about a London club whose main club ride was a few pre-dawn (or at least lark's-fart-early) laps of Richmond Park.

@BSRU might have a little more difficulty finding such an early-start organised club ride in Swindon - I certainly don't know of one. It doesn't help that for such a small place, there's quite a lot of fragmentation in local clubs IMO so while there might be enough demand for an early bird ride across all of the local clubs, it's probably just one or two in each club.