Forum rides

[Moodyman]

Only ever been on one - FNRttC, but keep meaning to go on others.

Something always comes up, otherwise I'd do more.

 

[martint235]

Partly because I'm a miserable ba$tard, but also, I like to go at my own pace (which is slow) and would hate to slow a crowd up. I like to stop a lot and look at stuff - I get the feeling a lot of folk on here, especially the London lot, like to get from A to B as fast as possible, which for me, misses the whole point of leisure cycling. Nothing against that - each to their own and all that. Must admit I sometimes wonder what a forum ride would be like- the FNRTTCs look absolutely brilliant fun.

Some of the London rides are labelled as "speedy" but this is usually due to the length of the ride, often over 100 miles which in early Spring/late Autumn/Winter could end up being in darkness a lot of the time. However, no one has ever been left behind on any forum ride that I've been on, it's always at the pace of the slowest rider in the end.

The Sunday London Rides are not at speed at all, it's a moving conversation to a convenient cafe usually

 

[CopperCyclist]

Where are forum rides advertised?

 

[HLaB]

Where are forum rides advertised?

In here

 

[ianrauk]

Some of the London rides are labelled as "speedy" but this is usually due to the length of the ride, often over 100 miles which in early Spring/late Autumn/Winter could end up being in darkness a lot of the time. However, no one has ever been left behind on any forum ride that I've been on, it's always at the pace of the slowest rider in the end.

The Sunday London Rides are not at speed at all, it's a moving conversation to a convenient cafe usually

^^^^^Martin beat me to it.......

 

[pepecat]

[QUOTE 1581291"]
I've been on one of Jim's. I enjoyed it very much and would do it more often if I could find the time.
[/quote]

Ditto! And the gents didn't go too fast for unfit me!

 

[ColinJ]

I was talking to Steve (totallyfixed) about this on my forum ride yesterday. It does seem to be harder to get people to turn out for Midlands rides than for ones in the north (-ish, of England) and the south.

I have had a couple of poor turn-outs for my West Yorkshire & Lancashire forum rides, but generally I can rustle up quite a few keen CycleChatters to join me.

My two Midland rides have been very enjoyable, but I admit to being disappointed that more people didn't show interest given the huge population within an hour's drive of the start at Meriden.

Steve wants to organise a Rutland forum ride next year, but this perceived lack of interest is discouraging him. I'd certainly like to express my interest in that one, and dave_r and Norry1 were also sounding interested yesterday.

PS For people who worry about the pace of forum rides - don't! I think we only averaged about 10 mph overall yesterday, including our cafe stop. Steve and Helen used it as an easy recovery ride, and Dave and Martin (Norry1) seemed comfortable at all times. I effectively set the pace by making the others wait after the little climbs. I wasn't fit enough to take them at a decent pace on my singlespeed bike. There wasn't a problem with that; we still had a good time. I've been fitter in the past and I was happy to wait for the slow riders. Forum rides are not races and they are not speedy chaingangs either. What would be the point - that's what cycling clubs are for! Go along to the next forum ride in your area - I'm sure that you will be made to feel welcome.

 

[AnythingButVanilla]

I'd love to go on one of the rides but haven't been able to make it along to anything yet. I'm another one who's worried about holding everyone back as I seem to average 10-14 mph, cannot manage anything more than a slight slope at all (possibly because my bike is really upright and weighs the same as a tank). Most of all though, I'd really would be worried about holding others back and giving myself a right showing up. I should get over myself and get out there, shouldn't I?

 

[Andy500]

I live in the Nottingham area and would definitely join in with a CC forum rides especially in the Rutland area but within reason would travel a fair distance to join in. I didn't realise such things were going on, obviously don't browse the forum enough but will start doing so now.

Andy500

I was talking to Steve (totallyfixed) about this on my forum ride yesterday. It does seem to be harder to get people to turn out for Midlands rides than for ones in the north (-ish, of England) and the south.

I have had a couple of poor turn-outs for my West Yorkshire & Lancashire forum rides, but generally I can rustle up quite a few keen CycleChatters to join me.

My two Midland rides have been very enjoyable, but I admit to being disappointed that more people didn't show interest given the huge population within an hour's drive of the start at Meriden.

Steve wants to organise a Rutland forum ride next year, but this perceived lack of interest is discouraging him. I'd certainly like to express my interest in that one, and dave_r and Norry1 were also sounding interested yesterday.

PS For people who worry about the pace of forum rides - don't! I think we only averaged about 10 mph overall yesterday, including our cafe stop. Steve and Helen used it as an easy recovery ride, and Dave and Martin (Norry1) seemed comfortable at all times. I effectively set the pace by making the others wait after the little climbs. I wasn't fit enough to take them at a decent pace on my singlespeed bike. There wasn't a problem with that; we still had a good time. I've been fitter in the past and I was happy to wait for the slow riders. Forum rides are not races and they are not speedy chaingangs either. What would be the point - that's what cycling clubs are for! Go along to the next forum ride in your area - I'm sure that you will be made to feel welcome.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

A couple of questions that I am intrigued about. Do you try any forum rides and if not, why not? This weekend was a blinder as far as the weather was concerned and a great couple of days for cycling. I did a forum ride and met others I had previously only heard of on the forum. Turned out to be a lovely gentle ride along roads I had never been on before, all in all a very pleasant day and worth the hour spent travelling to get there.
The second part of the question [and I know a few others are wondering the same thing], is why are there are so many forum rides in the north and south but next to nothing in the middle? When someone kindly makes the effort to do so there is little response.
Cycle Chat has I think getting on for 18,000 members, so if only 10% made the effort to meet others and do rides that would be 1,800 CC'ers.

yesterdays ride was excellent, as the other ride was, it would definitely been nice to see a bigger group, the other ride I did was the same. My limitation in these is the lack of a car, makes getting too them interesting, it was nice to have a couple close to home and see some of the people on the forum. Like others I was a little worried about my pace, on the eve of my sixtieth birthday and with a chest full of medical hardware I don't have the pace I had, but the pace was gentle and we were waiting for people who went of the back, I've done too many club rides that were operating on the devil take the hindmost principle and waited for no one. The one thing I don't have a problem with is distance, I've done enough distance rides over the years to have got used to it. I think cyclists in general are thin on the ground in the Coventry area, I normally see plenty out and about in the lanes on a sunny Sunday, but I see very few out and about on the streets of Coventry when I'm commuting or doing general running about. It would be interesting to see how the Forum members were spread across the country, I suspect the forum members will be concentrated in areas where cycling is more common.

 

[gary in derby]

Count me in for the Rutland ride. Where can I find it?

Gary

 

[ColinJ]

Count me in for the Rutland ride. Where can I find it?

Gary

I'll reply for Steve because he said that he doesn't spend as much time on the forum as some people () so it might be some time before he'd get back to you!

He was talking about next year, probably in the spring. I think that you and Andy500 showing interest at this early stage will certainly encourage him to go ahead with it. I'll try and get down for it if I can combine it with a family visit.

There isn't a lot of point in planning a ride 6 or 7 months in advance though. It is very hard for people to commit to a ride that far ahead. I've found that starting a ride thread 2 or 3 weeks in advance is about right.

 

[Andy500]

Thank you for that and it would be great to meet you. I will get up to your area for a CC forum bike ride.

I'll reply for Steve because he said that he doesn't spend as much time on the forum as some people () so it might be some time before he'd get back to you!

He was talking about next year, probably in the spring. I think that you and Andy500 showing interest at this early stage will certainly encourage him to go ahead with it. I'll try and get down for it if I can combine it with a family visit.

There isn't a lot of point in planning a ride 6 or 7 months in advance though. It is very hard for people to commit to a ride that far ahead. I've found that starting a ride thread 2 or 3 weeks in advance is about right.

 

[Cyclist33]

+1 skols comments, a lovely fun supportive day out. We had quite a few bike types on display and I got the real sense we each had our own particular preference n style. I woulda actually rather liked swapping steeds for a bit. I like hybrids.

 

[I like Skol]

+1 skols comments, a lovely fun supportive day out. We had quite a few bike types on display and I got the real sense we each had our own particular preference n style. I woulda actually rather liked swapping steeds for a bit. I like hybrids.

You should have said. I am sure you couldn't have treated it any worse than I do?