More bums on saddles: why Britain's cycling clubs are thriving

[400bhp]

Another club that is currently thriving is North Cheshire Clarion. Formed by a group of friends, the club has seen its membership grow to 150 in just two years. Activities have been developed to suit all abilities in a very supportive atmosphere. The club motto is "We never leave a rider behind" - and they don't.

"We were pushing the inclusivity agenda right from day one," says founder member Giles Perkins. "It does work, we have Saturday rides that get people used to riding in groups, following a wheel and learning the basic craft, this then leads them on to the longer Sunday rides."

My club

I don't go out with them often, but IMO it's a great club for beginners. Their website is user friendly too.

 

[brockers]

I've done the club thing and really don't like riding with more than three or four people now. The groups just got too big, and I got fed up with all the waiting around and endless stops for mechanicals.

 

[007fair]

Never been in a club so far but only this week went along to a local Triathlon club with the aim of being able to swim more than 2 lengths Speaking to the members they have a number of club rides and I think it would be great motivation in the winter. If the times work out I'll give it a go. My cycling is better than my swimming!

 

[Sonofpear]

Like a few have already said it's tough with family commitments and work. I have been interested in joining my local club, More for the midweek training runs they do than the weekend longer rides, but timings just don't work out well for me. So for now I'm riding solo

 

[dellzeqq]

I think clubs that offer the more 'social' and genteel side of cycling will prosper alongside 'Sporting' clubs.

I'm sure you're right - and these clubs are the one that matter. By the time a cyclist (usually a man) has got to the point of wearing lycra and zipping along at fifteen miles an hour or more, the deed is done. Getting people out on bikes that they might otherwise leave in the shed, and giving them confidence, not so much with regard to safety, but in the 'ordinariness' of cycling is a marvellous thing.

And, if I may say so, the Abingdon Freewheelers website is a model of how these things should be
http://www.abingdonfreewheeling.org.uk/page1.html

 

[Wankelschrauben]

I just turned up and went out with a club one day.

It is like any sport really, you can go so far by yourself but if you join a club, a wealth of knowledge and possabilities become available.

I do however think the reason behind such an increase are incorrect.

I and many others I know did not begin cycling for the fun of it, we begun cycling because we were forced out of our cars by rising fuel costs and the totally pathetic, unreliable public transport that is more expensive to use than running the cars we were forced out of.

Enjoying the sport of cycling was merely a bonus.

 

[apollo179]

The main reason against joining a cycle club is the existing members. Wadr just look at the dinosaurs on this forum ; middle aged men set in there ways , unwilling to consider other opinions and unlikely to welcome anyone of another background or viewpoint. Jusy interested in macho point scoring and name calling. A club ride with these kind of people ?
Its a no from me simon.
Ill stick with being jonny no mates thank you very much.

 

[Dora]

My club

I don't go out with them often, but IMO it's a great club for beginners. Their website is user friendly too.

I must admit I really like that website, but it doesn't give me the impression it's a good club for beginners. I considered making contact to join their Saturday rides, but I fear I'd be told "come back when you're faster"

The main reason against joining a cycle club is the existing members. Wadr just look at the dinosaurs on this forum ; middle aged men set in there ways , unwilling to consider other opinions and unlikely to welcome anyone of another background or viewpoint. Jusy interested in macho point scoring and name calling. A club ride with these kind of people ?
Its a no from me simon.
Ill stick with being jonny no mates thank you very much.

+1

I'm often out on the road at the same time as cycling clubs in my area. As a ditzy female in my late twenties, the packs of MAMILs, (and often OAPILs) I encounter just look scary. Plus, the phrase "no one gets dropped" only says to me "we won't drop you, but we'll wait at the top of every hill rolling our eyes, rib you for being slow and call you names when you think we can't hear"....but that could be a girl thing.
The Ladies rides I've been on have been too slow and some not long enough to warrant getting the bike out for.

Faced with no middle ground I'm, left with riding alone, or not riding at all.

 

[Dave Davenport]

The main reason against joining a cycle club is the existing members. Wadr just look at the dinosaurs on this forum ; middle aged men set in there ways , unwilling to consider other opinions and unlikely to welcome anyone of another background or viewpoint. Jusy interested in macho point scoring and name calling. A club ride with these kind of people ?
Its a no from me simon.
Ill stick with being jonny no mates thank you very much.

And your basing your opinion of cycling clubs on how much actual experience of them?

 

[Dave Davenport]

Our membership has gone from 60 to 200 in the last five years.

 

[Wankelschrauben]

I must admit I really like that website, but it doesn't give me the impression it's a good club for beginners. I considered making contact to join their Saturday rides, but I fear I'd be told "come back when you're faster"



+1

I'm often out on the road at the same time as cycling clubs in my area. As a ditzy female in my late twenties, the packs of MAMILs, (and often OAPILs) I encounter just look scary. Plus, the phrase "no one gets dropped" only says to me "we won't drop you, but we'll wait at the top of every hill rolling our eyes, rib you for being slow and call you names when you think we can't hear"....but that could be a girl thing.
The Ladies rides I've been on have been too slow and some not long enough to warrant getting the bike out for.

Faced with no middle ground I'm, left with riding alone, or not riding at all.

Seriously, a social level wouldn't care less if they had to wait at the top of a hill, it's rest time for the majority and you'll find riders trickle in up the hills anyway.

Only the wannabe A group riders who can't quite make the grade higher up would dare say anything, these are the rim jobs that are usually blowing out their arse holes anyway and are actually thankful for the rest themselves.

If the rides you've done aren't enough, go in the next group up.

 

[snorri]

Only the wannabe A group riders who can't quite make the grade higher up would dare say anything, these are the rim jobs that are usually blowing out their arse holes anyway and are actually thankful for the rest themselves.

The appeal to me of solo cycling has just increased ten fold.

 

[Fab Foodie]

The main reason against joining a cycle club is the existing members. Wadr just look at the dinosaurs on this forum ; middle aged men set in there ways , unwilling to consider other opinions and unlikely to welcome anyone of another background or viewpoint. Jusy interested in macho point scoring and name calling. A club ride with these kind of people ?
Its a no from me simon.
Ill stick with being jonny no mates thank you very much.

... and the rest of the world breathes a sigh of relief .....

 

[apollo179]

... and the rest of the world breathes a sigh of relief .....

There speaks a club member - (the snidy club )

 

[400bhp]

I must admit I really like that website, but it doesn't give me the impression it's a good club for beginners. I considered making contact to join their Saturday rides, but I fear I'd be told "come back when you're faster"

You WILL NOT be told to come back when you are faster. The Saturday rides are exactly for newcomers with little/no experience of group riding. So long as you can actually do 30 miles you will be fine. They probably average 13-15mph and remember riding in a group is easier on the cardio due to protection from the wind.

Get yourself there-one of the main group of members is a female and she will make sure you are ok.