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

[totallyfixed]

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.

What a load of b.......cks, you obviously have little experience of club riding. My current club is very new and we have people of all ages and abilities. My last club would have a regular turn out of 70 or so on a Sunday morning with 5 different rides going out to suit all abilities. As for the older people in lycra, go and ride with them, you might just learn something.

 

[400bhp]

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.

Classic passive agressive behaviour.

 

[apollo179]

Classic passive agressive behaviour.

Say that to my face and it wont be so passive.

 

[apollo179]

What a load of b.......cks, you obviously have little experience of club riding. My current club is very new and we have people of all ages and abilities. My last club would have a regular turn out of 70 or so on a Sunday morning with 5 different rides going out to suit all abilities. As for the older people in lycra, go and ride with them, you might just learn something.

Im sure there are some nice clubs out there and yours may be one of them but your tone and your absolute dismissal of my valid reservations and your coloyrfull language dosnt totally serve to disuade me of my previously held reservations. Im sure i would learn alot from the older members of your group.

 

[brockers]

Classic passive agressive behaviour.

Quite a lot of projection in there too, I'll bet.

Look, to anybody who's generalising about clubs because of some preconception, here's a suggestion. Be brave, join up with a club for a ride or two, and find out for yourself what they're like. You might even meet some incredibly lovely, friendly and funny people. You might also meet some who can ride bicycles very quickly. The two groups are not mutually exclusive.

 

[apollo179]

Quite a lot of projection in there too, I'll bet.

Look, to anybody who's generalising about clubs because of some preconception, here's a suggestion. Be brave, join up with a club for a ride or two, and find out for yourself what they're like. You might even meet some incredibly lovely, friendly and funny people. You might also meet some who can ride bicycles very quickly. The two groups are not mutually exclusive.

Good comment.
Good advert for bike clubs.

 

[Fab Foodie]

There speaks a club member - (the snidy club )

Oh yes, I'm a club member, and seperately a cycle-club co-founder, it's really exclusive, we only allow people with bikes to join, yep ordinary people who have bikes, we're so exclusive an snidey we'llt anyone join, just anyboy join. We do rides from 5 miles long upwards, we ride with kids to grannies, we took two 88 y/olds on a 27 mile ride last summer. We're so exclusive we let people organise their own rides to do as they please. We prefer social cyclists, but if you turned-up to ride we'd be happy to leave you alone.

 

[gb155]

+3

My local club has runs , a social meet and TTs in the week i cant make no matter what shift i am on .The Sunday run is ok assuming i havbe the spare time as i normally only make it twice a month.

Family comes first .

+4

 

[apollo179]

Oh yes, I'm a club member, and seperately a cycle-club co-founder, it's really exclusive, we only allow people with bikes to join, yep ordinary people who have bikes, we're so exclusive an snidey we'llt anyone join, just anyboy join. We do rides from 5 miles long upwards, we ride with kids to grannies, we took two 88 y/olds on a 27 mile ride last summer. We're so exclusive we let people organise their own rides to do as they please. We prefer social cyclists, but if you turned-up to ride we'd be happy to leave you alone.

So your a club member, and seperately a cycle-club co-founder. So rather than your snidey replies dont you think it would be more fitting if you replied in an inteligent sensible way like Brockers has done. Why the snidey snidey attitude all the time.
I have offered an honest and genuine viewpoint , right or wrong, (sometimes right , sometimes wrong), it befits someone in your position to reply with some sincerity. Your snidey snidey attitude just confirms the worst felt fears of clubs.

 

[KingstonBiker]

There are a lot of polarised views in this thread. Most clubs allow you tag along for the weekend club run so you can see if it is for you. If you like it - join, if not - don't.

After thinking about joining my local club for well over a year I finally decided to give it a go a month ago. Liked it, have now joined and look forward to the Sunday rides. Some weekends I might want to do my own solo ride and I can still do it.

 

[Fab Foodie]

So your a club member, and seperately a cycle-club co-founder. So rather than your snidey replies dont you think it would be more fitting if you replied in an inteligent sensible way like Brockers has done. Why the snidey snidey attitude all the time.
I have offered an honest and genuine viewpoint , right or wrong, (sometimes right , sometimes wrong), it befits someone in your position to reply with some sincerity. Your snidey snidey attitude just confirms the worst felt fears of clubs.

Let's see then....

In you're original post you've implied that I'm:

1. A Dinosaur,
2. Set in my ways,
3. Unwilling to consider other opinions
4. Unlikely to welcome anyone of another background or viewpoint
5. Just interested in macho point scoring and name calling
6. You don't want to ride with my kind of people

And you're expecting reasoned debate and responses from everybody?

Furthermore, rather than whinge about there being no kind of club that fits x, y or z needs, I've gotten off my arse and helped to start something that might be exactly what you're looking for, or at least an alternative to the traditional 'Racinng Club'.
So don't give me that snidey bullshit, loose the chip from your shoulder - get out there and be part of something, have a go, make a difference!
This evening we've run a genteel 19 miles and a MAMIL fast ride, we all met at the pub afterwards, sat around the same table and shared chip butties, ale and bonhommie together. Surely that's not all bad?

There's no lack of sincerity in my responses.

 

[Diggs]

+1

absolutely. I couldn't agree more. I have enjoyed adhoc run outs but as a dad, I cannot make the 9:00 Sunday required by the local bike club.


:

 

[Fab Foodie]

To all of you with family/tie commitments that don't fit with the traditional club 'Sunday Run' just start your own!

Find riding buddy and a suitable time to ride and do it, spread the word an you'll likely find others that want to join.
Before Freewheeling, me and a mate started to ride together on a Sunday evening about 19.30 when the small-uns were going down for the night, word spread to others with young kids and we had a regular half dozen plus meeting all through the year. I stopped 2 years ago to help get Freewheeling moving and this very evening have just had a handful of members ask if I could start Sunday evenings again, so we will! It seems there is a big opportunity for family-time friendly rides.
So, grab a mate, find a time and a meeting-place and go ride, invite your mates and thir mates and soon you'll have your own private peleton.

If you build it, they will come ....

 

[apollo179]

Let's see then....

In you're original post you've implied that I'm:

1. A Dinosaur,
2. Set in my ways,
3. Unwilling to consider other opinions
4. Unlikely to welcome anyone of another background or viewpoint
5. Just interested in macho point scoring and name calling
6. You don't want to ride with my kind of people

And you're expecting reasoned debate and responses from everybody?

Furthermore, rather than whinge about there being no kind of club that fits x, y or z needs, I've gotten off my arse and helped to start something that might be exactly what you're looking for, or at least an alternative to the traditional 'Racinng Club'.
So don't give me that snidey bullshit, loose the chip from your shoulder - get out there and be part of something, have a go, make a difference!
This evening we've run a genteel 19 miles and a MAMIL fast ride, we all met at the pub afterwards, sat around the same table and shared chip butties, ale and bonhommie together. Surely that's not all bad?

There's no lack of sincerity in my responses.

You seem to be losing the point in your leaping to take it personally.
Point being - my perception based on my experience as cycling newbie on this forum is that the core membership seems to be middle aged male , quite intolerant , quite aggressive and not very forgiving or welcoming. Obviously there are lots of nice members and lovely cyclists etc but i am taking that styereotype of intolerant middle aged set in ways as the typical club member and on that basis , to me at least it is not very appealing. Maybe i have got the wrong end of stick and i have just been unlucky so far , or maybe ive just got some opinions that just invite adverse reaction.
Your club sounds lovely and dont self characterise yourself in my unfavourable terms unduly , the description obviously only applies where applicable.
My perception and my experience may be unpalatable to you but it is what it is and i maintain to some degree true.
My chips are a work in progress.

 

[Dave Davenport]

So you're basing your opinion of all cycling clubs purely on your perceptions of a one cycling forum.