Returning to cycling in my 50's

[stephec]

Like others have said, most clubs are keen to attract new members and have different rides to suit all levels.

Have you contacted your local clubs to see what they offer?

Even if you don't join in the organised rides regularly you might find like minded people to ride with.

 

[mjr]

Look for a freewheeling ride. There are quite a few but I don't know your area. Are you close enough for GMCC or FoE Manchester to list rides for the area? Ride Social? Facebook? Meetup?

If you can't find one, try a beginner's ride of any old club and if they get grumpy about waiting, try another club. Don't worry about it. There are groups where we don't mind taking it easier, especially if you're clearly building up and not trying to start with rides of seventy miles or so.

 

[Pale Rider]

As a 19.5 stone unfit bloke you are not going to fit easily into a road club.

This is not to have a go at clubs, they are what they are, but don't let a less than enthusiastic welcome somewhere spoil your new hobby.

Most clubs are tiny, very few cyclists ride with them, so they are an irrelevance to the majority of cyclists.

If you are still keen to join, first get a rough idea of the average speed and distance you can manage.

If that's, say, 20 miles at about 10mph and you can find a club which offers rides like that, go for it.

 

[stephec]

Leigh's not a million miles from you, there's a club called Leigh Revolution.

@davdandy on here is involved with them, he might be worth sending a few questions to.

 

[raleighnut]

Any Skyrides in your area, try googling for em.

 

[screenman]

As a 19.5 stone unfit bloke you are not going to fit easily into a road club.

This is not to have a go at clubs, they are what they are, but don't let a less than enthusiastic welcome somewhere spoil your new hobby.

Most clubs are tiny, very few cyclists ride with them, so they are an irrelevance to the majority of cyclists.

If you are still keen to join, first get a rough idea of the average speed and distance you can manage.

If that's, say, 20 miles at about 10mph and you can find a club which offers rides like that, go for it.

Your first line is not true from my experience, most clubs I know of have members who are just like that. For sure the chain gang rides might not be suitable, but there will be lots of individuals of all shapes and fitness levels going out on rides who would welcome company.

Out of interest Pale Rider which club do you belong to as they should adopt a better more welcoming policy.

What do you call small, the big group of clubs local to me all have in excess of 150 members. Even something like The Alford Wheelers which is a smallish club in a tiny market town has it's own club room and 70 members.

 

[Katherine]

Try Facebook, I've found a new group that way. Also, look up the guided Skyrides . There's plenty to choose from.

 

[Dave7]

Hi Dave

Bike a Bianchi via nit one 7
Woolston.

Thanks

What a lovely bike you have.
There are some nice rides from where you live (apart from the A57 bit )
I live at the Orford/Houghton Green end and one I really enjoy is through Croft......turn left towards Kenyon then right into Culcheth>>>go in the Leigh direction and turn right towards Glazebrook and into Hollins Green>>>>>turn around and go back.....Just 20 miles and mainly through countryside .... (from your end you could do it the reverse way but it would mean the A57 to Hollins Green which is very busy/narrow/and winding) .
An extension to that is to then go over Warburton Bridge>>>Dunham>>then High Leigh/Pickmere etc. Quite hilly on the way out but lovely coming back.
Another lovely route is........Kingsway>>Latchford (OK not lovely so far )>>Cantilever>>Appleton Thorne>>Antrobus>>then any way you want i.e. Higher Whitely etc.
OR
Shove you bike in the car and take it over to the Wirral................spectacular coastal FLAT riding from New brighton>>>West Kirkby>>Parkgate.........beautiful.
Enjoy!!

 

[vickster]

Have a look at the CTC rides locally

http://www.merseysidectc.com/
http://media.wix.com/ugd/be7c33_53531cc6074c464f8b51b9760abe2038.pdf

 

[Tank63]

Again thanks for all the advice.
Katherine took your advice and just by luck there's a Skyride in Warrington so I booked on to it, so thanks!
Regards to everyone

 

[howard2107]

Enjoy it mate, the fitness will come, just do a bit at a time and don't try to kill yourself. Im 53 and only been back in the saddle for a year or so, you will be surprised at how quick you will build up the distance. I tend to ride alone and go where the wind takes me, but i try to stay off busy roads and use a lot of tracks and trails.

 

[Pale Rider]

Your first line is not true from my experience, most clubs I know of have members who are just like that. For sure the chain gang rides might not be suitable, but there will be lots of individuals of all shapes and fitness levels going out on rides who would welcome company.

Out of interest Pale Rider which club do you belong to as they should adopt a better more welcoming policy.

What do you call small, the big group of clubs local to me all have in excess of 150 members. Even something like The Alford Wheelers which is a smallish club in a tiny market town has it's own club room and 70 members.

Road clubs are notorious for being cliquey.

Not all tales I hear from mostly ex-members can be wrong.

Of course, if you fit in, cycling in a club is great.

My response was to the OP who has had his bike for less than week.

I think it's only fair to tell him that pitching up to a club with a shiny new bike, very little fitness and next to no experience could end unhappily.

To answer your question about size, it doesn't really matter.

If the members are happy with the number in the club, then it's the right number.

The point I was making - to a new cyclist - is that probably 95 per cent of cyclists pursue the hobby quite happily without ever going near a club.

My suggestion to the OP is ride the new bike for a few months, get a feel of road cycling in general, then maybe look to join a club for next season.

 

[screenman]

No answer on the what club you belong to question, does that mean you do not belong too one?

I find most negatives on club membership often comes from people who have never joined one.

 

[ISAAC_J]

Congrats to enjoying cycling in the later years of life!



Fitness takes time, determination, and a lot of sweat!

Just keep at it and enjoy every ride (whether alone or in a group).

That's my two pence worth.

 

[RMurphy195]

I did this at 40+ - seems a long time ago now!

For destinations, have a look at your local tea shops/cafes/farm shops etc. - there should be a few within a short distance I would hope. What I did then was to pick routes to/from them - so my favourite (Rubery to Earlswood) allows me a 20 mile round trip, extending to 25, 30 etc. just by riding in circles when I get past the hilly bit! But I didn't start doing that until I'd had some practice when I started.

What practice? Well, don't laugh but ...

Up and down the garden path without falling off.
Then round the block which initially took - well, a long time. About a mile in 10 minutes or so nearly killed me. Each night! ('cos it was dark in the evenings I didn't get seen by the neighbours!
Then after a couple of weeks twice around the block.
Then after a couple of weeks around a bigger circle.
And so on ...​

After a bit I found a local cycling club which did "snail" rides, so I joined these. After a few of these nearly killing myself with exhaustion I got the hang of it - but after 20+ years I still don't do the faster rides, "rambling" is good enough for me!

Now there are local (or within driving distance) groups organising family rides and the like - I'm sure there must be something similar where you live. Though if you live near Solihull, you've got it made!

The other thing of course is to cycle to your local papershop to get a newspaper - call it an "exercise opportunity"