seriously confused on the club runs

[davidphilips]

Now I know why I don't belong to a club

nothing wrong with not belonging to a club,does not mean anyone is unsocial or does not like helping others or anything else.
main thing is to enjoy cycling should it be purely for transport (if so why join a club) or for competition/sport whatever.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

I wouldn't be trusting a new guy who's never out(you) to take members on a club ride. (I happen to be a committee member in a cycling club)

 

[mjr]

nothing wrong with not belonging to a club,does not mean anyone is unsocial or does not like helping others or anything else.

Sure, but you wouldn't then say that this thread makes you know why you didn't join a club, would you?

main thing is to enjoy cycling should it be purely for transport (if so why join a club) or for competition/sport whatever.

Joining a transport/touring club/group is a good way to find out relevant news, to get help if you want it and if you go on their rides, you find out about some good routes. There's tons of good stuff I'd probably never have known about if it wasn't for KLWNBUG.

 

[paraffinlamps]

As TMN , Smeggers and Cybernight have said , try helping out at the back .
Practice getting tyres on and off by hand and replacing tubes , get it down to a fine art . Its amazing what a difference it makes on a ride if you have someone who can get punctures fixed quickly with no messing about , especially in the colder months/dark .
Struggling/Newer riders appreciate someone coming back to make sure they are ok , know where they are going , giving advise etc . You can even tell the ride leader what you are doing , this takes some pressure off him knowing there is an experienced rider at the back of the group keeping an eye out . There is a lot of satisfaction to be gained in gently bringing a rider back to a group .
If you normally ride with a faster group ( I`m guessing you may as you are racing ) once a month try riding with the slower groups . Dont go on the front and smash it though . Stay at the back and help out there , doing this will give your club something back .

 

[screenman]

Is Jamma an experienced club rider?

 

[Pale Rider]

Is Jamma an experienced club rider?

Almost certainly not, which is why they declined his offer to lead a ride.

But it might have been better if, rather than responding with a straight, 'no', the response was more like 'no, but you could help by doing...'.

 

[screenman]

When organising help with events the worst thing was the guy who said they would help if they were there.

 

[davidphilips]

Sure, but you wouldn't then say that this thread makes you know why you didn't join a club, would you?


Joining a transport/touring club/group is a good way to find out relevant news, to get help if you want it and if you go on their rides, you find out about some good routes. There's tons of good stuff I'd probably never have known about if it wasn't for KLWNBUG.

lol, did not say i was not a member, just that my view is that clubs are not for every cyclist.
clubs are great for many reasons and tbh in my view its safer cycling in a club than out solo but thats only my view.

again only my view anyone in a club should support the club even if its only agree with decisions, clubs are only as good as there members and there input,have a good weekend and safe cycling everyone.

 

[mjr]

lol, did not say i was not a member,

and I didn't say you weren't, but that IF you weren't for the reasons that you gave, then it wouldn't explain... oh fark it. I can't be bothered explaining conditional phrases here. Have a nice weekend

 

[screenman]

Are you just trying to have another dig? It depends what you mean by 'club rider', surely? If you mean riding in a chain-gang, that's one thing. If you mean a fairly experienced cyclist who is used to riding with a group, that's another. Both types should be able to ride along at the back of a group, being sensible and looking where they are going though.

No dig, l just asked a question. Being able to ride on the back means to me you have to be as good or better than the person on the front.

 

[HLaB]

Life is too short Jamma; just ride and enjoy ;-)

 

[screenman]

Life too short Jamma; just ride and enjoy ;-)

That I certainly agree with.

 

[DCLane]

I don't lead club rides and don't want to. Too much organisation, pressure to manage groups and routes. In my 4 years as a club member I've discovered that those who do tend to be very experienced and/or very good at route-finding.

Struggling/Newer riders appreciate someone coming back to make sure they are ok , know where they are going , giving advise etc . You can even tell the ride leader what you are doing , this takes some pressure off him knowing there is an experienced rider at the back of the group keeping an eye out . There is a lot of satisfaction to be gained in gently bringing a rider back to a group ..

However I do a lot of this and it's become known that I'll tend to be either on the front or at the back, helping out other riders. And that's basically what I spent much of my ride this morning doing.

 

[steve292]

Our clubman of the year award went to a guy who spends a lot of time at the back, bringing people back up after mechanicals, looking after people who are having a moment and so on. One of the regulars always does this.
The only club ride that doesn't to this AFAIK is the chain gang, but that's made clear from the off.
You need to be riding lots with the club really, to be a ride leader.

 

[Apollonius]

I do front and back with different groups. As long as you know your way round (essential at the front, obviously) then I would say being at the back is a much harder job. That is where the real leadership goes on.