Would Joining a Cycling Club be Right For Me?

[ColinJ]

If you puncture in the middle of nowhere, no mobile signal and no kit?????

Do what one rider was doing when we rode past on a Dales forum ride? He had a puncture and no kit. We offered to help but he refused and said that he was going to walk his bike (several km!!) to a pub and phone his wife from there for a lift home. IIRC she was more than an hour's drive away!

I wasn't impressed by this one...

Some people do take the piss though! One colleague out on a summer evening ride with me punctured and stood at the side of the road looking embarrassed until I finally asked him why he wasn't fixing it. Turned out that he no tools or spares with him! So, I fixed it ...

When I was done, I asked him why he had not been prepared and he cheerfully told me that "I don't need to carry all that crap - I never get punctures!" I politely informed him that I didn't see it as my place in life to be 'a carrier of the crap that my colleague doesn't want to carry' and that I would never repair a puncture for him again. If he wasn't prepared to repair his own bike, then he must be prepared to do his own walk! (Or phone his girlfriend and explain to her why she should have to rush out of her yoga class, jump in the car and drive 20 miles to get him just because he was too lazy to carry a couple of tyre levers, a pump and a spare tube and/or a puncture kit!)

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Do what one rider was doing when we rode past on a Dales forum ride? He had a puncture and no kit. We offered to help but he refused and said that he was going to walk his bike (several km!!) to a pub and phone his wife from there for a lift home. IIRC she was more than an hour's drive away!

I wasn't impressed by this one...

We had a rider get a puncture on a club mtn bike outing in the Brecon Beacons. He too had not kit to repair it, despite everyone being told to make sure they had the kit even if they couldn’t fix it themselves. He was told to sort himself out and everyone else carried on with the ride.

 

[teaboy]

We had a rider get a puncture on a club mtn bike outing in the Brecon Beacons. He too had not kit to repair it, despite everyone being told to make sure they had the kit even if they couldn’t fix it themselves. He was told to sort himself out and everyone else carried on with the ride.

Well what a nasty bunch you are

 

[Illaveago]

@Illaveago I've re-read each of your posts and all those subsequent to your OP suggest a club is not for you. Absolutely nothing wrong with your riding style and interests but in 25 years of club riding, with three different clubs, I haven't come across any club offering the ride style you describe.

One other comment. Clubs generally expect riders to carry the basic "get you home" kit. As a minimum that will be two tubes, levers, etc. to fix a puncture. Riders don't want to hang around while someone patches a tube. Most riders will be carrying more, multi-tool, chain links, etc. In my club if a rider didn't carry kit it would be noticed and commented on. First time folk help out, second they still help but with grumbles, three or more times and you'd become the butt of many jokes. I know one guy who never carried anything, he was eventually told no kit, no ride, we're not helping again.

If you puncture in the middle of nowhere, no mobile signal and no kit?????

You are right! I've come to that conclusion. I get the impression that clubs seem to be full of the type of cyclists who won't acknowledge a fellow rider out on the road. I like the type you can have a laugh with.
They sound like a right miserable bunch! Why don't they have a mobile mechanic follow them with a van full of spares to cover all eventualities. Spare frames , autoclave in case of a composite failure!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Well what a nasty bunch you are

Not at all. You should come prepared as asked and not be selfish by bringing neither a pump nor repair kit.

 

[screenman]

You are right! I've come to that conclusion. I get the impression that clubs seem to be full of the type of cyclists who won't acknowledge a fellow rider out on the road. I like the type you can have a laugh with.
They sound like a right miserable bunch! Why don't they have a mobile mechanic follow them with a van full of spares to cover all eventualities. Spare frames , autoclave in case of a composite failure!

You could not be more wrong about the four clubs that I have belonged to in my cycling lifetime. Chance is a lot of advice may be coming from people that have either never joined a club or did not get involved when they did.

 

[screenman]

We had a rider get a puncture on a club mtn bike outing in the Brecon Beacons. He too had not kit to repair it, despite everyone being told to make sure they had the kit even if they couldn’t fix it themselves. He was told to sort himself out and everyone else carried on with the ride.

Hence your name, personally I would have stayed and helped, but being a life long club rider I do this type of thing, and except that some people are not capable of looking after themselves, it takes all sorts.

 

[Illaveago]

You could not be more wrong about the four clubs that I have belonged to in my cycling lifetime. Chance is a lot of advice may be coming from people that have either never joined a club or did not get involved when they did.

Thanks but I think I will stay as I am. I have to be careful that I don't overdo things so setting my own limits would be best.

 

[screenman]

Thanks but I think I will stay as I am. I have to be careful that I don't overdo things so setting my own limits would be best.

Quite a few members of my cycling club do not even cycle, it is extremely friendly and supportive. I have always worked on the principle that if I do not try something I have no idea if I will enjoy it or not. You may well be missing something that you would enjoy.

 

[Gunk]

We had a rider get a puncture on a club mtn bike outing in the Brecon Beacons. He too had not kit to repair it, despite everyone being told to make sure they had the kit even if they couldn’t fix it themselves. He was told to sort himself out and everyone else carried on with the ride.

I bet you all had a great laugh at his expense

 

[PaulSB]

You are right! I've come to that conclusion. I get the impression that clubs seem to be full of the type of cyclists who won't acknowledge a fellow rider out on the road. I like the type you can have a laugh with.
They sound like a right miserable bunch! Why don't they have a mobile mechanic follow them with a van full of spares to cover all eventualities. Spare frames , autoclave in case of a composite failure!

You are completely wrong in this statement. If you're open about it you're basing your opinion on one or two riders not acknowledging you. That is a very narrow sample. As for cyclists who don't acknowledge a fellow rider, my experience is that when one sees or passes a group out on flat bar hybrid/MTB style bikes or ebikes one never receives a wave, smile or any sort of acknowledgement. I don't care, it doesn't upset me and I certainly don't characterise anyone who doesn't ride a road bike as miserable, unfriendly etc.

As for kit. I carry enough kit to fix three punctures, yes it does happen, a broken chain, tighten anything that loosens, a rear hanger and a few zip ties. Oh, yes, one of my spare tubes has long valves in case a buddy with deep section rims needs one! All this fits in a small under seat bag. That's simple, basic get you home stuff. Nothing more and doesn't need a team car. If you choose to run the risk of puncturing in the middle of nowhere with no kit and no phone signal that's your choice. Don't be surprised if more experienced riders smile quietly and shake their heads.

Far too many cyclists dismiss fellow riders because they don't conform to their personal view. That's a great shame and sadly illustrates how narrowminded some people can be.

 

[teaboy]

Not at all. You should come prepared as asked and not be selfish by bringing neither a pump nor repair k

 

[teaboy]

Like i was saying mean and nasty bunch ..............no excuse

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Like i was saying mean and nasty bunch ..............no excuse

There was no excuse for not bringing a puncture repair kit. Some people are abusers and he learnt his lesson.

 

[teaboy]

There was no excuse for not bringing a puncture repair kit. Some people are abusers and he learnt his lesson.

learnt his lesson!!! what is wrong with you people?