Thinking of joning a local cycling club

[Brian]

hi guys.

I'm thinking of joining a local cycling club ( to try and get out and about
more + meet new people), just not sure what to expect on a 30mile club
ride on road as I've never ridden in a group before.

Any thoughts on what to expect?

cheers

--
Brian

 

[Jon Senior]

Brian wrote:
> hi guys.
>
> I'm thinking of joining a local cycling club ( to try and get out and about
> more + meet new people), just not sure what to expect on a 30mile club
> ride on road as I've never ridden in a group before.
>
> Any thoughts on what to expect?

Fun? Riding in a pack is a wholly different experience. How sociable the
pack will be depends on the nature of the ride, but I'd guess that a 30
mile ride will be pretty calm so expect conversation.

Jon

 

[Martin Bulmer]

In news:[email protected],
Brian <[email protected]> wrote:
> hi guys.
>
> I'm thinking of joining a local cycling club ( to try and get out and
> about more + meet new people), just not sure what to expect on a
> 30mile club ride on road as I've never ridden in a group before.
>
> Any thoughts on what to expect?
>
> cheers

30 plus will not be too arduous, depending on whether you join a racing or a
touring club. If racing, they'll want you to do it in an hour or so, if
touring, you've got all day.
Do it. No one's going to force you to do it a second time.
Most cyclists are a bit weird/fanatical, but you'll meet some great
characters, and plug into deep local knowledge of the best watering holes.
Where are you? You could be in my area, so we could show you all the best
pubs.
--


Martin Bulmer

 

[Dave Kahn]

On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 21:24:27 +0000, Jon Senior
<jon_AT_restlesslemon_DOT_co_DOT_uk> wrote:

>Brian wrote:
>> hi guys.
>>
>> I'm thinking of joining a local cycling club ( to try and get out and about
>> more + meet new people), just not sure what to expect on a 30mile club
>> ride on road as I've never ridden in a group before.
>>
>> Any thoughts on what to expect?
>
>Fun? Riding in a pack is a wholly different experience. How sociable the
>pack will be depends on the nature of the ride, but I'd guess that a 30
>mile ride will be pretty calm so expect conversation.

That depends on the club and the type of ride. The OP should introduce
himself to the club and they'll almost certainly welcome him as a
guest, make sure he's in an appropriate group, is briefed on what to
expect and generally kept an eye on. If he's new to group riding he
won't want to find himself in an elite squad feeding frenzy, not that
he'd be with them for very long.

--
Dave...

Get a bicycle. You will not regret it. If you live. - Mark Twain

 

[dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers]

>hi guys.
>
>I'm thinking of joining a local cycling club ( to try and get out and about
>more + meet new people), just not sure what to expect on a 30mile club
>ride on road as I've never ridden in a group before.
>
>Any thoughts on what to expect?
>
>cheers
>
>--
>Brian

Depends on the club. It's as simple as that. If you need to find out which
clubs are near you, you can get club details from British Cycling, Cycling Time
Trials and the CTC have local groups

http://www.bcf.uk.com
http://www.ctt.org.uk
http://www.ctc.org.uk

Cheers, helen s


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[Brian]

"Martin Bulmer" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:


>
> 30 plus will not be too arduous, depending on whether you join a
> racing or a touring club. If racing, they'll want you to do it in an
> hour or so, if touring, you've got all day.
> Do it. No one's going to force you to do it a second time.
> Most cyclists are a bit weird/fanatical, but you'll meet some great
> characters, and plug into deep local knowledge of the best watering
> holes. Where are you? You could be in my area, so we could show you
> all the best pubs.

I'm near Dunfermline, so i'm either going to join the Dunfermline Cycling
club, or the Fife + Kinross District of the CTC


--
Brian

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Brian
('[email protected]') wrote:

> hi guys.
>
> I'm thinking of joining a local cycling club ( to try and get out and
> about
> more + meet new people), just not sure what to expect on a 30mile
> club ride on road as I've never ridden in a group before.
>
> Any thoughts on what to expect?

I joined a (newly formed) club for the first time this year, having
always previously thought cycling clubs a bit too keen. I've enjoyed
all the clubs activities very much, even time trialling. What to expect
depends a lot on the club. Ask around locally and see what your local
clubs are like - your LBS is probably a good place to start.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

'graveyards are full of indispensable people'

 

[MSeries]

Brian wrote:
> hi guys.
>
> I'm thinking of joining a local cycling club ( to try and get out and about
> more + meet new people), just not sure what to expect on a 30mile club
> ride on road as I've never ridden in a group before.
>
> Any thoughts on what to expect?
>
> cheers
>
"Club runs" tend to be socialable and include tea stops. "Trianing runs"
are not and don't.

 

[Jeremy Parker]

John Forester's book, "Effective Cycling" has a good section about
bike clubs. He's a Californian, but what he says essentially applies
to Britain as well.

In Britain the "touring" clubs tend to be sections of the CTC, and
"racing" clubs tend to have names as if they are totally independent.
Without having done any research, therefore, I would suggest your CTC
section.

The club may well grade its rides according to strenuousness, so it's
probably best to see what they consider "easy" for your first ride.

It's good to try to be self sufficient for your first ride. Bring
along a map in case you somehow get separated etc. You might also
ask in advance what their policy about separation is. The more
ruthless racing clubs might just abandon you if you can't keep up,
but touring clubs may well have rules about always looking out to see
that the person behind you hasn't vanished, and so forth

good luck, and enjoy yourself

Jeremy Parker


"Brian" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
> "Martin Bulmer" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
>
> >
> > 30 plus will not be too arduous, depending on whether you join a
> > racing or a touring club. If racing, they'll want you to do it in
an
> > hour or so, if touring, you've got all day.
> > Do it. No one's going to force you to do it a second time.
> > Most cyclists are a bit weird/fanatical, but you'll meet some
great
> > characters, and plug into deep local knowledge of the best
watering
> > holes. Where are you? You could be in my area, so we could show
you
> > all the best pubs.
>
> I'm near Dunfermline, so i'm either going to join the Dunfermline
Cycling
> club, or the Fife + Kinross District of the CTC
>
>
> --
> Brian

 

[MSeries]

Brian wrote:
> hi guys.
>
> I'm thinking of joining a local cycling club ( to try and get out and about
> more + meet new people), just not sure what to expect on a 30mile club
> ride on road as I've never ridden in a group before.
>
> Any thoughts on what to expect?
>
> cheers
>

You might want to take a look at the C+ forum in the Rides section. I
have participated in and arranged a few rides in my area. Riders tend to
be pretty experienced with all levels of fitness - all have some
fitness but several guys have turned for home early which is OK. None
that I have met have been head bangers and all have been very friendly.
Since we were all strangers to start with, there are no cliques which is
one thing I hate about clubs.

 

[Brian]

"Jeremy Parker" <[email protected]> wrote in news:cpuvce$cfh$1
[email protected]:

> John Forester's book, "Effective Cycling" has a good section about
> bike clubs. He's a Californian, but what he says essentially applies
> to Britain as well.
>
> In Britain the "touring" clubs tend to be sections of the CTC, and
> "racing" clubs tend to have names as if they are totally independent.
> Without having done any research, therefore, I would suggest your CTC
> section.
>
> The club may well grade its rides according to strenuousness, so it's
> probably best to see what they consider "easy" for your first ride.
>
> It's good to try to be self sufficient for your first ride. Bring
> along a map in case you somehow get separated etc. You might also
> ask in advance what their policy about separation is. The more
> ruthless racing clubs might just abandon you if you can't keep up,
> but touring clubs may well have rules about always looking out to see
> that the person behind you hasn't vanished, and so forth
>
> good luck, and enjoy yourself

One local club (a CTC club) has regular rendezvous rides. They give a
gridreference of a pub / cafe and a time to meet up. Everyone makes their
own way there, has a bit to eat / natter, then makes their own way home.

This might be more what I'm interested in, that way I can make my own
pace etc


regards

--
Brian