LONDON DYNAMO

georgee

Like many in SW London I think these blokes are cocks appart from the decent bloke I chatted to on thhis years Dragon Ride.

I was forced into a drain by one thismorning cutting through a space between me and a car that wasn't there at the bottom of Kingston Vale. Have just penned a note to cyclefit their sponsors, let's see if they bother responding.

A cheap shot but given the way i've seen them behaving lately they more than deserve it.

il_principe

Don't get me started - someone needs to tell them that they don't actually own Richmond Park. Used to see a fella who commuted in Dynamo kit on Embankment - RLJ'd continuously.

cjcp

We can't tar eveyone in a Dynamo kit with the same brush, or take the same approach to any other club if one of their members rides poorly. I've seen lots of Dynamos on the commute and they've ridden immaculately. I rode next to one along Embankment on Monday night and we had a good ol' chat. He rode immaculately. And I saw two or three Dynamos in the Park last night and they nodded their heads in acknowledgment. I'm sure we all ride like drop-kicks at some time or another, but given that we generally have our eyes on the road ahead (quite sensibly too), we might not know it.

georgee

no CJCP,

I have met nice dynamos who behave well, but their behaviour by the majority of them at the best of times is damn right cockish. I was not the slightest bit suprised when I was out running in the park the other year to find one sprayed up the front of an Audi. Every time I have been passed by groups of Dynamo in the park they behaved like absolute arrogant children.

I only talked to the nice chap from the club on the Dragon post seeing his anger at his own club leading the charge through a red light that most of the field were waiting at.

cjcp

George

So, contrary to your first post, you've met more than one nice Dynamo. But your point still doesn't account for the majority of the riders in Dynamo. I see more idiocy from riders wearing non-club kit than I do from riders in club kit. The riders in club kit are of course easier targets, but that doesn't mean we should have a go at all riders who wear non-club kit.

Littigator

Thanks CJCP for the support, as you know I ride with Dynamo.

To everyone else who is convinced that every member (over 400 I think at last count) is a complete COCK, then thank you one and all for the huge and massive generalisation.

On the subject of the way we ride in Richmond Park, yes there are a lot of us, we enjoy practising riding in groups because that is how you race and if you are going to race you need to have experience with riding in close proximity to others. The front riders always call to the group that there is a rider ahead to be passed and we try to pass sensibly, albeit sometimes we get told off by the group leader for being too close, hey it happens but that doesn't make us the devils spawn.

On the subject of riding in the park, if it weren't for our committe presence, along with Kingston Wheelers on the Parks user group there probably wouldn't be any riding in the park at all as the police would have installed rumble strips all over it as they have wanted to do for ages. Try negotiating those on your racer

Given that we are the biggest club in London, it's obvious that our strip gets seen a lot around town and we attract a lot of attention, generally negative it seems, but please please do not generalise when there are a lot of members of this club who take pride in riding and want to encourage as many people as possible to get out there on their bikes.

Jamie (Dynamo Rider and vehement anti-RLJer)

biondino

You have to balance the fact that they tend to assume they own the road with the fact that they are by and large very capable riders. It's hard to believe many of them actually enjoy themselves though - I can't remember the last time I saw anyone in their chain gangs chatting or laughing.

il_principe

I don't want to tar them all, but I have been regularly riled by their behaviour in Richmond Park - as have my training buddies. Their bunch rides are sometimes lacking in etiquette.

Littigator

biondino wrote:

You have to balance the fact that they tend to assume they own the road with the fact that they are by and large very capable riders. It's hard to believe many of them actually enjoy themselves though - I can't remember the last time I saw anyone in their chain gangs chatting or laughing.

It's hard to laugh when you're at threshold and pushing hard but it is a lot of fun and is very good practice for good riding discipline.

I would seriously encourage anyone to come along and give it a try sometime

jonginge

Littigator wrote:

biondino wrote:

You have to balance the fact that they tend to assume they own the road with the fact that they are by and large very capable riders. It's hard to believe many of them actually enjoy themselves though - I can't remember the last time I saw anyone in their chain gangs chatting or laughing.

It's hard to laugh when you're at threshold and pushing hard but it is a lot of fun and is very good practice for good riding discipline.

I would seriously encourage anyone to come along and give it a try sometime

To be fair I have seen some dynamos chatting/bantering as they were heading off for a ride in the surrey hills. As Litt says, chaingang is a whole different kettle of fish

Is it just me or are there some new suspicious poles either side of the road on the drag up from sheen rbt to richmond gate and on the descent to robin hood gate? Soon to be installed speed cameras? Or is it me being paranoid/unobservant

kmahony

I overtook one on the final climb of the Dragon this year. Was a good feeling and a small payback for all the times they've flown past in Richmond park.

.....but they do have the best jerseys.

Gavin Gilbert

kmahony wrote:

.....but they do have the best jerseys.

Nope. The Archer Road Club have the best looking jersey 8)

Would those Dynamo present here agree that RLJing on the Embankment whilst wearing a club jersey is in itself cockish behaviour? Doesn't carrying a clubs colour mean you are representing the club?

Now I've been around long enough to ride in bunches containing every London club jersey from Lee Valley westwards down to Addiscombe. And the only time I've encountered a collective attitude problem with your lot. Don't try playing the 'the big club card' with me. The Willesden are huge, as are the Addiscombe. And I've never had a green or yellow jersey try and shove me into the verge.

Oh, and with 400 members....shouldn't you be organising a few more events to put something back into cycling?

Littigator

As a recent and vehement anti-RLJer poster I would agree that it is totally cockish to do so in club kit. The difference being with ours is that people notice it more cos there are a lot of us. I still think it's completely illogical and of no basis to suggest that a Dynamo is more likely to do this than any other cyclist.

What, does the combination of blue and orange mean we become colour blind to red lights?

Not sure if the member numbers I quoted are correct, but I do know that we have organised Chertsey, Hillingdon and Crystal Palace races and done a couple of stage races as well.

OldSkoolKona

Have to say I've never had a problem with the Dynamo guys when I see them in Richmond Park, but even if there are a few that act as you say, doen't mean to tar them all the same way. Just because some cyclists RLJ, cycle on the pavement and so on doesn't mean we all do, and hence lets not apply the same logic to Dynamo.

Show a bit of love, we all get enough agro from cars and the like, lets not add to it.

finleyjack17

Whenever i've seen Dynamo guys, they've been fine.

I think the problem is that anyone new to the sport going to Richmond Park at the weekend will see those guys, and will consider Dynamo the first port of call when they start looking for a club. That means that Dynamo end up with lots of inexperienced newbies who might not know how to handle their bike or take due care on the roads.

I'm in this position now; been riding for a few months and looking for a club. Dynamo, because of their size, seem like the only option (i know this isn't true but the BCF club finder is useless).

It says on the Dynamo website that anyone riding in their kit should be respectful on the roads and not give the club a bad name. And anyway, wearing the full set of club kit for the commute strikes me as a bit over-enthusiastic!

Anyone recommend any other good clubs aside from Dynamo around West London (zone 2/3)

cjcp

finleyjack17 wrote:

Whenever i've seen Dynamo guys, they've been fine.

I think the problem is that anyone new to the sport going to Richmond Park at the weekend will see those guys, and will consider Dynamo the first port of call when they start looking for a club. That means that Dynamo end up with lots of inexperienced newbies who might not know how to handle their bike or take due care on the roads.

I'm in this position now; been riding for a few months and looking for a club. Dynamo, because of their size, seem like the only option (i know this isn't true but the BCF club finder is useless).

It says on the Dynamo website that anyone riding in their kit should be respectful on the roads and not give the club a bad name. And anyway, wearing the full set of club kit for the commute strikes me as a bit over-enthusiastic!

Anyone recommend any other good clubs aside from Dynamo around West London (zone 2/3)

Not West as such, but there's the Kingston Wheelers, Twickenham CC and, further afield, Addiscombe are a good bunch.

I think Serpentine Tri also have group rides - I think they meet in Richmond Park on weekends. If you dabble in tri or dus, then they might worth a look. Not sure about Hillingdon Triathletes. Bit OT, sorry, but just a couple of ideas.

DonDaddyD

What time at Richamond Park do the Dynamo's meet up?

cjcp

Littigator?

TBH though, whichever club you're with, cycling round the Park between 9-5 on a weekend, especially in good weather, ain't the best of times. The amount of car traffic is just too annoying so you're always on the brakes. It's less frustrating before and after those times (although I admit that that's not convenient to everyone).

Littigator

We ride on Saturday morning in the park at 8.30 meet at Sheen gate roundabout. We start at 9 in darker weather but during summer this was made earlier to 8.30 to try and avoid the traffic issue which CJCP referred to.

On Sundays we do two Surrey Hills rides, an 8am start (fast, I'm not man enough) and 9am more reasonably paced.

Even since I joined less than a year ago there has been an huge increase in cyclist volume so makes it more difficult for everyone, which no doubt has increased the frustration individuals feel against group rides, which Jashburnham has mentioned previously. But I honestly feel that the clubs that use the park, including the Dynamos help all cyclists with their park use as we all give some weight to the cyclist point of view.

If you don't fancy Dynamos DonDaddyD then any of the other groups mentioned also offer similar rides etc.

Happy riding all!

Gavin Gilbert

cjcp wrote:

Not West as such, but there's the Kingston Wheelers, Twickenham CC and, further afield, Addiscombe are a good bunch.

I think Serpentine Tri also have group rides - I think they meet in Richmond Park on weekends. If you dabble in tri or dus, then they might worth a look. Not sure about Hillingdon Triathletes. Bit OT, sorry, but just a couple of ideas.

There is life outside of the Park you know... :roll:

The largest clubs in West London are the Willesden and the Westerley. Other notable names are the Hillingdon, Middlesex, Bath Road and us - The Archer RC. And we are recruiting at the moment

If you fancy having a go at Time Trialing it's worth noting that all the above clubs (and the Twickenham - another fine bunch) are members of the West London Combine, so you will have access to a whole series of inter-club TT 's on courses within easy reach of West London.

cjcp

Gavin Gilbert wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Not West as such, but there's the Kingston Wheelers, Twickenham CC and, further afield, Addiscombe are a good bunch.

I think Serpentine Tri also have group rides - I think they meet in Richmond Park on weekends. If you dabble in tri or dus, then they might worth a look. Not sure about Hillingdon Triathletes. Bit OT, sorry, but just a couple of ideas.

There is life outside of the Park you know... :roll:

The largest clubs in West London are the Willesden and the Westerley. Other notable names are the Hillingdon, Middlesex, Bath Road and us - The Archer RC. And we are recruiting at the moment

If you fancy having a go at Time Trialing it's worth noting that all the above clubs (and the Twickenham - another fine bunch) are members of the West London Combine, so you will have access to a whole series of inter-club TT 's on courses within easy reach of West London.

I know. I'm well aware that we have places like the Surrey hills on our doorstep. I was answering a question in relation to the Park.

DonDaddyD

Thanks for the info Litts.

What's the age range in these groups and roughly how fit, competent a cyclist do you have to be?


Sure I understand that the best way to find out is for me to go along and join in a group ride. Yet there must be a way to gauge my base fitness before I go, hang at the back fall over and take a couple of guys with me....

woodford2barbican

Nearly got run over crossing on a gren man yesterday by a RLJing Dynamo.

Littigator

woodford2barbican wrote:

Nearly got run over crossing on a gren man yesterday by a RLJing Dynamo.

(hangs head in shame)

What's the point of defending eejits (sigh)

woodford2barbican

Littigator wrote:

woodford2barbican wrote:

Nearly got run over crossing on a gren man yesterday by a RLJing Dynamo.

(hangs head in shame)

What's the point of defending eejits (sigh)

Full club kit as well. I think some people just don't care - too much self-importance

lost_in_thought

The largest clubs in West London are the Willesden and the Westerley.

Now, the Westerley... they're my most local club. I would love to join in, went on their site and looked and they seem to meet up at a social club every wednesday night. Does any cycling actually go on at that point? How does it work in clubs with organised rides and the like? Do they generally only happen on the weekend?

Anyone a member of the Westerley?

Gavin Gilbert

lost_in_thought wrote:

The largest clubs in West London are the Willesden and the Westerley.

Now, the Westerley... they're my most local club. I would love to join in, went on their site and looked and they seem to meet up at a social club every wednesday night. Does any cycling actually go on at that point? How does it work in clubs with organised rides and the like? Do they generally only happen on the weekend?

Anyone a member of the Westerley?

I'm with the Archer RC, but am friends with many of the Westerly...nice guys and girls. Their clubhouse has (or at least had) a bar making them unique in West London. When I was looking for a new club last year I came close to joining, but was swayed by the Archer having a much prettier jersey

I'll give them a nudge and let them know they have a potential new member. Of course, if you decide that purple doesn't suit you we'd be happy to talk...

Toks

Boo hoo hoo "I don't like Dynamos...blah blah blah"- its so boring guys get a life - PLEASE!...Ok then, I got beaten by a London Dynamo rider in a Road Race last weekend does that make you "haters" feel better to :roll:

biondino

Whuh? Did you even read the thread? If that's the best you can do go kneejerk elsewhere, ta.

Toks

biondino wrote:

Whuh? Did you even read the thread? If that's the best you can do go kneejerk elsewhere, ta.

er...it was a quick retort at peeps having a pop at Dynamos. If I had more time I could probably break things down a bit more. Yes there were some supportive posts but my reply will only fit certain heads - yours is probably one of them. I've ridden with Dynamos in RP many times over the last four years and the arrogance and owning the road mentality you speak off definitley didn't/doesn't exist. Perhaps people like your self have some cycling inferiority complex.

biondino

Yeah, there are many responses, some pro, some anti, and all based on experience! And, as I said, if you'd read the thread you'd see I am personally not anti the Dynamo - my only "negative" comment is I've never seen any of them looking like they're enjoying themselves!