So why join a cycling club?

biondino

boybiker wrote:

I think the best way to avoid problems with members coming for a week and then disappearing is to make sure club rides and other activities cater for all abilities.For example our club ride on a Sunday ranges from a slow group which will ride maybe 40 miles at an average of 14-15 miles an hour and will never drop anyone to a fast group , usually people in training,which will ride maybe 70-75 miles at an average of 20-21 miles an hour and will drop people.
As long as members know what to expect they cannot complain if they go out with the fast group and get dropped in the middle of nowhere.

Considering most people here probably fall between the two groups, that's a fat lot of use!!

don_don

If successful we could even extend to the odd team sportive event.

Oops, missed this bit. This seems like a great idea, since anyone who uses the forum could turn up and meet with other users for a ride. You would just need some way of being identified. Maybe biondino's pink jacket idea!

Greg T

A couple of years ago I went on a couple of Sunday rides out with a gang of guys from Sigma Sport in Kingston. it was an informal thing, no matching kit etc and a big group - must have been 30/40 guys. The routes went out into the Surrey hills and I'd never have done it on my own as I don't know where tpgo / wouldn't be arsed with a map so just following along was great. No-one got left behind (though there was a "wide bracket" on some of the longer hills.

As it was informal you could drop in and out but the biggest barrier to entry was turning up on day one and being the oik new boy at school...... I think this is the biggest reason people don't join clubs - they are "clubby" and perceived as "closed". Cycling clubs do have a race bent and this will make them seem even more closed and unattractive.....

Perhaps a non racing touring / "nice sunday ride and a cake" offering would have the punters knocking down your door....

Archer CC could mop up by forming the "Commuting / Cake" wing with a promise of non competitive "cake" centerd rides, you know for eating cake and stuff.

Alternativley we could generate "Not Trying Cycling Club" (NTCC) kit and "go it alone"

perhaps "No REALLY - Not Trying Cycling Club" (NRNTCC) would be even better.

Club flag could be a Burning wheel and Bowler hat on a background of broken hearts

boybiker

biondino wrote:

boybiker wrote:

I think the best way to avoid problems with members coming for a week and then disappearing is to make sure club rides and other activities cater for all abilities.For example our club ride on a Sunday ranges from a slow group which will ride maybe 40 miles at an average of 14-15 miles an hour and will never drop anyone to a fast group , usually people in training,which will ride maybe 70-75 miles at an average of 20-21 miles an hour and will drop people.
As long as members know what to expect they cannot complain if they go out with the fast group and get dropped in the middle of nowhere.

Considering most people here probably fall between the two groups, that's a fat lot of use!!

Ah well, you'll notice I used the word 'ranges' suggesting that there might be an intermediate group, which in fact there is so ner ner ner ner ner ner ner ;P~~~~~~~~~~~~

DavidBelcher

SBezza wrote:

I joined my local club, as I was bored of just cycling on my own all the time, I enjoy the social side of club runs etc.

Now I choose a club, that offered 5 levels of club rides on a Saturday and 2 on a Sunday, so no matter how I was feeling there was always a club run, that I could join and keep up with. It was the best thing I ever did, I have got better as I have progressed up the groups, and I have never been dropped, and we have never intentionally dropped fellow riders (we wait at the top of hills/road junctions etc), any club that does this is not worth joining.

I think with a decent cycling club (rather than just a pure racing club), you should never drop anyone, and friendlyness should be a big part of the club. Getting new members must be a difficult thing to do, especially if there are a few clubs in the area. When you have a selection of runs, put up the average speeds of the runs, so people know what to expect, and keep to these speeds. Have a contact number for a club run captain, so potential members can call and get reassurance that they will be able to manage.

I think you should also offer to let people join a club run before they have to join, it gives people an idea without committing to the club, generally if you are a good club and the person feels confident in the club run, they will no doubt join.

In short, be respectful of new potential members, be friendly, and be encouraging.

Agree with all the above. Sorry if it smacks of self-promotion, but count myself lucky to (currently, though about to change due to relocation away from Yorkshire) be a member of another such club which ticks most of those boxes, i.e. one which doesn't just concentrate on the racing side of things, warmly welcomes new riders, also caters for the off-road contingent, makes sure there's a regular social meet and annual 'do'/prizegiving night in the winter months (and a 'Christmas Dinner' Sunday run in late December!), and isn't just orientated towards us blokes. In return, members are simply asked, if they can, to do a little bit at least once a year towards events run by the club, whether it's looking after the tea urn, putting up a poster in their LBS, marshalling at a busy roundabout, or being a pusher-off for TTs.

David

cjcp

don_don wrote:

See, I'm even worried about being too slow for an SCR cycling club! Ahhhh paranoia...

Isn't that a common thread with a lot of folks, who would like to have a go but feel they won't be able to keep up? Maybe we should just go along as SBezza says and see what happens. Chances are none of us are as slow as we might think.

[/quote]

If you want to see whether a club is for you, you should absolutely go along. I was quite hesitant before joining my club, but I was made to feel very welcome. From David's description above, our clubs sound very similar. Ultimately, clubs should cater for all abilities and good people make good clubs.

Gavin - your website needs an overhaul, and a forum would help keep members in touch; a forum should particularly appeal to the younger folk/internet generation. I received a good impression from the KW website and forum before I went along for a club run. Good luck with the recruitment drive. The more people the cycling the better, and if you encourage more people to race, that's got to be good for the domestic racing scene.

Re the SCR team idea, the TriTalk forum have their own kit, and I think it's also affiliated to British Triathlon. I think Weight Weenies were also looking at their own kit, so why not SCR. What about Team-issue Altura Night Vision Jackets? 8)

Jen J

cjcp wrote:

Re the SCR team idea, the TriTalk forum have their own kit, and I think it's also affiliated to British Triathlon. I think Weight Weenies were also looking at their own kit, so why not SCR. What about Team-issue Altura Night Vision Jackets? 8)

My running site (fetcheveryone) has had it's own kit for a long time now, and has just set up an affiliated club.

As for SCR rides - I average (at best) about 15mph at the moment, and I've been looked after very well on the two RP rides I've been on.

'Slower' riders should definitely not feel intimidated, and the more that turn up, the more possible it will be to have maybe two groups, so no-one feels that they're holding people up/being held up.

linsen

DavidBelcher wrote:

SBezza wrote:

I joined my local club, as I was bored of just cycling on my own all the time, I enjoy the social side of club runs etc.

Now I choose a club, that offered 5 levels of club rides on a Saturday and 2 on a Sunday, so no matter how I was feeling there was always a club run, that I could join and keep up with. It was the best thing I ever did, I have got better as I have progressed up the groups, and I have never been dropped, and we have never intentionally dropped fellow riders (we wait at the top of hills/road junctions etc), any club that does this is not worth joining.

I think with a decent cycling club (rather than just a pure racing club), you should never drop anyone, and friendlyness should be a big part of the club. Getting new members must be a difficult thing to do, especially if there are a few clubs in the area. When you have a selection of runs, put up the average speeds of the runs, so people know what to expect, and keep to these speeds. Have a contact number for a club run captain, so potential members can call and get reassurance that they will be able to manage.

I think you should also offer to let people join a club run before they have to join, it gives people an idea without committing to the club, generally if you are a good club and the person feels confident in the club run, they will no doubt join.

In short, be respectful of new potential members, be friendly, and be encouraging.

Agree with all the above. Sorry if it smacks of self-promotion, but count myself lucky to (currently, though about to change due to relocation away from Yorkshire) be a member of another such club which ticks most of those boxes, i.e. one which doesn't just concentrate on the racing side of things, warmly welcomes new riders, also caters for the off-road contingent, makes sure there's a regular social meet and annual 'do'/prizegiving night in the winter months (and a 'Christmas Dinner' Sunday run in late December!), and isn't just orientated towards us blokes. In return, members are simply asked, if they can, to do a little bit at least once a year towards events run by the club, whether it's looking after the tea urn, putting up a poster in their LBS, marshalling at a busy roundabout, or being a pusher-off for TTs.

David

Which club is that, David? Wimpish girlies welcome?

londonlivvy

I've thought about joining a club too - as I get bored of doing lots of rides on my own (which isn't to say that the odd ride alone isn't absolutely therapeutic). I went along to Dulwich Paragon's Saturday ride and was really welcomed - v.nice people, no alpha male rubbish that I noticed and not too fast (my bike computer said 14mph average). I felt tired afterwards but not battered and I think I'd probably go again. They also have different speed groups on a saturday morning and super fast sunday mornings so I think most people would be covered.

BUT I agree that this whole 9am start thing is a struggle - I don't want to leave a party at 10pm just so I can be half useful on a ride on Saturday. Why do none of the clubs have Saturday afternoon rides eh?

fairweatherbiker

There's a related thread on Road-Beginners "Riding Buddy Required" - After I realised just how dispersed we non-Londoners are I decided a Club is a better option, so I'm going for it this Sunday - I've been told the "D" group do 50 miles :shock: (God knows how far the "A" group go) - The most I;ve ever done is 17 miles (admittedly mostly off road) But nothing ventured ...

BTW that Deputy Dawg image will become Speedy Gonzalis if I make it!

DavidBelcher

linsen wrote:

DavidBelcher wrote:

SBezza wrote:

I joined my local club, as I was bored of just cycling on my own all the time, I enjoy the social side of club runs etc.

Now I choose a club, that offered 5 levels of club rides on a Saturday and 2 on a Sunday, so no matter how I was feeling there was always a club run, that I could join and keep up with. It was the best thing I ever did, I have got better as I have progressed up the groups, and I have never been dropped, and we have never intentionally dropped fellow riders (we wait at the top of hills/road junctions etc), any club that does this is not worth joining.

I think with a decent cycling club (rather than just a pure racing club), you should never drop anyone, and friendlyness should be a big part of the club. Getting new members must be a difficult thing to do, especially if there are a few clubs in the area. When you have a selection of runs, put up the average speeds of the runs, so people know what to expect, and keep to these speeds. Have a contact number for a club run captain, so potential members can call and get reassurance that they will be able to manage.

I think you should also offer to let people join a club run before they have to join, it gives people an idea without committing to the club, generally if you are a good club and the person feels confident in the club run, they will no doubt join.

In short, be respectful of new potential members, be friendly, and be encouraging.

Agree with all the above. Sorry if it smacks of self-promotion, but count myself lucky to (currently, though about to change due to relocation away from Yorkshire) be a member of another such club which ticks most of those boxes, i.e. one which doesn't just concentrate on the racing side of things, warmly welcomes new riders, also caters for the off-road contingent, makes sure there's a regular social meet and annual 'do'/prizegiving night in the winter months (and a 'Christmas Dinner' Sunday run in late December!), and isn't just orientated towards us blokes. In return, members are simply asked, if they can, to do a little bit at least once a year towards events run by the club, whether it's looking after the tea urn, putting up a poster in their LBS, marshalling at a busy roundabout, or being a pusher-off for TTs.

David

Which club is that, David? Wimpish girlies welcome?

Anyone welcome as long as you've got a roadworthy bike - see here for more info;

http://www.cliftoncc.org

Helps if you're local to York, though - I was with the club whilst at University there, and re-joined when I was back in the area for a while, but as I'm now in Hants it's not a local club for me any more so will be leaving once my membership expires. From the people I've met at evening TTs over the summer, Sotonia CC seem a nice friendly lot and definitely worth considering.

David

redddraggon

I joined a club because it gives me the motivation to get out of bed on a sunday and a saturday morning.

I don't know the roads, and I'm not the most of confident in traffic, so it gives me confidence that I'm out with people who know where they are going.

I could quite happily do 60, 70, 80 milers on my own at a decent pace- but they would be boring, and probably at a lower intensity ('cus I'm lazy) than I really need to be doing.

Club track nights at the Velodrome - ( apparantly going on a "club night" there's no need to have done taster sessions and such like)

always_tyred

redddraggon wrote:

I joined a club because it gives me the motivation to get out of bed on a sunday and a saturday morning.

I don't know the roads, and I'm not the most of confident in traffic, so it gives me confidence that I'm out with people who know where they are going.

I could quite happily do 60, 70, 80 milers on my own at a decent pace- but they would be boring, and probably at a lower intensity ('cus I'm lazy) than I really need to be doing.

Club track nights at the Velodrome - ( apparantly going on a "club night" there's no need to have done taster sessions and such like)

It depends on the type of workout you want. I climb and hold a highish intensity level for long periods much better on my own. When I do ever brave a group ride, its all about short, hard bursts and is very different.

Its a lot of fun, but I get put off with all of the stress. Perhaps I've just been unlucky.

symo

Personally I am not interested. I am going to be buying a Kiron Scandium soon, purely for me to ride on my own and become very Zen with myself. I know a couple of guys at work who race and they aren't members of a club either.

I'd rather meet up with people from the commuter forum for a bit of a blat than from the riad side of things on bikeradar as it all seems a bit overly alpha for my liking. I'd rather wear a jersey with bikeradar and SCN logo's too.

Clubs just seem a bit too "You must want to race". Whereas I would rather do 40 miles on a saturday and just enjoy the scenery. I am sure your club will stop on tops of hills and help repair punctures but most of the websites seem to concentrate on things I do not understand or know the nomenclature for.

SCN jerseys anyone?

redddraggon

symo wrote:

I know a couple of guys at work who race and they aren't members of a club either.

Having fitness is all well and good, but racing needs good group riding skills too. You won't pick up those group riding skills training alone.

always_tyred

redddraggon wrote:

symo wrote:

I know a couple of guys at work who race and they aren't members of a club either.

Having fitness is all well and good, but racing needs good group riding skills too. You won't pick up those group riding skills training alone.

Yep, and there you have the reason a lot of people don't bother - no intention of racing.

I did a little racing. In my first crit, I saw 3 guys go down on the last corner - 1 cracked frame, one tacoed wheel, one broken collar bone.

As I recall, the guys were called Eddie Merckx, Eddie Merckx and Eddie Merckx and the prize on offer WAS NOT a t-shirt and some coolade. Nuf said.

toshmund

I went out with a local group a few months ago. Found it worrying how they bunched up, instead of having someone setting the pace at the front. I am used to cycling on my own, have no issues with drivers, apart from the pondlife who it would be inevitable anyway! On the ride with them though. Road discipline was poor and when the driver kind of remonstrated/questioned their antics. The reply smacked of self righteousness at times. To be truthful, if I had been in a car I would have been contemplating the "get your head out of your a##e and sort it out mate!"

On a main A/B national speed limit road, on a Saturday/Sunday. Trying to ride in a bunch possibly over a length of about 60 metres. No gaps in between, for cars to pop into to overtake, with 2 abreast - people faffing with their gears and concertining...recipe for disaster really.

Not like a walking group where you can walk along in conversation, on a bike - we should be aiming to do a decent speed for the status of the road, allowing other road users to overtake.

patchy

y'see, i'd quite like to join a club - the main barrier for me, though, is that there seems to be feck all in north/east London apart from the Two Wheels Good informal Sunday rides.

Finsbury Park CC meet in hertfordshire, as do Southgate (from the looks of it) - i don't have a car, don't really want to spend time and money on trains to get to a car park in the middle of nowhere - or the alternative of cycling 10-20 miles before even starting the ride (with the accompanying 6.30 or 7am start... on a weekend... * shudder *

An SCR informal group would be good - but again, Richmond Park is a bit of mission from NE london too!

and no, i will NOT be starting my own club

chuckcork

Toshmund wrote:

I went out with a local group a few months ago. Found it worrying how they bunched up, instead of having someone setting the pace at the front. I am used to cycling on my own, have no issues with drivers, apart from the pondlife who it would be inevitable anyway! On the ride with them though. Road discipline was poor and when the driver kind of remonstrated/questioned their antics. The reply smacked of self righteousness at times. To be truthful, if I had been in a car I would have been contemplating the "get your head out of your a##e and sort it out mate!"

On a main A/B national speed limit road, on a Saturday/Sunday. Trying to ride in a bunch possibly over a length of about 60 metres. No gaps in between, for cars to pop into to overtake, with 2 abreast - people faffing with their gears and concertining...recipe for disaster really.

Not like a walking group where you can walk along in conversation, on a bike - we should be aiming to do a decent speed for the status of the road, allowing other road users to overtake.

I've seen this too, from a local group that go out of Cork in summer. That was not a club though, and myself having become used to the discipline of club runs in the pas year and going out with people who had been doing it for years, I could only feel that (the non-club crowd) they were an accident simply waiting to happen.

Didn't help that being quite fit I was more than able to keep up if someone wanted to push a bit hard on the pace, so i pushed back, then they couldn't keep up and I think got upset....

Most clubs runs I've been on with my local club Midleton CC MidletonCC are more disciplined, try and welcome new members, will talk with people, will try not to leave them behind and so on. However if a group race hard up a hill I'll chase them too as I'm at little competitive (OK, people say aggressive) but that is OK at times too.

On the flipside of the discipline that keeps a group together on training rides, on the few sportives I've done I'll ride at my own pace which is generally harder, so I don't feel really restricted by being in a club at those times.

Anyway, before I went out with the local club, the longest ride I'd ever done was the London to Brighton, which left me absolutely knackered, but I'll now quite happily go out on a Sunday ride with the club, or maybe just by myself, and do the same distance as that in less time, and then be able to cycle it the week after etc.

It really is what you make of it though.

Next years target events BTW: Midleton 200 charity event in aid of Diabetes Ireland in early May; the London to Brighton ride in June (and back again, why not?); and the Sean Kelly tour 160km. Club training should help with that....Gonna be fun![/url]

fairweatherbiker

Did my first club run this morning with http://www.solihullcc.org.uk/

It was brilliant - friendly people - nice easy pace - 25 miles (the shortest route they do - may have been for my benefit, or because they wanted to finish before the rain set in), quiet country roads - cafe stop halfway.

I'd do it again. the wost part is getting up at half 7 on a Sunday morning.

NWLondoner

lost_in_thought wrote:

Now Gavin, I'm going to be honest here, as I'm someone who's looked at joining a cycling club, and mentioned it on here a couple of times too. Both of those times you've kindly pointed me towards your website, so thanks for that!

However, it begs the question - what stopped me from signing up?

Well a big part of it was the website and its content - being on here I'm quite an internetty person, so that's always going to be my first and often only port of call. Your site doesn't explain the most basic of my questions - what do you actually *do* in your club?

You've got a lot of history, a few pictures, some results, some info about sunday rides, some results of competitions, some info about the Archer Grand Prix, and some past members.

What you don't have is the one thing I wanted to see - a schedule of rides, use of the HIllingdon circuit, socials, what you do in the week, etc. etc. I also like to return to my Yokel lifestyle on the weekend, so would prefer a club that does evening rides in the week.

Also, your winter rides - your site says they proceed at a 'steady level 2 pace' - I don't know what this means so automatically think they'll be too fast for me.

To be fair, I could have just contacted you or someone else, but I'm from the MTV generation so want everything at my fingertips with minimal effort. :P

So there you go! I hope you don't think I'm being rude, call it constructive criticism.

I too have thought about joining a club but have been put off by several of the same points as you..

For me i ride alone on a Saturday morning as this is only convenient day for me.

Like others me and hill do NOT mix (yet) and am too worried about slowing the rest of the seasoned pro's up.

NWLondoner

i must admit that the kingston wheelers club does look good.

Shame i would have to ride 25 miles to get there!!!

redddraggon

NWLondoner wrote:

Like others me and hill do NOT mix (yet) and am too worried about slowing the rest of the seasoned pro's up.

I go really slowly uphills, but the rest of guys most of the time don't mind waiting for me at the top. I've had a really bad couple of days this weekend and I've been even slower than usual..

My reasoning is that if I keep going on club runs and give it my best effort, my climbing will improve and hopefully won't be such a burden in the future. Fair dos if you can train for 4+ hours at a good intensity alone - I know I haven't got the motivation or concentration to do it.

Some posters seem to think that clubs pressure you into racing - I don't know where they've got that impression - I've got no intention of road racing (well maybe in the future.....).