Is it worth joining a club?

JohnHughes

Ive been riding the local fast training rides for the past couple of years, done a few races as a third cat and people have been saying I should join the local club but I am not sure what advantages there are, the club rides are quite slow, I am not looking for a lot of social events and i see a lot of politics going on in the local club scene which puts me off quite a bit.
Anyone give me some pointers on what advantages there are and how to avoid the back stabbing I see amongst 'club mates'

1892

I've never joined a club for the same reasons so I'll be interested with what people say as well.

chuckcork

Thread topic has been done at some length previously...what do you want out of a club? Its kind of like going on a first date really, where neither of you know if you'll suit the other, only way to find out is to do it. Otherwise you stay a wall flower (and single).

Clubs are listed on the CTC website and British Cycling, which if you're into racing might be for you. The bigger the club likely the larger range of abilities and likely also there will be people who will want to go faster as a seperate training group. Unfortunately the bigger the club the larger the chance you'll meet some d!cks, but how is that different from any other sphere of life?

If its a larger club it will likely have a website, look it up, see what its about (some clubs are more social, some are definitely about racing), if you like it and what they'e about then turn up to one of their rides, introduce yourself and take it from there.

Slow1972

I'm in a club. But we seem to get on pretty well and we have fast training rides. There's other clubs locally where it's not quite the same (or they focus more on other things)so I wouldn't join them.

Sounds like your local club doesn't suit your needs, so don't see why you'd join. If there isn't any alternatives locally doesn't seem to be the point.

That said, quite a lot of clubs only need a few more active members for more faster rides to spring up.

I like being in a club, I can train hard on my own, go and have the crack and take it easy with friends I've made on a club run. Both have their place for me. I like racing when there's a few club mates to share the experience / lift / banter with too. But its horses for courses innit, what suits one doesn't suit another.

I wouldn't say you have to join a club though, if you're happy ploughing your own furrow, why change?

What i would say though is that the 3rd cat races you've raced will have been put on by one club or another. Unless you volunteer in supporting the organisation of races some other way, you're accepting one of the benefits clubs provide without putting anything back into the spoprt aren't you. If everyone did the same as you there wouldn't be any races for club members or non-club members alike to go to.

Pork Sword

I've just joined my 5th club. There can be a lot of politics and unfortunately back-stabbing from some club 'mates' but that shouldn't put you off joining a club. If you find that you're having trouble from members from one club why not try another? Fortunately they're not all the same....

As you're already doing the local training rides and racing under your own steam, perhaps it's not for you. I join mainly for company on those long, cold and dark winter club runs - which is priceles IMO. I train a lot on my own but it's always good to test yourself against club members on club runs to see if the training is working. But as you're already doing well in 3rd cat races perhaps this not so important.

giropaul

Without clubs and club members there would be no races for the "independent" riders to compete in.

pneumatic

As Groucho Marx (?) famously said: "I wouldn't join any club that would have me as a member." 8)

Seriously, though, I would love to have the incentive of regular rides in a pack that would actually stretch my riding capabilities, but the pace thing is a very delicate issue and you'd need a massive and really well-organised club to deal with all abilities.

hopper1

Slow1972 wrote:

I'm in a club. But we seem to get on pretty well and we have fast training rides. There's other clubs locally where it's not quite the same (or they focus more on other things)so I wouldn't join them.

Sounds like your local club doesn't suit your needs, so don't see why you'd join. If there isn't any alternatives locally doesn't seem to be the point.

That said, quite a lot of clubs only need a few more active members for more faster rides to spring up.

I like being in a club, I can train hard on my own, go and have the crack and take it easy with friends I've made on a club run. Both have their place for me. I like racing when there's a few club mates to share the experience / lift / banter with too. But its horses for courses innit, what suits one doesn't suit another.

I wouldn't say you have to join a club though, if you're happy ploughing your own furrow, why change?

What i would say though is that the 3rd cat races you've raced will have been put on by one club or another. Unless you volunteer in supporting the organisation of races some other way, you're accepting one of the benefits clubs provide without putting anything back into the spoprt aren't you. If everyone did the same as you there wouldn't be any races for club members or non-club members alike to go to.

giropaul wrote:

Without clubs and club members there would be no races for the "independent" riders to compete in.

+1 with these guys.

I also agree with other sentiments above... If you don't like what you've experienced so far, have a look elsewhere...

JohnHughes

Yes I think thee are some good points there, especialy about putting something back into the sport. It strikes me that its also true what someone told me, you have to look at not only the ordinary members but the chairman/secetary/ whatever does he ride with the club or is he always away? Does he think it's a golf club where you won't get on if your face doesn't fit?
I shall start doing a couple of rides with the local club and see what's what.

andy162

Where are you based John?

Someone here will be able to point you in the right direction regarding an appropriate club I'm sure.

Defo join a club that promotes races, our Summer races are over subscribed so "independant" riders get their entries sent back.

JohnHughes

I am based near Coventry so there are a fair number of well known clubs around.

Garry H

pneumatic wrote:

As Groucho Marx (?) famously said: "I wouldn't join any club that would have me as a member." 8)

Seriously, though, I would love to have the incentive of regular rides in a pack that would actually stretch my riding capabilities, but the pace thing is a very delicate issue and you'd need a massive and really well-organised club to deal with all abilities.

You can't find a suitable club in Fife! How fast are you man?

pneumatic

Garry H wrote:

pneumatic wrote:

As Groucho Marx (?) famously said: "I wouldn't join any club that would have me as a member." 8)

Seriously, though, I would love to have the incentive of regular rides in a pack that would actually stretch my riding capabilities, but the pace thing is a very delicate issue and you'd need a massive and really well-organised club to deal with all abilities.

You can't find a suitable club in Fife! How fast are you man?

It is not a question of how fast, more of how slow!! :oops: 21.4kph on the Winter Steel bike; 25kph on the Summer Carbon joyride. But on the Etape Caledonia, mercilessly exploiting the passing chaingangs, I reached an exhilharating 27.4 kph over 135km.

markos1963

giropaul wrote:

Without clubs and club members there would be no races for the "independent" riders to compete in.

Have to agree but only because of something that happend last year. I was drafted into marshalling our clubs roadrace and very happy I was to do it to. I gave up a sunday run to do it even though it had been raining and wasn't very nice. A rider punctured near me and had decided to give up so I helped him to fix his tyre. I luckily had my track pump in my car so he could do a decent job and get back. Whilst all this was going on I asked what club he was riding for and he said he was a solo rider because he was pissed off with clubs and the politics and infighting and the hassle he got to help out with club matters. He then rode off without even a thank you! Perhaps clubs are lucky not to have members like him?

JohnHughes

Maybe in the heat of battle he was distracted rather than rude, and maybe he had seen some of the type of behaviour that I have seen .Tthe thing which does really piss me off about club is people who are hugely oversensitive, I know some people who seem to specialise in taking offense.
I have a rather odd sense of humor I tend to laugh at things which confuses some people and when you are on a bike its difficult to convey to someone the fact that you are taking the piss sometimes.
If you have a club where people start to take offense sp easily and say things like its lucky hes not in our club you can see where things start to go wrong.

JohnHughes

Even on the fast training ride you see people who will not speak to other people and that kind of makes me think if its carried on into the club it must lead to increadable tensions.

hopper1

I guess you will always find 'prima dona's' and there is always the possibility of cliques formed... Usually by those willing to kiss the a*se of the prima dona!
You're not new to this, and I guess you know where not to go, regarding clubs to ride with. Just keep trying, hopefully you'll be lucky and find a club that you click with.

jgsi

I am an independent type of person... I do not like being member of a 'flock' but I do like to ride in a group as well as on one's own, so I have a group of acquaintances where I join and enjoy the social aspect of a road ride .. but to join an official club . not really for me ...it is just the way I am
but I refute the way of thinking that no clubs means that I shouldnt 'race' or join in on open TTs as an independent... perhaps that sort of mentality (dickhead type) proves I am making the right choice for me!
oh sorry ... I am paying up for tli this year, as I do appreciate the efforts that go into organising events.. but as for prancing around in a club shirt , I am not that fussed.

Chip \'oyler

JohnHughes wrote:

Even on the fast training ride you see people who will not speak to other people and that kind of makes me think if its carried on into the club it must lead to increadable tensions.

Have you not thought that some of them are trying hard and can't speak!

JohnHughes

I had a look at some of the local club's websites and one I was attracted to said...blah blah everyone welcome.....this is what we do blah blah...in the unfortuantle circumstance of someone making a complaint about a member this is what we do....... and we talk to the person being complained about and we sort it out....


So basically that means you are not necessarily screwed if you havent been kissing the right arses, which means if the chairman is an arsehole who thinks he is running a golfclub its not the end of the world.

Garry H

pneumatic wrote:

Garry H wrote:

pneumatic wrote:

As Groucho Marx (?) famously said: "I wouldn't join any club that would have me as a member." 8)

Seriously, though, I would love to have the incentive of regular rides in a pack that would actually stretch my riding capabilities, but the pace thing is a very delicate issue and you'd need a massive and really well-organised club to deal with all abilities.

You can't find a suitable club in Fife! How fast are you man?

It is not a question of how fast, more of how slow!! :oops: 21.4kph on the Winter Steel bike; 25kph on the Summer Carbon joyride. But on the Etape Caledonia, mercilessly exploiting the passing chaingangs, I reached an exhilharating 27.4 kph over 135km.

You should pop over the bridge, there's a suitable club there for you

markos1963

JGSI wrote:

I am an independent type of person... I do not like being member of a 'flock' but I do like to ride in a group as well as on one's own, so I have a group of acquaintances where I join and enjoy the social aspect of a road ride .. but to join an official club . not really for me ...it is just the way I am
but I refute the way of thinking that no clubs means that I shouldnt 'race' or join in on open TTs as an independent... perhaps that sort of mentality (dickhead type) proves I am making the right choice for me!
oh sorry ... I am paying up for tli this year, as I do appreciate the efforts that go into organising events.. but as for prancing around in a club shirt , I am not that fussed.

I don't understand what you are saying here, you appreciate the efforts that go into an event by the 'dickheads' that belong to a club?

Le Commentateur

If you are happy to race as an isolated individual, fine, but it is nice have team mates to help or be helped by (not just in the race tactics, but for e.g. sharing transport costs or providing a spare wheel in case of punctures etc).

Slow1972

markos1963 wrote:

JGSI wrote:

I am an independent type of person... I do not like being member of a 'flock' but I do like to ride in a group as well as on one's own, so I have a group of acquaintances where I join and enjoy the social aspect of a road ride .. but to join an official club . not really for me ...it is just the way I am
but I refute the way of thinking that no clubs means that I shouldnt 'race' or join in on open TTs as an independent... perhaps that sort of mentality (dickhead type) proves I am making the right choice for me!
oh sorry ... I am paying up for tli this year, as I do appreciate the efforts that go into organising events.. but as for prancing around in a club shirt , I am not that fussed.

I don't understand what you are saying here, you appreciate the efforts that go into an event by the 'dickheads' that belong to a club?

I thought he meant anyone with the mentality that if there was no clubs there would be no racing was a "dickhead". Each to their own, but he doesn't explain why its unreasonable to ask people to help out once in a while so that eveyone has plenty of races to go to. But obviously I'm just being a "dickhead".

Suppose the solution is to have commercial companies running all races, no club politics involved, no need for "dickheads" prancing around in club jerseys, just £25 to £30 to enter a race instead of £10 to £15.

markos1963

Slow1972 wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

JGSI wrote:

I am an independent type of person... I do not like being member of a 'flock' but I do like to ride in a group as well as on one's own, so I have a group of acquaintances where I join and enjoy the social aspect of a road ride .. but to join an official club . not really for me ...it is just the way I am
but I refute the way of thinking that no clubs means that I shouldnt 'race' or join in on open TTs as an independent... perhaps that sort of mentality (dickhead type) proves I am making the right choice for me!
oh sorry ... I am paying up for tli this year, as I do appreciate the efforts that go into organising events.. but as for prancing around in a club shirt , I am not that fussed.

I don't understand what you are saying here, you appreciate the efforts that go into an event by the 'dickheads' that belong to a club?

I thought he meant anyone with the mentality that if there was no clubs there would be no racing was a "dickhead". Each to their own, but he doesn't explain why its unreasonable to ask people to help out once in a while so that eveyone has plenty of races to go to. But obviously I'm just being a "dickhead".

Suppose the solution is to have commercial companies running all races, no club politics involved, no need for "dickheads" prancing around in club jerseys, just £25 to £30 to enter a race instead of £10 to £15.

This is what riles me about people who knock clubs. Ok they can get clicky but thats the same for any group of people. If the club racing scene breaks down and the commercial companies move in to the scene then the fees will go through the roof and the races will move to central areas where these concerns can be sure of a full field. Before you know it it will be £50 an entry and the police deciding on the day weather or not an event can take place. But thats ok because the 'dickheads' who give up their time and energy for free won't be able to tell these free thinkers what to do anymore.

A club works if everybody takes part in its affairs, if you don't like whats going on then get to the meetings and put your points across, who knows they might take heed of what you say. You get a lot of people complaining about things but don't say anything to the people on the commities, so how will things ever change. Perhaps I'm lucky in that my club seems to be very friendly and receptive to ideas. It was tough at first for me as I have never been that good at fitting in but the longer I've stuck at it the more people have seemed to welcome me in and shown interest in me. After all you can only get out what you are prepared to put in to a club.

Chip \'oyler

markos1963 wrote:

Slow1972 wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

JGSI wrote:

I am an independent type of person... I do not like being member of a 'flock' but I do like to ride in a group as well as on one's own, so I have a group of acquaintances where I join and enjoy the social aspect of a road ride .. but to join an official club . not really for me ...it is just the way I am
but I refute the way of thinking that no clubs means that I shouldnt 'race' or join in on open TTs as an independent... perhaps that sort of mentality (dickhead type) proves I am making the right choice for me!
oh sorry ... I am paying up for tli this year, as I do appreciate the efforts that go into organising events.. but as for prancing around in a club shirt , I am not that fussed.

I don't understand what you are saying here, you appreciate the efforts that go into an event by the 'dickheads' that belong to a club?

I thought he meant anyone with the mentality that if there was no clubs there would be no racing was a "dickhead". Each to their own, but he doesn't explain why its unreasonable to ask people to help out once in a while so that eveyone has plenty of races to go to. But obviously I'm just being a "dickhead".

Suppose the solution is to have commercial companies running all races, no club politics involved, no need for "dickheads" prancing around in club jerseys, just £25 to £30 to enter a race instead of £10 to £15.

This is what riles me about people who knock clubs. Ok they can get clicky but thats the same for any group of people. If the club racing scene breaks down and the commercial companies move in to the scene then the fees will go through the roof and the races will move to central areas where these concerns can be sure of a full field. Before you know it it will be £50 an entry and the police deciding on the day weather or not an event can take place. But thats ok because the 'dickheads' who give up their time and energy for free won't be able to tell these free thinkers what to do anymore.

A club works if everybody takes part in its affairs, if you don't like whats going on then get to the meetings and put your points across, who knows they might take heed of what you say. You get a lot of people complaining about things but don't say anything to the people on the commities, so how will things ever change. Perhaps I'm lucky in that my club seems to be very friendly and receptive to ideas. It was tough at first for me as I have never been that good at fitting in but the longer I've stuck at it the more people have seemed to welcome me in and shown interest in me. After all you can only get out what you are prepared to put in to a club.

Well said that man

Slow1972

markos1963 wrote:

A club works if everybody takes part in its affairs, if you don't like whats going on then get to the meetings and put your points across, who knows they might take heed of what you say. You get a lot of people complaining about things but don't say anything to the people on the commities, so how will things ever change. Perhaps I'm lucky in that my club seems to be very friendly and receptive to ideas. It was tough at first for me as I have never been that good at fitting in but the longer I've stuck at it the more people have seemed to welcome me in and shown interest in me. After all you can only get out what you are prepared to put in to a club.

Spot on and I have found just the same. Just like in life, I don't expect to like everyone in the club or that everyone in the club likes me. But you just rub along and make it work because of the common interest. But of the people I do get on with amongst my club mates, some of them I count as being very good friends.

sampras38

I'd love to join a club long term but my life's too hectic at the moment and I have to grab my rides when I can. 2 kids under 4 means I have to work around them and if I want to get out I have to pick my times carefully. This isn't always that condusive to the club ride times. Also, at the moment I've been riding pretty hard without breaks and the coffee stops just don't work for me. I can certainly see the social benefits of a club (been there with the tennis), but at the moment my riding is more about training than social. Plus, if I ever feel the need to do any group riding I have a handful of friends who are pretty handy and we tend to ride together. Some of them are in clubs and some aren't.

I have been on a few club runs too, and really enjoyed them, but right now a club is too restricting for me.

Anonymous

sampras38 wrote:

I'd love to join a club long term but my life's too hectic at the moment and I have to grab my rides when I can. 2 kids under 4 means I have to work around them and if I want to get out I have to pick my times carefully. This isn't always that condusive to the club ride times. Also, at the moment I've been riding pretty hard without breaks and the coffee stops just don't work for me. I can certainly see the social benefits of a club (been there with the tennis), but at the moment my riding is more about training than social. Plus, if I ever feel the need to do any group riding I have a handful of friends who are pretty handy and we tend to ride together. Some of them are in clubs and some aren't.

I have been on a few club runs too, and really enjoyed them, but right now a club is too restricting for me.

Why not, just join and ride when and if you can with them ? I have a young family (3 kids, wife and dog) and sometimes just meet up with the club run, ride out for an hour and a half and make my excuses and loop back home. tat way you can connect with people and get to know them.

Slow1972

Fair do's Sampras, our club does training rides without cafe stops so we're back for lunchtime. Otherwise sometimes I ride out with the club run and turn back before the cafe stop if I want to ride without stopping. But your point is fair enough, but it's also different to saying "I'm not in a club because they are all "dickheads" who prance around in club jerseys".

To be honest, one of the benfits I have found from being in a club is I have found some club mates who (much like you) want to get out do a few hard hours with an early start and home by mid-morning so as not to impinge on family life too much. But you've got that option already so i can understand your position. Most of my old mtb mates had dropped by the wayside and, coupled with a move away from having trails on my doorstep, that's why bought a road bike and joined a club.

sampras38

dmclite wrote:

sampras38 wrote:

I'd love to join a club long term but my life's too hectic at the moment and I have to grab my rides when I can. 2 kids under 4 means I have to work around them and if I want to get out I have to pick my times carefully. This isn't always that condusive to the club ride times. Also, at the moment I've been riding pretty hard without breaks and the coffee stops just don't work for me. I can certainly see the social benefits of a club (been there with the tennis), but at the moment my riding is more about training than social. Plus, if I ever feel the need to do any group riding I have a handful of friends who are pretty handy and we tend to ride together. Some of them are in clubs and some aren't.

I have been on a few club runs too, and really enjoyed them, but right now a club is too restricting for me.

Why not, just join and ride when and if you can with them ? I have a young family (3 kids, wife and dog) and sometimes just meet up with the club run, ride out for an hour and a half and make my excuses and loop back home. tat way you can connect with people and get to know them.

At the moment I'm doing 3 to 5 hour rides at the weekend, plus the odd blast for an hour after work, and turbo work in the week, and just don't have time to do it. I do have a few mates who are members of clubs a little far out from where I live and I've been out a few times with them (Kingston Wheelers, Dynamo's etc), but the times I've done it, particualrly with the wheelers, they've either been going too slow or they stop for coffee and a cake when all I want to do is ride.

Lovely people n all that, just not convenient.