First ride with a club group

ineedalager

I went along to Swindon Road club for their weekly Saturday ride. I went with the development/ beginners group.
I expected there to be 5 or 6 people. There were at least 20 and another group for the faster guys. They were very friedly I said I was just starting out in road cycling but have been riding a MTB and a Hybrid for the last 4 years.

I tagged on the back and the pace was just right about 17.4 mph average I did with the group we went to Cirencester and back which is about 24 miles I think without checking my bikes computer. I had no trouble keeping up. it was really strange ridng with all these bikes around me having been riding on my own for the last 4 years.

It's good the way they shout for hazzards as you can't see them on the road in front when there are so many bikes in front. They split into groups of 10 so as not to cause too much trouble to the car drivers. It's amazing how much the group pulls you along I look at the speed and we are doing 20mph and I am not putting in much effort.

I really noticed the effect the group ride has on you pulling you along when I pealed off for the last mile to go back home and suddenly it was hard work. But I still felt really fresh it was a flat route and if I do a 17.4mph average of my 20 mile route that takes in 3 steepish hills I know I been putting in some effort. It felt much easier doing 24 miles ridng in the group. I really enjoyed it and will join the club soon

markos1963

Excellent to hear of your positive first club ride. Sounds like a good, sensible and organised club. I found joining a club to be the transformation of my riding, giving me the speed, skill and incentive to take on things I didn't think I'd be able to.

DavidJB

Couple of people including me at my club are thinking about doing a 'beginners' group to try and get more people to bridge the gap between riding alone and joining a club. I remember before I joined one it was quite a daunting prospect, if I can help someone else bridge the gap at the expense of a few hours riding after the training run on Sundays I'll be happy. It's difficult to gauge interest though!

gazman1

Davidjb i like the sounds of the beginners group idea, i myself would definitely be interested if there was a group like that around east manchester area, if there is anyone with the same idea in my area i would like to hear from them, gaz

Teece

17mph is a beginners ride? Crikey...

...or am I just really slow?

sloppyschleckonds

Teece wrote:

17mph is a beginners ride? Crikey...

...or am I just really slow?

KPH

Teece

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

Teece wrote:

17mph is a beginners ride? Crikey...

...or am I just really slow?

KPH

Nope, OP is using mph!

ineedalager

I'm in MPH! Kph is for those Europeans 17.4mph and I took it steady on the 1.5 mile ride to wear they meet incase I needed my energy to keep up. But of one girl struggled a bit and dropped off the back the ride leader stayed with her the whole ride while 2 groups in front went on as it would have been too slow. They make a point that no one gets left behind.

I felt like I could have gone a bit faster as a lot of the time I was coasting as I was catching up to close to people but I presume that's the drafting effect pulling you along. On the way back I went about 4th in the group but felt more comfortable on the outside rather than riding in by the kerb. I suppose I am just not used to having other bikes so close around me.

kayakerchris

I would love a local club (derby) to run a beginners run. My local club told me I wouldn't be fast enough to keep up with their Sunday ride but I could come on the chain gang if i wanted. Unfortunately i work most evenings.

anto164

Teece wrote:

17mph is a beginners ride? Crikey...

...or am I just really slow?

Don't forget, riding in a group is much easier.. And that they may have had a route that didn't have many stops (i.e. road junctions/ traffic lights etc)

I can't wait to get back to fitness and join back with the club i'm in!!

cyberknight

kayakerchris wrote:

I would love a local club (derby) to run a beginners run. My local club told me I wouldn't be fast enough to keep up with their Sunday ride but I could come on the chain gang if i wanted. Unfortunately i work most evenings.

Whereabouts in Derby?

If you do not mind sticking your bike in the car and driving over to Burton upon Trent Mercia CC has a number of club runs for a variety of abilities on a Sunday ranging from an average of 16 mph up to 20 mph .

http://www.merciacyclingclub.co.uk/

nickel

Best decision I made since I started cycling was joining a club, riding with guys who are fitter than me is really helping to increase my fitness which has plateuxed of late. Averaged 18.6mph across 70miles on saturday, I've never been able to ride at that kind of speed across that distance before, nice to have like minded people to chat to as well!

I ride with Leicester Forest Cycling Club, so a massive plug for them! Friendliest bunch of guys you could hope to meet.

ineedalager

I am not boasting because I know there are a lot of faster riders than me but my best average for a 23 miles flat ride is 20.3mph. I did this to prove 2 points really I love going flat out on the bike and my best time for that ride I set 2 years ago on my Boardman Comp Hybrid was 18.8mph for 21 miles and that took major effort. So when I first got my Spesh road bike just over a month ago it felt so much faster I set to see if I could beat this and crack the 20mph average. So I rode over to a nice bit of duel carriagway about 5 miles from my home when I got there my average was 17mph ish I rode up and down there until I knew I would be over 20 miles by the time I got home and got my average up to 20.3mph. I then rode home as fast as I could go without blowing a gasket and managed to keep that 20.3mph average up all the way home.

I was dead chuffed at cracking 20mph average because it took major effort 2 years ago to set that 18.8mph average and it was 19mph when I left the duel carriageway but I couldn't maintain it and lost a bit of the 5 mile stretch to get back home. So I know I'm faster than the pace I rode at on the club ride. I feel much fitter than I was 2 years ago and I am still losing weight I was almost 17 stone when I started cycling 4 years ago I have just dropped below 13 stone now I'm 12 stone 12lbs. I am 6' 1" and still have a bit of fat to lose my tartget is to loose another stone maybe as I can still pinch at inch of fat at the side of my waist. LOL it used to be 4 inches of fat. I can't believe it when I look down now and see a almost flat stomach as I been used to seeing a beer belly for the last 20 years. I am now at the weight I was when I was in my twenties I am 56 now. I never thought I get back that slim and fit again I am well chuffed with the new slim line me.

alwaystoohot

Small world as I had my first club run out on saturday as well! Did 70 Kms at quite a high speed, periods of 37/38 KMs/hr (abt 23mph) and one stretch at 43! I fell off the back but the group then slows down to allow us fat lads to catch up again. 11 guys and 4 girls I guess of mixed ability. Was majorly impressed how a group pulls you along and also motivates you to speed up and mainatin better speeds. Recommended to all and out again at saturday for another 70km.

zippy483

Slightly off topic but on theme so to speak

When is the best time to approach a club, as soon as your behind hits a saddle or when you have a few miles under your belt so you've hopefully built a base level of fitness

Matt the Tester

doesnt really matter zippy, i approached my current club just at the start of winter and i didn't even have a bike at that point! including no road riding whatsoever.

SouthportCC are a great bunch if your in the area (i see your not) since if you dont have a road bike you can always borrow one of theres

itsnotarace

Teece wrote:

17mph is a beginners ride? Crikey...

...or am I just really slow?

Swindon to Cirencester and back is pretty much flat all the way

ineedalager

itsnotarace wrote:

Teece wrote:

17mph is a beginners ride? Crikey...

...or am I just really slow?

Swindon to Cirencester and back is pretty much flat all the way

I do a 20 mile lap of Swindon that takes in Salthrop hill, Wroughton hill and the one at the back of Coate water and my best for that is 17.3mph. Riding on my own I used to have to walk up those hills they are pretty testing for beginners to road biking. So 17.4 mph on a flat ride is not that fast for me.

itsnotarace

Were you the only beginner in the beginners group then? You seem to be very defensive about your solo average speed, when the average speed of the group was high because:

1) the route between Swindon and Cirencester is flat
2) you're in a group

dave8178

gazman1 wrote:

Davidjb i like the sounds of the beginners group idea, i myself would definitely be interested if there was a group like that around east manchester area, if there is anyone with the same idea in my area i would like to hear from them, gaz

http://www.dukinfieldcc.org/

been meaning to get out with this club for ages but cant seem to due to work.
they are the closest club to the east of manchester i think.

Dave

KnightOfTheLongTights

zippy483 wrote:

Slightly off topic but on theme so to speak

When is the best time to approach a club, as soon as your behind hits a saddle or when you have a few miles under your belt so you've hopefully built a base level of fitness

I'd say the latter personally. Don't forget weekend club runs are at least 40 miles, and I think you'll feel better and more comfortable with it if you know you can do that at a reasonable pace before you join a club. You might even be able to jump straight in the medium group rather than start off in the slow, but that's good.

It was how I went about it anyway...

DavidJB

I made sure I had decent fitness before going on club rides but then I went straight into the fast paced training rides :twisted: 20-21MPH / 50

okgo

riding with a group of people faster and fitter than me has helped hugely.

23 miles with an average of 23.2 mph the first time about 7/8 weeks ago had me dying on my arse thinking I was going to die!

Last week I did turns on the front too and we came in at a respectable 24 mph average over the same course (pretty flat with one small incline).

It keeps getting faster as the strong guys get fit and I get hamemred some more

ineedalager

itsnotarace wrote:

Were you the only beginner in the beginners group then? You seem to be very defensive about your solo average speed, when the average speed of the group was high because:

1) the route between Swindon and Cirencester is flat
2) you're in a group

I don't know there were more than 20 people there I didn't get to talk to that many. There was a girl who couldn't keep up and the ride leader stayed with her. I didn't find the pace that fast as I usually put in alot of effort when I ride solo. I felt fresh like I had just been on an easy ride out. So I would have liked it a bit faster. I like to go as fast as I can without blowing a gasket. Maybe when I get a bit more experience riding with a group I will try going with the faster group as I like to push myself rather than take it easy. As I said alreay I've done 20.3 average for 23 miles on a solo flat route so that's why I didn't find it that testing. But It's a development group so you have to ride at a pace to suit most people on I only saw 2 guys who were struggling a little bit as they approched Cirencester one had dropped from the front group who we could see 1/4 of mile up the road and was caught and passed by the group I was in as the pace does hot up for the last mile or so.

gazman1

Dave8178 thanks for the reply and the info re: Dukinfield cc if you fancy a ride sometime give me a shout im only in Dukinfield myself mate, gaz

ineedalager

okgo wrote:

riding with a group of people faster and fitter than me has helped hugely.

23 miles with an average of 23.2 mph the first time about 7/8 weeks ago had me dying on my ars* thinking I was going to die!

Last week I did turns on the front too and we came in at a respectable 24 mph average over the same course (pretty flat with one small incline).

It keeps getting faster as the strong guys get fit and I get hamemred some more

If I'm am honest this is the sort of pace I expected you club guys would be riding at. I didn't think I was riding at a fast enough pace to ride with a club. Now I know I'm OK hopefully I will be able to strive to your kind of MPH average and one day do a 100 mile ride the most I've done is two 60 milers and my arse went numb!

jibberjim

okgo wrote:

riding with a group of people faster and fitter than me has helped hugely.

Until you're very fit, it's the only real training worth doing.

DavidJB

jibberjim wrote:

okgo wrote:

riding with a group of people faster and fitter than me has helped hugely.

Until you're very fit, it's the only real training worth doing.

There's always someone faster

jibberjim

DavidJB wrote:

There's always someone faster

If okgo is who I think it is, I'm sure he'll be in that group soon Although that's one good thing about having a new baby and losing the training time, everyone else gets faster than you quicker!

markos1963

ineedalager wrote:

okgo wrote:

riding with a group of people faster and fitter than me has helped hugely.

23 miles with an average of 23.2 mph the first time about 7/8 weeks ago had me dying on my ars* thinking I was going to die!

Last week I did turns on the front too and we came in at a respectable 24 mph average over the same course (pretty flat with one small incline).

It keeps getting faster as the strong guys get fit and I get hamemred some more

If I'm am honest this is the sort of pace I expected you club guys would be riding at. I didn't think I was riding at a fast enough pace to ride with a club. Now I know I'm OK hopefully I will be able to strive to your kind of MPH average and one day do a 100 mile ride the most I've done is two 60 milers and my ars* went numb!

I think something should be explained here, 23-24mph ave doesn't sound like an average club ride to me. more like a chain gang session. Our 'fast' club ride on a sunday rarely gets an average of over 20 mph. To a beginner these sorts of figures are very off putting and scares a lot of people off coming out with a club. In reality most clubs have a ride that anyone could come on as long as they were able to handle the milage.

sloppyschleckonds

markos1963 wrote:

I think something should be explained here, 23-24mph ave doesn't sound like an average club ride to me.

Unless there are logs to back it up then I'd agree.