Finding people to cycle with

PolyphonicBoy

Any tips how to find local people to go cycling with?

Unfortunately my only local cycling friend selfishly moved to Italy and I'd love to find a group in my town to go out at the weekend with. There is no cycling club in the town I live in, but there is one in Edinburgh (10 miles away) and Peebles (13 miles away). I'm not sure if I'm up to the standards required of a serious cycling club. The furthest cycle I've had so far is 50 miles, and my average speed is around 16mph (although that's on a hybrid - my first road bike arrives this week).

Omar Little

most larger cycle clubs have different groups to cater for different abilities.

16 mph solo average for 50 miles isnt too bad. I'd generally say if you can manage that you would be looking at riding with the intermediate group (rather than the easy or beginners group) at alot of clubs.

rc856

^+1
Has the club got a website where you find out about runs?
You could always drive to the clubrooms/start point?

Joining a club was the best (cycling) thing I've done. Wish I'd joined years ago!

nhoj

With over 600 members, Edinburgh's club must have something to suit.

PolyphonicBoy

I was slightly put off when I read the Edinburgh club's Sunday runs where 50-70 miles at 17 mph. However, reading their website again, I see they do Saturday runs with a wider range of distances/speeds, so will give one a go in the new year.

kim10

I think you should give it a go and join the Edinburgh one. If it has over 600 members you’ll probably find that some of them are close to where you live anyway.
I live 8 miles away from my club and after joining a few years back I quickly found that 6-7 members living only down the road from me and we now go out for mid week evening rides on a regular basis and ride in together for the weekend rides.
Also if you are doing 50 mile rides at an average of 16 mph on your own, I think you will be fine doing longer distances at 17mph in a group. You will be amazed how much of a benefit group riding is. If you explain to them on your first outings that you are new to that kind of speed/distance I’m sure they will look after you.

StorckSpeed

If you can ride at 16mph solo for 50 miles on a hybrid, then you'll easily manage to do 17mph for 70 miles in a group on a decent road bike.
But for your first ride with the club go for a saunter with the club on a Saturday. Enjoy it and get chatting with some of the other riders. Don't piss everyone off by leaving them on the hills though and once you get your confidence up join the faster group on a Sunday.

briantrumpet

Kim10 wrote:

Also if you are doing 50 mile rides at an average of 16 mph on your own, I think you will be fine doing longer distances at 17mph in a group. You will be amazed how much of a benefit group riding is. If you explain to them on your first outings that you are new to that kind of speed/distance I’m sure they will look after you.

This. I went out with a small group from the club on Saturday with someone who's new to road riding (2 months in) and who's never done more than 50 miles. He did 61 miles at 17mph, despite suffering from a bit of a bug - and all he had to do towards the end was to ask us to ease off the pace a bit as his knees were suffering slightly.

Now the club's got a Facebook group, it's easy to set up irregular rides with club members, so we're not just tied to the Sunday club runs and Tuesday & Thursday night chaingangs.

Kamzter

I went out once with a couple from work, they were on MTB's and were only used to cycling say 3 miles at a time max.
We went on a 30 miler of which would purely wipe them out as quite a hilly route, the first hill they got off and walked, the rest of the time I was about a mile ahead but kept waiting for them at each junction so they knew which way to go.
I might of frightened them from coming out with me again but it did not bother me once that it slowed me down as like they say, we/I was a learner once and sometimes its a great eye opener to cycle with someone better, it personally sets/tells you what standard you need to be or are at present.

I took the bad mistake at 17 to learn to drink with an alcoholic thinking I could keep up with them, after that I learnt to stick to my own pace and not that of others.

I am happy to cycle with people the same or less standard as me but wont be forced to go any quicker then I want or have to, then this is my personal opinion of myself.
I see more out cycling on their own then I see in groups so think sometimes a lot prefer that but sometimes miss the company or the friendship.

Scrumple

gaydar

okgo

I you can average 16 mph on your own, on a hybrid, you'll be absoloutley fine with a club on a road bike. As has been said on here many times, sitting in a bunch of riders, or even in a line, is vastly easier than taking the wind in your face solo.

Kamzter

You wanna try riding behind the one I tend to ride behind, always wind in my face, makes me wonder what he eats !!

nhoj

Kamzter wrote:

You wanna try riding behind the one I tend to ride behind, always wind in my face, makes me wonder what he eats !!

Babies, by the look of your avatar. Jelly ones, of course. "Get in my belly!"