The Northern Ireland Thread. *Warning* May include cake

GavH

Have you looked on the Cycling Ulster site or are you looking for recommendations?

LiamW

grifterveteran wrote:

what cycling clubs are there in greater belfast?

i'm aware of phoenix and castlereagh


recovering from a hip operation, been told my long distance running days are behind me gutted, but cycling should be ok long term, just considering options.

happy new year!

Hip replacement or just a standard op?

Reason i ask is because i'm due a replacement this year, be nice to speak to someone who has been there and done it.

LiamW

Anyone else seen this?


http://www.soulride.co.uk/

paul_mck

Pretty cool idea!!

pinno

Hello

Hows the hangover boys? The 3rd of January and some of you are sober... we definately are in a recession.

Only the wind is in the wrong direction and I can't smell Belfast at the minit.

paul_mck

heres me wha?

grifterveteran

yea had a look on cycling ulster - was surprised that the province seems well covered but hardly any belfast clubs mentioned, except for phoenix. Castlereagh isn't even on there. So thought i'd ask for a little bit of local knowledge on here, and pointers/recommendations about individual clubs would be good, cheers.

Liam - didn't have hip replacement, was diagnosed (eventually) with FAI which is also known as hip impingememnt - basically 2 bones rubbing together and slowly destroying cartilage etc. I had a cartilage/labral tear and a bit of the cartilage was flapping. So the surgeon shaved some of the bone away, repeired the cartilage tear and glued the flapping cartilage back to the socket wall. Just gone 2 weeks post-op.

GavH

Most of the Belfast clubs (inc Castlereagh & Phoenix) are listed under Antrim. Phoenix have a big membership from what I understand and a good reputation. They meet at the HoS at Malone.

The bigger clubs tend to be capable of forming up multiple ability groups ranging from the likes of Cat A guys who'll be heads down and going for it most of the way, through to Cat Cs who'll be taking it easy and having a bit of craic. Smaller clubs can only afford to put out perhaps one group which might (or might not) be beyond your fitness or capabilities. Definitely worth considering if you are looking at just two options for example.

LiamW

http://phoenixcycling.proboards.com/ind ... rd=general


That's the link to the Phoenix message board, they have a thread on new members if you fancy turning up and giving it a go with them. I know quite a few who are members there but personally they're not my cup of tea but each to their own.

GavH

Liam, I've thought about going out with Phoenix a few times but been putxoff by the distance from where I live. Interested to know your thoughts on them (as im sure will grifterveteran), particularly why they're not your cup of tea?

paul_mck

I went out with them once, nice enough crowd but can see how a newcomer might feel a little intimidated.

Keep meaning to go out again but never get around to it.

vino2012

I think Castlereagh's pretty much extinct now isn't it?

LiamW

GavH wrote:

Liam, I've thought about going out with Phoenix a few times but been putxoff by the distance from where I live. Interested to know your thoughts on them (as im sure will grifterveteran), particularly why they're not your cup of tea?

I went out with them around 3 years ago for about 3/4 weeks, i got the old look down the nose attitude at me and my bike which i may add was a £1800 full carbon with Ultegra at the time. Needless to say the it was like trying to get blood from a stone conversation wise from those in the group i was in, we headed out to oxford island had the customary scone and tea and headed back through aghalee aghagallon were i was promptly dropped. Now that in itself isn't an issue, i've been dropped many a time but imagine my surprised when i got back and later on that day logged onto their message board to see certain members mocking those dropped, stating that the average speed would have been higher had it not been for 'certain' riders. :roll:

Anyway, i went out again for the next few weeks and the same thing happened albeit without the digs on the website. I just decided to head out on my own after that and take it from there, no time for smug smart remarks from people who don't know me.

Anonymous

LiamW wrote:

GavH wrote:

Liam, I've thought about going out with Phoenix a few times but been putxoff by the distance from where I live. Interested to know your thoughts on them (as im sure will grifterveteran), particularly why they're not your cup of tea?

I went out with them around 3 years ago for about 3/4 weeks, i got the old look down the nose attitude at me and my bike which i may add was a £1800 full carbon with Ultegra at the time. Needless to say the it was like trying to get blood from a stone conversation wise from those in the group i was in, we headed out to oxford island had the customary scone and tea and headed back through aghalee aghagallon were i was promptly dropped. Now that in itself isn't an issue, i've been dropped many a time but imagine my surprised when i got back and later on that day logged onto their message board to see certain members mocking those dropped, stating that the average speed would have been higher had it not been for 'certain' riders. :roll:

Anyway, i went out again for the next few weeks and the same thing happened albeit without the digs on the website. I just decided to head out on my own after that and take it from there, no time for smug smart remarks from people who don't know me.

I had a very poor experience with a local club as part of a sportive, only difference was, my bike is crap and it was me doing the dropping (out of spite)
However, I went out with Madigan club in Carrick a few times before Christmas and a nicer bunch of guys you couldn't hope to meet. Differing levels of abilities, same as everywhere, but they have increased my motivation and hence fitness and speed exponentially in 3 months. I'm now a member with all their kit and enterred Cat 4 racing this year.
Moral of the story is, not all clubs are full of knobs, although almost every club will have a few. It's worth it if you can find a good club that suits!

LiamW

hutchy_belfast wrote:

LiamW wrote:

GavH wrote:

Liam, I've thought about going out with Phoenix a few times but been putxoff by the distance from where I live. Interested to know your thoughts on them (as im sure will grifterveteran), particularly why they're not your cup of tea?

I went out with them around 3 years ago for about 3/4 weeks, i got the old look down the nose attitude at me and my bike which i may add was a £1800 full carbon with Ultegra at the time. Needless to say the it was like trying to get blood from a stone conversation wise from those in the group i was in, we headed out to oxford island had the customary scone and tea and headed back through aghalee aghagallon were i was promptly dropped. Now that in itself isn't an issue, i've been dropped many a time but imagine my surprised when i got back and later on that day logged onto their message board to see certain members mocking those dropped, stating that the average speed would have been higher had it not been for 'certain' riders. :roll:

Anyway, i went out again for the next few weeks and the same thing happened albeit without the digs on the website. I just decided to head out on my own after that and take it from there, no time for smug smart remarks from people who don't know me.

I had a very poor experience with a local club as part of a sportive, only difference was, my bike is crap and it was me doing the dropping (out of spite)
However, I went out with Madigan club in Carrick a few times before Christmas and a nicer bunch of guys you couldn't hope to meet. Differing levels of abilities, same as everywhere, but they have increased my motivation and hence fitness and speed exponentially in 3 months. I'm now a member with all their kit and enterred Cat 4 racing this year.
Moral of the story is, not all clubs are full of knobs, although almost every club will have a few. It's worth it if you can find a good club that suits!

I was the opposite mate, i was crap and my bike wasn't.

That's was just my experience, as i said before i know plenty of people who ride for them and they all love it and think it's great, maybe had i stuck with it then it would've been different but sure who knows.


But you're right, every club has a few knobs who think they're better than the rest.

GavH

I think 'sticking with it' is the key. Expect to get dropped until you've developed the necessary speed in your legs and critically, the experience or at least intuition to know when the pace is going up. I joined a club earlier this year and went out on a few runs and to be honest, found it more challenging that riding on my own but also more rewarding as a result, not to mention a whole lot more sociable! It became evident quite quickly that whilst the club membership was quite small, it was also quite a tight group who didn't seem to really need if not want new members; they seemed happy enough with what they had. In any case, a nice bunch on the whole. Some who would talk away in the group and others who wouldn't even notice you were alongside let alone say Hi or introduce themselves. Such is life: not everyone is equipped with the same social skills or the knowledge to use them (and some folk can't speak when they're pulling on the front and blowing out their @rse!).

I went to work abroad for a couple of months over the summer and when I came back, I felt like I had to re-establish myself all over again. Only two people remembered my name and at least another couple acted like they had never met me. No biggy, that's life, some folk have poor memories and again shows the onus is on the individual to get out there and make him/herself known.

What killed it for me was on one run, after another couple of weeks away, I was told there would be no club run that weekend as it was the end of season ride away to Portrush. I'd been told they did a long weekend at the end of the season so as an event it didn't surprise me. What did surprise me was that I hadn't been told that it was arranged for a particular weekend or afforded the opportunity to join in. As a paid up new member, I felt excluded frankly. To make matters worse, the club secretary was saying how they had to truncate it this year 'due to lack of support from across the club'. Ironic given that he was lamenting this to someone who would have relished the opportunity but didn't even know about it! Anyway, I gave them a bye from then on in, kicking myself for not having been able to make more of an effort until I saw a post on their facebook page from a member saying they were looking forward to tomorrows bun run. Nothing on FB or the club site anywhere and once again I'm left wondering where my interest in a 'club' that's not exactly all-inclusive lies. I've posted about this separately on the general forum as I was genuinely miffed at how the club could organise anything if only select members were getting told about it. Was this common? How did other clubs do it? Was I to expect the same from any other clubs? etc etc.

Bottom Line: We can be quite an insular bunch here in Norn Iron. Add to that the somewhat aloof attitude that we road cyclists often have and you have there a recipe for the experiences above.

To Grifterveteran: Don't let the above put you off, but DO make sure if you want to get the best from whatever club you join, that YOU make the effort because, initially at least, THEY probably won't bother!

Anonymous

I read your post gav, name & shame the clubs (via pm if you wish) I'm dying to know who
They were out of pure nosiness!

vino2012

It's quite ridiculous to turn up at a club's run on a saturday morning and then expect everyone to be your best pal. There is a bit of "elitism" in all clubs but don't take it so personal. If you get dropped from a club run then take it on the chin. Look at it from their perspective, if you turn up on a run and slow them down then that is a bit selfish. Clubs aren't businesses so naming and shaming a club won't do a thing except exclude yourself further. Beginners should stick to beginner runs and keep out of the faster runs until they can keep up.

GavH

LOL No need to name and shame, they were a nice bunch of people in a wee club that I think is happy where its at and doesn't need nor really deserve a public kicking, especially as I've said, some of the onus was on me to attend more.

That said, I think the fact they took my money and then failed to invite me to a major club event only a couple of months later, where I would have got to know more of the club and more to the point, they would have got to know me, was pretty bad form. Maybe I was forgotten about - it happens. I've created countless email distribution lists at work and almost every time, someone gets in touch to say he's been missed off the list. That said, it's a thirty second job to add him in, so not sure why the club secretary or whoever failed to add me, especially when they are then moaning about the normal 3 day trip having to become 2 because of 'lack of suport'. That still makes me laugh.

Anyway, it appears that isn't too common and the majority of clubs out there are better administered, so as I said, Such is life. It cost me £20 and a wee loss of faith in the club system, it cost the club a member for potentially the next 20 or 30 years!

grifterveteran

Interesting stuff, thanks.

Has Castlereagh CC really bit the dust?

Have to say a fair bit of whats been said has struck a chord even though i'm not in a club-merely just from my experiences of being out cycling by myself etc.

That said, for every ignoramus there has been a cyclist who has been very helpful and friendly. Just think the amount of equipment and clothing thats needed, as well as specialist knowledge about the finer aspects of the sport, lends itself quite easily to being an arsehole.

Have to compare it to my now sadly lost running days. Alls you needed was a pair of trainers. Anyone could turn up no matter what shape or size, and were actively welcomed and encouraged to join. The local Athletics Club seemed to take it upon itself to be a major player in improving the health, fitness and community spirit of the local area. From eager teenagers to fat woman trying to shed a few pounds, they were all there.

Course, im getting ahead of myself, have to wait till the hip gets rehabbed!

grifterveteran

PS - any other clubs in the Belfast area and whether they are a big club or a smaller club. Cheers

poynedexter

as someone relatively new to the club scene, i can fully understand all sides here. its not easy trying to join a group who already know eachother and as a new face you are a threat. will you be better than them, will you hold them up, share the work etc. people fear change here in norn iron and new takes time.

i've ridden with 4 different clubs recently and am a member of 1. my own club is perhaps the hardest to feel comfortable with because its large, and contains quite a few young egos. however the other smaller clubs have made me very welcome when i've met up for a run. the clubs around me are quite happy for a bit of mingling really.

i'm not surprised at all that some clubs are harder to settle with than others (most competitive cyclists seem a bit weird anyway ).

pedrojake

LiamW wrote:

Anyone else seen this?


http://www.soulride.co.uk/

Cool, about 300 yards from my work

vino2012

If any of the guys on here are in and around North Down, I thoroughly recommend coming and giving our saturday morning runs a go. The club literally caters for all abilities and no one is given a cold shoulder! Nnice discounted coffee stops and good craic. NDCC have a facebook page also if anyone has any queries. Biggest club in the north

causewaygiant

We've just started a new club on the Causeway Coast for similar reasons. Anyone who comes up here is more than welcome on our Sunday club run. Leaving from Costa Coffee, Riverside, Coleraine @9:30. All abilities welcome!!

LiamW

causewaygiant wrote:

We've just started a new club on the Causeway Coast for similar reasons. Anyone who comes up here is more than welcome on our Sunday club run. Leaving from Costa Coffee, Riverside, Coleraine @9:30. All abilities welcome!!

You say that now.

All joking aside, all the best and i hope it takes off for you.

paul_mck

bit far for me mate but all the best with it

causewaygiant

Thanks dude. We had 24 out on Sunday for the first run. We have a couple of guys gonna race but we head out with them on a Saturday and bust ourselves so we are all glad of the slow one on a Sunday!! Anyone down on holiday please feel free to come along. The Saturday run is quicker but still very manageable.

pedrojake

causewaygiant wrote:

Thanks dude. We had 24 out on Sunday for the first run. We have a couple of guys gonna race but we head out with them on a Saturday and bust ourselves so we are all glad of the slow one on a Sunday!! Anyone down on holiday please feel free to come along. The Saturday run is quicker but still very manageable.

Usually take a house for a week in Portstewart in the summer so will bear that in mind cheers

seanorawe

If anyone is selling or knows anyone selling a Garmin Edge 500 give me a shout?

Cheers