Cycling clubs

iampaulb

Just Looking for more info on cycling clubs, i have had a look at Farnborough & Camberley (their kit is god dam awful) Also a few others local to me. But what does joining a club get me, apart from chances to enter weekly races / challenges? Is it not just the same as riding with a bunch of mates?

I would like to join one dont get me wrong. Just looking for more info, are there things like team sportives or races? That you can enter? Also Their kits...might be a stupid question but do you have to wear them? Some are awful!!!!

Cleat Eastwood

It kind of is just riding with a bunch of mates - but different mates each week. You get to do different routes, you learn roadcraft and you get to know where the coffee shops are.

Most clubs have organised rides too either for charity or for club fun. And because of a clubs size you'll probably do more club miles on a run than you would with your mates.

Clubs wil also tend to have designated chain gangs for race/speed training.

Invaluable i've found has been the knowledge passed on by the older riders and the improvement in group riding.

Some clubs are relaxed enough to let you wear what you want but most will inisist at some point in wearing the kit as it will carry sponsors etc.

By the way you dont have to ride if you dont want to - you could still ride a few miles with a club and then smeg off and ride with your mates.

Its a really sociable way to stay fit and enjoy the bike.

iampaulb

Cleat Eastwood wrote:

Some clubs are relaxed enough to let you wear what you want but most will inisist at some point in wearing the kit as it will carry sponsors etc.

Yeah you summed up pretty much what i thought a club was. However looks like ill have to find one with a nice looking kit! haha. :P

have come across these guys and the kit is quite nice http://www.vcmeudon.com/

MikeWW

What does it get you?

As much or as little as you want or are prepared to put in. There will be a core of racing members, potential training partners, opportunity to ride with like minded folk, team mates at races, chance to help out with events etc

Is it like riding with a bunch of mates
Might be if you have mates that ride at the level you want to ride at

Do you have to wear the kit?
Not always but you would at races. If its a really big deal to you the join a club where you like the kit

rob.m

Hi mate, I'm a member of Farnborough and Camberley. You don't have to wear the kit its not compulsory, give them a go it's a good club!!

iampaulb

Rob.M wrote:

Hi mate, I'm a member of Farnborough and Camberley. You don't have to wear the kit its not compulsory, give them a go it's a good club!!

Ah nice. It was the main one I was looking at. Whats the age groups like? im 27

smidsy

There are far better things to inform your decision on which club to join other than their kit.

I opted for the one that made me welcome most and was not stuck up - despite the fact that their kit was a clash with my bike and existing lid/shoes/gloves etc.

The one that matched were total knobs - so new bike and kit it is then :-)

iampaulb

my bike is black so goes with anything

Laird_Attwood

I'm looking to join one of the local clubs, not made mind up on who yet but the club winning so far have been very friendly. Invited to club meet, one member is an instructor and has given my OH a free lesson (she's never learnt to ride) Although I had a screaming 2year old in tow the members we friendly and made an effort to speak to me/child etc. Most members seemed older than me but doesn't put me off. One of the other clubs is very much racing orientated so as a beginner really I can't see myself fitting in.

Go and speak to the clubs see who you think will be the best fit for you!

markos1963

The important thing to remember is a club isn't a shop or service provider. You get out of it what you put in. This is why it's so important to find one that you'll get along with and do the things you like. That way you'll be more likely to get involved and enjoy it.

rolf_f

Cleat Eastwood wrote:

It kind of is just riding with a bunch of mates - but different mates each week. You get to do different routes, you learn roadcraft and you get to know where the coffee shops are.

Most clubs have organised rides too either for charity or for club fun. And because of a clubs size you'll probably do more club miles on a run than you would with your mates.

Clubs wil also tend to have designated chain gangs for race/speed training.

Invaluable i've found has been the knowledge passed on by the older riders and the improvement in group riding.

Some clubs are relaxed enough to let you wear what you want but most will inisist at some point in wearing the kit as it will carry sponsors etc.

By the way you dont have to ride if you dont want to - you could still ride a few miles with a club and then smeg off and ride with your mates.

Its a really sociable way to stay fit and enjoy the bike.

All the above.

This is what I am starting to find out. I've been riding mostly solo for 3 years and this year, job plus weather plus whatever else has been making me a bit fed up with it all. So I looked about Leeds to see what there was in Clubs. One is right on the other side of town (but looks really good judging by the website), one hasn't updated their website in over a year which is a bit silly so I went to try out the third which meet up almost a stones throw from mine - Airedale Olympic.

I've been out with them three times now on their Sunday club runs. This is what I have found -

1) The miles tick by much faster on the club run
2) They are a bit slower than I'd ride on my own but they cover a good distance and I get home wishing the ride was another 20 at least (on top of 70-80 miles on the rides I've done so far)
3) They do indeed know the good tea shops (this is Yorkshire so we don't really do coffee shops).
4) Despite that each of the rides I've been on have been to places I know well, the routes they take are nothing like the ones I've fallen into the routine of.
5) They have a fast training run on Saturdays which also isn't far away and I think I might try that this weekend
6) I've gone out 3 times in 3 weeks - before I was managing a ride a month.
7) It's nice not to have to worry about route finding - someone else is doing all that!
8) They do trips abroad which sound really good - I intend to sign up!
9) Their kit is based on the yellow red and black Ti Raleigh 1980s team kit so is pretty cool! The group looks pretty smart aside from me spoiling the colour scheme.....

BlakeysFC

Just need to get my average mph up and I'm probably going to trundle down to the Farnborough and Camberley club at some point late this year/early next year.

My mind was made up pretty much as soon as I saw their TT route starts about 5 minutes from my house

smidsy

BlakeysFC wrote:

Just need to get my average mph up and I'm probably going to trundle down to the Farnborough and Camberley club at some point late this year/early next year.

My mind was made up pretty much as soon as I saw their TT route starts about 5 minutes from my house

You need to warm up before any serious effort cycling so 5 mins in useless - I would look at a club for what it is like and not the one that your nearest to or the colour of the kit suits your eyes!!!!

rob.m

BlakeysFC wrote:

Just need to get my average mph up and I'm probably going to trundle down to the Farnborough and Camberley club at some point late this year/early next year.

My mind was made up pretty much as soon as I saw their TT route starts about 5 minutes from my house

Hi mate, I wouldn't worry about your average speed as the club caters for all levels of riders on club runs, chain gangs and tt's etc.

iampaulb

Im going to drop a few clubs some emails today, more than likely i'll go to a few weekend rides and decide which one is best for me.

rolf_f

smidsy wrote:

BlakeysFC wrote:

Just need to get my average mph up and I'm probably going to trundle down to the Farnborough and Camberley club at some point late this year/early next year.

My mind was made up pretty much as soon as I saw their TT route starts about 5 minutes from my house

You need to warm up before any serious effort cycling so 5 mins in useless - I would look at a club for what it is like and not the one that your nearest to or the colour of the kit suits your eyes!!!!

To be fair, he said he'd trundle down and see them - not put his name down for a ten year subscription paid in advance! There's a lot to be said for not having to ride 15 miles across town just to get to the start point!

BlakeysFC

Rolf F wrote:

smidsy wrote:

BlakeysFC wrote:

Just need to get my average mph up and I'm probably going to trundle down to the Farnborough and Camberley club at some point late this year/early next year.

My mind was made up pretty much as soon as I saw their TT route starts about 5 minutes from my house

You need to warm up before any serious effort cycling so 5 mins in useless - I would look at a club for what it is like and not the one that your nearest to or the colour of the kit suits your eyes!!!!

To be fair, he said he'd trundle down and see them - not put his name down for a ten year subscription paid in advance! There's a lot to be said for not having to ride 15 miles across town just to get to the start point!

Yeh exactly. I just meant Smidsey, that I don't want to travel miles and miles just to meet up with my club-mates and ideally don't want to have to drive there so WindyMilla in Seale or F&C CC are ideal for me to join once I get my average speed up as they are both within 3-5 miles of my house, both having TT courses local to me, and on 'social nights' in the pub etc. they'd probably use pubs/bars near me so would be easy for me to meet up with club-mates to socialise too.

iampaulb

Whoop! Tom pick wyndymilla Ill probs be going on a club ride soon.

dylanfernley

bit like back door bashing, everyone should try a club,at least once, we are social beasts, a club run is so much more than just a ride, or should be !

there is always the Curmudgeon Touring Club for those with different tastes

JasonBrooke

Hi there, does anyone have any experience of cycling clubs around Wakefield. Any opinions/stories would be greatly appreciated.

mattshrops

I wouldn't worry too much on which club to try- go and try them all.

I joined my club after arranging to meet some lads from a different club(to try it out) at an early season reliability run. After about 8 miles i stuck the rear mech into the back wheel on the crappy bike i had at the time. As often happens on these rides i'd been chatting with some boys from another club and one of them turned round, rode back and fetched his van to pick me up! that to me epitomises bike clubs and the type of people you're likely to meet. Just get out there and enjoy it.
If you dont get what you are expecting go elsewhere.
+1 for you get what you give. All of our clubs are run by volunteers for the love of our sport. #unsung heroes.

bobbydazzla

I went on my first club run today.

Only been cycling 6 weeks and we did a 60 miler today. The lads were all very handy on a bike and the pace was high for someone like me who doesn't have many miles in their legs yet (my avge speed over that distance is 15.5mph). I dropped off the back from time to time on the climbs, which I was fine with, but someone would always nip back to pace me back up to the group.

Definitely made the ride go faster and being with better riders has given me a benchmark to aim for for in terms of building up strength in my legs. Plus it was windy so drafting made life much more bearable.

And the club kit matches my bike. So I'll look dapper if I get myself a jersey.