Cycling Clubs & Hybrid Bikes?

ianwilliams

Hello,

I’m a moderately fit 28 year old. I started cycling again in November, doing a few canal towpaths but mostly spending time on the turbo trainer.

I want to join a cycling club for both the social and fitness benefits and to learn more about ‘real world’ cycling (i.e. not the turbo). I’m not interesting in racing or competing within the club.

My bike at the moment is a Specialized Sirrus hybrid. I feel more comfortable on it than a road bike. Would I be wasting my time at a cycling club on such a bike, given that I only want to ride socially? What about with a few choice upgrades (e.g. wheels, MTB pedals)?

If I enjoy it then I’m happy to spend around a grand on a road bike, but I need to spend more time outdoors to justify that decision.

Cheers.

gloomyandy

probably varies from club to club, for most I would think the question will be can you keep up and can you ride the distance of the club rides, rather than what sort of bike you ride. Today on my club ride we had 18 people out most on road bikes but 2 on rigid mountain bikes and one on a hybrid, they had no problems keeping up! Having said that I suspect that had this been a summer ride they would all have been on a road bike.

Anonymous

Bike would be fine in our club on the Sat morning leisure ride.
We do about 30-35 miles with cafe stop.
Where in the UK are you?

Camus

I don't see how it would be a problem, other than the bike simply not being as racy and therefore naturally not as fast as a road bike, especially if you do make some upgrades to make it more 'roady'.

If there are any snarky comments then it's those people that have the problem, if I was out on a club ride and someone in your situation turned up I'd be totally fine with it, not everyone has the time, can afford or wants to have a garage full of bikes for specific circumstances. Nothing wrong with riding for fitness and pure enjoyment.

Monty Dog

Your local CTC Group should be fine, or some clubs may have a beginner's ride. Some groups go as fast as the slowest rider, whereas others like to maintain a minimum average speed - make sure you know which is which before you start.

ianwilliams

Cheers guys.

Carbonator wrote:

Where in the UK are you?

I'm in Leeds.

Monty Dog wrote:

Your local CTC Group should be fine, or some clubs may have a beginner's ride. Some groups go as fast as the slowest rider, whereas others like to maintain a minimum average speed - make sure you know which is which before you start.

Ah right. So it looks like there will be some clubs - or some rides within a club - that I'm more suited to for now. That's fine; once I know I enjoy cycling on the road for distance then I'm happy to upgrade to a road bike.

danlikesbikes

Most clubs tend to do several group rides from the Fast & racer types to the steady & sociable speed. We have a couple of people out on Hybrid bikes & a husband and wife that ride a tandem.

Basically if they don't make you feel welcome them its something wrong with the club, nothing that you have done.