Mountain Bike clubs

lbalony

Are any of you members of clubs? Or in good size local mixed groups etc? What is it like and do you get much from it?

I really want to join a club or group, but can not find one. Does anyone knoe of any in the Wakefield postcode area or Leeds postcode area? Do not want to travel to far.

jimothy78

I was a bit skeptical of joining a club, to be honest - as a relative newcomer to the sport I imagined I'd always be holding up others on group rides or pushed to attempt stuff I wasn't comfortable with. I was lucky enough to be pointed in the direction of a large, local(ish) club by another forumite. It's a big, well-organised club and as such there's always lots going on, with monthly "club rides" plus they've recently started doing regular newbie rides where the emphasis is on getting as many people as possible, of all different abilities, out on their bikes exploring new trails. This has been a huge benefit to me as it gave me the confidence to try things I otherwise wouldn't, without the pressure of "keeping up with boys" Also a brilliant way of finding excellent trails that youd never know were there without local knowledge.

I can't help you with your search, but encourage you to keep trying, and maybe look over a wider area - try to ride with a few clubs if possible until you find one that suits you.

thistle_

Used to be in a loosely organised group. Was great to start with for a few years, then half the group fell out with the other half and left, then it went cliquey with only selected people getting invited on most rides.

If you find a good club it's worth joining as you'll get a lot out of it - you'll find new places to ride and you'll go out more often and get better at riding.

cooldad

Clubs no, I'm not a joiner, but I have met loads of people through the rides part of the forum, some of whom have become good friends.
New people come in, some old ones drop out.
We also started a Facebook page which is used more now and has a few hundred members, and there are other local pages - Swinley Forest, DH stuff etc.
Always something being arranged informally.

lbalony

jimothy78 wrote:

I was a bit skeptical of joining a club, to be honest - as a relative newcomer to the sport I imagined I'd always be holding up others on group rides or pushed to attempt stuff I wasn't comfortable with. I was lucky enough to be pointed in the direction of a large, local(ish) club by another forumite. It's a big, well-organised club and as such there's always lots going on, with monthly "club rides" plus they've recently started doing regular newbie rides where the emphasis is on getting as many people as possible, of all different abilities, out on their bikes exploring new trails. This has been a huge benefit to me as it gave me the confidence to try things I otherwise wouldn't, without the pressure of "keeping up with boys" Also a brilliant way of finding excellent trails that youd never know were there without local knowledge.

I can't help you with your search, but encourage you to keep trying, and maybe look over a wider area - try to ride with a few clubs if possible until you find one that suits you.

See that sounds perfect. Glad you have somewhere good ha

teeoffchris

I see the facebook page is a closed group. Can anyone join or is it invite only?

I live in Kent and I was hoping that this might lead to a few new rides?

cooldad wrote:

Clubs no, I'm not a joiner, but I have met loads of people through the rides part of the forum, some of whom have become good friends.
New people come in, some old ones drop out.
We also started a Facebook page which is used more now and has a few hundred members, and there are other local pages - Swinley Forest, DH stuff etc.
Always something being arranged informally.

cooldad

We just closed it so random people couldn't see the stupid posts but it's not a private club or anything. We are not even choosy.
I think there's a button to ask to join. If not just PM me.

cooldad

I see you found it. Welcome.

paulbox

lbalony wrote:

Are any of you members of clubs? Or in good size local mixed groups etc? What is it like and do you get much from it?

I really want to join a club or group, but can not find one. Does anyone knoe of any in the Wakefield postcode area or Leeds postcode area? Do not want to travel to far.

I know that clubs aren’t for everyone, but I would strongly encourage people join one, it has made a huge difference to my riding. Before joining I used to ride the same local trails over and over again. Joining the club has helped me to ride lots of different places without going through the pain of buying maps, devising routes and then having to follow them during the ride. Obviously that’s good fun every now and then, but it is good to just follow others who know where they are going or have done all the hard work!

Not much use to you I’m afraid, but I ride with http://www.bucksmtb.co.uk/ , they hold a monthly open ride which anybody can join a couple of times to see if they like it, after that people are asked to join up. On open rides the slowest rider sets the overall pace, regular stops for everybody to catch up and everybody is cool. Members organise many different rides and trips which are advertised on the Facebook page, from local days at Aston Hill, short trips to Swinley / Chicksands, or day trips to FoD, Cannock or Wales. There are also weekend trips organised pretty regularly to Wales, Dales centre etc.

There is never any pressure on people to do stuff that they don’t feel comfortable doing, but you do naturally feel that you want to improve yourself when others are just taking things in their stride. A couple of years ago I didn’t think I’d ever own a full face helmet and body armour, but sh!t happens… There are also skills sessions organised with good instructors, two last year, two booked so far this year.

If you are the sort of person who just wants to go flat-out, no stopping, no chatting, no coffee & cake stops, clubs might not be for you ;-)

giantAstax

I'm in a couple of clubs and have met various peeps on rides who I occasionally ride with - actually I'm in bucksmtb too and I ride with Paul quite a bit. For me, having moved areas and lost most of my old riding buddies (I now don't have any mates locally who ride) finding the best places to ride and avoiding riding on my own most of the time was only possible through clubs.

ride 3 times a week at this time of year and the variety of locations and riding partners I've encountered could only have been achieved this easily via the clubs. I've also set up a Facebook group with a couple of guys I met through various forums and that's proving to be a laugh plus I do ride various events around the country and often bump into people who are local to me.

There's no need to socialise outside the riding though if you don't want to.

welshkev

lbalony wrote:

jimothy78 wrote:

I was a bit skeptical of joining a club, to be honest - as a relative newcomer to the sport I imagined I'd always be holding up others on group rides or pushed to attempt stuff I wasn't comfortable with. I was lucky enough to be pointed in the direction of a large, local(ish) club by another forumite. It's a big, well-organised club and as such there's always lots going on, with monthly "club rides" plus they've recently started doing regular newbie rides where the emphasis is on getting as many people as possible, of all different abilities, out on their bikes exploring new trails. This has been a huge benefit to me as it gave me the confidence to try things I otherwise wouldn't, without the pressure of "keeping up with boys" Also a brilliant way of finding excellent trails that youd never know were there without local knowledge.

I can't help you with your search, but encourage you to keep trying, and maybe look over a wider area - try to ride with a few clubs if possible until you find one that suits you.

See that sounds perfect. Glad you have somewhere good ha

I was a member of the club jim's a member of (I think I told him to join ) the only reason that i'm not now is that I can't always make club rides etc due to other commitments - but I have met a lot of guys who I now ride with outside of the club

jimothy78

welshkev wrote:

(I think I told him to join )

yes, kev, you were the "other forumite" in question. Shame you can't come out with Halfway much - still haven't been able to put a face to the name.

bartimaeus

I'm part of "an autonomous collective" - the "Kingley Vale Mountain Bikers and QECP Trail Collective."

We aren't a club and we have no rules other than "please wear a helmet", but we do have a website for 'stuff' including organising rides and dig days at QE. Apparently we now have 642 members which seems like a lot!

It all works pretty well as everyone is pretty laid back. People just post up 'anyone want a ride' and see what happens... and if someone new comes along they need not worry about being slow or being left behind - if anyone was organising a fast/long/technical ride they would say so, otherwise it's all just having fun on bikes.

sbd16v

i ride with a club in devon ''yogi'' its very laid back good riding

i am also for a short period whist in portsmouth riding with

the "Kingley Vale Mountain Bikers and QECP Trail Collective."

i honestly do not see any differnce in the type of lads that ride and how people are treated etc, ride with pub after for both my club ride in devon and qecp rides.

Graham K

lbalony wrote:

Are any of you members of clubs? Or in good size local mixed groups etc? What is it like and do you get much from it?

I really want to join a club or group, but can not find one. Does anyone knoe of any in the Wakefield postcode area or Leeds postcode area? Do not want to travel to far.

Theres an FB 'club', MTB Shenanigans based over Halifax way, use the term club loosley, its a bunch of folk with the same hobby in mind, known a couple of the guys for a few years and they are a sound bunch for Yorkshire types :P
They have rides out, weekends away etc


I did meet up with a club a few year ago, wasnt for me, I just want to enjoy riding, not in the least bit bothered or interested in club type politics.

stubs

Clubs mean rules and people telling me what to do. Nothing more guaranteed to make me break the rules and tell the people in charge where to shove a track pump.

cooldad

This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
One of our local ones insists on a trial ride to vet you and make sure you are the right stuff.
I'm quite happy to be the wrong stuff.

milko9000

I must say, I'm much more keen on the London Calling approach of "do you want to go on a bike ride? We're going to ride some bikes" being about as selective as it gets. Even if it does mean the likes of me get in.

bartimaeus

milko9000 wrote:

I must say, I'm much more keen on the London Calling approach of "do you want to go on a bike ride? We're going to ride some bikes" being about as selective as it gets. Even if it does mean the likes of me get in.

They let me ride... so definitely not 'selective'! It was a fun day in the woods.

cooldad

I especially welcome sh1t riders as they stop me looking so bad. No matter what though I always end up at the back.
I call it being the sweeper, but that's just an excuse.

sbd16v

Clubs mean rules and people telling me what to do. Nothing more guaranteed to make me break the rules and tell the people in charge where to shove a track pump.

im sure thats true of a SOME clubs but ime not of many

the only club rule for mtbing i can think of is you wear a helmet and imo thats a fair rule.

natrix

cooldad wrote:

One of our local ones insists on a trial ride to vet you and make sure you are the right stuff.
I'm quite happy to be the wrong stuff.

Not completley true, although I know that there is a lot of mis-information spread regarding this club and their rides.

If an existing member can vouch for somebody or if they have already raced in the Gorrick events or similar then they're welcome to join the club without without coming on an 'Introductory Ride' as its called. The Intro Ride is about showing people the sort of riding the club does, not to see if they've got the 'right stuff' (whatever that is).

Clubs aren't for everybody, but lets not make false accusations about them

stubs

Never been in a MTB club but been a member of various clubs and sports teams and there has always been a pencil pushing prick with a rule book. Its what defines a club otherwise its just a bunch of people.

cooldad

natrix wrote:

cooldad wrote:

One of our local ones insists on a trial ride to vet you and make sure you are the right stuff.
I'm quite happy to be the wrong stuff.

Not completley true, although I know that there is a lot of mis-information spread regarding this club and their rides.

If an existing member can vouch for somebody or if they have already raced in the Gorrick events or similar then they're welcome to join the club without without coming on an 'Introductory Ride' as its called. The Intro Ride is about showing people the sort of riding the club does, not to see if they've got the 'right stuff' (whatever that is).

Clubs aren't for everybody, but lets not make false accusations about them

You mean you don't even have to have a beard - I thought you got a stick on one when you bought the jersey.

natrix

cooldad wrote:

You mean you don't even have to have a beard - I thought you got a stick on one when you bought the jersey.

It's actually a mirkin, but don't tell anyone 8)

Yacoby

I am in a uni club, which means that technically it is a drinking club that does a bit of cycling. Does this count?

cooldad

natrix wrote:

cooldad wrote:

You mean you don't even have to have a beard - I thought you got a stick on one when you bought the jersey.

It's actually a mirkin, but don't tell anyone 8)

Perhaps the name is a giveaway. But we won't post that to protect the innocent.