Well rounded cycling clubs in London

RococoTapes

Hallo there,

I've recently moved to London (soon to be living in East London), and am looking for a cycling club. I'd like a reasonably established club that gets a good turn out every Sunday and has members who have been cycling fans since BTS (Before Team Sky). A few old gadges who raced in the 70s would be a nice touch ,and a healthy cohort of shifty testers who shave their arms is preferable.

I have been going out with a club based in Soho recently, and I must say, they aren't really doing it for me - the shared knowledge that one enjoys when joining any form of club is utterly absent, which is a shame. I've been into the sport since I was born (now 24) and would like to be around others who have too.

Plan is to get back into racing next year, so a club with a chain gang scene would be sweet too.

If there is no droll Yorkshireman battering on about how good Barry Hoban really was; don't worry. I will provide that function.

Thanks!

Roc

jibberjim

The problem with what you're looking for in London clubs is they are all pretty much swamped with riders who joined in the last few years. You'll often find a nucleus of the riders you're looking for, but then when you first rock up on the club run you're with the other 100 new members...

Going along to pub nights is how you have to meet them in our club...

RococoTapes

Which club might that be, out of interest?

Cheers

VaVaVeteran

Crest (Ilford) could be ideal for you. I rode with them in the 70s and they were 40 years old then; still going strong today. They even have their own building in Essex, one of the famous 'club huts' www.crestcyclingclub.org.uk

racingcondor

Any London club that's recruiting will have been flooded with new riders so getting away from that isn't realistic (Dulwich now in excess of 550 members had around 60 when I joined 6 years ago...).

Just find an old club and talk to the guys who race. Plenty of them will have years behind them and they'll be able to introduce you to a few others who don't race who are the same.

Ben6899

Come and give Islington CC a go. We ride out every Sunday from the Holloway Road entrance to Whittington Park - 0830hrs prompt.

We have a great mix of new and experienced riders.

Tomorrow, the longer ride (we usually have two groups: long/fast and short/not so fast) is setting off early at 0715hrs to do a recce of the Ride Of The Falling Leaves sportive. I won't be around, but if you turn up, tell them I sent you!

maryka

RococoTapes wrote:

Which club might that be, out of interest?

Cheers

Our club is the Kingston Wheelers, in the same boat as Dulwich with over 500 members, more than half of which have joined in the past 3-4 years. We are nowhere near East London anyway...

The BC "club finder" can maybe help you find something your way, or in any case, some clubs to contact and give a try before deciding which to join, http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/clubfinder. Also check out the CTT list of affiliated clubs, http://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/Clu ... fault.aspx

paddlemyowncanoe

ELV are well-established and out your way.

mikenetic

If you're living East then I can wholeheartedly recommend Pretorius Cycles. They do shop rides, but aren't British Cycling affiliated as a club - that may matter depending on if you want to race.

They have two riding groups (fast and moderate) the group leaders are experienced riders/racers (including ex Pros), it's extremely sociable whilst maintaining excellent group discipline.

http://pretoriusbikes.com/Pretorius_Bik ... Rides.html

dave35

Have a look at Hainault Roads Club, got all you want there.

FransJacques

ELV is a great club if you want to race. The support there is immense and the people seems really serious about the grass roots rider.