Club runs
Comments
-
cougie wrote:Is it just a collection of new cyclists ? Maybe they don't know any better ? If its just a 2.5 hour ride - I don't see why you'd have so many groups doing it ?
Clubs usually do three or so different rides but on different routes, speeds and lengths.
Yeah I know, PM'd you.0 -
My club has two runs on a Saturday that pretty much always follow the same routes (two different routes) to two local cafes every week. One is easier (about 30 or so miles and flat), the other harder (40 or so miles and hilly). We then have a "club run" on a Sunday (different every week about 70-80 miles normally 100+ for some rides), that runs as a single group (it is only a small club), if people are struggling you sometimes get a sub group that will turn back early or go to a closer cafe, if not then the group will wait, or someone will stay with whoever is struggling (I've even seen people pushed a good chunk of the way home!). We have a mid week ride that has a couple of stops and is about 50-60 miles, in theory a slower pace but often splits into a fast and slow group depending on who turns out.
Beginners are encouraged to ride one (or both) of the Saturday rides before having a go at the Sunday run. Given that that harder route sets of with a rather brutal 15% or so climb we try and get people to do the flatter ride (nothing is very flat round here), but people often over estimate what they can do!0 -
Oh and I intended to say that having the two saturday runs always go to the same places means that smaller groups or even individuals will often ride longer/faster/harder routes that end up at one of the cafes at the same time as the official ride. So having a sort of fixed ride can work out well.0
-
Brakeless wrote:NorvernRob wrote:Just don't run it like Sheff CC. A woman I work with asked to go on a ride with them (she's very fit, a top 300 UK marathon runner and when she did the Holme Moss classic with us she averaged over 15mph on a 65 mile, 6,000ft ride).
That isn't really very quick and wouldn't be quick enough for most clubs fast groups.
I look after our clubs email enquiries and we get lots of emails asking about joining our clubruns. Our clubruns are open to anyone but we do ask that first time riders go with our steady ride and aren't allowed with our fast group.
This is for the benefit of everyone, it's no fun for the first time rider if they're hanging on from the word go and it's at best a pain for the regulars if they have to keep waiting at the top of every little rise, at worst it's plain dangerous to have someone in the middle of a group who is concentrating on not blowing up rather than whats going on around them.
We get lots of emails from people saying they ride at 18mph avg for 100km etc etc and yet when they come out on the club run they're breathing out thier ars* within 5 miles.I really don't get why people have to do this, I've got far more respect for the people who say they just want to join a club to improve and learn new routes etc etc. We had too many fast runs disrupted by people overestimating thier ability and also not having the skills to safely sit in a bunch at 20+ mph.
Once they've been on a steady run the guys who lead that ride will let them know if their group skills and speed are good enough to go out with the faster group next time and be a part of it rather than just hanging on to it.
It was quick enough to finish inside the top 20% on the Holme Moss classic, beating hundreds of men and getting over 50 top 10's on Strava including a few QOM.
Out of interest, what would you consider a decent pace over a 60+ mile ride with 100ft per mile of climbing?
She didn't ask to go out on a fast training run and get obliterated by a load of blokes seemingly with a point to prove, she asked to have a ride with the club with a view to joining.0 -
DavidJB wrote:NorvernRob wrote:Just don't run it like Sheff CC. A woman I work with asked to go on a ride with them (she's very fit, a top 300 UK marathon runner and when she did the Holme Moss classic with us she averaged over 15mph on a 65 mile, 6,000ft ride).
Anyway they blasted off, didn't wait at any stage and she barely hung onto the last man to follow where they were going. By the end she was wrecked and needless to say won't be riding with them again or joining the club.
Sounds like she's not fit enough.
I'd say you have to be pretty fit to rank in the country's top 300 Marathon runners.0 -
NorvernRob wrote:Brakeless wrote:NorvernRob wrote:Just don't run it like Sheff CC. A woman I work with asked to go on a ride with them (she's very fit, a top 300 UK marathon runner and when she did the Holme Moss classic with us she averaged over 15mph on a 65 mile, 6,000ft ride).
That isn't really very quick and wouldn't be quick enough for most clubs fast groups.
I look after our clubs email enquiries and we get lots of emails asking about joining our clubruns. Our clubruns are open to anyone but we do ask that first time riders go with our steady ride and aren't allowed with our fast group.
This is for the benefit of everyone, it's no fun for the first time rider if they're hanging on from the word go and it's at best a pain for the regulars if they have to keep waiting at the top of every little rise, at worst it's plain dangerous to have someone in the middle of a group who is concentrating on not blowing up rather than whats going on around them.
We get lots of emails from people saying they ride at 18mph avg for 100km etc etc and yet when they come out on the club run they're breathing out thier ars* within 5 miles.I really don't get why people have to do this, I've got far more respect for the people who say they just want to join a club to improve and learn new routes etc etc. We had too many fast runs disrupted by people overestimating thier ability and also not having the skills to safely sit in a bunch at 20+ mph.
Once they've been on a steady run the guys who lead that ride will let them know if their group skills and speed are good enough to go out with the faster group next time and be a part of it rather than just hanging on to it.
It was quick enough to finish inside the top 20% on the Holme Moss classic, beating hundreds of men and getting over 50 top 10's on Strava including a few QOM.
Out of interest, what would you consider a decent pace over a 60+ mile ride with 100ft per mile of climbing?
She didn't ask to go out on a fast training run and get obliterated by a load of blokes seemingly with a point to prove, she asked to have a ride with the club with a view to joining.
sounds to me like either they poorly explained the nature of the ride to her, or a macho culture took over and they went harder than she was told they would. Either way, it is a pretty poor way of dealing with someone who clearly has an athletic ability and with the right training/coaching could be a very competitive female cyclist.0 -
NorvernRob wrote:Brakeless wrote:NorvernRob wrote:Just don't run it like Sheff CC. A woman I work with asked to go on a ride with them (she's very fit, a top 300 UK marathon runner and when she did the Holme Moss classic with us she averaged over 15mph on a 65 mile, 6,000ft ride).
That isn't really very quick and wouldn't be quick enough for most clubs fast groups.
I look after our clubs email enquiries and we get lots of emails asking about joining our clubruns. Our clubruns are open to anyone but we do ask that first time riders go with our steady ride and aren't allowed with our fast group.
This is for the benefit of everyone, it's no fun for the first time rider if they're hanging on from the word go and it's at best a pain for the regulars if they have to keep waiting at the top of every little rise, at worst it's plain dangerous to have someone in the middle of a group who is concentrating on not blowing up rather than whats going on around them.
We get lots of emails from people saying they ride at 18mph avg for 100km etc etc and yet when they come out on the club run they're breathing out thier ars* within 5 miles.I really don't get why people have to do this, I've got far more respect for the people who say they just want to join a club to improve and learn new routes etc etc. We had too many fast runs disrupted by people overestimating thier ability and also not having the skills to safely sit in a bunch at 20+ mph.
Once they've been on a steady run the guys who lead that ride will let them know if their group skills and speed are good enough to go out with the faster group next time and be a part of it rather than just hanging on to it.
It was quick enough to finish inside the top 20% on the Holme Moss classic, beating hundreds of men and getting over 50 top 10's on Strava including a few QOM.
Out of interest, what would you consider a decent pace over a 60+ mile ride with 100ft per mile of climbing?
She didn't ask to go out on a fast training run and get obliterated by a load of blokes seemingly with a point to prove, she asked to have a ride with the club with a view to joining.
I just googled the Holme moss classic, it's a sportive, how you think she 'beat' hundreds of men when many people use sportives as leisure rides I'm not really sure. To 'beat' people you need a number on your back not on your handlebars.
Maybe there was some confusion with the guys she went out with but if she thinks shes as quick as you think she is then I can see why there would be.
There's only 2 women on the strava leaderboard for that ride and neither are anywhere near 15mph average.
http://www.strava.com/segments/8137439?filter=overall0 -
I ride with a pretty quick group and I have been losing fitness for one excuse or another. So I am just hanging on. But if I continue, I'll drop myself during the ride if I can't keep up. A few of us have bad days and sometimes you just need to fall off the back wave everyone off and relax.0
-
I just googled the Holme moss classic, it's a sportive, how you think she 'beat' hundreds of men when many people use sportives as leisure rides I'm not really sure. To 'beat' people you need a number on your back not on your handlebars.
Maybe there was some confusion with the guys she went out with but if she thinks shes as quick as you think she is then I can see why there would be.
There's only 2 women on the strava leaderboard for that ride and neither are anywhere near 15mph average.
http://www.strava.com/segments/8137439?filter=overall
It's easy to try and prove a point using stats but the point remains that she wasn't looked after on her first ride with a club - regardless of whether she was out of her depth.
As someone toying with joining a club and harbouring the usual insecurities about keeping up, half the posters on this thread make me want to give it a go while others seem to realise my worst fears.0 -
If anyone goes off the back of our club rides, the ride leader drops back and shoots them dead by the side of the road.
The remaining portion of their membership fee (whole months only) is then refunded to their estate.0 -
SoSimple wrote:I just googled the Holme moss classic, it's a sportive, how you think she 'beat' hundreds of men when many people use sportives as leisure rides I'm not really sure. To 'beat' people you need a number on your back not on your handlebars.
Maybe there was some confusion with the guys she went out with but if she thinks shes as quick as you think she is then I can see why there would be.
There's only 2 women on the strava leaderboard for that ride and neither are anywhere near 15mph average.
http://www.strava.com/segments/8137439?filter=overall
It's easy to try and prove a point using stats but the point remains that she wasn't looked after on her first ride with a club - regardless of whether she was out of her depth.
As someone toying with joining a club and harbouring the usual insecurities about keeping up, half the posters on this thread make me want to give it a go while others seem to realise my worst fears.
If you turn up or enquire about going on a clubrun and are honest about your abilities then there is no reason to end up in a group that you are not comfortable with. At the same time if you say you're quicker than you actually are then you shouldn't expect someone elses ride to be disrupted so they can look after you.0 -
Brakeless wrote:NorvernRob wrote:Brakeless wrote:NorvernRob wrote:Just don't run it like Sheff CC. A woman I work with asked to go on a ride with them (she's very fit, a top 300 UK marathon runner and when she did the Holme Moss classic with us she averaged over 15mph on a 65 mile, 6,000ft ride).
That isn't really very quick and wouldn't be quick enough for most clubs fast groups.
I look after our clubs email enquiries and we get lots of emails asking about joining our clubruns. Our clubruns are open to anyone but we do ask that first time riders go with our steady ride and aren't allowed with our fast group.
This is for the benefit of everyone, it's no fun for the first time rider if they're hanging on from the word go and it's at best a pain for the regulars if they have to keep waiting at the top of every little rise, at worst it's plain dangerous to have someone in the middle of a group who is concentrating on not blowing up rather than whats going on around them.
We get lots of emails from people saying they ride at 18mph avg for 100km etc etc and yet when they come out on the club run they're breathing out thier ars* within 5 miles.I really don't get why people have to do this, I've got far more respect for the people who say they just want to join a club to improve and learn new routes etc etc. We had too many fast runs disrupted by people overestimating thier ability and also not having the skills to safely sit in a bunch at 20+ mph.
Once they've been on a steady run the guys who lead that ride will let them know if their group skills and speed are good enough to go out with the faster group next time and be a part of it rather than just hanging on to it.
It was quick enough to finish inside the top 20% on the Holme Moss classic, beating hundreds of men and getting over 50 top 10's on Strava including a few QOM.
Out of interest, what would you consider a decent pace over a 60+ mile ride with 100ft per mile of climbing?
She didn't ask to go out on a fast training run and get obliterated by a load of blokes seemingly with a point to prove, she asked to have a ride with the club with a view to joining.
I just googled the Holme moss classic, it's a sportive, how you think she 'beat' hundreds of men when many people use sportives as leisure rides I'm not really sure. To 'beat' people you need a number on your back not on your handlebars.
Maybe there was some confusion with the guys she went out with but if she thinks shes as quick as you think she is then I can see why there would be.
There's only 2 women on the strava leaderboard for that ride and neither are anywhere near 15mph average.
http://www.strava.com/segments/8137439?filter=overall
She obviously didn't join the strava group for the ride, I did it and I'm not on there either. There are only 76 out of over 400 riders on that group you posted. I've just looked at the ride on my Strava and she averaged 15.1mph.
As for not beating anyone, no sportives aren't a race but 90% of people do them as quickly as they can. It's not a 5 mile Skyride.
What do you think a decent pace is for a woman doing a 60+ mile ride with 100ft per mile of elevation? You seem pretty determined to belittle her. As someone has said above she obviously has plenty of athletic ability and may well have been an asset to a club - it's just a shame she was treated like she was and now won't bother.0 -
I'm really not out to belittle her I just think she ended up in a group she wasn't ready for. If I was way slower than the people I've gone out with I wouldn't expect them to disrupt their ride to look after me. 15mph average is not fast for a 100km hilly fast clubrun, it's about right for a steady group but a fast group will easily go 17.5 - 18mph.0
-
Greenbeetle wrote:If anyone goes off the back of our club rides, the ride leader drops back and shoots them dead by the side of the road.
The remaining portion of their membership fee (whole months only) is then refunded to their estate.
What a generous club, ours keep all the membership to fund the Xmas party. If the pot is looking a little low in October we purposely put newbies in the fast group to bump it up a bit.0 -
Its a bit tw@tty to leave someone behind on a club run. Fair enough if they're a member who knows the route - but its pants to do it on someones first ride. We were all novices once. My clubs were good and they'd have riders looking after us. It takes a while to get up to speed sometimes.0
-
SoSimple wrote:As someone toying with joining a club and harbouring the usual insecurities about keeping up, half the posters on this thread make me want to give it a go while others seem to realise my worst fears.
Just do it - what's the worst that can happen? They might be the nicest bunch of guys ever but if you don't go you'll never find out.0 -
Id say it wasn't machoism that was the problem but rather a woman who thought she was suitably fit enough to join a fast club run and got found out,
I posed a similar question recently and got told that if im brave enough to join the fast group on the first attempt then I should be brave enough to find my own way home.
I thought myself very fit before joining a club, id been in the army a number of years and kept myself very active since, on top of that id cycled for a few months on my own before going on a club run, I soon found out that cycling required its own type of conditioning.
This isn't a attempt at belittling her im just imagining a scenario where a marathon runner with a sportive or two under her belt thought she could live with a fast group of men and then moaned about it when she couldn'tOne plays football, tennis or golf, one does not play at cycling0 -
What really matters if whether the ride is described as 'leaving no rider behind' or not. Don't beleive the intermediate, or 18mph description as these are hugely subjective and terrain dependent, as until you've done the ride, or ridden with the people you can't know for sure whether you fit that description.
If you want to join a club ride, always ask to ride with a group that waits for people, and if they leave you behind, then that's just rubbish on their behalf. If you're riding with a group that does a target speed and doesn't advertise itself as waiting, then you can't really complain at having to make your way back on your own if dropped.
If a club doesn't have a 'wait for everyone ride' or beginners group, then they are obviously not looking to recruit these types of riders and are a group or faster riders. These club have a natural selection of faster riders, either through people they know from racing, or people who are fast enough not to be repeatedly dropped on the club run. Some see this a cliquey, others see this as a good way to keep the club run running to time and at a speed that the existing members enjoy.0 -
bobmcstuff wrote:SoSimple wrote:As someone toying with joining a club and harbouring the usual insecurities about keeping up, half the posters on this thread make me want to give it a go while others seem to realise my worst fears.
Just do it - what's the worst that can happen? They might be the nicest bunch of guys ever but if you don't go you'll never find out.
Ok - so you're a first time group/club ride - what's the worst that can happen?
1) The group goes off at a pace that is beyond you
2) The group climbs any hills faster than you ride the flat
3) You wobble whilst in the group and take out a bunch of riders
4) You fail to pass on the signal indicating a pothole in the road and the next person smashes their wheels
5) They laugh at your "cheap" bike
6) You puncture
1) Perhaps you should've been a bit more honest about your pace - if you were and their weren't honest about theirs and they're not easing up then it's not a group for you. Personally, I'd make excuses and drop off, or if already on the back and have been for ages without anyone paying attention then I'd just drop off anyway. Life's too short for buggering about.
2) Depends if they wait at the top - one of my early rides with the club saw us approach a hill (unknown to me) and an older guy came up alongside me, stated "this hills a bugger" then disappeared up the slope! I plodded on up probably around 95% of max and they were waiting for me at the top - we stopped whilst I apologised for being slow, consumed my emergency gel, glucose tablets and drink, then carried on - I think they saw that I was making the effort and quite happy as I wasn't that far off the overall pace.
If they hadn't waited then I would've probably said sod it and gone home (I have mapping, so despite not knowing where I was I could've got home relatively easily).
3) Explain to the other riders that it's your first time in a group - they should give you a bit more room. One tricky bit is taking the first drink in close quarters, especially if you're on the inside - drop to the back if you feel safer.
4) Again, if you've told the others that it's your first time they shouldn't expect you to pass down a warning sign from in front. Eitherway, your bike is your responsibility, their bike is theirs.
5) If they're doing it nicely then fine ... my first club ride saw me riding with guys with more expensive wheelsets than my whole bike, doesn't matter though - you're out riding
6) Everyone punctures from time to time - just ensure you've got the kit you'd have on a solo ride and don't be afraid to ask for help. I got a snake bite on one of my early club rides - wheel was off and replacement tube put in before I had a chance to do anything myself - was given a CO2 inflate too, saved the group waiting for the pump ....
I've met some arrogant twats on a club ride, but most of the time it's enjoyable, ignore the twats and enjoy the ride - too many twats, find a different ride - and that's it in a nutshell.0 -
Joeblack wrote:Id say it wasn't machoism that was the problem but rather a woman who thought she was suitably fit enough to join a fast club run and got found out,
I posed a similar question recently and got told that if im brave enough to join the fast group on the first attempt then I should be brave enough to find my own way home.
I thought myself very fit before joining a club, id been in the army a number of years and kept myself very active since, on top of that id cycled for a few months on my own before going on a club run, I soon found out that cycling required its own type of conditioning.
This isn't a attempt at belittling her im just imagining a scenario where a marathon runner with a sportive or two under her belt thought she could live with a fast group of men and then moaned about it when she couldn't
I'm not sure if you've read my posts.
She didn't ask to join the fast group. She just asked to join a training ride with a view to joining. She doesn't think she's super quick on a bike - she only started riding this year, when I found out she was doing the Holme Moss Classic she said she'd be happy to do it under 5hrs (about 13mph, hardly overestimating her ability). Her longest ride before that was 40 miles.
Anyway it doesn't matter now, whether it was a misunderstanding or not she could have been an asset to a club and now won't be.0 -
NorvernRob wrote:
She didn't ask to join the fast group. She just asked to join a training ride with a view to joining.
This is where it all went wrong. Hopefully she's since gone on a social pace ride and found a club.0 -
thomasmorris wrote:What really matters if whether the ride is described as 'leaving no rider behind' or not. Don't beleive the intermediate, or 18mph description as these are hugely subjective and terrain dependent, as until you've done the ride, or ridden with the people you can't know for sure whether you fit that description.
If you want to join a club ride, always ask to ride with a group that waits for people, and if they leave you behind, then that's just rubbish on their behalf. If you're riding with a group that does a target speed and doesn't advertise itself as waiting, then you can't really complain at having to make your way back on your own if dropped.
If a club doesn't have a 'wait for everyone ride' or beginners group, then they are obviously not looking to recruit these types of riders and are a group or faster riders. These club have a natural selection of faster riders, either through people they know from racing, or people who are fast enough not to be repeatedly dropped on the club run. Some see this a cliquey, others see this as a good way to keep the club run running to time and at a speed that the existing members enjoy.
Now that is bang on.
I think sometimes people can be too impatient to get into the better groups: you go out in a group that feels slow, too easy (even though it is actually probably quite good training), but then you step up to the next group and you're chewing the handlebars, that’s happened to me a few times. There can be a bit of a jump between the 'steady' and the 'fast' groups.
It can be difficult too, especially if it’s a big club, knowing which group to go out with if faces change every weekend etc.
(And to add to comments re. conditioning: I was a decent fellrunner when I took up cycling, and mates who assumed I'd be fast wiped the floor with me - just because they'd been riding for years and years. On most aerobic measures I was probably much fitter, but it took a while to get my cycling legs – though I probably made those gains quite quickly.)0 -
Back to the OP...
We have rides on Saturday and Sunday mornings, Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
On Saturday we have anywhere between one and four groups depending on how far/fast people want to ride and who's willing to lead. It's all fairly spontaneous/shambolic (delete as applicable) although usually a couple of guys have an idea of where they want to go and the majority follow. The groups can be anywhere between three and 30 people. I think 10-15 is optimal for a number of reasons, but having people of similar ability (or willing to ride as if they are) is just as important. The main steady ride waits for slower riders, within reason. Other groups often go faster and are more ruthless. In summer we do occasional longer, faster rides from a different meeting point, to avoid people joining by accident who aren't fit enough to keep up.
Sunday is similar but shorter and once a month (subject to the availability of a volunteer) we also run a group specifically targeted at beginners. No speed is too slow for that one and it's sometimes as little as 25 miles.
Non-members are welcomed for a few rides before being expected to join. That's the official line, for insurance reasons. In reality it isn't usually policed. We occasionally have visitors from other clubs and make them welcome.
Tuesday is a chaingang "at the pace of the slowest rider", although it has been known to break up into different groups. Thursday is a full-on tear-up for those who want to show how fast they are. Both of those are for members only.0 -
[sorry dunno what happened there]0
-
OP Can you post up a couple of photo's?"You really think you can burn off sugar with exercise?" downhill paul0
-
Slowbike wrote:bobmcstuff wrote:SoSimple wrote:As someone toying with joining a club and harbouring the usual insecurities about keeping up, half the posters on this thread make me want to give it a go while others seem to realise my worst fears.
Just do it - what's the worst that can happen? They might be the nicest bunch of guys ever but if you don't go you'll never find out.
Ok - so you're a first time group/club ride - what's the worst that can happen?
1) The group goes off at a pace that is beyond you
2) The group climbs any hills faster than you ride the flat
3) You wobble whilst in the group and take out a bunch of riders
4) You fail to pass on the signal indicating a pothole in the road and the next person smashes their wheels
5) They laugh at your "cheap" bike
6) You puncture
1) Perhaps you should've been a bit more honest about your pace - if you were and their weren't honest about theirs and they're not easing up then it's not a group for you. Personally, I'd make excuses and drop off, or if already on the back and have been for ages without anyone paying attention then I'd just drop off anyway. Life's too short for buggering about.
2) Depends if they wait at the top - one of my early rides with the club saw us approach a hill (unknown to me) and an older guy came up alongside me, stated "this hills a bugger" then disappeared up the slope! I plodded on up probably around 95% of max and they were waiting for me at the top - we stopped whilst I apologised for being slow, consumed my emergency gel, glucose tablets and drink, then carried on - I think they saw that I was making the effort and quite happy as I wasn't that far off the overall pace.
If they hadn't waited then I would've probably said sod it and gone home (I have mapping, so despite not knowing where I was I could've got home relatively easily).
3) Explain to the other riders that it's your first time in a group - they should give you a bit more room. One tricky bit is taking the first drink in close quarters, especially if you're on the inside - drop to the back if you feel safer.
4) Again, if you've told the others that it's your first time they shouldn't expect you to pass down a warning sign from in front. Eitherway, your bike is your responsibility, their bike is theirs.
5) If they're doing it nicely then fine ... my first club ride saw me riding with guys with more expensive wheelsets than my whole bike, doesn't matter though - you're out riding
6) Everyone punctures from time to time - just ensure you've got the kit you'd have on a solo ride and don't be afraid to ask for help. I got a snake bite on one of my early club rides - wheel was off and replacement tube put in before I had a chance to do anything myself - was given a CO2 inflate too, saved the group waiting for the pump ....
I've met some arrogant twats on a club ride, but most of the time it's enjoyable, ignore the twats and enjoy the ride - too many twats, find a different ride - and that's it in a nutshell.
Really appreciate you taking the time to put that into words as it's just as I would hope things were.
There's a club locally who have 2 or 3 groups and I've come across them on Strava and he steady group posts times similar to mine, although once I factor in riding in a group for the first time, I'd guess I'd be slower while I learned the ropes.
Hadn't even considered things like taking a drink for the first time in a group - so clearly much to think about!
I won't ever be troubling the faster guys, but hopefully it should be a challenging but enjoyable experience.
It won't be for a few weeks but I'll post how I get on0 -
You're right of course but FWIW I really don't think you should have any fears as long as you ask carefully what distance and speed the run is likely to be and make sure it's within your capabilities. I really do think it's very rare for a newcomer to be so badly treated if they turn up to a club ride which stipulates that they welcome newcomers.SoSimple wrote:It's easy to try and prove a point using stats but the point remains that she wasn't looked after on her first ride with a club - regardless of whether she was out of her depth.
As someone toying with joining a club and harbouring the usual insecurities about keeping up, half the posters on this thread make me want to give it a go while others seem to realise my worst fears.
Ruth0 -
I would have thought the sensible approach would be to go for your first ride with the club with either the slowest group or at least one that is likely to be slower than your capabilities.
At worst that first ride will be a slower than you would prefer but at least you'll get a better sense or where you fit and other riders within that group will probably be able to advise you on where you probably fit in with the other groups.“You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”
Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut0 -
It can be a bit awkward sometimes if someone doesn't take up the opportunity of trying rides targeted for newcomers and turns up for a regular club run (for which distances and expected speeds are published by the club). In the past (and before we'd started our 'intro rides') we have been known to take someone back with one of the riders peeling off the back of the club run if someone's obviously been over-stretched. We are still likely to do that, though it relies on someone taking the initiative and giving up their expected ride.BeaconRuth wrote:I really don't think you should have any fears as long as you ask carefully what distance and speed the run is likely to be and make sure it's within your capabilities. I really do think it's very rare for a newcomer to be so badly treated if they turn up to a club ride which stipulates that they welcome newcomers.
For my own part, on my first club run I made sure I knew the route, and said not to worry if I went off the back - I didn't expect twenty keen riders to wait for me. As it happened, all was fine, despite it being 70 miles at 19mph! Those were the days before our intro rides...0 -
Greenbeetle wrote:If anyone goes off the back of our club rides, the ride leader drops back and shoots them dead by the side of the road.
The remaining portion of their membership fee (whole months only) is then refunded to their estate.
To be fair, not enough clubs do this. I'm a bit suprised about the refund though - that ought to be retained for punitive purposes...0
