Dropping my cycling club, what next?

RayKinsella

Folks, I joined the local cycling club and it did not go well. I really enjoyed the new routes, being out with people, the regularity of training, the intensity of training (riding with great riders) - these were all really great. I was out with them almost every weekend from last October until about a month ago

I have been cycling long rides solo for two years, so my fitness wasn't really the issue. It was more my bike discipline and handling is still at beginner's level perhaps. Staying in formation no matter what happens and others being able to trust my instincts, when cycling beside me and the like. The club can go at it pretty hard, so these are important, the correct instincts are really important and I don't have all of them, at times I made poor choices.

I had a couple of difficult rides with other riders passing comments - in a friendly and concerned way, but of course I was the only person drawing comments; "keep up", "your too far out", "ride-on", "call the junction" etc. So you get embarrassed and frustrated, and it doesn't feel like you are improving after giving it one more go. But you are enjoying the rides, so give it one more go, and so on.

I reached out to a couple of the more senior riders, and told them I was worried, they of course told me to keep at it, that I would improve - they are good guys, but I couldn't see it. Then one of them told me they had a big crash a few years ago, because of poor bike handling, and there were some serious injuries and a few people left the club after that, so they are rightly a bit sensitive.

I was never the best sportsman, so learning these things takes me a while, so when I heard that story, I said that I was going to be responsible for an accident. I haven't been back since, and while I feel a loss as I was enjoying it. I also have no intention of returning.

So this has been a knock to my enthusiasm for the bike, I still ride, still do long rides solo, but it was a set back. So I am wondering where to next, any advice?

DeVlaeminck

Just keep at it - how will you improve if you don't ? Most people have probably attracted a few comments early in their cycling "career".

Most of the stuff you've mentioned isn't actually that dangerous - it's possible your group are just a little over zealous but without riding with them hard to say.

Bottom line is if they didn't want you there they'd tell you.

Dorset_Boy

As said above, you only get better at something through practice, practice, practice.

Pointing out dangers on the road is a core part of rider safety and really shouldn't be difficult to pick up (though car up / car down means different things to different clubs!! - we use car up (ahead) and car back (behind)) and calling a junction to be clear is good practice even if riding solo but another rider happens to on your tail at the time. Likewise pointing out potholes, gravel etc becomes second nature after a short while.

Holding a wheel closely requires confidence in and knowledge of the rider ahead, but that again comes with practice, and if listening out for the safety calls, then becomes easier - also keep looking ahead yourself at what the road ahead is bringing. but ultimately leave the space you are comfortable with, but that space may reduce over time.

pblakeney

Do they not have different groups for different levels?
Local club splits into smaller groups based on fitness levels and group riding experience.

thegreatdivide

pblakeney said:

Do they not have different groups for different levels?
Local club splits into smaller groups based on fitness levels and group riding experience.

Exactly. A club should have at the minimum two levels.

MidlandsGrimpeur2

If you really enjoy riding with the club, then I would return and give it some more time. As others have said, you will pick it up.

If the comments and/or fear of causing a crash (very unlikely you would though) are too great though, then that is understandable.

Club/group riding is great for some, not for others.

I have always ridden solo, purely because cycling is my personal space to do what I want (which I know is a bit selfish but so be it!). I also like to ride when it suits me and plan rides and pacing that fit in with my training.

If you wanted to ride with others but not in a formal club environment, do you know a small group of local riders of a similar level to you that could form an informal weekly group? There are plenty of small groups of 6-8 riders round my way who ride together regularly, but are not a part of any cycling club.

wallace_and_gromit

I've got back to proper group riding this year after circa 8 years of either solo riding or riding with friends / family. I'd certainly forgotten a lot, so I can sympathise with the OP!

As others have said, I'd stick with it. Clubs have a way of letting you know if you're not welcome. Advice given mid-ride can sound a bit gruff, simply as folk are out of breath and/or shouting over traffic noise, but it is usually well-intentioned, as a well-drilled group is faster and safer for all.

Definitely worth checking the "terms of reference" for the particular group you're riding with. If it's not a "no drop" ride then making it clear to the ride leader when you check in that you're not expecting anyone to wait and will drop off when you're toasted can earn a lot of good will.

Unrelated to the above, some groups do overdo the "commentary" which makes me tend to "zone out" and miss the important calls!

wallace_and_gromit

thegreatdivide said:

pblakeney said:

Do they not have different groups for different levels?
Local club splits into smaller groups based on fitness levels and group riding experience.

Exactly. A club should have at the minimum two levels.

We have 4 (called A, B, C and D officially):
- Headbanger: Make sure you know your way home!
- Fast "regular regroup if necessary until the 'race' for the final traffic light"
- Slower "regular regroup if necessary no racing"
- No drop, ride round together, however slowly, but no knobbly tyres, please

joeyhalloran

Just my 2p:

- Ride with a slower group to give yourself more mental space to focus on the other stuff. If your fitness is good it's possible you've jumped straight into a group of other experienced riders that will naturally ride a bit closer together too.
- Try building up to it. There is a big difference between riding solo and in big groups. Perhaps go out with one other person and ride side-by-side so you can still see ahead. Then ride in a group of 3-4 so you can practice being on someone's wheel but still able to see past them up the road etc...
- You could try improving your handling through dedicated drills if you have the time. It's not for everyone but some specific cornering/handling practice can really accelerate your learning. A local coach sometimes runs a cornering practice in empty carparks. You get to practice the same corner each time and get confident with it and get a lot more practice in a short space of time.

First.Aspect

I'd be wondering if you've just found the wrong club. If they've been cycling in such a way that they've had a mass pile up on a group ride, it probably wasn't safe in the first place. You are after all sharing potholed roads with traffic so you shouldn't be riding in the same way they do on a pro race on closed roads in the first place.

It also sounds like you are getting targeted a bit. Adults are just grown up children and the herd playground mentality never leaves people.

There are lots of groups who go out, ride fast, but who don't try to take themselves too seriously.

So my suggestion is try a few alternatives. At least that way you'll know if you really are a chopper.

And I bet you aren't.

First.Aspect

And fwiw anyone who is so engrossed in their group ride that they aren't aware of a junction coming up is a danger, and chastising someone for not calling it is rathwr missing the point.

One of my great annoyances with group rides is sharing the road with weekend warriors who only ride in groups and who don't may attention to things like road signs and HGVs because its always done for them.

Kind of the same people who latch on to your wheel and expect you to start pointing out hazards for them.

wavefront

I sympathise a lot, but don’t get disheartened! Take it as positive advice and you will of course learn. As others suggested, try a group at a pace that you can easily manage to then concentrate on etiquette. In all honesty it’s not difficult, it’s just new to you, and it takes time to build confidence and allow yourself to get closer to others.

After many years of riding in groups I still give newcomers a wide berth but it’s purely a trust thing. Some riders I know very well and will happily sit 10mm from their wheel knowing how they ‘operate’, others I’ll leave a wheel length!

Be kind to yourself - you’ve put yourself out there doing something new, and of course it’s a challenge. It will get easier. Perhaps let your club mates know you’d like to join a ride but only for an hour then peel off solo afterwards. But ask them if they’d coach you during that first hour? That way you won’t feel a burden or a risk, they get their fun afterwards, and you’ll keep learning by doing it regularly with them. Best of luck!

rick_chasey

If there other clubs around can always try those, or if the club is bigger, maybe try some of the rides that are frequented by different guys.

I found those who were too anxious about calling everything out and strict on riding discipline really grating but the club I was in was so big I ended up gravitating to the guys who were just a bit more relaxed about it, and relied a little more on their own handling abilities.


Smaller groups are obviously the easiest way to learn how to ride groups. If there’s a 3 or 4 or 5 person group it’s easier to learn how to ride alongside/behind without feeling overwhelmed.

I would also say anxious riders like to make out it’s all very difficult to newbies. It really isn’t. I suspect you’re doing it largely fine and that lot are just a bit jumpy because they got unlucky with a bad experience.

rick_chasey

wallace_and_gromit said:

I
Unrelated to the above, some groups do overdo the "commentary" which makes me tend to "zone out" and miss the important calls!

Pet hate of mine.

I don't need to know it's a little bumpy mate. Stick to sh!t that's gonna make me fall off, break my bike or get hit.

Moonio_returned

What if you rode at the back?? Would that help?

RayKinsella

Moonio_returned said:

What if you rode at the back?? Would that help?

That was discussed, but it t doesn't appear to happen, they kept pushing me to the front because I am a stronger cyclist.

RayKinsella

pblakeney said:

Do they not have different groups for different levels?
Local club splits into smaller groups based on fitness levels and group riding experience.

There is mostly a single group of 10 to 15 cyclists. Occasionally there is a second group, when someone has returned after a long break, but it is pretty rare.

Moonio_returned

It sounds like they see something in you and want you to be better/more focussed? That can be hard when you have self doubt so maybe find a new club ASAP and regain your confidence. Then you can think about going back to the old one with more experience, perhaps give yourself a deadline of 4-6 months. See how it goes 🙂

First.Aspect

That's not a big group. Sounds over regimented to me. Possibly cliquey.

Think of it this way, it is a group of people who had a big pile up and other people stopped riding with them as a result, telling you they are worried about their safety riding with you because of a pile up you had nothing to do with.

pblakeney

RayKinsella said:

Moonio_returned said:

What if you rode at the back?? Would that help?

That was discussed, but it t doesn't appear to happen, they kept pushing me to the front because I am a stronger cyclist.

Ha! You is gettin' played.

joeyhalloran

So they're pushing you to the front and then complaining about how you ride on the front?

Find a different group of people.

singleton

Riding in a group will present some different risks than riding alone, so there needs to be well understood ways of mitigating these risks.

The challenge is learning the behaviours, and then getting to the point where they become second nature. Calling cars, pointing holes etc needs to be something you end up doing instinctively, as you often don't have time to see a hazard, then think about what to do, and then react - like driving, you need to be able to react quickly.

I had an off 2 years ago while riding with an inexperienced mate, and fractured a couple of ribs. It was a lesson to us both, but not entirely his fault - I should have given him a bit more time and room than I did and recognised that he was still getting used to group riding.

Tell them you don't want to leave, but you need some time to adapt. Go out on rides, but concentrate on the "group" aspect more than the "riding" aspect until you get more settled.

First.Aspect

joeyhalloran said:

So they're pushing you to the front and then complaining about how you ride on the front?

Find a different group of people.

This.

It's nothing more than a prolonged initiation ritual as far as I'm reading it. How many hoops are you willing to jump through to gain acceptance to our exalted pace line?

Cycling is fun. Cycling in a group is fun. It's even possible to talk to people when you are doing it sometimes. Learning to cycle in a group is fun, unless you are treated like an outsider who does not live up to certain standards.

The lot you are riding with need to either modify their expectations to allow new people to join, or stop accepting new members.

Where is MF when you need him to savage.this sort of clubbie nonsense?

DeVlaeminck

A friend of mine recounts a story from his teenage years of him and a mate joining a club in Hereford whose initiation for new members was to put the hammer down and try and drop them on the first ride. If they hung in they were deemed good enough to join.

gethinceri

Group rides, I was holding myself back from this thread.

If it's a hazard to you or your bike, and therefore a likely hazard to someone else or theirs, then point it out,shout it out if it's late or close. Otherwise stfu, cycling should be silent or chatty, not shouty.

"Calling junctions" is a complete nonsense.... if you're supposed to be responsible for other riders' safe negotiation of the roadways then you're a marshal and they need to be paying you.

Definitely find other people to ride with.

amrushton

RayKinsella said:

Moonio_returned said:

What if you rode at the back?? Would that help?

That was discussed, but it t doesn't appear to happen, they kept pushing me to the front because I am a stronger cyclist.

Or bunch engine. think we've all had that. you are ripping our legs off/Keep up or go home depending who is on or off form. All sitting behind you until its showtime.

RayKinsella

First off, thanks to everybody who replied. It was a huge help at a low point for me. A few positive things have happened since I posted this thread and I wanted to update folks.

The first was I did a few minor sportifs, I met a lot of new local people from other clubs and I really enjoyed the events. The weather was great, the food stops were excellent, the people were lovely, there was a bit of a craic and a bit of friendly competition and banter - nothing serious at all. So I guess I saw there was more to cycling than the local club and that gave me a new perspective. I may sign up for the Ring of Clare in a few weeks.

The second was that the Club reached out to me. I had a few chats about struggling with a few folks with the club before "leaving", and then didn't come to group rides for 4 or 6 weeks. So they reached out to me, asked me how I was doing, and asked me to show up for the next group ride, so I did. One of the organizers, thanked me in a very public way for showing up to the group ride, it was "great to see me!". It was a cringe-worthy scene, worthy of being a scene from "the office". I wanted a hole to open up in the ground and swallow me - but their intentions were outstanding. The ride went very well, it was very long and hot, we got lost and we drank gallons of coke. Everybody made a noticeable effort to be super-nice to me, I am not
generally a snowflake but I appreciated it in these circumstances. And I was able to concentrate on my handling, and I felt that it went better.

So I am still unsure about the group, what they did was fantastic, I appreciated it and I will definitely go again, but even if I don't, I know there are other options.

trevor.hall12

RayKinsella said:

pblakeney said:

Do they not have different groups for different levels?
Local club splits into smaller groups based on fitness levels and group riding experience.

There is mostly a single group of 10 to 15 cyclists. Occasionally there is a second group, when someone has returned after a long break, but it is pretty rare.

Riding in 1 large group like that is pretty stupid ,my club would break anything over 8 into 2 groups .
I would suggest it's the people not you that's the problem .
When they have to try really hard to make you feel normal it won't last .My guess is it won't be long until the few bad ones are at it again

DeVlaeminck

Matter of opinion - I can't see a problem with cycling in one group. Realistically how often are people getting held up significantly by groups of cyclists - it's pretty rare imo.

pblakeney

DeVlaeminck said:

Matter of opinion - I can't see a problem with cycling in one group. Realistically how often are people getting held up significantly by groups of cyclists - it's pretty rare imo.

Depends on where you are and the routes. My local club splits into smaller groups as traffic is guaranteed to be held up and it's easier to pass 8 than 30.
"Significantly" is seen differently from a cyclists point of view as it is from drivers, 5 seconds is too long for some drivers.

Moonio_returned

Good to hear things are a bit better now, keep us updated..