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OPINION
In the club
Fri, Jan 16, 2015 11:28
20
Club RideIt’s a wintery Monday evening, I’m trying to figure out how to remove an ISIS drive crankset with a square-taper removal tool. I can feel the lure of the hammer, sat there on the bench… “C’mon, grab me… I can do it! A couple of whacks and that crank will be off… I swear I won’t damage ANYTHING!”. They’re lies. I know if I put the hammer near it there will be damage done and I won’t achieve anything.
Earlier that day, a clubmate dropped a square taper bottom bracket tool into my office on his way to work after I’d sent him a text asking if I could get a lend. I once again reach for the phone and ping out a tweet seeing if anyone has got an ISIS drive removal tool. There’s a response within 5 minutes, and within the hour, I’m stood in the shed with a clubmate and we’ve got the crankset off within a minute or two.
This is what I love about being part of a cycling club, if you don’t know how to do something, someone will and they’ll usually be happy to show you, if they don’t know, they’ll probably know someone who does, and so on. Eventually, problems get solved and you end up enjoying a beer (sorry, a cup of beetroot juice - we’re all athletes here, right). I owe a couple of beers at this point.
It’s not just about who can fix your bike or lend you a tool or a hand when things aren’t going your way. The structure of most clubs offers a huge range of benefits, from organising races, social occasions, training rides, rider development - including the important youth junior sections, these are the future sporting stars, not old duffers such as myself. Nobody’s getting paid for this work, which is why the job they do is all the more admirable.
All those questions you see asked on forums: there’s someone in every club who’s got answers and advice (ok, they might not always be right!). You can drop in and out as it suits and there’s no obligation to stay with a club, if you don’t like it, have a search around for one that you do like, nobody takes offence if you don’t feel that it’s not the right atmosphere for you. That’s not to say club riding suits everyone, you may think “Fair enough, but I’m not fast enough for club riding” or "I don't enjoy hammering along as fast as possible", but it wasn’t a huge surprise when the organiser of the social/development ride won “Rider of the Year” at this year's club awards dinner.
There are plenty of facts available recording the number of people taking up cycling and If you’re wondering what the benefits of joining a club could be, consider what you get for your subscription and what the club does to contribute to cycling. It’s probably more than you think and you could be a part of it. So what if none of the offerings suit your needs? You could always create your own.
*Note: I was tempted to use "da" instead of "the" in the blog title, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.
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20 comments
Been thinking about trying out a club, anyone had any experience of Finsbury Park, Islington or Haringey CC?
Islington has a nobody gets dropped policy on club rides, and we regroup at the top of all hills and at turn points. Islington is very welcoming and in my experience is good at sticking to the advertised average ride speeds.
Obviously, make sure you are capable of riding the advertised distance and total climb at the advertised average speeds before choosing to join a ride!
A good club start is the Meetup groups - there will be a cycling one in your area no doubt. These are more social than most clubs and normally have 2/3 regulars who like introducing new riders and are patient in their teaching ....
http://www.meetup.com
The correct spelling is "in da club"
I left my last road club in 1985! Port Nicholson Poneke 'PNP' in NZ
I joined as a 'colt' at 14 (this is NZ terms) and raced for about four years I think. Cycling was a pretty marginal sport back then, specially in the land of rugby, but I remember the lads and lasses well and I am still facebook friends with a few. As the road season in NZ was in WINTER (why?!) it was hard work training and racing. Regular rides were had once a week and a sporadic attempt at a primitive form of training was devised (pre speedos even). And you got help nailing your cleats to your wooden-soled shoes...
Being with 'the boys' was always motivating and hugely entertaining - cyclists have a mordant wit. Perhaps best of all (and I find this applies to my Audaxing these days too) is that you meet people who are 'not like you'. Cycling is a nice leveller and you realise it's nice to talk about rides and the outdoors and peoples lives rather than obsess about your own
My point? You won't regret or forget the clubs you join. I am part of the large virtual club of Audax as practiced on the YACF forum and that is terrific in it's way too. Intend to get to a local road club this year and enjoy my autumn riding years as an oldie, filling out my club jersey and boring kids with advice...
13mph is going to leave people behind. Racing clubs (usually British Cycling ones) seem incapable of grasping this and think everyone wants to "develop" into a speed freak. Thankfully there are 10mph sightseeing clubs out there if you look for them.
Our club does all the rides from the : 'max speed 18mph and average 14mph , no one left behind' ride to the 'fast group tuesday night chaingang, 30 miles @ 25mph' ride, and everything in between. I think nearly every club has what we call development rides which are progressively longer / quicker - you dont need to start off as Wiggins!
have to agree, we're a small club but we still manage to get an intermediate and advanced ride out most Sundays. we have socials and there's always someone with some advice. Find a club you like - it'll improve your cycling experience no end.
Dr Livingstone - Eltham Velo
Having been riding for about a year now with Cambridge Cycling Club, over the Christmas hols I was back at my parents. A little bit of planning saw me take me bike with me and I got out for a ride with Stirling- thanks guys, you're good friendly bunch, I enjoyed riding with you.
as someone who's still a reasonable "newbie" to club riding though, I reckon the answer to "how fast do you have to be" is a bit "it depends". Looking around, any decent sized club will have a big spread of rides- it's not all 30km/h average through-and-off chain gangs. as an example Cambridge usually have five different speed/distance groups on a Sunday (with one of those split into two often to manage numbers)
How fast/fit do you need to be to join the average club do you think?
Depends on the club, but many now offer slower group rides, ours does ~30 miles at a pace of 13-14mph with a "nobody left behind" policy.
My club is the same, if there are enough riders it may even split up into 3 groups.
Everybody, and I mean all of you, should join a club. At the very least you'll meet a lot of like-minded folk.
I bet your missus calls you "bossy boots" under her breath.
These rides only work if the organiser hasn't got an ego though. Some people can't bear to see people go quicker than them, even if they've previously agreed to it.
This is where I think its better to be in a bigger club with more experience. It may be slightly more daunting to join a club that has a lot of members and history though I suppose.
It's worth checking out the club website to see what 'rides' are on offer. Our club spreads a ridiculous amount of stuff across the week, catering to all abilities, distances, and types of bicycle. In road riding alone, there's:
A Friday Beginner's Ride (short, leisurely, no-one gets dropped),
A long, pacey Saturday 'A' ride,
A longish, more leisurely Saturday 'B' ride,
A short, sharp, high-tempo 'Cat & Mouse' ride on Sunday where riders are set off in inverse order of speed (meaning you can still take part in the first 'slow' group),
Another longish, more leisurely Sunday 'C' ride,
A women-only ride (also on Sunday I think)
A stomach-turningly intense 'Hills & Sprints' session on Tuesdays,
And finally, indoor 'Spinning Classes' on Wednesdays
I'm not sure if you could be bothered to read all that, but in short; there's something for everyone, several times a week. And that's not mentioning the other cycling disciplines.
I hope you can find a similar club near you!
My aim this year is get back on the bike, get back to my old level and join a club.
In 2011, Me and my mate Ollie decided to start a club. From humble beginnings of 4 of us plodding around the Oxfordshire countryside, there are now over 100 of us, weve established a local race league, have a womens arm, vets, yet to venture into juniors (core of the club dont have kids..... yet.....).
Anyway, its hard work, but so rewarding. Just back from a late set off club 50 with 10 other nutters and im smiling from ear to ear
www.cowleyroadcondors.cc
KTFUOFTFO
I was thinking about joining a club in oxford this year... what pace is normal for yours?
loved our poor departed cycling club Kernow CC,joined up after doing a reliability ride,the sunday rides were great,helping the slower riders up the hills etc etc,shame work got in the way...
"*Note: I was tempted to use "da" instead of "the" in the blog title, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it."
Oh, but I really, REALLY wish you had!
It's true, I've joined my first club this year (after leeching off it for a month of so before the New Year), and it's wonderful to have so many connections available, and equally - not have to use them if I don't feel like it.
I've still got bad memories of being forced to wake up every Saturday to go kick a ball between a few tubes for a Football club I'd apparently joined. Now I get up much earlier, and often in much grizzlier weather, and head out for something a lot more strenuous; all happily in the knowledge that I by no means have to.
And without the 'Sunday Bash', I'd have no conception of what competitive cycling was whatsoever. Turns out it's rather fun!