Why do people ride in (sometimes) large groups/clubs ??

[Globalti]

Er... who wrote ALL groups?

"I've tried going out with groups and been embarrassed by the aggression shown by some cyclists towards drivers"

"I too was surprised by the aggression shown by some of them towards car drivers"

 

[G3CWI]

I liken it to a mobile party, because you are never stuck in the kitchen.

You can exchange a few words with one rider, then move up or down a bit to vary the company.

Or you can ride on your own for a few miles.

That's it in a nutshell for me too. Nicely summarised.

 

[mjr]

Er... who wrote ALL groups?

"I've tried going out with groups and been embarrassed by the aggression shown by some cyclists towards drivers"

"I too was surprised by the aggression shown by some of them towards car drivers"

I feel those posts clearly implied ALL groups are like that by jumping to such conclusions as:

"something with which I don't want to be associated. So I stick to riding with a good buddy or two and my son"

"the experience but me right off"

Some groups are nobbers. I say name and shame them and see if their governors care - then at least anyone searching CycleChat in future might get some warning before riding with them. I hope few groups misbehave, but there will probably always be some. Don't let one bad group put you off looking for better ones if you want to ride socially.

 

[Katherine]

From joining group rides, I've got a lot more confidence, especially trying new routes, going further and staying out longer. It's fun sharing stories and experiences at the cafe stop. I've been encouraged to push myself a bit more on hills and to keep going when tiring. I always seem to go a bit faster, to keep up, too, though the average speed doesn't go up that much because we stop and wait for the slower riders.

If you have a regular cycling buddy, you're lucky.

 

[Globalti]

Agreed - good compatible cycling buddies are worth their weight in gold. And I don't mean just compatible in fitness, I also mean compatible in interests and sense of humour.

 

[Dave7]

Agreed - good compatible cycling buddies are worth their weight in gold. And I don't mean just compatible in fitness, I also mean compatible in interests and sense of humour.

I agree with that completely.
I have a mate (been good friends for over 30 years) and we simply enjoy being out on a ride together. We enjoy the scenery, enjoy similar pace & distance and as you say.........similar humour.

 

[fatjel]

I ride with a group one day a week and on my own the other six..
Having moved to Kent I tended to cycle the same roads over and over
Joining the club was a good way to learn the local roads
And it turned out to be fun.
I was born in Epsom , spent 40yrs living and cycling in Sutton and never once considered cycling with
anyone else , Is there a club round there ?

 

[vickster]

I ride with a group one day a week and on my own the other six..
Having moved to Kent I tended to cycle the same roads over and over
Joining the club was a good way to learn the local roads
And it turned out to be fun.
I was born in Epsom , spent 40yrs living and cycling in Sutton and never once considered cycling with
anyone else , Is there a club round there ?

Lots in the vicinity, Kingston, Croydon etc. there is an active CTC group in sutton, not sure about more race oriented clubs

 

[ian turner]

This reminds me of a couple of old threads.
1 where funnymummy posted about large pelatons blocking the road and was on the receiving end of a "the pelaton must survive" lecture
2 another female poster was asking advice about dealing with stalkers in the pack

 

[totallyfixed]

Why does it matter, ok if you want to race fine, but not if you just want to ride a bike for exercise, commuting, enjoyment, transport etc. I can't see how riding with a fast moving group does that, I don't shout pothole to myself, or car up or whatever other things pelotons do.

I think you mean race (be it against others or yourself or strava or whatever) rather than ride ultimately

Because if you ride efficiently, it doesn't matter why you are riding, including the things you listed above, you will ultimately get more out of any skill if it is easier to do, for instance how many times have you seen someone on a bike with the saddle too low / high and tyres without enough air in them, or grinding along at 30 rpm in the wrong gear? These are the more obvious things, clearly with a little advice they would find the experience more enjoyable. It doesn't have to be about racing or even riding fast, but you can pick up a lot of very useful advice riding in a club / group.

 

[mjr]

for instance how many times have you seen someone on a bike with the saddle too low / high and tyres without enough air in them, or grinding along at 30 rpm in the wrong gear? These are the more obvious things, clearly with a little advice they would find the experience more enjoyable.

How do we know what they'd enjoy? Some people like riding riskily in an attempt to get somewhere before the people they're riding with, and I think clearly they'd find it more enjoyable if they slowed down and looked around to enjoy the sights

Some people like their saddles at heights that I think strange, some people are happy plodding at 30rpm while others prefer spinning at 90 and racers with filing-rattling 120psi tyres aren't really well placed to criticise others' tyre pressures!

I currently aim to ask if advice is wanted before offering it, else it can make a group seem patronising and maybe rather intimidating, according to the feedback I've seen and heard.

 

[derrick]

Riding with a club is not all about cycling, in our club we have a big social side, ie going out for meals, down the pub, weekends away, We had a summer party last weekend, And we also ride our bikes.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I ride alone due to not being a fan of clubs and having to meet at set times and venture set distances. Sometimes if i see a group of riders i'll tag along for a few miles then go my own way. Besides,most clubs set off early morning which is far too early for me.

 

[Globalti]

I went along to a meeting when I discovered a local road club. As I expected I found the atmosphere quite clanny as one or two characters dominated procedings and generally took the mickey; funny but not especially productive and while this was going on the majority of older diehards sat in silence with a "heard it all" look on their faces. On the couple of club rides I did, I certainly learned new cafes and routes, which I visit now, but nobody made any effort to welcome me and I thought the rides were badly led.

I also belonged to a mountain bike club for several years before I switched to road riding and that was actually one of the things that contributed to my slow loss of interest in mountain biking - the club rode the same routes time and time again and when I led proper open mountain rides in places like the Lakes, very few turned up. The club held regular meets but these became increasingly bitchy and filled with arguments as personalities clashed. There were also a couple of older members who were openly hostile towards the couple of young Asian lads who came along for some rides.

 

[mjr]

There were also a couple of older members who were openly hostile towards the couple of young Asian lads who came along for some rides.

I think the rest is debatable (as long as "badly led" doesn't mean people were put in danger) but I hope that hostility was reported to either club leadership or their governing body, else I think that sounds like complicity in racism. I've been in a group that asked a rider to refrain from bigoted "jokes" and I hope that most would but I think one of the national groupings is well behind the others on equality so it's probably still more common than I'd like.

But again, if people aren't willing to name the misbehaving groups, what's the point of posting such descriptions here? Someone asked why people DO ride with groups, not why YOU don't.