Appalling Club Run

[mjr]

My pet hate on group rides revolves around those people at the back who shout 'CAR UP!' at the first hint of a vehicle approaching, then even in sight of a blind bend they single out and cower in the gutter, letting the car through to intimidate those of us taking the lane at the front to stop a dangerous overtake.

Why don't you ride at the back to show them how it should be done, then?

 

[mjr]

I generally agree however, as with most things it's not black and white. What needs to be considered is the sight lines for traffic behind. As a simple example, riding in a tight bunch taking up one side of a carriageway is probably safest and most helpful.convenient on straight roads. On a road which has bends then riding slightly narrower but longer, may be better as traffic behind has the opportunty to see further along the road and provide more opportunities to pass safetly.

Anyway, people need to chill.

Amen to the latter, but can you draw a bendy road situation where it actually makes a difference, where motorists could overtake cyclists riding line astern safely but not bunched?

 

[400bhp]

Amen to the latter, but can you draw a bendy road situation where it actually makes a difference, where motorists could overtake cyclists riding line astern safely but not bunched?

I’m rubbish at drawing, in particular in 3-d.

 

[mjr]

I’m rubbish at drawing, in particular in 3-d.

2D would suffice, but it's difficult to draw a physical impossibility...

 

[400bhp]

Yeah whatever.

Bored.

You carry on.

 

[ianrauk]

but the antagonism between other road users and cyclists has grown markedly in the past few years.

I would like to echo what others have said about this.
Cycling to work in the 80's (when I first started commuting) and into the 90's, you really were putting your life in vehicle drivers hands. It really wasn't pleasant at all. There was very little cycle awareness amongst drivers and there was even less cycling infrastructure then there is now. There was no sanctuary of bus lanes, ASL's or cycle lanes. Cycling these days is 1000% better.

 

[mjr]

Indeed, but the level of ride I'm talking about is one where any shout is taken as a warning to "get out of the way of the car", unfortunately. It's a social club ride rather than a "club run".

This doesn't make the caller at fault. The problem sounds like it's the riders singling out in an ill-advised place. The purpose of the "car back" (or "car up" if you're CTC or "car down" if you're BC around here) call is information, not instruction.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I often do, thanks very much.

I wasn’t going to mention it ;-)

 

[Fab Foodie]

Car-up/back/front/wherever, should IMO be used if there is some form of imminent or unexpected danger, not for every bloody car that comes along. If you’re riding on roads there will be cars coming by at regular intervals, ride accordingly.

 

[mjr]

Car-up/back/front/wherever, should IMO be used if there is some form of imminent or unexpected danger, not for every bloody car that comes along. If you’re riding on roads there will be cars coming by at regular intervals, ride accordingly.

Depends on the roads. I don't think it's only for the dangerous ones but I agree that it shouldn't be used on roads with loads of cars. Edit: because it adds no useful information.

Anyone heard it on a London main road?

 

[rugby bloke]

It's very complicated isn't it. I'm glad I ride on my own most of the time.

I was about to say the same thing ! I'll stick to being a miserable solo cyclist ...

 

[mjr]

I was about to say the same thing ! I'll stick to being a miserable solo cyclist ...

You're missing out. There are few better things than riding as part of a touring group IMO. No worries of being left stranded alone by anything and many pairs of eyes to see trouble coming, yes, but also spot lovely sights and let each other know.

 

[rugby bloke]

You're missing out. There are few better things than riding as part of a touring group IMO. No worries of being left stranded alone by anything and many pairs of eyes to see trouble coming, yes, but also spot lovely sights and let each other know.

Fair point - I do enjoy the occasional group ride, and it does come as a pleasant change. Would not want to do it regularly - too many rules in every other aspect of my life without having to worry about a whole new set when I'm on my bike.

 

[Venod]

Fair point - I do enjoy the occasional group ride, and it does come as a pleasant change.

My thoughts too, now and again is OK .

But you have to ride at the groups pace and not your own, you have to go where the ride organiser takes you even if you dislike the route, you have to stop when the group stops, you have to be constantly alert to what the rider in front of you is doing. you have to put up with loads of shouting and pointing and you have to constantly point out hazards along the way, you have to turn up when the ride starts (usually earlier than I like) you have to put up with club politics, you have to wear a helmet.

I have done a lot of club riding but I am enjoying my solo rides far more nowadays, I may not renew my membership next year then I won't be able to ride with them.

 

[mjr]

Would not want to do it regularly - too many rules in every other aspect of my life without having to worry about a whole new set when I'm on my bike.

Depends on the group IMO.

But you have to ride at the groups pace and not your own,

Well, sort of. You're not tied in, so you can always ride off the front or excuse yourself off the back, but then you're on your own, no longer part of the group, at least for a while. One of the group on Saturday decided to visit a shop near the route and then chase back on... which was fine.

you have to go where the ride organiser takes you even if you dislike the route, you have to stop when the group stops,

See above, plus routes of some groups are open to negotiation... I guess it depends how organised the ride is. I can understand that certain led rides that insist on routes being test-ridden no more than 72 hours ahead might not be open to variation.

you have to be constantly alert to what the rider in front of you is doing.

Same as ever. More of a problem on tight formation rides, I guess.

you have to put up with loads of shouting and pointing and you have to constantly point out hazards along the way,

I'm surprised that this is so unpopular... I guess some groups go a bit overboard with it.

you have to turn up when the ride starts (usually earlier than I like)

Yeah, I find it really awkward getting up for 10am

you have to put up with club politics,

You can just ignore them and trample straight through it

you have to wear a helmet.

Definitely not for CUK or CN groups. Not for the few Sustrans groups, as far as I can tell.

I have done a lot of club riding but I am enjoying my solo rides far more nowadays, I may not renew my membership next year then I won't be able to ride with them.

I don't think Sustrans or any CN groups make riding conditional on membership, but I think you only get a limited number of non-member rides with CUK.

The Fridays have the perfect solution to the pace problem. You can ride as fast as you like - so long as you don't mind spending quite a bit of time standing around marking junctions in between your fast rides.

I like the theory but I've yet to see any other group make it work in practice: either someone "forgets" and rides past the front or sets off before the All-Upper gets to them.