Club ride average speeds, could i keep up ?

[Ridgeway]

I've been hesitating about joining a club local to me, there's actually only one club but it does have a good reputation and seems well established. Overall i've never been a club person but i'm sure i'd benefit from riding with some other people, each time i've accidentally done this when bumping into people out on the road i've really enjoyed it. My second reason and it was really what keeps me thinking about it is my 12yrs daughter seems reasonable keen on road cycling after having recycled one of my old Scott bikes onto her and i had wondered if it would give her a bit more of a bug if she joined the club. My hesitation is always about my abilities as when is see the boys passing through my village they aren't half flying along and they on average look more like racing snakes vs a middle aged portly Mancunian.....

Looking on their website they say the rides are at 27-28 kmh average which i average on a 50-60km ride with say 500-700m of elevation, but that's a pretty reasonable effort for me, one a would struggle to hold much on a conversation on. What i have no experience of is the benefits of riding in a small group of say 5-10 riders and what advantage that would bring to me in terms of energy saving and being able to have a chat with someone ?

Do i need to improve before joining and embarrassing myself ?

 

[DCLane]

You won't know unless you try. And you may find there are rides for different levels.

In terms of speed you'll be quite a bit quicker from riding in a group than solo.

 

[Ridgeway]

You won't know unless you try. And you may find there are rides for different levels.

In terms of speed you'll be quite a bit quicker from riding in a group than solo.

Yes true but at the risk of embarrassment or more like the harsh reality of finding out i'm slower than i think i am...

If i saw a chubby fella with their club shirt on that would inspire me i think but the racing snakes make me think twice. It's not expensive so i guess i'll have to give it a go, just need some decent weather and lighter evenings.

 

[RoubaixCube]

Sometimes some clubs run two groups. One for the faster rides and the other for slower.

I went through a period where a friend an i we're scouting for clubs to join. we went on club rides with the odd one and found them to be too snobbish in general. some other clubs never responded to emails and im not an FB user so never bothered trying to get in touch.

In the end it was just more fun staying out of it and doing CC and Fridays rides. Though i wish CC rides would happen more regularly than once a month.

 

[screenman]

Our club has lots of runs out every week, some organised and some not, from 10mph to 20 mph and all in between. Most clubs I know of do much the same, it is only the fast ones most people notice.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Most clubs have different rides for different abilities, talk to someone from the club and see if you can find out more about them.

 

[sheddy]

Go for it, but chose a day with nice calm, dry weather.

 

[Dogtrousers]

The OP has a location of Switzerland so maybe our experience of UK clubs won't apply.

If you do go along and a guy says "Hi I'm Fabian, I'll be leading today's ride" then it might be best to make your excuses and leave.

 

[Venod]

If its the fast group ride of the club their average for the ride could be higher than the 27-28 kph you are used to, but you will be able to ride at an higher average in a group, you can but try, but I have seen a lot of people dissapointed and put of with what they see as elitists cyclists dropping a newcomer, when in reality they are just doing the normal riding of a fast group, you could start with a slower group and when you think you are ready, move to the fast group, this is how a lot of riders progress, but all clubs differ with rules and internal politics, and this also puts people off.

 

[Sharky]

Most club runs honour the rule "The fastest speed is that of the slowest"

 

[cyberknight]

Contact them for more info would be the best bet .
The club i ride with i am a ride leader for the sunday ride and we state the average speed expected and i usually post the route via our facefuff page.
We do also run 2-3 saturday rides which are more popular and the the club founder would point any new rider to a group that he thinks would be alright for them to ride.
As for riding in a group you gain a lot from riding in a bunch, last week i organized the ride as usual but TBH i was not well but felt i had to turn up and the other riders just let me ride at the back as you gain a good 10-20 % bonus from drafting and i made it around albeit with them waiting on hills.
What are you group riding skills like ? If you dont have much experience in it then it can be daunting and dangerous for you and other riders if they ride nose to tail and you are not used to their communication calls and signals as well as the confidence and skills for that sort of riding .If they run a beginners group hopefully you can gain the experience for that sort of riding , when i started the group rode further apart and now i can ride inches from the wheel in front of riders i know and trust .
As i said at the start contact them !

 

[mjr]

Most club runs honour the rule "The fastest speed is that of the slowest"

I am not sure that is true but most do at least say whether they are "no drop" or "no prisoners" and most of those stick to it.

Answering the OP: I'd give it a go with those stats but you won't know for sure until you do. Some clubs state optimistic speeds, some get carried away on the day.

 

[Venod]

some get carried away on the day.

I find this to be more the norm than the exception, but I am sure ther will be more sedate groups out there somewhere.

 

[cyberknight]

I am not sure that is true but most do at least say whether they are "no drop" or "no prisoners" and most of those stick to it.

Answering the OP: I'd give it a go with those stats but you won't know for sure until you do. Some clubs state optimistic speeds, some get carried away on the day.

indeed my last club the fast group kept together untill the cake stop then it was tough luck as they put the hammer down, if you were off the back then you were left . I remember they were doing over 25 mph on the flat when i got spat out the back at a junction and that was it .

 

[Racing roadkill]

Are those average speeds uphill, downhill, on the flat, into a headwind, with a tail wind? Ask them what sort of normalized power to weight numbers their riders have, that will give you a better idea of where they are at / where you’re at. I’d bet my balls to a barn dance they don’t have a clue. If so, I’d avoid any club that has that level of ignorance ( which is pretty much every club I’ve ever encountered). If however they do know, they might be worth a look.