cycling buddies

[Paul.G.]

Does anyone else think we should have a "cycling buddies" thread?

Dont get me wrong, after a crappy week at work the solitude of a ride out on my own is very therapeutic but now and again it would be nice to hook-up with cyclists in your area who want to share special routes, looking for some company or looking for that addedd bit of motivation to get out of bed on a cold wet sunday morning. There are so many lovely rides around the area where I live that I feel almost selfish in the fact that I'm not sharing them with other cyclists. Interseted in hearing your thoughts.

For example, you could simply say the time your planned ride starts, what is the intended destination, your average speed and if you like lunch or coffee stops or not. You could give a designated "meet" location and offer guidance on parking etc and if no one arrives within the given time window, you off, simple!

What do you think?

Paul

 

[Aperitif]

Seems to me that is exactly what this part of the forum is all about, Paul! For example, there is a Sunday London Ride thread here, which was initiated to allow forum members to 'commute without going to work' join up for a chat etc and go who knows (or cares) where. Turn up - or not. If you want to elicit support for the Reading Sunday Ride, then suggest something and see who subscribes. Plenty of targets like Windsor spring to mind in this instance.
'Club runs' are often split - to accomodate the sort of riding you are talking about. To paraphrase; fast group, medium, the rest. Once you start defining a speed it gets tricky. Lots of rides are not appealing to some because they go too slow...to others because they go too fast.
So. Announce a ride, a date and a start time. People who are interested and have the time, will come along and ride. If no-one, then you will still enjoy your ride but maybe have to look further afield to get the 'group ride' feeling. (Easy to get to Waterloo, then Hyde Park Corner from Reading for a Friday Night Ride to the Coast!)

 

[ColinJ]

We call them 'forum rides'!

 

[Dobz]

Yes were not in Reading Paul G... but deffo in the same mind set.​

Cyclists dont always need to cycle alone if they dont want to.​

We are currently pulling together cyclists in our local area for social rides/sportives etc.​

​

Calling all cyclists -new and old.
There is a fledgling cycling club in the south craven and airedale area looking for new members to join this seasons riding.

On Thursday nights through the summer we have an evening social ride, for anyone who is interested in getting out into the local country side for a couple of hours. All abilities are welcome.
Thursday Rides 2012Rides start on Thurday the 19th of April and finish 23rd of August. Thats 5 months of evening rides throughout the summer! The rides usually last about 2 hours. Everyone meets in Glusburn Institutes car park at the times below. Please come and join us.
http://www.southcraven.co.uk/thursday-night/

anyone interested in coming along?​

 

[sbird]

Does anyone else think we should have a "cycling buddies" thread?

Dont get me wrong, after a crappy week at work the solitude of a ride out on my own is very therapeutic but now and again it would be nice to hook-up with cyclists in your area who want to share special routes, looking for some company or looking for that addedd bit of motivation to get out of bed on a cold wet sunday morning. There are so many lovely rides around the area where I live that I feel almost selfish in the fact that I'm not sharing them with other cyclists. Interseted in hearing your thoughts.

For example, you could simply say the time your planned ride starts, what is the intended destination, your average speed and if you like lunch or coffee stops or not. You could give a designated "meet" location and offer guidance on parking etc and if no one arrives within the given time window, you off, simple!

What do you think?

Paul

Go for it. But whether there's many from the Reading area who read these forums to pick up on your rides is another matter.

Of course in the Reading Area there's always

Reading CC http://www.readingcyclingclub.com/
Reading CTC http://www.readingctc.co.uk/

who've been doing this stuff for years even before internet forums existed.

 

[ColinJ]

We call them 'forum rides'!

Actually, I sometimes ride with individual forum members as well so we are already doing the ride buddy thing.