First ever Club Run in the morning......nervous !!!

[WobblyBob]

Well..........turned up just before 9am to find 1 other guy there, by 9.15 there were approx 40 guys (including 1 lady), i introduced myself & my friends brother (who decided to give it a go last minute) to the group leader said a few Hi's then we were off.

It felt lovely & comfortable for about 15-18 miles, i just seemed to slot in lovely having some lovely conversations with some of the group, but after that the pace just seemed to keep lifting & lifting & thats when the big group started to splinter.

We went up this relatively steep stepped climb for a few miles & thats when i was really dropped from the group but my mate was even further back from me, anyway after completely losing sight of everyone i got to the top of the hill to find the group leader asking if i was the last rider & i told him about my friend so he told me to carry on to the arranged cafe stop & he would wait for him & see us there.

Anyway i somehow caught up with the group in front of me & rode to the cafe with them, about 10 minutes later the group leader turned up without my mate, when i asked where he was he said he had'nt seen him so carried on to meet us !

To be honest i was a bit disappointed about this as he knew we were 'brand new' ready for the 'Beginners Group' which welcomed all levels supposedley, anyway after our refreshments we then set off in smaller groups of 6 or 7 & for the first 6 or 7 miles we were averaging about 19mph !! which i knew i would never maintain.....& was duelly spat out the back again, after cycling a few more miles on my own 1 guy had stopped to wait for me & we rode back together....& near the end i apologised for holding him back from his proper pace but he admitted that he'd just about had it aswell & used me as an excuse to drop off ha ha

I asked him whether this was actually a 'beginners group' to which he explained that it kind of is & they normally like to average about 18mph for there rides......Beginners ???

Anyway i did about 45 miles & averaged 15.5 mph, which is pretty much what i had expected.

I eventually got through to my mate after i got home & his brother was so worried he'd gone over in his car to try & find him, but apparently after riding for miles & not seeing anyone he just headed off towards home.

Don't know if this is a pretty typical introduction to club riding or not but on the whole i did actually enjoy it but was quite suprised about the standard of the 'Beginners' if i'm honest !!

Onwards & upwards tho ha ha

 

[DaveyM]

I have heard some of the clubs around us do this to "test your metal" and see if you come back.
My mates had a similar ride with another road club and didn't enjoy the feeling one bit.
I would look for a different club as there are plenty near to you

 

[avsd]

Try to find a different club - that was not a beginners group and it was not a great introduction to club cycling. Ask them if they have a C group. Tell them you not at A or B pace yet.

 

[G3CWI]

I have heard some of the clubs around us do this to "test your metal" and see if you come back.

It does not bode well for cycling if that's their attitude. Think that I will stick to riding alone - or with folk that I know.

 

[cyberknight]

I can only echo what others have said, find another club or speak to the club secretary/ ride leaders and found out if that is the"begineers" as it sounds a bit OTT to be honest.My clubs medium group might average 18 mph over 60 miles but it can be as low as 16 mph dependant on the terrain and who turns up.
If that is what they call a good introduction then look for another club as they sound like a bunch of numpties out to show how `ard they are.

 

[Phoenix Lincs]

I asked him whether this was actually a 'beginners group' to which he explained that it kind of is & they normally like to average about 18mph for there rides......Beginners ???

Anyway i did about 45 miles & averaged 15.5 mph, which is pretty much what i had expected.

I eventually got through to my mate after i got home & his brother was so worried he'd gone over in his car to try & find him, but apparently after riding for miles & not seeing anyone he just headed off towards home.

Don't know if this is a pretty typical introduction to club riding or not but on the whole i did actually enjoy it but was quite suprised about the standard of the 'Beginners' if i'm honest !!

Onwards & upwards tho ha ha

Bless you. I was thinking about trying out my local group soon. Might stick to sole cycling until I get a bit faster! Good luck finding a more friendly group

 

[avsd]

Guys - with the right club/ride leader club cycling is brilliant. I only joined my club two years ago. Biggest regret is that I did not join years ago.

My club have a number of runs from the 'anti social run', A, B1, B2 and C. the C is for our new members. I think the ride captain for the C group must have been a US Marine as his motto is 'we always bring them home'

 

[Andrew_P]

snipped


Don't know if this is a pretty typical introduction to club riding or not but on the whole i did actually enjoy it but was quite suprised about the standard of the 'Beginners' if i'm honest !!

Onwards & upwards tho ha ha

Bloody brillant write up, and sod 'em find some other club sound like a bunch of ego twonks. I did giggle a bit.. :-)

 

[boydj]

None of our groups would let people become detached like that - though the faster groups do tend to splinter as they get close to home. They always regroup at the top of hills. On the other hand, if somebody decides that they don't want to hold the group back, then it's not unusual to have somebody bail out to make their own way home - but it's always their decision.

 

[Davemac1]

Found this on their web page.I'd have 'em for trade descriptions!





Saturday Club run (meet 9am)

This is normally about 45-55 miles depending on weather conditions and the time of year. It is a good introduction for those new to cycling with a Club as well as being a steady ride for the more experienced where they will have a chance to help those new to bunch riding.. . Even inexperienced riders are able to go on this run as no one is left on their own at any time. There is always a coffee stop about two thirds the way round the ride so that new members can get to know everyone and get "re charged" for the ride home. It is also a good way of finding out about those hidden coffee shops that you can take your loved one to and surprise them! New members are encouraged to start with the Saturday morning ride unless experienced. This provides good experience in riding in a bunch and learning the disciplines involved.

 

[totallyfixed]

This is just the sort of thing I hate to hear. I have been in quite a few clubs over the years both good and bad and this is definitely a bad one. Unfortunately there are clubs that have become "lazy" in how they are run and quite often are not interested in anyone else except themselves. The first problem I can see here from your description of events is the runs leader who can't control the group, nor is it clever to to try and take out so many in one group, a recipe for a disaster, even riding tight that is 40 - 50 metres for a vehicle to try and get past, I digress.
When I hear of club runs doing averages of 18 mph and above I have to chuckle, the average speed for a medium level club run is 15 - 16mph a quick one is 17 - 18 mph and believe me unless it is dead flat 18 mph is seriously quick over distance, race training groups might average 19's or evens on a good day. You ought to write to their club chairman / woman or president and tell them what happened, unless this stupidity is addressed it will continue to put off people joining clubs. The last thing I will say is that the club run should be the heart and soul of a club and a good social occasion to catch up with mates and get all the latest gossip.
Sorry that was a bit long but I feel quite angry when I hear this stuff.

 

[Spartak]

Surely a 'good' club would nominate somebody to rdie with any new rider as soon as they became detached from the main group, to give support & advice to that rider.
Therefore allowing that person to feel part of the 'club', and return again & again ?

 

[Get In The Van]

Bob, Like you today was my first club run, i couldn't have had a more different experience, i was ok until just before the cafe stop (around 38 miles in) got flung out the back a few times but a soon as someone saw this they eased the pace off to let me catch up. same with hills, always waited at the top for everyone to regroup.
i really struggled for the last 10 miles, but again i was never dropped and the group went at my pace and told me to get a wheel in the middle of the bunch and take the draft. that helped a lot.
the group wouldn't let me go home myself, their policy is no-one gets dropped, its a club run.
I felt a bit guilty of holding them back but they would have none of it, i guess they've all been there when they were the newbie.
I really enjoyed myself and the club i've joined is ace, i would suggest like others have on this thread, that you find another club and not to be put off by this one experience.

 

[outlash]

Shame, I can only echo the recent posts about how quick they were.
I've been going to my local club runs for a few weeks now and we average out around 16 mph over 40 - 50 miles. But no-one ever gets left behind on their own.
As an example, we had a good friday 'hot cross bun' ride which was just over 55 miles and my legs had gone after the coffee stop halfway round (suspected stomach bug), nonetheless 3 members dragged me back with words of encouragement, friendly abuse and a cereal bar. As one of them pointed out, the next time it happens to someone else, I'll be more than happy to hang back and get them home (true!). It's what a club should do IMO.

Tony.

 

[themosquitoking]

Does rule #5 apply here at all?