Forum rides

[ColinJ]

I make it pretty clear what to expect on my rides by cutting and pasting this warning into each thread:

It will be slow, slow, slow. Don't come along and complain about it being slow. IT WILL BE SLOW! (We won't be riding quickly ... )

 

[smokeysmoo]

I make it pretty clear what to expect on my rides by cutting and pasting this warning into each thread:

You really need to GWS Mr J so I can experience one of your rides, correct me if I'm wrong, but did you say they were slow

 

[Crackle]

Unfortunately not everyone who turns up is actually quite as capable of maintaining a given "average speed" (even when posted clearly in advance) as they think they are.
One rider** on the one and only forum ride I organised, was ok-ish at the back of the pack for the first 30 miles, but started to die rapidly thereafter, which meant that the tea-shop planned for the afternoon break was long closed by the time we got there.

I've not organised another, not because of this, but simply because what time I have for rides has been devoted to AUDAX SR and RRTY that I can ride at precisely my own pace - ( a bit slower than 400bhp)

**He knows who is, and would be the first to admit it - and he's still a mate, despite my insulting him at every opportunity on this and other forums

Has he still got the same bike now as then

 

[Crackle]

I've only made a couple, they've been great. I don't mind being at the back and I'm so used to riding on my own, that I ride at my pace anyway.

I admire anyone who organises a ride because despite it looking easy, it's not, there's more to a successful one than just rocking up to ride.

 

[PpPete]

Has he still got the same bike now as then

Now that IS a silly suggestion....16 months have gone by since then !

 

[martint235]

I think expectation is key. I completely agree that the ride should wait for slower riders but it can be frustrating at times to spend all day on a ride that should take 4 hours. Of course there will also be days when even the strongest of riders can suffer and that has to be considered.

My other bugbear is faffing. As I do tend to be at the back fairly regularly and while accepting that the people I'm with may be in need of a slight breather, the shout of "All up" isn't a signal to open your saddlepack and start looking for something at the bottom of it. Or to start calling people on your phone.

 

[Vikeonabike]

Surely the point of a Forum ride is that it is "All inclusive". They are designed to be a social get together of people that enjoy being on a bike. We all have a duty to encourage others to get out on two wheels. Not putting pressure on those at the back is the best way to encourage. Forum rides don't happen all that often so it won't hurt those that consider themselves racing snakes to actually have slow ride out every now and again. Put something back into cycling and encourage others!

 

[totallyfixed]

Surely the point of a Forum ride is that it is "All inclusive". They are designed to be a social get together of people that enjoy being on a bike. We all have a duty to encourage others to get out on two wheels. Not putting pressure on those at the back is the best way to encourage. Forum rides don't happen all that often so it won't hurt those that consider themselves racing snakes to actually have slow ride out every now and again. Put something back into cycling and encourage others!

Exactly, a forum ride is a social ride, not a training ride or a "beat my chest and look at how good I am" ride. If there was a call for fast rides on the forum then surely we would see a lot more requests for them. A fast ride by the way would be around 17 mph over rolling terrain and 19 mph on flat stuff, I digress. For me a forum ride is about meeting new people, catching up with others and riding new routes.
Today I met vikeonabike, he actually does exist and I rode a bit with him, amazing!

 

[ianrauk]

Exactly, a forum ride is a social ride, not a training ride or a "beat my chest and look at how good I am" ride. If there was a call for fast rides on the forum then surely we would see a lot more requests for them. A fast ride by the way would be around 17 mph over rolling terrain and 19 mph on flat stuff, I digress. For me a forum ride is about meeting new people, catching up with others and riding new routes.
Today I met vikeonabike, he actually does exist and I rode a bit with him, amazing!

There was/is a call for faster forum rides.
Of the 12 'speedy' rides we did last year we never had less then a dozen riders on any one ride.
The reason we stopped doing them was as I posted previous. We got fed of people moaning thinking that we were excluding them from rides. Whilst not organising rides themselves.

There can be rides for everybody. It's just that people have to organise them and for some people it's just too much work. Which is a shame.

 

[Fubar]

Exactly, a forum ride is a social ride, not a training ride or a "beat my chest and look at how good I am" ride. If there was a call for fast rides on the forum then surely we would see a lot more requests for them. A fast ride by the way would be around 17 mph over rolling terrain and 19 mph on flat stuff, I digress. For me a forum ride is about meeting new people, catching up with others and riding new routes.
Today I met vikeonabike, he actually does exist and I rode a bit with him, amazing!

I totally agree with both Vikeonabike and Totallyfixed - if you want to ride fast join a club surely? I've now been on a few CC Ecosse forum rides and never felt pressured to keep up with the fastest, which is just as well! Most CC rides I've been on average around 12-13 mph. There would be no point posting "no-one gets left behind" then firing off into the sunset at the first opportunity - I actually find most cyclists who are worried about their first ride to be a lot better than they anticipate beforehand! And a lot better than me. And if it annoys you waiting for others, then maybe CC Rides just aren't for you...

 

[Fubar]

There was/is a call for faster forum rides.
Of the 12 'speedy' rides we did last year we never had less then a dozen riders on any one ride.
The reason we stopped doing them was as I posted previous. We got fed of people moaning thinking that we were excluding them from rides. Whilst not organising rides themselves.

There can be rides for everybody. It's just that people have to organise them and for some people it's just too much work. Which is a shame.

To be fair I agree that if you make it clear it's going to be a fast ride I don't have a problem with that - and I for one would know to steer well clear...

 

[ianrauk]

@Fubar
Has anyone on this thread actually said they have been annoyed at waiting?
*goes back to check*

 

[Fubar]

@Fubar
Has anyone on this thread actually said they have been annoyed at waiting?
*goes back to check*

Didn't say they had, and maybe "annoyed" was the wrong word - just thought the general feeling on the thread was that holding faster riders up was putting people off CC Rides. As stated in my reply if it is clear it is a fast ride then slower riders should know to steer clear

 

[ianrauk]

Didn't say they had, and maybe "annoyed" was the wrong word - just thought the general feeling on the thread was that holding faster riders up was putting people off CC Rides. As stated in my reply if it is clear it is a fast ride then slower riders should know to steer clear

Yes you a right.
I can see why people would get despondent at the thought of being left behind (Stuaff excepted - as he just keeeeeeps on going with a grimace smile on his mush ). No one should get left behind and on our rides I am proud to say that was/would never be the case.

 

[ColinJ]

You really need to GWS Mr J so I can experience one of your rides, correct me if I'm wrong, but did you say they were slow

If I ever do manage to When I finally get well enough to organise another forum ride, it is likely to be as slow as all the others and you would be welcome to join us for a local scenic tour!

I'm hoping that I will eventually be capable of riding a lot quicker up the hills because I have lost so much weight, but it will take time to build back up to that fitness level. Having gone on so much about slow rides, I'd have to make damn sure that I didn't become the one haring off at the front!

The last forum ride I did was the one to Otley back in July. It was one of my typical hard and hilly routes. I was struggling even more than usual on some savage gradients, and in windy conditions, and at one point came within a minute or two of a full-blown bonk but was saved by donations of sugary snacks from the other riders. I kept people waiting for ages at the top of every climb, but nobody moaned at me. At least on that ride I did have a decent excuse for my slowness - I was only days away from collapsing with a pulmonary embolism!