I'm really not interested in going faster; OK?!!

[Blue Hills]

I might have been different if I'd taken it up when younger as I was a very competitive footballer. But I use cycling to get away from everybody else, I do tour with my cousin but soon get tetchy at having to compromise. Yesterday...sun out, bike out, left my watch and phone at home and I long ago stopped using a computer. A whole day of quality Mark time just tootling about and boy can I tootle, bliss.

Sounds ideal. Though have a sneaking suspicion that you tootled to a pub garden.

 

[raleighnut]

Sounds ideal. Though have a sneaking suspicion that you tootled to a pub garden.

I would have.

 

[Blue Hills]

Must admit I tootled to terrace of a pub yesterday that was giving away free beer - well a pint. They were also doing it on Monday but I passed.

 

[Milzy]

You will never buzz off what you haven’t tasted.

 

[classic33]

A lot of the London LCC groups do laid back rides. Central London CTC has a star system of rides and some are quite pootly.

"Laid Back" Folk

 

[Accy cyclist]

Like others have said, some fellow riders just go too fast. One example was the road cycling club i was in. The Wednesday ride was supposed to be for slow to moderate riders,but some of the much faster Thursday lot started going out with the Wednesday group,forcing the pace up to about 16/17 mph instead of the usual 13/15 mph. The faster riders would get to the cafe stop way before us slower ones then say stuff like "Come on,eat up,we're going soon",about 5 minutes after we'd just sat down, Feck off,i thought to myself.

 

[bigjim]

Thats a regular thing with clubs. Faster riders riding with a slower group. They know if they ride with the faster groups they would just get beaten up.

 

[Vantage]

Decided that yesterday was my last outing with the council run social ride group. I just lack the ability to socialise.
Back to being a Billy-no-mates.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Decided that yesterday was my last outing with the council run social ride group. I just lack the ability to socialise.
Back to being a Billy-no-mates.

Is this group one of those where you're expected to wear a high viz vest and look like a proper wobbly on a bike novice? If so wouldn't join either. I'm all for high viz,but not those "look at me i'm vulnerable,so please be patient with me" vests.

 

[Vantage]

Is this group one of those where you're expected to wear a high viz vest and look like a proper wobbly on a bike novice? If so wouldn't join either. I'm all for high viz,but not those "look at me i'm vulnerable,so please be patient with me" vests.

Yep. Alot of them are wobbly novices but that said, they're in better shape than I. Hi viz and helmets are recommended but not mandatory.

 

[Alembicbassman]

I've had 2 SMIDSY incidents recently, if I'd have been going any faster I'd probably be in hospital now. Taking 4-5mph off my speed gives me a lot more time to react to people pulling out of junctions on me and the brakes have less energy to dissipate when doing an emergency stop.

I wear hi viz and have lights, but it seems to be getting worse at certain junctions and roundabouts. I now try to avoid these on my rides.

 

[screenman]

I've had 2 SMIDSY incidents recently, if I'd have been going any faster I'd probably be in hospital now. Taking 4-5mph off my speed gives me a lot more time to react to people pulling out of junctions on me and the brakes have less energy to dissipate when doing an emergency stop.

I wear hi viz and have lights, but it seems to be getting worse at certain junctions and roundabouts. I now try to avoid these on my rides.

If you had been going faster you would have been in a different place.

 

[Alembicbassman]

Hopefully Heaven, but probably Hell

 

[mjr]

I wear hi viz and have lights, but it seems to be getting worse at certain junctions and roundabouts. I now try to avoid these on my rides.

Yes, I found it improved once I avoided using hi viz and lights as much as legally permitted too

 

[Ianboydsnr]

I don’t generally use hi vis and lights, as I don’t generally ride when they are really needed, I know some people use them all the time, and great if it works for them, I sometimes ride without a safety hat, and sometimes with just a woolly hat, it can feel weird if you have been generally riding with them, kind of loose and dangerous, rebel I am