Dec66
A gentlemanly pootler, these days
- Location
- West Wickham
If you do wind up in London, and you end up living in South London, you can do a lot worse than Penge CC.
Rides for all ages and abilities.
https://pengecycleclub.org.uk/
Intimidated by more experienced cyclists :/
- Thread starter Anonymous1502
- Start date
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Rides for all ages and abilities.
https://pengecycleclub.org.uk/
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Take a look on British Cycling's web page as mentioned earlier. Loads of rides organised there.
- Location
- London
If you end up in london I'd check out the london cycling campaign borough groups and their rides - listed on the lcc web page.
I used to lead loads of rides for one group.
Easygoing, mixed in all sorts of ways, not racing rides at all. I had all sorts turn up on all sorts of bikes. Once memorably on a rainy and cold ride london to brighton one guy turned up on an expensive lightweight bike which he rode in jelly flipflops.
PaulSB
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
My club, like many others, runs rides for all abilities. This in itself creates challenges but it is the intention there should be a ride for everyone.
One observation I would make is the question of, for want of a better description, a "women's section." As a club we are aware some female cyclists have different priorities to male riders. We are keen to attract more female riders and I've spent the last six months chatting about this with several of our women members.
I've been educated in what our ladies want from a ride and yes it does differ from what some male riders want. The message I'm getting loud and clear is that a "women's section" is not the answer. The ladies do not wish to be in a section. What they do want is to ride with people who have a similar outlook on cycling.
I would suggest you find a club which offers the type of ride you want. You may well find those rides include both men and women - the important point being everyone has the same outlook regardless of sex.
One observation I would make is the question of, for want of a better description, a "women's section." As a club we are aware some female cyclists have different priorities to male riders. We are keen to attract more female riders and I've spent the last six months chatting about this with several of our women members.
I've been educated in what our ladies want from a ride and yes it does differ from what some male riders want. The message I'm getting loud and clear is that a "women's section" is not the answer. The ladies do not wish to be in a section. What they do want is to ride with people who have a similar outlook on cycling.
I would suggest you find a club which offers the type of ride you want. You may well find those rides include both men and women - the important point being everyone has the same outlook regardless of sex.
Anonymous1502
Well-Known Member
From speaking to those ladies what is it that they want from the ride? (for the majority anyway)
PaulSB
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
It's a very interesting discussion and I've had similar views confirmed by people involved in other sports.
I'm being careful here and only reporting what has been said to me. My first remark is there is no doubt women are every bit as competitive as men. There is one lady I ride with and every climb we push each other as hard as we are able with equal determination - got my backside kicked on a Top 100 climb by 16 seconds last week!!!
I'm told many women riders are looking for a social ride with coffee and chat at a reasonable pace. There is a strong emphasis on wishing to support each other. The highly competitive women I ride with tell me they completely understand this and would equally enjoy such a ride.
The other message that comes through is a lack of testosterone makes the ride much more enjoyable! It seems groups which are predominantly male send out a very strong competitive edge with more than a whiff of testosterone.
I have the impression some male riders expect women to be "one of the lads." I heard a comment the other day which was effectively "she's doing really well. She even stopped for a beer afterwards." Personally I don't get this.
An athletics coach told me the males simply wanted to win while the women wanted to win but also see everyone else do well.
I hope this makes sense.
i felt exactly the same. Look for clubs that do "non drop" rides. My local club have been really nice on the two guest rides that i have done. I also am not the fastest and terrible with hills. The first ride i did we split into a slower and a faster group. non drop means that you get dragged round regardless !!
My second ride was a much smaller group and i did worry more that i was holding the other two chaps up, especially as it was a hilly one but they were very nice about it and adjusted the ride route on the fly to accommodate my skill (or lack therof) level.
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Grant Fondo
Guru
- Location
- Cheshire
I get intimidated by those dudes in shades and lycra and I have been cyling for 40 yrs! The competitive end of the market get fairly 'anal' about looking the part....(you should have seen what i just deleted!!)
Profpointy
Legendary Member
There's a lot to be said for the CTC (cycle touring club). They are about cycling for enjoyment rather than racing, although some of them do prodigious distances, and can cycle fast if they choose to. I went along to one of the slower or medium paced rides they'd organised locally and a friendlier bunch of people you couldn't hope to meet. There were one or two quite slow people on almost shopping bikes for example, but the group stuck to the advertised pace, and never made the slower people feel they were holding back the group - and bearing in mind there were sporty cyclists there who I'm confident could have done three times the distance in the same time - but no, this was the slow ride. They also organised a variety of other rides at different paces, including some which would have doubtless been very fast indeed.
I'd start with them
vickster
Legendary Member
Now known as Cycling UK
https://www.cyclinguk.org/
https://www.cyclinguk.org/groups-listing
eg in Central London https://www.centrallondonctc.org.uk/
https://www.cyclinguk.org/
https://www.cyclinguk.org/groups-listing
eg in Central London https://www.centrallondonctc.org.uk/
vickster
Legendary Member
You could also try a Let's Ride ride, eg starting in the London area
https://www.letsride.co.uk/rides?location=London&lat=51.5073509&lng=-0.1277583&product[]=2
https://www.letsride.co.uk/rides?location=London&lat=51.5073509&lng=-0.1277583&product[]=2
Anonymous1502
Well-Known Member
All the rides except one say challenging, what is meant by that?
vickster
Legendary Member
Have you read the blurb?
Eg https://www.letsride.co.uk/rides/dulwich-park-to-biggin-hill-route-2
Nobody is left behind and we wait at the top of all the hills. The average speed will be about 18 kph over the whole ride and with regular stops should take roughly 3 hrs so please allow 3 hours 3 hours plus 45 Mins allowing for a coffee and cake.
it’s not challenging like a fast club run which might be 18mph...
PaulSB
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
Just be wary the first average is in "kph" the second mph. Vickster is right though this ride is significantly different to a fast club ride.
12mph (18kph) average over 30 miles should suit the vast majority of newer riders. My club runs an introductory ride which averages 13.5 over 27 miles.
The 18 mph fast club ride is challenging for many. Our top guys will come home with an average of 20/21 over a flat 60 miles. People I ride with expect to average 15.5 to 17 over 70/80 miles depending on the terrain.