England : Tyne and Wear North Tyneside Riders (NTR)

[GmanUK65]

A couple of years ago (2013) I created a post on whether I should join a club or not, I went for a ride with one club last year (I wont mention the name) and I did not feel welcome. I got left for dust and had an accident trying to catch up, so this put me off and I did not go back. I came across another club on Facebook later that year and contemplated getting involved with this one. I eventually joined in April this year and haven't looked back. The club is called North Tyneside Riders (NTR). If you live in Tyneside or Northumberland you may have noticed us in black and yellow jerseys. This is a great club and caters for riders of all abilities. The best time to go for the first time is a Tuesday night (6.40pm) which is a beginners and improvers night. They meet at Tynemouth Priory. For more information on this club, search for NTR on Facebook (if you join you become part of the Members only Facebook page).

 

[xxDarkRiderxx]

Great to hear that you stuck with it and looked for another club. Unfortunately you do sometimes hear that clubs can be a little unfriendly, especially if they are focused on racing and not much else. There is a member at our club who had a similar experience where the previous club only wanted members who could sustain 18-20Mph for an hour at least.

Our club now does an introductory ride on the first Sunday of the month of 20-30 Miles at whatever speed the slowest person wants to go at.

 

[PADDY_M]

I'm up in Northumberland near Morpeth (not a million miles away from North Tyneside) and I've toyed with joining a club. There's one in Alnwick and another in Gosforth but I'm still not sure. I'm currently nursing a broken collarbone so won't be cycling for a number of months now anyway so that'll give me thinking space. But if folk are after cyclists who can maintain 18 to 20mph for over and hour then they just won't get that from me (I'm fit but not up to that).

 

[GmanUK65]

There are rides like that Paddy_M in NTR but that is for the intermediate to fast intermediates. The usual average for Tuesday evening rides are 15mph. The Sunday rides from Ponteland are this average also though start early (8.30am). Check out NTR on Facebook and ask the members on there.

 

[PADDY_M]

Well Ponteland is easy enough for me to get to and 15 to 16mph is a nice speed for me. I like to see the countryside too when I'm pedaling!! rather than a hazy blur!! haha. Off to see Wiggo and Cav now on the Tour of Britain - huzzah! ALLEZ!!

 

[GmanUK65]

Well Ponteland is easy enough for me to get to and 15 to 16mph is a nice speed for me. I like to see the countryside too when I'm pedaling!! rather than a hazy blur!! haha. Off to see Wiggo and Cav now on the Tour of Britain - huzzah! ALLEZ!!

There was quite a few of us watching the ToB in Blyth on Wednesday

 

[Kevoffthetee]

I genuinely hope that club wasn't ours as we have a strict "leave no rider behind" policy. If it was please let me know which ride you were on, how we would have identified you and I'll feedback to our ride leaders as it shouldn't happen

We started with 3 levels of groups - easy riders (15-25mile at 10-12mph), development (35-45 miles at 13-15mph with more climbing) and club (15-16mph over 65mile+ with 3000ft+ climbing) but because of our rapidly increasing number of riders and improving cyclists we also run easy rider plus and development plus for those in between.

Easy riders and development tend to start from Kirkley cycles just outside Ponteland and club starts at La Taverna at our base near Ryton/Stella. We have a Facebook and web presence and anyone is welcome to come along a try a ride or 2 before joining.

 

[GmanUK65]

I genuinely hope that club wasn't ours as we have a strict "leave no rider behind" policy. If it was please let me know which ride you were on, how we would have identified you and I'll feedback to our ride leaders as it shouldn't happen

We started with 3 levels of groups - easy riders (15-25mile at 10-12mph), development (35-45 miles at 13-15mph with more climbing) and club (15-16mph over 65mile+ with 3000ft+ climbing) but because of our rapidly increasing number of riders and improving cyclists we also run easy rider plus and development plus for those in between.

Easy riders and development tend to start from Kirkley cycles just outside Ponteland and club starts at La Taverna at our base near Ryton/Stella. We have a Facebook and web presence and anyone is welcome to come along a try a ride or 2 before joining.

No, it wasn't your club. Your club runs sort of the same way as the club I am in. I haven't been to a Tuesday ride for a few weeks and it has changed for the better. It is now tiered into 3 groups. There is the under 15mph group and the 15 to 16mph group and there is a new members group that get taught the etiquette of road cycling (hand signals and such)

 

[PADDY_M]

Well once I'm back to full fitness again (ie: collarbone mends) and I get used to my new Cannondale 'flying machine!' I might very well just try a few club rides around the area and if things 'click' then who knows...I might just sign up There are 'pros and cons' when you're just riding by yourself and you don't always push yourself the same as if you were with others.

 

[BambiLegs]

Hi, I'm also in the Morpeth area, having recently moved up from the South East. I don't want the commitment (or pain!) of joining a fast club ride, but it would be great to join any informal social/ semi training rides that happen over the weekends.
Can anyone recomend anything?
Thanks

 

[Kevoffthetee]

Shameless plug.....https://www.facebook.com/blaydoncycling/

 

[annedonnelly]

More social than fast - Watbike

 

[BambiLegs]

Thanks very much, will have a look at those.

Chris

 

[chonkers]

Just this min been looking at this club and sounds up my street iam getting back into cycling after a 3yr lay off