Why, just why

[byegad]

I used to do the Medium/Slow ride at York Rally. The leader was couple on a tandem and I kept up very well, we stopped for Lunch and nobody was more than a minute behind the leader, same on return to Knavesmire.
Then one year the leader changed. I should have known we were in trouble when a bunch of youngsters turned up in club kit. As the ride progressed more and more people pulled over, and stopped, dropping out. I was 30 minutes behind the leader at Lunch and only found them because I'd sussed where we were going. The return pace saw me spinning out on the flat in an admittedly fairly low top gear. A short cut got us back just behind the leader and his posse of kitted out kids.

NEVER AGAIN!

 

[helston90]

Has your club identified, roughly, what constitutes a "social steady ride", not defending people who chew the handle bars at every opportunity but a steady ride could be anywhere between 8mph and 18mph depending on who is reading it?

 

[ColinJ]

There was a clear definition "I'll be doing the route but slowly, if anyone wants a slow ride they're welcome to join me"

People just don't listen! I told a fit friend that I was going out for a very hilly ride. He asked if he could join me. I said he could as long as he was happy to average only 10 mph. Yeah, fine. So, after several hours averaging 11 mph he started ranting about how slow we were going. I sent him on his way.

Over an hour later we met up again on the road. He had got lost and done a huge detour!

 

[T4tomo]

People just don't listen! I told a fit friend that I was going out for a very hilly ride. He asked if he could join me. I said he could as long as he was happy to average only 10 mph. Yeah, fine. So, after several hours averaging 11 mph he started ranting about how slow we were going. I sent him on his way.

Over an hour later we met up again on the road. He had got lost and done a huge detour!

Just effing rude that is.

 

[Jody]

I've not been on any club road rides but have been on a few MTB which have been touted as social rides. As usual the faster riders disappear on a climb which is no issue, but when you arrive at the top they've had a decent rest and are refreshed. Those at the back who could really do with a rest have to make do with 30 seconds before the pack decides its time to roll.

 

[T4tomo]

I've not been on any club road rides but have been on a few MTB which have been touted as social rides. As usual the faster riders disappear on a climb which is no issue, but when you arrive at the top they've had a decent rest and are refreshed. Those at the back who could really do with a rest have to make do with 30 seconds before the pack decides its time to roll.

as you come to the top, ride to the front and "park" diagonally across their front wheel!

 

[Edwardoka]

I've been on a couple of club runs, the first, when I was in my 20s, was not very organised. Inconsistent pacing, constant fragmentation. The weather broke halfway through and one by one people peeled off and turned back, in the end it was me on my own.

The second, nearly 10 years later, was much better. I was in good shape (by my own very low standards), riding in a double paceline was a bit intimidating, and once the road started to climb I was ejected. They waited for me - hell, one of them even came back up a 15% incline in the dark to make sure I was ok! If I knew then what I know now, I would have done many more rides with them. A fantastic group.

When I moved back here I intended to try a run with a local club but injury, loss of fitness and ballooning weight put paid to that notion. A good objective would be to get fit enough to participate but that's a long way away.

 

[Johnno260]

I attended a few local ones, first lot were total snobs and sneered at my Boardman, the main one rode a Pinarello and after I dropped out if he ever saw and passed me would say nice bike, once I got fitter and passed him saying nice bike he would blow a fuse.

The LBS rides I enjoyed and a nice bunch, they always kept to the slower paces for the Saturday morning ride with a cafe stop to re-fuel, just at the time attending was difficult, due to other factors.

I prefer solo as it's my time and pace, also it's time to myself which I need being a total hermit! haha

 

[Sharky]

I noticed a difference between club runs on Merseyside and the ones down here in Kent. With the former and also when I was younger and fitter, the routes tended to consist of 20 to 30 miles of fairly flat roads, before getting into North Wales or towards Buxton etc. So it was in everybody's interest to ride in a compact formation, sharing the work/headwind etc. When we got into the hilly areas, it was a bit of a free for all, but everybody waited and these was usually a proper lunch stop at the furthest point.

Unlike the Kent routes, where every few miles there is a bit of a "lump" and riders soon get spread out. Me now being a bit older and not quite as fit, was always one at the rear and losing contact. So for me now it is mostly solo riding.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Let them go ahead and don’t shout out to them when they’ve gone past a turn on your route. Include a slow hill climbing competition during the ride. Fastest rider up hill is a loser.

 

[ColinJ]

Include a slow hill climbing competition during the ride. Fastest rider up hill is a loser.

Disqualification for falling off, otherwise it could take all day!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Disqualification for falling off, otherwise it could take all day!

Yep and no feet down or stopping allowed.

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

A club I was in a long time ago had a downhill championship.
Start at the top of a big hill with a long straight fall followed by an uphill bit.
One crank was strapped to the chainstay so no pedalling.
Winner was the one who effectively freewheeled furthest.

 

[rogerzilla]

Let them go. They'll get lost. I led a night ride from Oxford to London once. One chap went off the front up a big hill and had a very boring ride on his own, mostly on the A40, because he missed the next turn.

 

[matticus]

A club I was in a long time ago had a downhill championship.
Start at the top of a big hill with a long straight fall followed by an uphill bit.
One crank was strapped to the chainstay so no pedalling.
Winner was the one who effectively freewheeled furthest.

We still do that every year - it's a great fun event, partly because it's usually won by a less featherweight rider!
Winner earns the right to choose next year's course - as well as a much-coveted trophy, of course.

(we don't bother with attaching cranks-to-stay, or taking chains off - just done on trust)