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looking for a local club, or am i???

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  • March 19, 2012 at 4:54 pm #15370
    adam86

    Hi all

    I’m as new to road cycling as i am to forum posting so this is an entirely daunting process.

    I am looking to take the plunge into group riding and potentially completing my first sportive ride, may be a time trial, I’ll be honest i don’t know exactly what i want to do, i just want to ride.

    I have been a runner for some time, and commute on my trusty mountain bike 8 miles each way daily, so i’m reasonably fit, at 25 youth is on my side aswell.

    Whats the best starting point would it be to join a club and gain some experience or just go for it, don my lycra and enter a sportive?

    I’m based just outside of Southampton and upon reading some of the local clubs websites i’m more lost than ever.

    Any advice from anyone that has been or is still in this predicament would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks

    Adam

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  • March 20, 2012 at 1:41 pm #670903
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    adam86

    i went for a ride this
    i went for a ride this morning to test my pace over 20 mile, few small inclines but nothing crazy, averaged 16mph over 20 miles, would this be quick enough for most social groups?

    If riders in a club are as helpful as the riders here i’ll be laughing and it is really helping my confidence. Cant wait to build some miles in my legs and learn the ropes thanks all

    March 20, 2012 at 1:17 pm #670901
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    notfastenough

    All good advice here. I rode
    All good advice here. I rode alone for a few months to reach the fitness for 30-40 miles in 2-3 hours, then used the british cycling link above to find a local club just over a month ago. Although I had already decided to do this, my choice was re-affirmed when I went past a group that was so lacking in experience that they were downright dangerous to themselves in traffic. (This appeared to be a club, so like anything, there are good and bad ones) This forced me to realise that a large part of Sportives may be like this. Riding in a bunch where no-one warns of obstacles, calls out the oncoming car, or even bothers to position themselves safely on the road.

    Sorry, this is slightly cynical, but you get the idea.

    I deliberately chose a small club so as to focus on riding my bike as opposed to Annual General Meetings or fundraising for a new clubhouse roof or some such. I’ve been on maybe 5 club runs now on consecutive weekends. I’m definitely getting fitter, and seeing some great countryside that I would never have found on my own. I was nervy about holding a wheel at first because I couldn’t see the upcoming potholes for myself and had to trust other riders calls/hand signals, but I’m improving.

    I suppose riding alone gives you fitness, but riding in a group gives you skills as well as fitness.

    You may want a bigger club with multiple groups so you can move up them. If you go out with the ‘social’ group first, they will probably have an agreement to not leave anyone behind.

    Good luck! 🙂

    March 20, 2012 at 1:12 pm #670899
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    mad_scot_rider

    iammarcmason wrote:Try

    iammarcmason wrote:
    Try http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/clubfinder – hopefully should help.

    Very handy website – Ctrl+D

    Thanks

    March 20, 2012 at 12:26 pm #670897
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    iammarcmason

    Try
    Try http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/clubfinder – hopefully should help.

    March 20, 2012 at 10:54 am #670895
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    mad_scot_rider

    okay – so tangential question
    okay – so tangential question from an interested lurker on the thread

    once you’ve decided to join a club, are there any sites for finding one nearby?

    March 19, 2012 at 7:48 pm #670893
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    adam86

    Well, it looks like i best
    Well, it looks like i best get on and join a club. Really useful input all round. Thank you.

    Sounds like i will be able to get lots of knowledge from experienced riders and decide where I go from there.

    Cant wait to get out there!

    March 19, 2012 at 6:31 pm #670891
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    TheHatter

    I’d definitely recommend
    I’d definitely recommend joining a club. Compared to a sportive you get all the benefits of the groups knowledge as mentioned by Farky, its much cheaper and you have all the challenge you need just by moving up the groups.
    As you mentioned you have youth on your side and you could look at real racing when you’ve got some miles in your legs rather than the middle aged posing that goes on at sportives (there, I’ve said it).

    March 19, 2012 at 6:06 pm #670889
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    Farky

    That does sound like a
    That does sound like a rant…..

    Theres always the good and bad in clubs, I used to ride with a club who treated every ride like a race, but in general you get more from a club than riding on your own, it does take effort to be in a club, like any relationship it takes some working.

    You will find your like minded friends in a club, any club, touring, racing whatever they say they are.

    Dont be put off riding sportives, infact, it can be a great way to meet club riders, look for them, talk to them, ask to join in with them for a while, many will be happy to help you along, some wont.

    One big thing I would say….dont let a forum determine your choice….they dont represent personalities the best. Communicating in writing is limited and attracts all sorts…like me.

    March 19, 2012 at 6:00 pm #670887
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    rch30

    Sotonia Do time trials, group
    Sotonia Do time trials, group rides,reliability rides(sportives with out signage and minimal costs)Hill climbs etc.Group rides on Saturday tend to be a training ride.On Sunday there are often as many as six groups going at different speeds and distance to various destinations. No cost to try before you join.See their website for more info –

    Home

    March 19, 2012 at 5:43 pm #670885
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    adam86

    Really useful thank you,
    Really useful thank you, looks like that could be that then, as far as clubs go do most cater for all abilities? dont want to be left in a cloud of dust at the side of the road :”(

    March 19, 2012 at 5:35 pm #670883
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    Farky

    first to bite…
    As an
    first to bite…

    As an experienced club rider who just completed a sportive in a group on Sunday, I can safely recommend that joining a club will def be the way to go.

    No sportive can teach you the following:
    1. Road Safety in groups
    2. Group edicate
    3. Group riding technique safety & efficiency

    These things come only from experience, chatting and learning. You dont need to attend every group ride, but even discussing these things will help more than reading.

    I rode with a small group of riders, none of whom had any intentions of joing local clubs, as they didnt see the value and didnt want to join club rides on a Sunday morning.

    None of these riders could hold a wheel properly to save themselves from exerting so much energy.
    None of them could pace themselves to the pace of the group, dropping their own mates on numerous occasions.
    None of them could safely rise as a group with traffic, sometimes making overtakes more difficult and sometimes not even aware of traffic.
    None of them could confidently tackle junctions, roundabouts or other obstacles on the road as a group, instead coming to an almost stop at the sight of such.

    I ride as a motorcycle safety marshal at races and also attend sportives as safety rider and this is pretty much the same throughout the entire sportive calendar.

    Without a decent club passing on the years of experience gathered from group riding, your just putting yourself at risk.

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