I avoid clubs myself. I don't care to meet anybody's schedule or ride plan. We go out and ride then others join in.
This is my experience with clubs. We were invited on a
friendly social ride. Pace was 24 even before the tail end of the group was on the road. Pace was so high that everytime a rider pulled off the front after a pull, he was shed by the rest of the group playing "lastman standing".
2nd invite, pace was about 25 about 2 miles not the ride and no way was Gina going to hang on for long. A rider dropped back and made the comment, "Ha ha, why is Gina looking so red in the face?". I gave them the AMF speech and let them race of into the sunset.
As always, I'm just enjoying my ride with my wife and who ever else hops on.
Let me add, in my 15 years of riding, I've met about 6 guys that know how to do a good steady consistent pace. One was named Larry (Semper Fi) a clyde that did several double centuries. This guy was good, smooth, steady and very predictable. I could ride his wheel on century, rotate and never miss a beat. Other riders get in front, accelerate 3 or 4 mph, then slow, look back, swing side to side, stop, go, fast, slow, 23 then back down to 17, then accelerate. I don't know many riders that I feel comfy riding their wheel, or even with them for that matter. Club rides I've been on, the riders are all over the place, too dangerous. If we were in a race, it would be understandable but on a friendly social ride, nope!
