"why I'd never join a club that would have someone like me as a member"

http://blog.cine.com/enduda/files/2007/10/untitled.JPG

Being accepted has more to do with the quality of your riding. Proving yourself safe, and able to contribute to whatever group you ride with. Your first impression, riding off beat equipment, doesn't prevent this from happening but does perhaps make it a little slower.

Stick with it, but as Event suggested if it just isn't working look for another group or club.

From the get go, I know what kind of riding appeals to me. Why waste one's time. Including me own. It's like knowing the difference between cat and dog people. We all must have a sense of our goals. I'd find my own kind starting at day one.

I've been a snob and I've experienced it on the other side many times before. I dread riding with anyone who doesn't keep a straight line and who brakes expectedly too often, esp in a group ride. I do however invite my neighbors, all who are completely new to cycling to come along for very small group rides. I try to teach them some of the basics and hopefully have educated them on safe riding along the way.

What do you think they owe you?

The bottom line is all of those other riders are doing this for the fun of it. If a new rider, who looks like they're not going to fit into the group, shows up it puts them in a difficult position:

1. They can pretend that everything's OK and ride-on as they would otherwise. The problem with this it makes me (for one) feel bad.
2. They can ride at the slowest rider's pace. That's not any fun.
3. They can designate a "baby sitter" to keep pace with the slow rider or take turns being the "baby sitter".

What do you expect from them?

Sarcasm through the written word is difficult. Sorry if I misinterpreted.

Thats pretty awesome!!!

Why do you imagine that they would care?

Truth is that nobody cares what you ride or what you wear. As long as you can ride.

I see everyone telling this guy to maybe find another group, it sound like there isn't alot to choose from in his area.

What I would do is contact one of the groups leaders and tell them your situation (current fitness, etc) and see if there is a group of riders that wouldn't mind going out with you to see what your riding level is. I totally understand your feelings, it is hard to break into a group of anything but especially something like cycling where one's level of comfort can vary so much.

My guess is the randonneur group you mentioned will be so much more layed back and surprisingly fast.

Chris

"birds of a feather flock together". It's not elitism, it's commonality. All humans are like that, it's a natural instinct. Some are more friendly than others, some take a longer time to warm up. Some never will. What the OP described is very similar to my experience, except I never took it personally:

Five years ago I showed up out at a local 'fast' ride on a hybrid with toe clips and me about 25 pounds overweight and with little to no experience riding in a paceline or other bike handling skills. This, like the ride you described, splits up into an A, B, C, groups and stragglers, unofficially, as people drop off from the fastest group. That fast, and definitely elite (both skills and attitude), group also rode a separate route on one night a week, further and as hard as any ride around.

I couldn't keep up with the slowest riders. The ride leader waited for me on the route a couple times until I knew it, then even he would leave me to finish the ride. Only a couple people talked to me.

I started riding one of the ride leaders bikes for a couple weeks to test it out. I could keep up with him and a couple of the slower riders. They coached me a little bit on riding in a paceline. A couple more people talked to me.

I bought the used bike and kept coming out. I could keep up with slightly faster riders over time, and gradually learned my skills. I also slowly got to know the riders. Eventually, the fastest A guys started to warm up to me. And eventually, as I proved myself strong enough and skilled enough, I started getting the question: "Well, are you comin' with us or not?" Even then I waited a couple more months before I attempted that ride.

I've been trying to keep up with those guys for the last 5 years. Some days I make it, most days I don't. But I never gave up. Those same guys who didn't even notice me when I first showed up, are now some of the best friends I've ever had.

Keep showing up, get stronger, give them time. Many guys don't bother because they assume you won't be back more than a couple times. And yes... get a more suitable bike, or alter your bike, if it is necessary to ride stronger and faster, and if that's what you want. You don't have to buy a super light $5000 carbon techno wonder. If you can keep up on that bike they'll actually be more impressed.

So nobody said anything to you but you "felt" this way? Sounds like the real issue is you dont feel like you belong not vice versa.

well put.. this is what the OP will likely realize later on

I second the request on where you heard about this ride. Even the smallest, most backwoods clubs give some kind of ride classification--even if there is only one ride speed.

Also, why do you need other people around to train to a marginal level of fitness? Hell, just commuting to work by bike should be enough to get in pretty good shape.

hint:

maybe the OP doesn't know the roads.

Very true. I did a group ride with a friend in Houston last year. I used his cross bike and got some rolled eyes before the ride started. When I put on my kit showing off my eating disorder build with silly tan lines, and over grown horse legs resulting from years of racing... I got instant respect.

All most groups want to know is:
Do you know how to ride in a group safely.
Can you keep up.

The bike is a VERY distant third.

Concur.

So I am looking at joining a club as well but am new to riding. How does one learn to ride in a group safely, keep up, drive a straight line etc ? Seems to be everyone has to go through this isolation stage if they want to be a part of the group eventually...how else would you learn?

you can start by using google, i.e. http://www.granfondocycles.com/events.htm

Yup.. if you can hang, you can hang. And that's nonsense about not being able to push yourself to a high fitness level on solo rides. I ride solo and have gone from 15 mph to 18 mph average in the past riding season. If you have self-determination you can get along alone just fine.

If you like riding in a group, that is fun too. But don't pretend it's impossible to train up on your own.

+1. You say you got the feeling that... etc. It can be a bit difficult when you come into an established group of any kind, but the only way you can learn is to ask. The most they can do is say no, but I suspect they'll be happy to put you on the right path.

The trouble is with experienced and fit riders that they don't always remember what it was like when they were starting out. As an example, when I was co-ordinating the UK's National BikeWeek for my city council, I had to explain to one club that inviting newcomers to jon them on a "nice easy 50-miler" wasn't likely to get a large response, even tho' they said that no-one would be left behind.

Contact the club sec by phone and expain your situation. S/He will either give you some good advice as how to go about it, or he won't be too welcoming. If so, the audax group should be ideal - but even they may be pretty fit, but it's unlikely that they'll leave you dry in the wind if you are suffering.

Good luck and welcome to the club

Over on the elitist forums, there is probably a "dealing with freds" thread right now. And everything is in its natural order.

I say keep riding with them. You'll improve much faster if you are pushing yourself, which will happen when you ride with a faster group. Let them know from the beginning that you'll be ok on your own, and to ride at their normal pace if they should drop you.

Screw what they think about your bike. If anything, that should give you more motivation to be a better rider. 99% of my road biking has been done on my simple aluminum Trek 1000, while I ride with guys that have $5000 carbon fiber racing machines. I find great joy in cruising past some of those guys who let their wallet do the talking more than their legs.

At the same time, start putting away a bit of money for a faster road bike. Riding on your heavier bike will make you a stronger rider once you move on to a lighter, faster bike.

Not knowing the roads is about as weak of an excuse as needing other people for motivation to ride.

If he can post on a web forum he can use google maps (and likely, get some cue sheets off a website). Besides, if he gets lost thats even more exercise.

First off, you should probably know how to ride a bike in a straight line and have some level of fitness before you think of joining a large group of people on a ride. It'll make things easier on you and the people you ride with.

Show up to the group ride. Know your place and know what skills you need to improve. Ride with the people who are at your level fitness wise and learn the group etiquette. Don't go in with an attitude. You are a guest until people know who you are.

Basically, you need to ease into it. Understand that the club has a social dynamic and you need to earn your respect and friends. Just being on a bike isn't enough. Don't be "that guy" who's off in his own world, making things dangerous for others and being a general nuisance. Some groups are more flexible than others about skill level. In my club, we have a 400 person membership and so there is something for everyone, from the slowest to the fastest. Other clubs are smaller and span only a part of the spectrum and will be harder to join unless you fit the group already. With a 400 person club spanning all levels of skill, we can actually take a newbie and teach him or her how to ride. A club of 30 or 40 people will be less likely to be able to do this. Clubs with smaller memberships are usually more dedicated and will be harder to fit in with unless you already share their dedication.

Try a Cat 5 race. You'll learn how to jam on the brakes violently at every downhill section and/or slight bend in the road (if it has both you may want to just stop for a moment altogether).

And you'll learn how pedalling while on the front is optional, and how the proper procedure when you find yourself about to overtake the guy not pedalling is to also jam on the brakes violently and wait for him to continue.

Welcome to the Kum Bay Ya Warm Fuzzy World of Road Cycling.

Enjoy!