spdracr39

We only have 140 or so paying members and there are at least three days with 10 + riders per week this fall and 4 per week this summer with 20+. there are rides posted everyday for road cycling and mountain biking. I never have to ride alone unless I choose to. Just FYI I joined three "paid" clubs before I found the one I love to ride with.

Homebrew01

Don't join a club until you verify that it's a "fit" for you.
Go on some club rides and meet a few people before putting out cash.

Pirkaus

The club I ride with is free, buy a jersey if you like. There are 2 road rides and 1 mountain bike ride a week, plus other rides posted by members. It is sponsored by a LBS and there is a club section on their web site, plus all the regulars have each other's email and phone numbers. There are off season spin classes at the shop that use the routes we ride as terrain basis, Bob (shop owner)make's it entertaining and goal oriented but not high pressure (work it as hard as you want). Great club full of good, no drama members, I guess I'm just lucky.

FLvector

If their main mode of communication is Facebook and you don't have a FB account, then no wonder you don't know what's going on. I ride with several groups, a few are on Meetup, one is a group that relies on email and another is a club affiliated with a local shop that communicates via a combination of email and FB. Several of the club riders also coordinate rides via text messages. Each has their preferred method of communication and if you want to be included and stay aware of their rides, you have to adopt their method of communication.

RoadLight

Hi rms13,

Based on your description, I'd drop the club. It doesn't sound like a good one and I think your expectations are appropriate based on the way they presented themselves. But $25/yr is a trivial amount if they actually did what they promised---if I found a really good cycling club, it would be worth much more to me.

Your plight reminds me why I've never joined a club. Like you, I'm a fairly "serious" rider who wants to develop but I simply don't know anyone in my area who is like-minded and will keep up with me. I train for distance and my daily rides are 35 miles with no stops. One club saw me riding a century this year and invited me to join them, but when they heard how I train, they admitted that they couldn't offer anything that demanding.

If you truly want to ride with others who will push you and help you improve, then you will have to find where they are and go to them. In my experience, such cyclists are not common. If you can't do that because of the car situation, then I think the best you can do is go it alone until you meet someone near your home with similar goals and skills to join you.

Kind regards, RoadLight

TysonCook

We have ~150 members, and our dues are $15/yr and increasing to $20.
What you get for the $ is:
10% off at the LBS
Picnics, grilling, christmas party, bike social
Tent space at the pro-crit
Kit at cost
~15 rides/week

More importantly what most people forget are:
We have insurance for each rider per ride (both person and bike)
Signage (posted, painted, etc)
Legal fees (501c3)
Taxes
Local in kind business, etc.

One thing I would like to see is more competition across our regular group (i.e. via Strava most climbing per week, or sprinting point prizes etc). We have Cat1's, some Jr's in Belgium, all the way through 72 year olds.

I'd say that if your club isn't doing anything with the $, than move on...

On a separate note, does anybody's club do any other type of activities, competitions, prizes, etc? I'd love to change up some things so that our young cats can interact with the old timers...

bruce19

+1

Pretty much the same as my club.

Bandera

Great advice, try before you buy.
Not all clubs are sympatico for all riders.
A group based around a single big yearly charity ride may not suit a rider looking for weekly highly disciplined pacelines, and racing clubs are not for the casual.


-Bandera

Juan Foote

Agree completely.

The several clubs I have ridden with and been a member of would allow you to go on several rides with the group to be sure you enjoyed it and fit in. The paid membership in all of them typically included some perks with the sponsoring organizations to the club as well as a supplemental insurance policy, all for around $25-35 a year. The lightest riding schedule of any of them was one day a week and the only cancellations were when it was lightning or raining sideways, typically with an announcement earlier in the day via the web.

It honestly sounds to me like you need to contact the club president and bring up your concerns. As a paid member of the club you have say in the goings on to some degree.

f4rrest

I'd be disappointed with that too. Have you considered PAA?

Also, definitely try the Sat 8:30am Montrose ride. 50-100 riders, and you'll do fine keeping up. It's free, and there's usually a few club kits representing. Try the "short" route first.

You won't need a car to get from your place to either of the start points (Descanso gardens or Trader Joes in Pasadena).

OldsCOOL

I would want to know where that money is being spent. The bike shop does expect you to pay for services rendered, therefore I want to know what I'm getting for that money.....or cut my losses and ride by myself.

rms13

Thanks for the local advice. I actually contacted PAA yesterday since I see their groups on the road a lot during my weekend solo rides. I plan to check out their next beginner ride. I'll also check out Montrose because I keep hearing about that one too

pdedes

I don't do club rides that I can't get to on my bike. Most of the group rides I do are within 20km of my house.

nkfrench 

My bike club is small and charges about $25 annually for membership.
Our parent organization (a 501(c)(3) recreation association) has paid employees that do bookwork and provide a facility where we can use showers, meeting rooms, restrooms, secure parking. They provide insurance to our riders on club events.
We host members-only time trials 2x/year (event permit, reservation for picnic pavillion, free BBQ meats and beverages) with potluck picnic.
We host a members-only holiday party with a nominal ticket price (subsidized meal cost, facility rental, door prizes)
We seek sponsors for discounts on club bike jerseys below cost.
We have a paid website and message board and ridewithgps for club communications and route mapping.
We have a long cable and lock for group rides with a meal stop. It is nice freeing individuals from towing along their own for our rides.
We have paid memberships with state bike advocacy groups
We have materials for bike education and advocacy.

The smaller numbers are easier to manage on roads. A group of 4-8 cyclists is easier for cars to deal with than a mob of 20 or 50.
It's easier for us to get reservations or just walk-in to restaurants and coffeeshops.
It's also easier to get to know the other members.

We have a "no-one rides alone" policy. No maps and no cue sheets.
If a slowbie or novice shows up, yes, we will shortcut routes and slow the pace if we don't have leaders to split into speed/ability groups.
We do "riders choice" to let stronger individuals decide to tackle a steep hill or get extra miles on a side loop to regroup later.
And we do have a 3-mile stretch on many rides where people can ride AFAP if they want and regroup at the end.

Is that worth $25/year? It is for me.
Most of us have met some wonderful people through the club and enjoy feeling "part of the club" on charity rides and enjoying time off the bike together.
Birthday parties, retirement parties, pool parties, holiday gettogethers, bicycle vacations. None were club activities but were all with people I met through the club.

zymphad

Club around me has multiple rides in different towns and times to fit geographic and time needs of their members. Fee is $15.

cellery

Bike shop networking, Facebook and phone apps are great ways to find large groups of cyclists in your area for zero dollars.

goenrdoug

You should come out to Westlake one Saturday morning at 8:30 (or Sunday at 9) and join the club I ride with (CVC CONEJO VALLEY CYCLISTS |) as a guest. There are many ride levels from which to choose and the scenery is fantastic. I understand the car thing and I'm not sure how to suggest handling that, but I can guarantee you'll find riders looking to ride if you come out for a CVC ride.

Nachoman

that's actually what i do too. I just keep paying my dues to support the club. But rarely ride with them anymore.

TysonCook

So on that note, what WOULD people like to see from their local cycling club?
Competitions, socials, discounts, racing dues, equipment to borrow, etc.

I'd like to know as to grow a club, or keep members, I'm always trying to bring value to the $20/yr we pay... Thoughts?