Tandem Tom

This year I have been a ride leader for our local cycling club. But I find myself tiring of "club rides", as I would rather be going somewhere i.e. touring! The long loops are OK but not a substitute for a tour. I guess I will keep riding these "non-tour" rides and use them as peps for the next tour!!

dbg

I agree with you. Loops are just workout rides. Trips are adventures with objectives and destinations and obstacles and unpredictable elements.

chefisaac

Leading group rides can be a drag. I lead for two clubs and its fun and all but then you have this moment where you say hell with it and want to ride solo. This morning was that point for me. Lol

Rowan

Fortunately, in my old city, I was involved on the periphery in setting up a small touring group that used to meet at a designated time and location every Sunday morning for leisurely rides to various destinations and back, including lunch.

The destination was decided on the day by the participants, and anyone could drop out at any time if, say, their residence was on the homeward route, or they had another appointment in the afternoon.

There were regular regrouping stops and hardly anyone turned up who was hardcore roadie either in person or in bike.

The group had a loose relationship with the bicycle section of a walking club, and several tours were organised with cross-over participation.

It all worked very well, but seems to be a very rare thing in the cycling world.

capejohn

I know what you mean. Touring is much more fun and the thing about club rides is that they try to require helmets. As much as I hate cliches, I avoid club rides like the plague because of the helmet rules.

B. Carfree

The secretary of my neighborhood association, which is a 501c3, was also the secretary of a local bike club. Like you, he does not care for helmets. When the bike club insisted on sticking with their helmet requirement, he quit as their secretary and we formed our own bike club under the umbrella of the neighborhood association. In fact, we put our first public ride on in two weeks (116 miles). Helmets are encouraged but not required to participate.

Over the next few years we plan on organizing some short tours for the community. We won't require helmets on those either, unless LAB changes their insurance provisions and we can't find a suitable replacement policy.

Lacumo

Welcome to "The Wide, Wide World Of Cyclists Who've Had Their Fill Of Club Rides And Bugged Out On Their Own." For me, the drawbacks of club rides went from annoying to overpowering and then drove me away (I suspect permanently). The egos, the Extreme Fashionistas and the attitudes of the hypercompetitive hyperspace cadets drove me away. I've been a solo rider for some time now and I've rediscovered and reacquired the enjoyment of cycling. I find that my solo rides are fun and enjoyable and they put me in a good mood. For me, that's the majority of what it's all about.

tarwheel 

I'm in the same boat -- tired of the same old loop rides. None of my cycling buddies has any interest in touring, so I have to do it on my own or go on supported group tours. Right now, I'm trying to plan a weeklong tour in September or October. It would be more fun to do with some riding partners, but I don't know anyone who will join me.

I'm trying to decide among three tour options right now: a loop of the NC inner coast and Outer Banks; the Blue Ridge Parkway from its start in Virginia south to Asheville, NC; or the C&O Canal - GAP trails from Washington DC to Pittsburgh. Anyone want to join me?

capejohn

It seems very presumptuous for a club ride trying to enforce their riding rules on a public way. I have no problem with them excluding anyone from the activities other than riding though. On the club rides a couple of us usually leave early and follow the arrows on our own. Unsanctioned naturally. 8>)

antokelly

excellent post exactly my feelings.

Ridefreemc

Would love to join you as those are areas I'd like to tour, but I just can't get the time needed. But wouldn't that then qualify as a group ride? Or is that 3 or more?

To the OP, I have stopped going to the group rides and have been solo for about 15 years now. Just finished a 3 day tour (2 nights in the woods) and loved the freedom. It would be cool to hang out at camp with someone on occasion though. That way I don't have to myself too long.

duckbill

I had a horrific crash in a group ride about a month ago caused by someone, for reasons unknown, grabbed his brakes near the front of a pace line moving at about 40 kph. One poor fellow broke his wrist and I lost a lot of skin. Repairs to my bike are over a $1,000.00 which includes replacing a unfixable Campagnolo rear wheel. I have been participating in club and group rides for over 20 years and this is my first crash. I may feel differently next season but right now I agree with the theme here in this thread. I have appointed myself president, road captain, secretary of my new club consisting of a membership of one. Just call me Mr. President.

bbbean 

I'm not sure I understand the need to post about how much you don't enjoy doing some optional activity. Personally, I don't like eating lima beans or watching tennis on TV, so I don't do those things. Never occurred to me to post about it.

Rwc5830

+1, tend to agree. Just leave the club it you don't like it or need it.

chefisaac

If you decide to do the GAP let me know when and such. If we match I might be able to make it happen.

downtube42

Lima beans are the randonneuring of the legume world. Not something to enjoy until you've suffered through parenting teenagers. That may mean something, I'm not sure.

fietsbob

.. in the first portion of an International Tour I took a Club ride side trip with a Tyneside group.
Northumberland ..
in 91,

the culture of the group differed immensely, nobody was dropped , someone fell back to
converse with the lantern rouge rider, for company..

being on my solid, Touring bike just minus the panniers , that was often Me.


back where I live, now, no clubs exist , there were some rides starting from the LBS,

the ethos was dropping the other guy , roadie kit.

the route out of town , passed 1/2 block from my apartment, so the 2nd one of those ,
the hammerheads already long gone, I turned there and went home.

LuckySailor

I'm not necessarily Tired of the group ride-more like disappointed. Joined a road group this year for the first time. I show up with a mountain bike with smooth tires. I'm usually not one to start up a conversation I'll admit. The first outting, not one hello from anyone. The second outting I got a couple of "nods" when I said hello, and a couple of one word answers to start up questions. The third ride, the group leader pedaled up beside me, and said, "you're going to have to work pretty hard to keep up with us on that mountain bike!" My reply was, "I like a challenge!" The forth ride, nothing. Sorry, I don't own a road bike, and I'm not interested in riding trails with a bunch of 20 somethings! (I'm 48) I kept in the middle of the pack-with ease on my mountain bike every ride. Will try again next year with another club. Dropped outta this one.

Philly Tandem

For many organized rides, club or whatever, helmets are required because the organization's insurance policy stipulates them. I occasionally lead bike rides for the local chapter of the Appalachian Mtn Club, and I know that our policy says that helmets are required for coverage to be in force; likewise, PFDs/life jackets are required on boating trips. It's not a political statement, it's a simple risk mitigation approach, I assume, from the insurance companies.

Booger1

I was tired of club rides about 2 miles from the start of the first one....

Guess I don't play well with others....

dbg

I would never join a pace line with people I don't know. Way too dangerous. Don't even need someone to hit the brakes. Just slowing down can ripple back into a terrible crash.

Rowan

Oddly... you just did!!

tarwheel 

Sent you a PM. Still trying to arrange a fall tour, and would give much higher consideration to the GAP-C&O Trail if I had someone to ride with. I really want to ride a fall tour but the idea of riding solo for a week is kind of intimidating.

Carbonfiberboy 

I really enjoy riding on and leading club rides. It's social and fun. I meet new people from varied walks of life whom I never would have met. I ride with two couples from very different socio-economic backgrounds who never would have found each other except through group rides. People ride like they live.

I also like riding with new people who will share a new viewpoint on things, either by words or actions. Keeps me fresh. I like alpine skiing and biking both because of the kinetic athleticism, but cycling adds the opportunity for cooperation with others. I like that a lot.

I also like touring much like I enjoy hiking. It's great fun for all the reasons laid out by others in this thread. But I wouldn't be half as good, safe, or comfortable a rider if it weren't for doing all those club rides - at least one/week, year-round, for the past 15 years. I learned a lot from fellow riders and leaders.

Having been down a couple of times on solo rides, though never on a club ride, my injuries were always minor, but would not have been minor if I hadn't been wearing a helmet. I very much approve of clubs which require participants on rides to wear a helmet. I also ride with informal groups, non-Club, which all require helmets. I always wear a helmet when touring. All the more reason, since medical help may not be readily available on a tour in remote areas or foreign countries.

Dahon.Steve

I stopped riding in group rides because it requires getting up at 5 or 6 in the morning to attend one. I really don't get up until after 9 or 10 and by that time most rides have already taken off. I do like the resturants during the stops.