Bolsover & District Cycling Club

Gents

It seems that we are having a little difficulty getting the Sunday morning club run to grow , with the same few stalwarts making a regular appearance , but not really attracting new members.

This is getting a little frustrating for those who are making the effort

Any clues why this might be , what are the barriers to attracting people on this ride , any suggestions to make things better?

Below is a qoute from the website:-

"usually vary from 2 hours 40 miles up to 4 hours 60-70 miles"

20 miles an hour! I'm a very experienced and fairly fit 'ish' rider but 20 miles an hour would be way beyond me - not a hope. 60-70 in 4 is a bit slower but even then we are talking about 15-17 miles an hour for 4 hours. I'd like to come on these runs but the idea of trying to keep that speed up or worse, everyone else slowing down so I could keep up is just not on. Maybe I'll get quicker again one day - but I'm not going to try to find out at 20 miles an hour for 2 hours!

Peter at 08:52AM on Jan 24, 2010

Below is a qoute from the website:-

"usually vary from 2 hours 40 miles up to 4 hours 60-70 miles"

 

20 miles an hour! I'm a very experienced and fairly fit 'ish' rider but 20 miles an hour would be way beyond me - not a hope. 60-70 in 4 is a bit slower but even then we are talking about 15-17 miles an hour for 4 hours. I'd like to come on these runs but the idea of trying to keep that speed up or worse, everyone else slowing down so I could keep up is just not on. Maybe I'll get quicker again one day - but I'm not going to try to find out at 20 miles an hour for 2 hours!

 

good observation peter

thanks for the feedback , ill get that information changed straight away , agreed it coul be misleading , its certainly not accurate....

Steve

Another member has said that speed isn't attained anyway. Maybe there should be a leader who will turn up no matter what - then everyone will know that at least 1 other person will be there. Of course that person may well be on his own! Although it's difficult with only a few riders- if more eventually turn out there could be a fast group and a slow group, perhaps meeting up at the same cafe later. Not possible with only 1 or 2 riders out though.

I'd like to help out but the only road riding I do is between the end of one trail and the start of the next.  Besides which I reckon I'd struggle to keep up with road bikes on my trusty MTB!

Maybe the weather is the main contributor.Talking to friends other club run attendances are low to date. Peter I know plenty of other riders that have concerns about the club run pace, in other clubs. This is due to not knowing what to expect or they have experienced being “dropped” or worked hard, and I understand your comments.

Is the philosophy behind a club run to ride together and make it a social event with a cup a tea/coffee, and indulge in the largest piece of sponge cake you can eat? Those with faster legs can work on the front and move around the group to control the pace a little “cycling etiquette”. The larger the group, the faster the rides will become naturally due to the drafting effect.

Why not save the pace sessions for the last lap of the training rides in the evenings, i.e. time the last lap, or when returning from a club run include an optional training lap to ensure the competitive ones have an opportunity to test themselves?

Hope these comments help???

I'm not sure if it's the weather. I'd have thought people would be gagging to get out after all the snow and ice. I know I have been and I've done 500kms in the last week. So long as it's not dangerous or absolutely p*ss*ng it down - I'll go out.

My non attendance on Sunday runs is largely down to my not having a clue where anyone is planning to ride to – the lack of any useful information is very poor. I was a member of Bolsover Wheelers for a couple of years and the legacy of my involvement is that, after much cajoling, they publish a runs list (ride to Hartington from Chesterfield next Sunday) and regularly attract 15 or so riders. When I first joined, they would decide where the Sunday ride was going at the club night on the Monday before. If you didn’t attend the club night you would have to ring round other members to find out what was planned or you’d get a call on the Saturday night – consequently attendance on rides was low.

I've mentioned need for a published rides list on numerous occasions (even at the Committee meeting last week) but it has so far fallen on deaf ears. As a means of encouraging members it would be invaluable as I could send it out to new members with their membership cards or it could be posted on, and printed from, the website or left in local bike shops. Stick it on your fridge door and it serves as a useful aide memoir – also useful when negotiating a pass for Sunday mornings. I would be more than willing to help put one together if we can agree say 2 months worth of destinations for rides of up to 30 / 40 miles or so that could be ridden in 3 to 4 hours. The same offer applies to MTB rides.

As well as ride destinations, we’d need to sort out a start (09:00?) / finish time (13:00?) and a leader / contact for each ride. I quite agree that cycling is a social activity and that a café stop should be included, despite much ribbing about my cafe addiction from some members.

If there is an issue with speed on club runs (too fast / too slow) it would be possible to run longer / faster (A) and shorter / slower (B) rides at the same time that meet up at the same café but travel there at different speeds and by different routes thus catering for a wider range of riders – all part of being more inclusive / equitable.

I think we can learn from the success of the spiralling rides – let people know what’s involved and where you are going and they will come along for the ride…

Matt

Club Secretary

well , assuming we dont just take the easy route & merge B&DCC with the Bolsover Wheelers , we have to take onboard Matts points

Me , Vern & Martyn tried to kick this off , but it didnt really get off the ground...time to get the ball rolling again...i recall we very nearly got something similar to the MTB ride programme , that rolled around the district..any route suggestions greatly appreciated

Unfortunately I can't make Sunday mornings due to other family commitments so I do my weekend ride on a Saturday morning. If there were particular rides published then I may be able to ride the odd one on a Sunday if it was going somewhere interesting.

I've just read the posts above and completely agree with Rich. Club runs should be an enjoyable social ride, in formation, at a comfortable pace for all. We all need pushing every now and again, but as Rich says, the pace will come with larger numbers.

Personally, I have had family commitments over the past few months so have lost alot of fitness. The last Sunday ride I went on , it seemed we were all spread out, with people going fast, then waiting, instead of a team effort. As I was struggling I thought I would go on the Thursday rides to get some fitness back.

It would be great to see some good numbers, riding together on a Sunday morning. Hopefully better weather will see us all out?

I would suggest it is too early to pour doom and gloom into what will one day be the core of our club. As I recall the Mountain bike section was at a point not that far from where the Sunday road ride is at present.

I rekon the solution is very simple, when there are 3 - 4 members who can attend on a regular basis to ensure there is always someone there to ride with or lead a ride then more riders will come, then more people will know the rides meaning it is less important that there be a ride leader and so on.

I would agree that the speed of the ride could put some members off and would change that adding somewhere that no-one will be dropped and the ride pace will be dictated by the slowest rider. That said when the ride base becomes larger it would be good to have a slow group and a fast group, even fast riders sometimes get injuries needing a slow pace to bring them back into the fold.

Seems about right Adam.  So, anyone else out Sunday.? I'll be there (assuming it's not lashing it down).:)