Your views, please

[Mike Muz]

Hi folks,

I don't know why, but there seems to be a few people here who like to ride their bikes, and a lot more that don't seemingly want to.

So I ask you for your views.

What would you like to see, regarding riding your retro bikes, that would persuade you to join me and a few regulars on some rides?

Over to you

Mike

 

[The History Man]

Nudity.









But seriously. The best one I ever went on was actually two. An ‘elite’ fitness group that peeled off and left the rest of us mortals to a lesser exertion.

It was advertised as such and you signed up to the group of your choice.

 

[mk one]

You living in some remote part of the world aside, i have turned down a few rides as im just not fit enough at the moment to attempt the rides organised on here, even the so called easy ones

An easy ride for someone still active like yourself Mike, would still be beyond mere mortals and soon becomes hard work instead of enjoyable.

Im not saying make them all easier, just maybe make a relaxed easy ride for older less fitter types, maybe some might bring some of their pride and joys out if they knew they werent taking them on an epic and there was no chance of damaging them or even getting them dirty. After all, the site is about the joy of the bikes as well as riding

Mark

 

[Mike Muz]

Re:

I think you overestimate what happens on my rides. We go at the pace of the slowest rider, not very long rides, and always including a cafe stop.
I've not once seen a rider totally wasted at the end of them.
As for getting bikes dirty, I'm afraid I have little control over that, other than to consider ground conditions when working out routes.

Mike

 

[mk one]

Not really, i was just trying to answer from the mind of someone who maybe has thought about coming on a ride and feels intimidated by the more experienced riders.

Just putting thoughts forward really.

Take THM's post above, most rides do say that their are options to leave the group at certain stages, but if an individual has come on a group ride and halfway round is knackered then the thought of making their own way back is, i can imagine, off putting. I think the idea above is a good one, or my original point was maybe an easier ride in the first place.

As for ground conditions i was merely thinking again for others who treasure their bikes and maybe would quite enjoy a ride down a cycle track for example as opposed to cross country terrain.

Not everyone is the same or enjoys the same riding challenges.

 

[Piperdave]

Hi Mike,

two things keep me away at present. The first is ongoing medical problems, which mean that if i ride i bleed into my bladder. The second is that almost all rides have been organised on the one weekend a month that i work. Not anyone's fault, but frustrating.....

Best wishes

Dave

 

[The History Man]

Re:

I think point one is grateful for point two.

 

[jackosbournesnr]

Have a look at the NW & N Wales group pages. I've travelled down from Glasgow for a couple of road rides in the Lakes and have had an absolute blast both times. The Key positives:

Nobody gets left behind
The group breaks and reforms with the faster ones occasionally stopping for a chat to allow the slower ones to catch up
The rough route is posted in advance so those that might want to know how much of a challenge it is can work out if its for them or not
Everybody's primary purpose on the ride is to have fun - not break records or win stuff on Strava (or whatever it is that you do with Strava)
Everbody's secondary purpose on the ride is is to mercilessly rip the piss out of everyone else at every opportunity.

Last Saturday 9 of us met up and rode up Great Dun Fell. We had a huge mix of bikes and riders - from original retrobikes to tourers to carbon fibre and even a mountain bike with slicks. The oldest one in the group was 76.

 

[tim75]

Have a look at the NW & N Wales group pages. I've travelled down from Glasgow for a couple of road rides in the Lakes and have had an absolute blast both times. The Key positives:

Nobody gets left behind
The group breaks and reforms with the faster ones occasionally stopping for a chat to allow the slower ones to catch up
The rough route is posted in advance so those that might want to know how much of a challenge it is can work out if its for them or not
Everybody's primary purpose on the ride is to have fun - not break records or win stuff on Strava (or whatever it is that you do with Strava)
Everbody's secondary purpose on the ride is is to mercilessly rip the piss out of everyone else at every opportunity.

Last Saturday 9 of us met up and rode up Great Dun Fell. We had a huge mix of bikes and riders - from original retrobikes to tourers to carbon fibre and even a mountain bike with slicks. The oldest one in the group was 76.

Having been on a few rides that Mike has organised I can confirm that all of these things happen, apart from a map of the route being posted. I've certainly never seen anyone trying to break Strava records, least of all Mike. On one ride there was a rider who walked up almost every hill but everyone still waited for him at the top and as far as I know everyone still had a good day.

I think the idea of having two different ability groups is good but if only two or three people turn up then that might be a bit of a lonely ride.

If it's what people want I could easily plan a ride that would be completely flat with no difficult off road bits and be under 20 miles if that's what people would like? Would anyone be interested?

 

[CassidyAce]

Re:

I don't know why, but there seems to be a few people here who like to ride their bikes, and a lot more that don't seemingly want to.

This comment really caught my attention and stuck in my mind. I think it's because the sense of disappointment is palpable and, secondly, because I really like to ride my bikes and don't care too much about some of the stuff that other people seem passionate about. As it is, I had a great ride today: 23 miles, just under two hours, average speed of 12 mph - had to slow down for dog walkers quite often but conditions were excellent otherwise. Nothing technical, just cross-country from road to hard pack to stony stuff. How does that stack up against your rides?


However, all the working week I'm surrounded by people and I have a busy family life, so cycling is really my peace and quiet 'me time'. I'm not saying that I would never meet up, though, and from your write-up it looks like you had a really good ride today, so you've sparked my curiosity. I guess, then, the reports are the best adverts. (On the other hand, I would have had to get up early and do four hours of motorway driving and that's going to be grim any day of the week. )