Whether you're new to BRCC or cycling in general, then joining a club run is one of the best ways to learn more about the club and cycling. Read on for more info on recent and coming Club Runs.
With summer well and truly arrived, the hardcore members of the Sunday Club Run can forget the winter rides just gone, when the drink in your water bottle turned to frozen slush, and rain so hard that riding on some other rider's wheel felt more like swimming the English Channel than a bike ride.
And with the sunshine come the longer distances and explorations into parts of our countryside further afield and previously unknown. Distances are rarely under 60 miles at this time of year, often 70 miles and a ride at the end of July is 88 miles. There is a long requested ride of 100 miles planned for August. These longer rides take the whole day and contain two refuel stops for tea and cake.Numbers vary, from just 7 riders on last week's 68 mile ride to Barton (near Cambridge) to a record (for recent years anyway) 25 riders on the circular route to Castle Ashby [photos]. Not a bad turn-out considering the Club was also hosting an open Time Trial event. There is usually one or two newcomers giving the Club a try, and they are always welcome, and much respect goes to those willing to give these distance events a try, as at this time of year, when the distances are increasing, and the pace averaging 16+ mph, it can be challenging for any newcomer and also for the "occasional" Sunday Club rider.
"There's more to life than increasing speed" - Ghandi
Many of the Sunday Club riders have little or no interest in racing or time trialing. They prefer to enjoy the countryside and the open air at a sustainable pace, and the company of like minded people, but appreciate the sense of accomplishment and wellbeing that comes at the end of a long ride. That's not to say that a crossover never occurs. Myself, I enjoy the odd time trial, and others are even quite good at it (young Tom Wiacek is a promising example). Given that no cyclist starts out riding like Lance Armstrong, the Club Run is often the gateway into the Club environment and thus eventually onto bigger and faster events.
Ride Tight!
For anyone thinking of giving a Club Run a try for the first time, be prepared to embrace a discipline which can take some time to get to grips with. Even though, ostensibly, distance riding appears a solitary challenge, it is actually very much a team effort. Riding close to the wheel of the rider in-front is an essential energy conservation trick but takes some nerve and concentration to make it 'second-nature'. Efficient pedalling technique and knowing your gears, and of course adequate hydration and frequent energy supplementation are also essential to avoid the cyclist's "bonk". Riding in a tight bunch requires considerable all-round attention and consideration of your fellow riders. Not keeping "good lines" and "half wheeling" (technical terms used by old-timers) is a sure way to break up a bunch and make the ride harder for everyone else, and is potentially dangerous too.The benefits of riding a tight formation in this way become all the more obvious when riding down the barrel of a strong headwind, as anyone who was out on that "eventful" ride to Grantchester last year. "Drafting" in someone's slipstream saves you around 30% effort, even more if you are 3rd or 4th in line (any further back than that though, and you find your pace starts to become variable due to the cumulative effects of the riders in front of you repeatedly slowing and accelerating - this action will sap your energy more surreptitiously than a headwind). If you really want to ride a long distance with the least amount of energy expense, sit 3-inches behind the wheel of an experienced rider, as they are most likely to ride a uniform speed. Anticipate the 'kick-back' if the rider in front gets out of the saddle on a hill though.
Navigating by the stars
Most routes are initially plotted on bikely.com (our account is username=BRCC, password=bedsroad), which are then copied onto satnav. The satnav enables a reasonably seamless ride, without having to stop at junctions to study a map. The downside of this is that you may be required to ride 35 miles or more without stopping for a moment's rest, not even at junctions. Learn to eat on the move, and especially drink at every opportunity whilst riding.You can get involved with route planning too. If you know of a cafe and/or a route through some great countryside, have a go at plotting it on bikely.com (it really is quite easy to use) and we'll schedule it as an official Club Run at the next available slot. Don't worry, you won't be expected to sit at the front and lead the bunch - that pleasure goes to the satnav owner (oh yeah... that's me!)If you want to know where the Club Run is going for the next few weeks, hover over the blue dates on the Calendar of Events on the Homepage. You can click the "view map" link to see the exact route. There is also an elevation profile (1500 ft of climb on a 65 mile ride is about average). If you are concerned about whether you can keep up, remember that the only way to be good at riding long distances, is to ride long distances, as often as possible. Everyone finds it hard work on the first few events. Those that can make it out regularly (through winter months too) will find it pays back more than you could ever imagine.
