The Saint Posted October 30, 2009 Share It is a bit of a shame that this lady got dropped. Yes it is intimidating your first time out but how are people to know who is new and who is not? Some of these clubs have huge memberships. Maybe an announcement before the ride for the newbies to move one side, followed by a briefing - I dunno. I ride for LPCC and one thing I can say is when I first started out someone would always drop back to push me back into the bunch. The only time they would leave me was at the end of the ride when I was on the side of the road throwing up - I am stronger for it now, but we are a smaller club and it is easier to spot the new guys and girls to help them out. Sometimes a bit of research by the individual is also needed. I mean you don't just jump out of a plane before finding out how to pull the cord first. The same probably applies here. But having said all this the support vehicle should not have left her although was it a support vehicle? Coming from a newbie it may not have been. It might just have been a parent following their kid. Ok I am now ready to take my beating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EigerSA Posted October 30, 2009 Share what we do is... put the hammer down' date=' flat out, straight away, and the group is soon sorted into A,B,C,D......E............F pretty quickly!!!!No.. joking... but i do think new comers to a group should introduce themselves and talk at the start... what often happens is they arrive, dont say anything, and join the ride!! and now the club are responsible for them??!!![/quote'] yes, everyone is comfortable when they brand new to a club and just go Hi , I'm am bla bla bla and I want to cycle. Yes, you do get the bigmouths who do that, but most normal people arrive, and are too shy to just go and hi , .... There's also that little insecurity that most people have when they go for a group ride as a beginner, seeing everyone around you with bulging muscles and extreme bikes... Honestly I think the clubs should bear/bare (spelling?) some responsibility and chat to the new members, show them where to go. After all if you new to the sport how the hell you supposed to know what questions to ask? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bbox Posted October 30, 2009 Share what we do is... put the hammer down' date=' flat out, straight away, and the group is soon sorted into A,B,C,D......E............F pretty quickly!!!!No.. joking... but i do think new comers to a group should introduce themselves and talk at the start... what often happens is they arrive, dont say anything, and join the ride!! and now the club are responsible for them??!!![/quote'] yes, everyone is comfortable when they brand new to a club and just go Hi , I'm am bla bla bla and I want to cycle. Yes, you do get the bigmouths who do that, but most normal people arrive, and are too shy to just go and hi , .... There's also that little insecurity that most people have when they go for a group ride as a beginner, seeing everyone around you with bulging muscles and extreme bikes... Honestly I think the clubs should bear/bare (spelling?) some responsibility and chat to the new members, show them where to go. After all if you new to the sport how the hell you supposed to know what questions to ask? It's "bear" (Looked it up) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyathi Posted October 30, 2009 Share jvwilligh Honestly I think the clubs should bear/bare (spelling?) some responsibility and chat to the new members, show them where to go. After all if you new to the sport how the hell you supposed to know what questions to ask? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kranswurm Posted October 30, 2009 Share I really dont know what the big deal is.9/10 people pitch for a ride of intensity and duration they are incapable of achieving.I mean how beginner do you go?Club rides invariably specify clearly what each group is going to be doing.I would suggest that when you are really starting,ride with a couple of friends for a while.Even better,enter every funride in your area on a Sat and Sun and do the shortest distance.Watch those around you,learn,gain experience and then slot in to the appropriate club group.Easy Peasy.BTW the knee jerk reactions,vigilante,string em up from the nearest tree responses around here really take the bakery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dun Man Posted October 30, 2009 Share I'm sitting with a huge smile reading this thread, I've never joined a club for the simple reason you always get people in the "bende" who all wants to be Trompie.. I cycled alone for very long time on a stratch of road with at least other people cycling there until I felt strong enough to join a bunch, and if I get dropped I do'nt blame the bunch but simply my own ability. I do a fair bit of all the disciplines and as good as the Mtb thing is, its only when you fly in a well organised bunch all working in unison, communicating only by gesture, that you experience true "Esprit de Corps" Funrides irritate the crap out of me because everyone wants sit in the bunch enjoy the slip, never work in front and then feel like a hero in the last 2k's. Nee wat take some time, get to know a few cyclists join a bunch untill you find one you like and join them for weekend rides and leave the "bendes" to their own devices.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dun Man Posted October 30, 2009 Share I really dont know what the big deal is. 9/10 people pitch for a ride of intensity and duration they are incapable of achieving.I mean how beginner do you go?Club rides invariably specify clearly what each group is going to be doing.I would suggest that when you are really starting' date='ride with a couple of friends for a while.Even better,enter every funride in your area on a Sat and Sun and do the shortest distance.Watch those around you,learn,gain experience and then slot in to the appropriate club group.Easy Peasy.BTW the knee jerk reactions,vigilante,string em up from the nearest tree responses around here really take the bakery.[/quote'] vatso! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
predictor Posted October 30, 2009 Share The feelings are running high. Please take this with a pinch of Salt. Even if you can ride at 33kmph it does not make you a good bunch rider. Surely it is in "A" bunch where you come and hone your "racing" skills? The problem surely was not the club nor the lady or as a matter of fact cycling or even CSA but just communication. If this was my wife and she was this worried I would expect her to do the right thing and phone me. Perhaps the same pride that drove her on the 107km stretch also got her into the A bunch to start with??? I am not pointing a finger but rather stating my point of view with VERY few facts. I would also be peed off if someone decides to just fall (excuse the punn) into the bunch then wrecks me and even worse my bike. Do some homework like Pucture Girl and join the right club and group for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drinks@Brawn Posted October 30, 2009 Share Fortunately, I survived my first club ride. Similer story, Support vechile left me behind. Contacted the club and spoke to owner/ shop. Told me I was complaining for nothing. When they later saw my seeding , they said how could I expect to belong/ ride for the club? Well the amount of top riders, that have since left said club. Gave me my answer. I know belong to a club that knows my name and waits for anybody with problems. We ask the questions to help anybody on the morning. There is plenty of help from all, old members and new visitors.Simple solution is to try and find one friend in your home town. Start out with the basics. But we can all learn from our mistakes and others advice.Cheers cytomax2009-10-30 14:13:56 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porky Posted October 30, 2009 Share Its easy to make comments with years of experience behind you.! She should have done this, she should have done that...........yah, right, easy in hindsight.! The fact is she was new to the sport, she joined a club because she probably watched SC and thought they would look after her. She was probably hoping to learn something and get better in a safe group enviroment. Well she did. She learnt that most cyclists in that club are elitest tossers with an ego problem.! Great way to grow the sport buddies.! porky2009-10-30 12:44:13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNT1 Posted October 30, 2009 Share Its easy to make comments with years of experience behind you.! The fact is she was new to the sport' date=' she joined a club because she probably watched SC and thought they would look after her. She was hoping to learn something. Well she did. She learnt that most cyclists in that club are elitest tossers with an ego problem.! Great way to grow the sport buddies.! [/quote'] Is the salient point, no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNT1 Posted October 30, 2009 Share Apologies, I have rather a dim view of the majority of my so called brethren of this sport... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porky Posted October 30, 2009 Share Apologies' date=' I have rather a dim view of the majority of my so called brethren of this sport... [/quote'] Dont worry, me too.!! Actually the lights almost out after reading some posts here.! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Bornman Posted October 30, 2009 Share I dont see the point of the magazine even publishing the letter. They obviously have nothing better to publish than some wannabe writer trying to be James Clarke. Get with it. If a group drops you, you overestimated your prowess and you either lower your outlook or go and do some homework before coming back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kori Posted October 30, 2009 Share I dont see the point of the magazine even publishing the letter. They obviously have nothing better to publish than some wannabe writer trying to be James Clarke. Get with it. If a group drops you' date=' you overestimated your prowess and you either lower your outlook or go and do some homework before coming back. [/quote'] this is common complaint with new riders finding a place to fit in, ride a few times and then comment, i find there is always someone in a club who will look out for others, evrybody in a club has the same passion cycling!they for sure didnt belong in the group they were in, most prob didnt listen to the instructions at the start and now have a wet panty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drinks@Brawn Posted October 30, 2009 Share Excuse me, Any club that wants my support, my membership, my advertising, my freindship. Better prove their weight in gold. I may have a little bit more experience today, than when I started cycling but I will still ride with anybody in my club. Be that person riding ( slowly PPA marshal Bernie or fast Robbie R.) sorry for the example Bernie. That person is also human and may just be having a bad day. But then some people do not understand this. cytomax2009-10-30 15:42:14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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