Clifton CC Discussion Board

A place to talk about anything! Want to find someone to ride with? Get help on mending things? Organise lifts?

Moderator: Moderators

by like my bike Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:36 am
Just read this weeks update and it gave me an idea, for a regualr feature in the Cliftonite ' My first club ride! ' like Rob says we ve all been there.

It would be a great way of reminding ourselves what its like as well as illustrating the improvements possible with regular group riding.

Go on tell your story

A J

by like my bike Thu Oct 19, 2006 8:22 am
I cant rememeber the exact date although Kevin likes to remind me when every I see him. Anyway it was a Saturday, fine weather, my 531 Ribble bike complete with jumping gears. I was suitably over dress (better than being to cold I guess). I had called Kevin the night before to let him know I was coming and that I was a novice wanting to have a go at riding with the club. Until this point all my riding was on my own which is great when your finding your feet but it has limitations. In the back on my mind I had aspirations to have a go at a chaingang ride, but had no idea how fit or fast I needed to be.

We set off with Kevin leading, two others and myself. I was surprised how nervous I was struggling to clip my feet into the pedals. The pace was comfortable up Stockton Lane, and it was a great feeling to be riding in a group even though I was taking up the rear! We made our way towards Buttercrambe at this point I was still comfortable and wondered why I'd hesitated so long about trying one of these ride. Now on the back road to Malton we took a left through a small village up and down a few hills across the river and railway line. At the top of the him I hit the wall and had to stop by now it was Kevin and I he sat me down and gave me a power bar, I was wasted and a bit embrassed. Fortunatley Kevin and I exchanged friendly banter on the roadside and reasurred me that I would soon feel better. I remember him telling me that I look pretty fit when I turned up at the Square on reflection it was more like 'all the gear no idea'

Back on our bikes we made it back to the York, Kev made sure I got home safely. Getting home my wife and kids were desparate to now how I'd got on. OK I said heading for the shower, over lunch we laughed about it my kids thought it was hilarious me sat on the verge on a Clifton CC bike ride.

At the time I was a bit shell shocked mainly due to my dented pride but concluded that trying something new is always going to be a challenge, and thats why I went along, in the end I learnt a lot on that ride and promised myself to return. Kevins Saturday rides are a fantastic place to start enjoying clubrides and if at first you dont _____ try try _ _ _ _ _.

to be continued.... (Clifton CC since 2002)

A J

by Rob Thu Oct 19, 2006 1:58 pm
OK Andy, here's mine, but its all anient history.

In 1979 I was 11. Margret Thatcher had just come to power and the Mini Metro had been launched to save the UK car industry! I'd spent years listening to my Dad's tales of cycle touring in the 50's, but there was no chance of him taking me out as he had a bad back. I had just got my first proper bike and asked at the local bike shop about local clubs.

The most local was Beauvale CC in Eastwood, Notts and I went along to their Friday evening club night in some sort of community centre; table tennis, swing skittles and tuck shop. I assume my parents came along tho' I can't remember.

The senior club riders told me to go out on my own until I could do 30 miles then turn up on a Sunday morning. The problem was I had no idea what 30 miles was and on reflection did about 15. It felt OK, so I turned up in Eastwood, 5 miles from home on one early summer Sunday in 1979 - sorry Kevin, don't know the exact date.

There were about 15 riders all ages including a handful of teenagers, but I was the youngest by 2 or 3 years. I had a brand new Raleigh Merlin. Saddle hard down on the top tube (cross bar we called it in those days!); its got to last a few years son, 49 tooth cotter-pin chain set, 5 speed 14-24 block, chrome rims, aluminium mudguards, 27x1 1/4" tyres. It must have weighed 13 kg plus. The bike to have in Nottm in those days of TI Raleigh Creda was a Europa in team black and red..... Any way the old guys had already got me to fit toe clips and I wore my hand-me-down track suit with my 100m swimming badge sewn on, trousers tucked in my football socks. I think you've got the picture now!

Off we set on a grey day. Fairly flat ride. It started raining after 5 miles and kept it up all day. My Peter Storm boil-in-the-bag kagoule offered minimal resistance. Somehow I kept up, but it was a struggle at times particularly the last few miles. We stopped at a cafe by the bridge over the Trent at Gunthorpe - I was to get to know it well!

As the summer wore on some of the rides were considerably more taxing. I built my fitness up (or had it built for me) until sometime in August I did a 96 mile club ride in the Peak District. It was well into the evening when we got back and I'd had to walk up almost every hill. I remember one of the senior riders, Burt Christian, asking me what my bottom gear was - I went home and counted the teeth, cam back and told him it was 49x24. He replied that it should be plenty low enough for a young 'un. But Burt was a good guy and kept an eye on me, I read in CW a couple of years ago that he'd died. His orbituary described his various tandem competition records from the 60's which I had never had any idea about; modest bloke.

Since then, as I've moved around I've been a member of York Uni CC (87-93), Clifton (94-95), Chesterfield Spire (95-96) then Clifton again 96- and the club runs have always been the most important aspect.

Sorry to go on, who's next?

by paulM Thu Oct 19, 2006 9:55 pm
I think I was sucked into cycling by osmosis or something, fate, circumstance and coincidence. Like most cyclists I was pretty crap at sport that required any sort of skill but I was a pretty good runner.
My first race bike was a Puch Pacemaker which was an all steel affair I got for my birthday in 1982.
I had a mate called Chris whos dad did a bit of racing and one day he took us for a ride from Copmanthorpe where we lived up towards Tadcaster .On the way back he wound it up a bit but I managed to hang on and jumped him at the end of the ride. I was more suprised than him. I don't think he raced again.
1984 - Same Chris and I had a big ride in the summer holidays towards Malton (we took sandwiches). We came back down Bulmer Bank but I managed to go over the handlebars quite spectacularly at the bottom and land on the path on the bridge. Made a mess of my shoulder and bent the frame but I still managed to ride home. Luckily the bike was covered under the house insurance and my dad bought me a Ernie Clements machine from Shannons which was 531 with q/r alloy wheels. It was also a 23" frame - I never did grow into it!
I had a couple of touring holidays on it in 85 & 86. On the latter I went with another mate called Malcolm and we had 2 wks in Wales and had a great time. At the time he was a professional cyclist sponsored by the DHSS but shortly after he got a job at Duffields garage on Fulford Rd. The garage had links with VC York and in 1987 their Feb reliability ride was run for charity. We were both going to ride but for some reason I finished up doing it on my own. I can remember it was bloody freezing and we rode out in a big group out up the A19 then all ther way up the A64 to Malton. Despite riding in trainers I kept in a big group most of the way round and quite enjoyed it and the following week rode the Knaresborough reliability ride.
I think my first Clifton club run was to the Cafe at How Stean Gorge near Pately Bridge. Fairly sure Kevin and Karl Bentley were there. It would have been about late April 87. I remember riding most of the way back on my own which kind of set the scene really. I had a better race bike by then a Raleigh USA 531 frame which had been hanging in Russells window for about 3 years and which I raced on until 1989 and eventually sold to Jim Laycock.
Club runs then were always a debatable pleasure. The club run delights of my first year included the Yorkshire Alps & memorable 1987 winter rides included Holmfirth and a Boxing day ride over from Masham to Pateley Bridge in driving rain only to find the cafe shut.
A lad I knew from college, Chris Forrester who was already a Clifton member and handy against the watch had asked if I'd wanted to try an evening event so I turned up for my first evening 10 in Jul 87, paid my subs aswell and I've been a member since then.
Another club run regular - Dave Byworth then told me I should try road racing because I might do ok - he never was a good judge of character!
You see its not what you know but who.

by Kit Fri Oct 20, 2006 8:15 pm
My first club ride was on a gloomy Sunday, March 2005. I wanted to find out a bit about the club and a bit about racing. I turned up in the square on my winter/touring bike, only Helen, Matt and Arnie were there so Helen lead the ride. We headed out through Wetherby, and Arnie and Matt turned back (having already ridden in from Wilberfoss)somewhere near Kirkby Overblow. Helen proceeded to lead through increasing mist and occasional rain, and I'm not that sure where we went but it involved Greenhow, Pateley Bridge, Studley Park near Ripon and ended up in Bishopthorpe. From reading the website I'd been lead to believe a ride of about 70 miles was in order - I'd clocked 110 by the time I got home!
In Bishopthorpe Helen took me to talk to Nick, who had just returned from that day's race (somewhere). I said I was interested in racing - he was encouraging but expressed doubts about the suitability of my steed (and rightly so!).
And that was my last club run until the end of the racing season. Nick and Paul gave me lifts and advice and I was hooked!

by PhilBixby Mon Oct 23, 2006 11:39 am
Okay, mine's pretty unspectacular but here it is...

I'd been riding on my own to get fitter, fairly seriously, for six months or so. I was one of those riders you see hammering round the country roads on my own (you know who you are, lads) and had just treated myself to my Cervelo race bike as something to enjoy riding in summer. Nope, NOT planning on racing or getting too serious, I reassured friends. Yes, "Lance Armstrong", very witty. I'm 44 you know.

Arthur spotted a posting of mine on one of the cycling newsgroups on the net - curiously enough on the subject of "how fast do you need to be to ride with a club" and responded to it, saying I was quite fast enough, and giving details of the club's various rides. It was obviously persuasive stuff because come the following Saturday I turned up outside the gallery to join the training ride. Himself on silver Airborne turned up and briefed me on basic do's and don'ts (many of which I'm sure I subsequently failed to do and did, respectively) and I eventually teetered out onto the road in a group of about eight, and rather nervously slotted into formation, near the back. I was heartened by the presence of a teenage lad and - more particularly - his dad, who had the physique of an only occasional cyclist. However, most of the rest of 'em looked worryingly lean'n'mean.

It turned out I needn't worry. The ride was brisk, and riding in a group was slightly scary but it certainly wasn't a lot faster than I was used to, and riding in someone else's slipstream was absolute luxury. We headed out towards Acklam and then up the bloody great hill to the radio mast. Some of the group simply rode away from me up the hill, but I slotted in just behind the teenage lad (and some way ahead of his dad, I gleefully told myself) and slogged up to the top. We were passed, about halfway up, by Karl Bentley pushing Helen M - apparently effortlessly - which rather put my fitness in perspective. I also discovered what a complete wuss I was at descending in comparison with everyone else (no change there then) but I caught back up on the climbs, and about two hours after we'd set off I was pedalling back into town.

It was a significant ride in all sorts of ways; I became a Saturday regular (when family arrangements allowed), sent my club membership subs off the following day, and had my confidence sufficently boosted to risk the Tuesday night chaingang a week or so later. Which.. ..I just about hung onto by avoiding taking many turns on the front (though Gary Brown, bless him, kept my ego in check by noting it'd been "a steady one"). And then well, all those resolutions about things I definitely wouldn't do went down the plughole...

by MarkA Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:51 pm
Triple Whammy

My first ride with a club was with the Wigan and District CTC aged about 13. Robs post made me smile - my bike was v similar A Blue Falcon with 531 main tubes and chrome forks complete with braze on lamp boss 27 * 1 1/4 tyres, centre pulls and a single steel 47 tooth cottered chainset with a 16-26 block - 5 speed of course. Did i do some miles on that bike! First ride not auspicious but thanks to the great Hilda who used to port a saddlebag the size of a planet in order to fit in enough sandwiches in case any of the "youngsters" got hungry i made it home. The most miles i had ever done before was 60 riding into North Wales with my Grandfather as support vehicle. Goodness knows how many we did that day but when the CTC have a day out they really have a day out. Seem to remember crawling home about 7pm and falling upon my tea which my mother had stashed in the oven hours before.

First ride with a racing club - Chester reliability ride with Leigh Premier about 3 years later on same bike. Only 60 miles but they went about 3 * as fast Those were the days of massive bunches of cyclists hurtling along A roads! Every time you got dropped you just waited for the next train to come along. A real sight to behold Needless to say i dont think anyone talked to me all day and i received a right kicking - hopefully things have changed for the better nowadays.

That has certainly been my experience of the Clifton Club Runs: my first ride was the Hill Climb 2004. I had absolutely no intention of entering but managed to make myself useful by being pusher offer at the start. Can't recommend the autumn and winter runs enough for anyone considering joining in. V sociable affairs and imo there is no substitute for getting in some "winter miles" whatever your ambitions the following season. Having done virtually no cycling for years a diet of club runs that winter got me into good enough shape to tackle the etape the following summer. That didnt happen without me feeling a little "challenged" at times but by turning up regularly from that point on I made it.

by ClaireG Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:00 pm
1988 and yet another enforced layoff from my sport of running through patella tendonitis. A reoccurring theme of rest from training (requires much patience) - expensive physio treatment - recovery - slow build up of the miles (more patience required) and just at the point of starting to think about hard training sessions again - back to square one - sore knees.

This wasn't doing my state of mind any good. I enjoyed being out there in the fresh air, running in all weathers, the companionship of fellow athletes, what could I do instead?

I was in the 2nd year of my degree course at York Uni and had never come across a Cycling Club before. I tried swimming 1st - well I knew more about it and I thought it would be good to keep me fit. It did - it just wasn't outdoors and I did it more out of a work ethic to 'keeping fit' - but it didn't fulfil the enjoyment side.

The university cycling club advertised Sunday Club runs - "that can take the place of my long Sunday run" I thought and so I turned up at 9am.

My gear: a Raleigh Routier steel frame, steel rims, purchased with Student Grant funds (yes, I was lucky, they existed in my day) for £99 from Bob Trotter. I used this for commuting from my student house in Burtonstone Lane to the campus each day. Double steel chainset 42-52 and at the back - well, I didn't know about the terminology in those days, but I guess 14-24. I wore my Ron Hill tracksters & a sweatshirt, had never come across padded cycling shorts (and didn't do so for about another year!), but I had fitted toeclips and straps to ride with my trainers (fitting the clips to the pedals was like 'The Krypton Factor').

So I turned up along with 3 oddly shaped regulars: Robert, Graeme & Terry. They seemed excited at the prospect of a new face - apparently not a frequent occurrence and off we rolled. I'm not quite sure that I knew what I was letting myself in for. As a 1500m/3000m/ 10k athlete, then a long run for me was about 10miles (just over an hours effort) and I had never ridden further than about 10 miles before, so this was going to be an experience. However, I realised the intensity of effort was vastly different (afterall - you 'just' sit there!) so I guessed my underlying fitness should carry me through.

Graeme regaled me with tales of wild garlic in the woods and kept leaping off his bike to collect some. Robert was the enthusiastic one who kept rallying the troops and seemed to know where we were heading (not much changed there then) and Terry was the serious one who liked to ride along without much chit chat, but it was a very relaxing and contented 'air' - I liked it. 25 miles later ,the hills kicked in (we were heading for Ripon) and I started to learn that cycling was actually quite a hard sport! A bit of rough stuff was encountered to avoid some main road - it was all rutted and frozen solid - and of course the cyclist cafe - I really liked this bit! What were my running club mates going to think - you stop halfway and have a bacon sarnie and a pint of tea! As a runner I had to avoid eating 4 hours before a training session!

We completed a very satisfying 70mile day and I went home thinking that maybe this cycling sport 'would do' until I was injury free for running again.

18 years later, I'm still enjoying riding my bike (and I'm still injured for running!).

Post ride remarks - A few comments that still tickle me now:
- the following summer I 'made' my 1st pair of cycling shorts by cutting down my Ron Hill tracksters and sewing a neat hem! (fashion disaster I know (now) but it was 1989!)
- in my 1st 10 mile TT I rode 28mins on above bike (in above shorts!) and probably still remain at that level now!
- my only claim to cycling fame is introducing my running friend Liz Milne to cycling - she was always my slower running partner, but she went on to become National Womens' Best All Rounder at time trials. I'd told her cycling was great - all the members of the club were men AND you got to eat halfway round!
- my cycling highlights since have included touring over the Stelvio, Galibier, Bonnette, Tourmelet, Dolomites, New Zealand, Norway, Kerry, Outer Hebrides......but then we always come back to our favourite club run, because in the real world, that's what we can do every week!

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 63 guests