Clifton CC

If the weather looks good and the wind is not obstructive, the plan is to add a few miles to the usual distance and make it out to the coast.

As usual, non stop ride so remember to bring food for the trip. Leave the square at 09:00.

Hi Mike
I've done quite a few 8:45 rides (although I've been a bit absent in recent months) and thought the idea was that they left at 8:45 and were around a 3 hour ride, arriving back in York around midday... Has that format now changed?
I turned up a good few weeks ago and at 8:50 there were only 2 of us there, so we set off and did our own ride. I then heard a week later that there was a ride but it didn't leave until 9am!

I guess I'm just asking for a bit of clarification... Does the 8:45 still exist (as advertised on the website and the weekly email), or has it now evolved into something else? If so can we be explicit about what this is and then advertise it accordingly?

Personally I'd be sad to see this ride go as a good 3 hour ride suits me, but that's just my two penneth!

Cheers.
Paul

Mike

It's good to see more volunteers for ride leading so well done.

However, as Paul says, this ride was set up to cater for those that wanted a brisk ride out and be home for lunch. We also deliberately started the ride at 8.45 so it didn't get mixed up/confused with the training rides that start at 9am. It's meant to be a social ride.

There's nothing to stop people meeting up for alternative rides but what you suggest isn't what we advertise as the 8.45 format.

I'm out on Sat and I'm happy to lead the 8.45 ride on a 3 hour loop so this week shouldn't be an issue. These rides do suffer from lack of regular leader though which makes them a bit sporadic and disorganised. So if anyone wants a permanent role organising them it would be appreciated.

Hi Paul,

Apologies that you missed the ride a while back, I think I must have passed you in front of the Minster as I was running a few minutes late, but thought the gathering for the training ride would have tipped you off that the 08:45 ride usually left the square at 09:00. They told us that you had come and gone when we arrived but we didn’t manage to catch up with you on the Malton road.

I managed to restart the "08:45" a few months back as it had been subsumed into the training ride over the winter months. The purpose of the ride was to offer 60 odd miles of group riding (nobody gets dropped) over varied terrain that I, and others, seemed to want on a Saturday morning.

We have had some great rides over the last few months (Masham, Brimham Rocks and Ampleforth to name a few) with a number of regulars: Gerrard, Tony G, Andy, Alan and Sue P (missing at the moment). We have always decided the destination on the Saturday morning - the discussion from 08:45 to 09:00 - to accommodate the wind direction, people's requests and limitations (duration of ride or level of form). Tony G has come up with some great routes which have introduced those, who thought they knew the roads around York, to some amazing new roads.

As the weather has improved, along with the speed in people’s legs, we have been getting a good 70 miles in and been back in York for about 12:35 (as advertised). The reason for my post was to relay the discussion that we had on the last ride to have a jolly to the seaside, if the weather is conducive, and make sure that people had the opportunity to bring supplies. If people want a shorter ride, as has happened before, we can pick a route with options to return home early – all part of the pre-ride discussion.

I don’t think that there is currently demand for two sociable group rides at 08:45/09:00 covering similar distances; our numbers have ranged from 3-8 riders and, if we split this, we will just have two very small groups (not so much fun).

Hope to see you on Saturday at 08:45ish….

The purpose of my comments wasn't to spoil the fun of the more regular riders. It was merely to point out that we should try to keep rides to what we describe/advertise.

As one of the people who mans the incoming enquiries for new members, the most popular question I get is 'what ride should I go on?' which is usually followed by a Q& A exchange about experience, ability etc.

I'd hate to point someone new at the 8.45 ride, having established they could do 60 miles at a reasonable pace and wanted to be back for lunch, for them to then find themselves heading for the coast at 20mph on a 5 hour ride, with the only option of getting back by lunch as peeling off and riding back alone. Hardly a good introduction to the club.

We could rename it as the 'Saturday Lucky Dip'. Turn up sometime in the morning before 10, have a chat amongst yourselves and see where you end up.

Do you see our point?

Hi Mike

That's great news that the 8:45 is still going ahead and thanks very much for taking the lead on this! I do take your point about keeping options open for length and destination, but more than anything (and quite selfishly) I just wanted to know that there would be a ride at a reasonable pace that would be be back in York around 12:30.

I don't think I can join you this weekend, but I'm hoping to make it out for the following one!

Cheers.
Paul

Another potential issue is that the 10am Intermediate ride already caters for riders who wish a longer ride than 3 hours but at a similar pace. If the 8:45 starts offering a 90 mile trip this effectively duplicates the 10am ride but an hour earlier, and could draw riders away from this. I'm sure the intention isn't to threaten the viability of other club rides but there is the risk of unintended consequences.

I think the underlying issue here is the extent to which the needs and objectives of the club as a whole need to be considered by individuals who partake the actual rides. If the club is to work effectively there has to be some compromise between riders personal wishes and their wider responsibility to the club.

Of course there is nothing to prevent a group of individual members (+/- non-members) deciding not to attend the 8:45 club ride but to have a ride together outside of the club context......

Thanks Mike for organising this ride and apologies for not being around recently. I've not been slacking I promise but a combination of holiday, a couple of sportives and hubby hijacking Saturday riding has meant I've been out at other times. I can't make it this week either cos I'm working.

This ride is great as it starts earlier and has no stops making it far more family friendly and makes best use of my time out of the house regardless of what time I get back.

Hope to see you all soon although with another sportive next weekend and the TdF weekend it probably won't be till mid July.