BEGINNERS
The Beginner's Guide
Wrekinsport CC is
always pleased to see new riders taking part in the wide range of events
happening throughout the year. The club caters for a range of disciplines as
well as for all abilities – not all our riders are speed merchants! If
you’ve thought about joining a club but are unsure, then read on.
People can sometimes be a little apprehensive about joining a club, wondering
whether they will be welcomed or if they will be good enough to keep up with
more experienced riders. Wrekinsport have increased membership by 50% in the
last two years, with a flourishing social and racing scene encouraging good
turnouts. New riders have come from all walks of life with a wide range of
abilities and interests including leisure rides, long-distance audax, road
racing, triathlon, and time trialling. All age ranges are catered for too, with
a recent influx of youngsters particularly welcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
Naturally riders
have a few questions they ask before coming out on one of our rides. Here we try
to answer some of the more popular ones for you. If you have any other questions
about cycling in general or the agreeable activities we do then please email
Club Chairman Dave Poulter at davidpoulter@aol.com
or ring him on 01952-610550.
I want to ride with you - how fit
do I have to be?
Not particularly. If you
can ride 30 miles or so then you are fit enough to try a Sunday club run and
definitely a 10 mile time trial. Wrekinsport run Club 10’s on Wednesday
evenings from April to August at 7pm from The Gate Inn at Bratton, and newcomers
are made very welcome. There’s a big social gathering in the pub afterwards
too.
Is everyone else fast? What if I
can't keep up?
Our Sunday and Wednesday
club runs start from The Gate Inn at Bratton at 9.30am and typically average
16mph. We are keen to encourage people to ride a bike, not leave them behind and
put them off clubs for life. If you can’t keep up at first don’t worry, we
won’t abandon you - we have a policy of waiting at the next turn for any rider
who has dropped behind, and we stop if anyone punctures – and we stop at a café
half way round too which is a great chance to catch up and have a laugh.
You’ll soon pick up the hand signals and shouts in the group too – these are
designed with rider safety in mind. Try riding as far as you can on a flat road
at 16 mph. If you find this comfortable remember that it is always easier when
you are in a group as you get ‘sucked along’. You’ll find that you can go
farther than you thought whilst having an enjoyable chat.
Do I have to race?
Not if you do not want
to – Club runs and monthly ‘Supper runs’ in the off-season are there for
everyone’s benefit, and we have several non-riding family members too who
enjoy the social aspect. You do as much or as little as you like. You may find
that racing is infectious, especially time trials, which are done entirely at
your own speed. In a time trial you cannot come last as you are racing against
your previous personal best times always trying to better them.
How far do you go on a Sunday?
The distances vary, and
with destinations published in the monthly newsletter you’ll soon identify
which are longer runs you want to build up to. Typically rides start at 40
miles, with longer runs of 60 miles in between year round. There is always a
cafe stop.
Time Trials
Wrekinsport are
particularly active in time trialling. This involves a field of riders who go
off individually at one minute intervals over a set distance. The one who covers
the course in the quickest time is the winner. There are all sorts of abilities
in time trials but the person you are racing against is yourself. For this
reason we encourage beginners to try time trials if they want to see how fast
they can go. They are often pleasantly surprised! The cost of a Club 10 is low,
and the Club support a ‘Come and Try It’ policy at all Club events to
encourage newcomers. People even race MTB’s in time trials.
Road Racing
The club have active
road racing members, with many taking part in a summer series of 10 races of
around 35 miles each put on by the Shropshire and South Staffordshire Cycling
Road Race League. You’ll be in a big group of up to 60 riders, usually on a
handicapped basis, and you’ll need a British Cycling Road Race licence to take
part.
Cars scare me. Do you go anywhere
quiet?
Although we race on
‘A’ roads many of the club runs stick to ‘B’ roads and especially quiet
county lanes. You’ll find that there are many villages you’ve never even
heard of at first, and the levels of experience in the club to get from A to B
down a quiet back road are high. The club colours of red and day-glo yellow were
especially chosen to stand out, and you’ll easily be spotted from a distance,
but it isn’t compulsory to purchase if you don’t want to.
Why are you doing all this stuff
for me?
We all had to start
somewhere. We remember how daunting it seemed all those years ago. Cycling is
great fun, and club life can enrich the experience far more than being on your
own. You’ll soon find like-minded people who can help you with technical
queries, advice on racing and training or who are just happy to share a laugh
and a joke. Give it a try – you won’t regret it!
There are only a few simple things to remember about group riding, so give it a try!
Cycling’s
Unwritten Rules No.1: Half Wheeling
Half-wheeling, for the
uninitiated, is an irritating tactic employed by riders determined to illustrate
that they are fitter than you are – especially during the winter months. When
two riders are riding side by side leading a ‘double pace line', their front
wheels are supposed to be aligned. But when the half-wheeler pulls ahead of the
rider next to him he has to pedal harder to keep up.