-
Sheesh. Well I'm not going to name and shame, but the club that I rode with before joining my current club had been going for over 100 years and had a very fixed idea about how things were to be done, in so far as there were two "ride leaders" for each Sunday club run, who did the same ride every weekend. There was no flexibility, I tried to suggest different routes and volunteered myself as a ride leader and was shot down every time. The only time we did something than the usual "80KM in Essex" route, was when the chairman came out to ride with us. I assumed that since he hadn't been on any of the other rides, he must be some serious racer who was too busy training for club rides. But no, he was on an electric bike because he didn't actually ride anymore due to old age. But he was still the chairman of a cycling club. Lots of old school styled clubs are great, but the ones I've ridden with are stuck in their ways.
croft-
The only time we did something than the usual "80KM in Essex" route, was when the chairman came out to ride with us. I assumed that since he hadn't been on any of the other rides, he must be some serious racer who was too busy training for club rides. But no, he was on an electric bike because he didn't actually ride anymore due to old age. But he was still the chairman of a cycling club.
I wonder how many years he rode for before, or how long he had supported that club before you joined?
-
Seems a bit harsh on the Chairman in question, who was extremely supportive of new riders and put a lot of time and effort into organising and running events so we could ride our bikes at them. I also quite enjoyed getting a tow from him and his electric bike for a few laps in a particularly windy circuit race!
I do get what you mean about resistance to change but I think had you turned up a year or so later, you would have been in great demand offering to lead rides as they are now doing 3+ Sunday rides with a lot more younger riders (and a new kit!).
mustardbeak
Dramatic_Hammer
Good question. @croft what are these legitimate issues with "old school"-styled clubs?