EC1 Collective

It takes a bit of courage though. I know we're friendly, but trying to join a club run when the general perception of cycling clubs is skinny dudes on expensive bikes with expensive clothes who can go really fast. You might be able to see why people with no experience start their own. Isn't that how we started?

That's all well and good, but I'd met a cycling club Hackney chap on my commute who'd suggested I email as he wasn't sure if they ran club runs during summer as they were usually racing.

The other club's site didn't look like it'd been updated in several years and although it mentioned a 9am Sunday start, I didn't want to drag my (then almost guaranteed hungover) arse out of bed for 9am only to find myself in an empty car park.

Saying that, now I'm back in herts I've been meaning to turn up to a North Road CC ride for several months but haven't yet gathered the wherewithal to do so...

I turned up to a local club ride this week and found only a handful of people approachable. Those who were communicative were quite forthcoming but as a group people were not welcoming. It wasn't that people were rude but more a lack of awareness that a newcomer had turned up. Very different from my experiences of tnrc, Hounslow and District Wheelers and a couple of other clubs I have tagged along with. But it was nowhere near as bad as turning up to ride with London Dynamo who are an utter shower of cunts.

Actually I'd be interested to witness an EC1 vs Dynamo meeting, imagine it'd be quite entertaining.

There is something to be said for just turning up to a club run and introducing yourself, you're unlikely to be turned away by anyone, so perhaps a big dose of HTFU required.

Yup. I have questionable social skills, but still have yet to have a shit experience riding with new groups of people. Everyone's usually incredibly friendly.

I suspect the new wave of clubs have started as traditional clubs are mostly shit at the internets. Someone trying to engage with them on snapbackchat etc isn't going to work.