So, you've done a few sportives? Ride on a regular basis? You want to take your riding to the next level? So, join a cycle club. But we warned, you are about to enter a byzantine world which Niccolò Machiavelli might struggle to navigate through.
Most cycle clubs have a number of different groups, from a beginners group all the way up to a group consisting of racing lads and girls. It might be better to start with the beginners group. The pace might be slow, but you will be given pointers - i.e. people will shout at you if they don't like the way you ride! Riding in a disciplined group is very different to riding with two or three people, and riders will be initially reserved until they know that they can trust you. In a big group travelling at speed trust is a quality which should not be underestimated. Mistakes can bring down the whole group, and resultant injuries and bike damage will not make you popular...
Most clubs will have a very wide range of riders, from juniors to grizzled veterans, with experience levels from complete beginner to ex professional. The older guy shouting at you to "hold your line" around corners might potentially cause you offence. However, before you kick off with them, look at the rider and his kit. Top end road bike, perfect bike fit, chain, cassette and everything else immaculate? Rides better and faster than the whole group? This once happened to me so I googled the individual, and it transpires that he rode in The Milk Race back in the day, and won the BBAR (Best British All Rounder, a series for time trialists) in the 1960s! A top lad indeed, and was winning races and titles before I was born. These are the very people you want to learn from, as they have literally decades of road craft at the highest level, and they love to ride. So, button your lip, listen to what they are saying and before you know it you will know a huge amount more about cycling, and be a better rider. A much better rider.
Cycle clubs might from the outside appear to be insular and almost sectarian, but once you breach the initial barrier you will find people who share your passion and with whom you have huge amounts in common. The stand offish guy who does not want to talk to you could turn out to have a Miguel Indurain framed picture at the top of his stairs, just like you do. We all have a two wheeled hole in our hearts that can only be filled with cycling, and fellow road warriors are of course welcome to come along for the ride.
I think of my cycling club as my second family, and like families there are arguments, splits, antagonisms, and black sheep. However, friendships forged on the club run can last a lifetime; couples meet, marry and have kids. Kids who then also ride with the club. Some lads I know started riding together in the 1950s and are still doing so all these years later.
So, get your cycling kit on, and jump right in. Remember, it's not the destination that matters; it's the glory of the ride!
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