Is it just me or is there a dearth of proper cycling clubs or cycling organisations to join in the UK?
Who caters for the REAL Cyclist?.....With the exception of the odd tweed run here and there it all seems to be carbon fibre, lycra and male bonding.
I am certain some well meaning soul will now bombard me with the hieroglyphics of internet addresses to "log on to", telling me of the joys of cycling clubs foolishly un-beknown to yours truly........ but I am not really talking about the sort of groupings of ageing Jacques Anquetil dopple-gangers or juvenile spotty faced wannabe tour de france riders....I am talking about REAL cycling.
The sort of cycling I am talking about is where a group of well dressed elegant individuals of both the male and female of the species all of whom are capable of reasonable conversation meet up on a Saturday morning.....ride out somewhere interesting.....do a tour of some stately home or historical sight or visit an otherwise interesting location and then pop a few bollie corks, scoff a few cucumber and fish paste sandwiches before wobbling back from whence they came.
Of course who could deny that the addition of females into the mix would make the whole thing so much more fun....I always think that any segregation of the sexes seems a rather bizarre way of going about ones fun, truth to tell any visit to a UK cycling club currently is similar, in terms of gender mix, as going hawking with a group of Bedouins in Saudi Arabia!
Following the bollie and sandwiches who knows, with a few females in tow, you might even get to visit a local haystack for a spot of horizontal petting....a damned site more inspiring than checking ones times after a windswept death ride up the local A42!
So why is this? Would there be any interest in setting up a REAL CYCLING CLUB?....are there any such about......would you join one? Is there something in the female psyche that would make them run a mile from any such enterprise..... I'd be interested to know as I sort of have a dormant idea lurking in the back of my head to set something up...you know a sort of weekly Tweed Run in our local area.....(obviously not only tweed...but in reasonable attire).....
Yours
GC
Who caters for the REAL Cyclist?.....With the exception of the odd tweed run here and there it all seems to be carbon fibre, lycra and male bonding.
I am certain some well meaning soul will now bombard me with the hieroglyphics of internet addresses to "log on to", telling me of the joys of cycling clubs foolishly un-beknown to yours truly........ but I am not really talking about the sort of groupings of ageing Jacques Anquetil dopple-gangers or juvenile spotty faced wannabe tour de france riders....I am talking about REAL cycling.
The sort of cycling I am talking about is where a group of well dressed elegant individuals of both the male and female of the species all of whom are capable of reasonable conversation meet up on a Saturday morning.....ride out somewhere interesting.....do a tour of some stately home or historical sight or visit an otherwise interesting location and then pop a few bollie corks, scoff a few cucumber and fish paste sandwiches before wobbling back from whence they came.
Of course who could deny that the addition of females into the mix would make the whole thing so much more fun....I always think that any segregation of the sexes seems a rather bizarre way of going about ones fun, truth to tell any visit to a UK cycling club currently is similar, in terms of gender mix, as going hawking with a group of Bedouins in Saudi Arabia!
Following the bollie and sandwiches who knows, with a few females in tow, you might even get to visit a local haystack for a spot of horizontal petting....a damned site more inspiring than checking ones times after a windswept death ride up the local A42!
So why is this? Would there be any interest in setting up a REAL CYCLING CLUB?....are there any such about......would you join one? Is there something in the female psyche that would make them run a mile from any such enterprise..... I'd be interested to know as I sort of have a dormant idea lurking in the back of my head to set something up...you know a sort of weekly Tweed Run in our local area.....(obviously not only tweed...but in reasonable attire).....
Yours
GC
Wow, if you ever find such club, sign me on. I do everything other than fish paste being a veggie. And the heystack-based post lunch activity sounds rather quaint.
ReplyDelete...well there you have it...at least one other person thinks as I do!
ReplyDeleteThe world of cycling clubs at present seems a rather sterile, not to mention prudish place.....there really is something wonderful about simple pleasures taken in communion with your fellows....our screen based virtual social activities could probably all do with a dose of reality.....so any other takers?
Yes. A thousand times yes.
ReplyDeleteIf you build it, they will come...
Bravo Mr C. Might be worth me investing some effort after all.....
ReplyDeleteThere are these chaps who might be interested in some sort of collaboration.....they have been quiet of late if the diary is anything to go by:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tweed.cc/
Excellent stuff...I will contact them forthwith....although as you say it does look a little quiet on their site....I guess that I might float the idea of an inaugural ride to gauge interest in my next blog entry?
ReplyDeleteLadies,...any takers...or is the prospect of pedalling the lanes of England with the odd cream tea and glass of Bollie thrown in enough to have you screaming for the safety of the duvet?
ReplyDeleteI found this site when tirelessly hunting the internet looking for my husb's stolen Velorbis. Though he is now tootling around on a 1970's Cinzia folding shopper bike (in turquoise with white wheels, the poor thing), I still have my Dutch bike and we'd totally be up for a Real Cyclists Club. Maybe someday we'll find his gorgeous green bike, and then he too can cycle in style again.
ReplyDeletePoor hubby...but then I guess it was only a Velorbis...which means that his replacement could be a PASH!...every cloud has a .......
ReplyDeleteWhat ho Gentleman C, Could you please tell me where my 'local A42' is? Residing in Dorset, as I do, the nearest A42 I can think of is Ashby-de-la-Zouch. Not so local!
ReplyDeleteYou would particularly find such a thing in UK. I am sure there are such runs. Many club runs I've been to are similar to what you describe only exception being dress code (ie, lycra etc) which is necessary to ride properly.
ReplyDelete