When I joined WB 2 years ago, the first ride out I did was down to Poole with about 15 others. It was enjoyable but it was also pretty hard riding with people I was not use to. I had done quite a few ride outs with Bath Classic (on modern bikes!) and these guys have been riding for hundreds of years (no offence Dad, BB etc) so I felt completely safe and very comfortable with them, from the slow plodders to the super quick ones (yes they can ride quick!) they are all experienced riders. They too use the marker system which is 99% faultless. Here we have more people, some with bagfuls of skill and experience and some with none (not forgetting the ones who think they have experience and skill but don’t!) It is almost impossible to please everyone with a ride out that we are all happy with considering we are all so different and new people are joining all the time with different levels of skill and what they want from a ride out.
Like Gerry said, some people like to potter and enjoy the scenery and some like to ‘hoon’. Nothing wrong with either of these views or styles of riding but to be perfectly honest the two do not mix very well at all and you end up getting into the arguement of ‘he/she was riding like a cock (in their eyes) or he/she was a danger to others due to the slow speed and general unawareness’ (in their eyes), or 'that road was crap, I hated it and it was unsuitable for my bike'... the list of complaints is endless and I have complained about people/roads in the past due to one thing or another so I know it goes on. The ride outs have such a diverse range of abilities and expectations that one persons overtake is another persons view of riding like a cock or one persons lane position on a RoB is another persons hazard, some people like to roll along gently for the view and others like to play, it’s what makes us all bike enthusiasts.
Rosie posted up about Sundays ride out and so in my eyes, when I read it, I thought it would be more of a ‘potter’ than a ‘hoon’ (no offence intended please Rosie). I came to that conclusion because I know how Rosie rides and the type of speeds she is comfortable with. I then decided that I would like to join the ride knowing that it was going to be a slower paced ride to the ones I generally prefer but I was still very happy to go. You only get this knowledge by riding with people over the course of time so it can be hard for newbies (slow and fast) to judge as to whether the ride out is their pace or not but for those of us who have been members for a while its common knowledge and you make that decision when you put you name of the list. If you don’t like the pace don’t go! (that’s to old members and not new ones of course)
I had the exact same problem last year, a ride out was arranged but at the meeting point we had no leader (due to bike problems) and after asking if anyone else wanted to lead and getting no response I reluctantly said I would rather than the whole thing being cancelled. Now I am not that quick but I am also not that slow so when I heard someone complain that it was ‘too fast’ my response was simple…if you wanted to go at your pace then volunteer to lead (it’s not really that hard) thus keeping the speed down or go on your own ride out, if you feel like it is ‘too fast’ and you are constantly trying to ‘keep up’ then you are pushing yourself out of your comfort zone which is dangerous… the marker system is in place that everyone can go at their own speed and not be left behind … Don’t sit on the side lines, do nothing and then moan about it when you don’t like it. We all have the choice to either go on a ride out or not but you have to accept that some ride outs are slower/faster than others.
With regard to the route, that is a really tricky one. I too hate bumpy/lumpy/ grassy/gravel/sheep filled etc etc B roads, they kill me and my Ars6 but unless we get to the point of posting up the route and then having to work 2 out, I for one would hate to have to ‘plan’ a route that I have no intention of taking my sports bike on just in case peeps turn up who want to go that way?? So the whole 2 routes thing is pointless IMO. You see who is leading, you make a decision and then you go with it or arrange with others to do your own thing on the day.
The ‘Official’ ride outs, in my opinion, should stay the way they are. They are set to encourage people to come out and ride, to give confidence to new riders and to help people with riding in groups. They are a great way of getting to know how others ride and they are enjoyable. From there you can pick and choose as to who you like riding with if their style and pace is similar to yours and then arrange your own little ride outs. Nothing wrong with that at all and it is something I think should be encouraged to stop the mass ride outs with over 30 bikes on which I think is too many!!! The common fact is that the ‘Official’ Ride out is suitable for riders who like a good easy pace, nothing to worry about, it’s relaxed and a good way to join in. If, like on Sunday, there were lots of bikes, I really think it’s a good idea for those of us who prefer to scoot along to sort it out on the day and if we want to go on ahead it’s fine. We can always meet up with the others at the destination but if you choose to go along with the main group you have to accept that it will be at the leaders pace.
Easy peasy lemon squeezy! ;D
Roxy x
