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"You will always be in our hearts and on our roads." - @Giro d'Italia on Michele Scarponi
@DavidMason
Group Skills is a session for prospective and current members of ICC which teaches group riding skills so that we can ride together more safely, more sociably and with less effort. It is a great opportunity to refresh and build on skills.
If you are new to the club and wish to become a member you will need to complete either a Group Skills session or an Introduction to Club Cycling training session. Please make yourself known to the ride leader when arriving so they can confirm your attendance to our membership manager.
We will look at communication skills and formations such as pace line and two up, plus how to pace/lead the ride from the front and rotate being at the front.
If you know all this, come and share your knowledge and if you don't, come and take advantage of the sharers.
Note that we will adjust the level depending on the ability of the group.
ABOUT YOU
You should have been cycling regularly in some capacity and be confident riding on London's roads.
You should be familiar with your bike, its set-up and be confident riding it. If you've only just bought your bike, take it out for a couple of spins on your own to gain confidence before you join a group ride with us.
You should have a moderate level of fitness and be able to ride 50 km at an average speed of at least 20 km/h on the flat, with several steep hills and only brief stops. If you're not yet comfortable at that distance or pace please build up with solo rides before coming along.
Unfortunately, we cannot offer this session to complete cycling beginners as we are not teaching cycling proficiency.
THE SESSION
Meet in the Regent's Park Inner Circle, at the big gates opposite York Bridge. Sessions typically last about 90 minutes.
Please read our Group Skills Guide before attending:
https://islington.cc/s/ICC-Group-Riding-Guide-2021.pdf
HOW DO I JOIN IN?
If you wish to attend this session you should register as a user on the forum then click the 'Yes I'm Attending' button above to confirm your attendance. We will ask you to reconfirm a few days before the ride. You will need do this on the Forum.
Click Register in the top right corner and change your user name from the default User12345. To make sure you receive messages please click “Edit Profile” in the top right corner, then click “Notification Settings”, and tick “Enable Notifications”, “When you are @mentioned in a comment” and “When an event you are attending is imminent”.
These rides get booked up quickly. If no places are left, the session is full. We do not maintain a waiting list so please keep checking back in case a place becomes available.
If you do sign up but cannot attend, please remove yourself from the attendance list so someone else can take the spot. You can do this by clicking the ‘Can’t Make It’ button above which appears once you have signed up.
If you do not attend and do not remove yourself, we reserve the right to restrict your attendance of future Intro Rides and Group Skills. This is due to high demand for places.
WHAT TO BRING
As with all club rides, you must wear a helmet to take part in this ride.
Your bike must be in a good and roadworthy condition. Check your wheels are straight, that your gears shift reliably and your brakes work correctly. Ensure your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure.
Spare inner tubes, tools and a pump. Other riders may help you if you are in trouble but you should be self-sufficient and at the very least be able to fix a puncture.
Food and water. We're only doing a short ride, so an energy bar or a banana will do for food, but do start the day with a decent breakfast! Make sure you can easily carry water with you on your bike.
The weather can change quickly so check the forecast and dress appropriately (waterproofs/warm clothing when appropriate).
Money if you want to visit the café afterwards.
OTHER STUFF
ALL RIDERS MUST observe the Highway Code AT ALL TIMES when riding with Islington CC. This includes: riding no more than two abreast; riding in single file to allow traffic to pass on narrow roads; obeying traffic lights and signs; not riding on pavements; and not abusing other road users.
Please acknowledge any courtesy shown to you by other road users and stop at pedestrian crossings where necessary.
Riders attend club rides strictly at their own risk. Please listen to your ride leaders and follow their instructions.
JOINING THE CLUB
Once you have completed an Intro Ride or Group Skills ride you will automatically qualify to pay the membership fee and join the club. There is nothing further you need to wait for. See https://islington.cc/membership.
Looking forward to seeing you!
David,
Development Secretary