An introduction to club cycling - May 28, 2022

"An Introduction to Club Cycling" is a monthly ride run by ICC for people who would like to try out club cycling in a non-pressured and supportive group.

If you wish to join ICC you must complete one of our training sessions, either this Intro Ride or the Group Skills in Regents Park.

You must be signed up for the event on this page to take part.

Please read our Group Skills Guide before attending:

https://islington.cc/s/ICC-Group-Riding-­Guide-2021.pdf

ABOUT YOU

You should be used to cycling regularly, familiar with your bike and confident riding it on London's roads. If you've only just bought your bike, take it out for a couple of spins on your own 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

We will cycle a 50 km route with some hills. We will discuss group formation, signals, and group communication and you can ask questions about the club.

There may be a cafe stop Highgate at the end of the ride for those who are interested. Depending on pace, we should get there between 11.30am - 12.30pm.

Your ride will be led by an experienced club member and a support rider, who have given up their morning to introduce you to club riding. We hope you will reciprocate by volunteering to support intro and group skills rides and other club activities once you have been riding with the club for a few months.

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.

If you are a former ICC member please add a note below to let us know.

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 banana should be enough, 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 for the cafe stop or to get a train or taxi home in case of an emergency.

Please leave your heavy D lock at home! You will not need it on this ride.

You should be able to stuff all your things into jersey pockets or a saddle bag. Please aim to travel light.

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 or Group Skills ride you will qualify to pay the membership fee and join the club. Once you’ve signed up through British Cycling our membership secretary will process your application and be in touch shortly to welcome you to the club. See https://islington.cc/membership.

Look forward to seeing you!

David,
Development Secretary