Club Runs

Stops on route are inevitable. The occasional puncture, or as in this case, Rob McMillan having lost a pedal. Quick stop and all is fixed.

The club has 3 road club runs per week:

Sunday Morning Run

The main run of the week, many groups, about a 4-5hour ride with a coffee stop.

Tuesday All Day Run

Two groups, with a more social feel.

Saturday Chaingang Training Ride

Two groups, with a faster pace, and more formal riding.

And also a Mountain Bike ride, once a month

Guests are welcome on these rides, but please introduce yourself to the leader at the start - they will take a few details off you. For insurance reasons after comming out with the club for 5 times we would ask you to become members.

Sunday Morning Run

Usually 3 groups go out, alhough sometimes 2 or 4. The speeds of the groups vary between 14mph average, upto 16mph average - with the faster groups making up most of the speed diference when climbing hills. All groups do between 50 and 60 miles, and aim to get back to Bath between 1-1:30 pm. The start time varies between 8:30 and 9:30 am during the year - see the list to the right for details. At about 11am a break is taken for tea/coffee and typically cakes - this stop is also shown in the list to the right.

The run meets at Cleveland Bridge in Bath, shown here

Club members at a coffee stop in Ceddar. Contemplating the upcomming climb out of Cheddar Gorge. "More toast" says one, another "More cake".

Destinations in previous years club ride lists can be found here: 2007 2008 2009 2010

Tuesday All Day Run

Two different all day runs take place:

• Social run starting sequentially at Bailbrook Lane, the Wheatsheaf, or Bitton Railway Station; or occasionally elsewhere (ask John Tooze for details on 01225 462203).
• Medium paced run meeting at the beginning of the cycle path at 9am but best contact Paul White on 01225 427537.
  The aim is to ride all day with a morning café and lunch stop. In winter we average around 70 miles and the rest of the year around 80+ miles. As we can go further from Bath than the Sunday club run some of the places we visit are the Marlborough Downs, Sandbay, Minchinhampton & the Slad valley, Slimbridge, Usk/Monmouth & the Vale of Pewsey.

Saturday Chaingang Training Ride

A more formal training ride at a faster pace. Two groups leave:

• First group leaving at 9:15am, with an average speed ~19-20mph.
• Second group leaving at 9:30am, with an average speed ~21-22mph.

Both groups leave from the Cadence Bike Shop (Chelsea Road, BA1 3PP), see map here.

The route stays the same, and is a ~42mile circuit with no stops. A map can be found here, we would advise riders to study this route in advance, as the groups will not wait if you get dropped.

The groups use a more formal riding style than the other club runs, a style known as a "chain gang". In the chain gang the riders form two lines, a faster line (typically on the outside) and a slower line. Riders in the faster line, on reacing the front of the slower line, pull accross to the head of the slower line, and ease up to the pace of the slower line. Riders in the slow line, on reaching the back of the fast line, pull out to join the fast line. This slowly rotates the riders which lead the group, and spreads the effort between the group. Riders which are having difficulty maintaining the speed of the group have the option of staying at the back of the slow line, which means they spend no time leading the group, and so save the extra effort required to lead.

After the ride, get together at The Chelsea Café, opposite Cadence.

Mountain Bike Rides

The Club has recently formed a dedicated mountain biking section. A regular off-road mountain bike ride takes place on the first Saturday of the month to co-incide with the Chain Gang road ride. It leaves Cadence Bike Shop at 9am aiming to get back to the nearby café at around 11:30 to join the road riders for a coffee.

In addition the Mountain Bike section organises regular trips away to the nearby Mendips, Quantocks and Forest of Dean.