I'm looking to join a regular Saturday ride of 50-60 miles in winter and a little longer in summer, 15-16 mph and preferably with a lunch stop. The CTC site lists Saturday rides of "50-60 miles, medium pace". Sounds good but what do they mean by 'medium pace ?'
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Events, rides etc.
Saturday rides
(24 posts)-
Posted 11 years ago #
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Not sure, but your pace might be fast for the CTC medium? Could be wrong. They will stop for lunch. ERC of course and Out to the west West Lothian Clarions have a very serious group and a slightly less serious group, the latter might be the one for you? They do sometimes stop for luncheon at the apple pie bakery of Carnwath. Leave from east Calder sports centre at 8.30-am is my recollection?
Posted 11 years ago # -
"
CLUB RUN
15mph average over mixed terrain
Cafe Stop every rideWhat kind of rider are you?
• You regularly ride 30 miles in two hours.
• You have a good base of fitness"
Posted 11 years ago # -
Ronde bikeshop do an informal Saturday ride which I think meets the above specifications. Details on their website / twitter / facebook I think.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Edinburgh Racing Club do a variety of runs on Saturdays and non members are welcome to attend...
http://www.edinburghrc.co.uk/http://www.edinburghrc.co.uk/whats-on
Posted 11 years ago # -
The average speed for the CTC Saturday runs is probably about 12 - 14 mph. Yes, the CTC do do stop for lunch, either in a pre-booked hall, cafe or al fresco with your sandwiches etc., weather permitting.
The ERC might be more appropriate for you. The have three ride speeds setting off the Commonwealth Pool at different times according to which speed group you wish to go with.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Thanks for all your replies. I think what I'm looking for is a slightly faster CTC type of run. The ERC chaingangs aren't my cup of tea and I'm more of a Carradice man than a Rapha man so I guess that rules out Ronde too.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@gembo/chdot, thanks for the West Lothian Clarion suggestion. Meeting at East Calder could be do-able, I've emailed them for some further details. Hellishly early though, 8am !
Posted 11 years ago # -
8.30 in winter? They always strike me as a jolly bunch but I see they have some strictish rules
Posted 11 years ago # -
Portovelo is good for Sunday rides. More info at http://porto-velo.com/
Posted 11 years ago # -
Portovelo sounds a great club, its a shame there's nothing similar on this the west side of town.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Is East Calder (West Lothian Clarion which you liked the look of) closer to you than Portobello? (apologies if it is, don't know which bit of the town you live in).
Posted 11 years ago # -
It's all down to who is willing to lead but the CTC may have two rides on some Saturdays this season to give a medium (a subjective classification I admit) and a longer/faster ride to reflect what happened last year under the previous runs convenor.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@WC I'm in Colinton so there's not much in it between Porty and East Calder distance wise.
@Blueth that sounds of interest, please can you keep us posted ?
Posted 11 years ago # -
There's a committee meeting this week Charterhall so something may develop. Ride information is always available on the website, Yahoo group (where "immediate" announcements are made. There's also a Facebook page (CTC leaves 19th century, shock horror)which is still in its infancy.
Website
Yahoo group
Facebook pageThe CTC really can't win when it comes to getting folk out on runs; I've ridden in non-CTC groups and had opinions from people cycling at the same pace as a CTC run, but who haven't necessarily tried one, some saying they would not go on a CTC run as it would be too slow and others saying the same but because it would be too fast! Ignorance is bliss?
Posted 11 years ago # -
@Blueth thanks I've now 'liked' the fb page so I can keep an eye out for developments. Re the committee meeting please can I suggest that where runs are listed they define the pace in terms of mph rather than terms such as 'medium' ?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Thanks for all your replies. I think what I'm looking for is a slightly faster CTC type of run.
Maybe you should do a Brevet Populaire? :-) (I know you have "retired" from Audax).
My experience of the CTC runs is as follows:
Easy paced 40 milers: too slow, meaning you get cold.
Medium paced 50-60 milers: about right, depending on the company (if a lot of slower riders, group slows down)
Faster paced 70-80 milers: fairly pacey (for me), often with some challenging climbs chucked in for good measure. A bit like an audax without controls, except the group wait for slower riders at the top of hills.Another possibility is the Spokes rides, which are similar to the CTC medium paced rides but on a Sunday.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@crowriver I would be very happy to do some BPs if there were any. A check on the AUK calendar for the next 6 months shows just 2 within a 50 mile radius. To be fair, that's 2 more than most years.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Aye, they're like hen's teeth round these parts. If you are still an AUK member, I suppose there's the option of a perm or DIY perm, but then you lose the company (unless you're very organised and arrange to do a group DIY).
I'd be out on CTC runs more often if I didn't have work/family commitments on most Wednesdays and Saturdays...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Crowriver is not far off the mark with his speeds but as the intention of the 40 milers is to encourage relatively inexperienced cyclists to venture a bit further and build up to the "normal" runs then it is entirely correct that he should find them too slow.
The take up seems to indicate that they are accurately targeted. They're certainly not aimed at former audax riders, though being such myself, I can stand a more relaxed ride from time to time.
The problem with quoting mph (speed) figures is that there is a difference between speed and pace and the run topography varies. And we all have good and bad days. On a flat wind-free run 14 mph is a relaxed pace. On the next week's hilly, windy, run 12 mph can be a hard pace.
Posted 11 years ago # -
The problem with quoting mph (speed) figures is that there is a difference between speed and pace and the run topography varies. And we all have good and bad days. On a flat wind-free run 14 mph is a relaxed pace. On the next week's hilly, windy, run 12 mph can be a hard pace.
True but it could at least serve as a rule of thumb.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Not wishing to rake over coals from a previous discussion on the CTC list, but there was some debate about pacing of rides a while back. There certainly seems to be some appetite for faster/longer rides, but I think consensus was not reached about including some of these in the CTC Lothians calendar. To my mind, a pity, but then I'm rarely available on a Saturday...
I like the way CTC Grampian grade their runs according to pace and distance:
http://ctcgrampian.sharepoint.com/Pages/RunsLists.aspxA similar approach is in evidence at CTC Lothians, just without the faster/longer runs (at the moment, anyhow). Perhaps the strength of presence of ERC in Edinburgh draws most of the riders looking for something faster away from CTC.
Surely though there would be some appetite for a run that is roughly equivalent to a Brevet Populaire sans controls, mais avec café/picnic stops...
Anyway, this is probably not the place to air such hypotheses, it's properly a matter for the CTC Committee. Given my aforementioned lack of availability at le Weekend, in all conscience I can hardly petition the committee with my views either...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Surely though there would be some appetite for a run that is roughly equivalent to a Brevet Populaire sans controls, mais avec café/picnic stops...
Yes that would suit me perfectly. I would be very happy to lead some of them.
Posted 11 years ago # -
You could do worse than put yourself forward as a potential ride leader to the Secretary, or just contact the Saturday runs convener. Contact details on the CTC web site.
Posted 11 years ago #
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