Most of us learned to ride our bikes as children, and still remember the exhilaration and shear fear of the first time we were pedaling our bike without its training wheels. And although the saying goes "you never forget how to ride a bike", I can say that I never really learned to ride a bike until I joined a Cycling Club. There is much more to cycling than pushing on the pedals while staying upright and being a member of cycling club can introduce to new skills and to the other many aspects of cycling.
If you are just getting back on the bicycle after years of riding the couch, a cycling club can offer skill rides to get you riding comfortably, further and faster than you ever imagined. The rides will not only involve basic cycling techniques, but should also offer you advice on basic bike fit and safety guidelines. As you learn, it is important to ask questions - don't be shy, even the most experienced riders once had the same questions you do! Cycling clubs also organize group rides for many skill levels where you get to learn not only from other members, but you also get introduced to the best cycling routes in the area, and often the best coffee shops as well. But more importantly, you get to ride with and meet new friends, who in turn become your mentors, coaches and riding buddies - or simply great friends! As you develop as a cyclist, other benefits of cycling clubs become more evident - you can go on training camps and ride in beautiful new places, or try track cycling in an International Velodrome used by many national teams (an opportunity I took advantage of recently through my current cycling club, We Ride - Warsaw.)
And if you are the competitive type, as you become faster you will surely want to try racing. Amateur cycling races are popular, very accessible and take place in closed roads. But being a member of a cycling club, and later a racing team, is almost a prerequisite to become a good racer. Racing requires a different skill level and having the support of teammates is crucial if you want to do well in races. Through my short racing career, the moments I enjoyed most were playing your team tactics and working for teammates.
But even if you are a lone-wolf, who just enjoys the solitude and peace of long solo bike rides, a cycling club also offer many advantages. Clubs are generally associated with a local bike shop which in turn offers discounts on parts, services and new bikes. You also get discount cycling uniforms from team orders. And if you have many racers in your club, you may be able to buy cycling gear used for a single season at a significant discount - the faster you race, the bigger the discount!
But possibly the most valuable aspect of becoming a member of a cycling club is that you become a member of the cycling community. In my opinion, the social aspect of cycling (meeting new friends, drinking coffee mid-ride or beers post-ride, going to watch races while supporting teammates or racing yourself, offering your spare tube to a friend after his third flat tire and the club's social outings or annual awards dinner) is an integral part of being a cyclist.
If you are interested in joining a local cycling club, a simple internet search can give you a list of the clubs in your area. You could also ask your local bike shop as you are preparing to buy your bike if they have any connection with a cycling club or any feedback to which cycling clubs in your area would better fit your skill level. Or, next time you are riding your bike and come across a cyclist wearing a local club jersey, feel free to ask him or her! ( hint: if they don't tell you more about the club and how to get in contact, you probably don't want to join that club anyways!)
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