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A friendly club that meets to ride in North Devon |
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| Frequently Asked Questions | ||||
| I'm quite new to road riding – will I be able to keep up? | ||||
| We have groups to suit varied abilities and tailor the ride on the day to suit those that come along. We will always wait for those at the rear and everyone should be clear on the ride ahead before setting off, including set meeting points/pass throughs and an emergency phone number will be available. | ||||
| Which group should I go with on a Sunday morning? | ||||
| The faster group will ride between 50-70 miles over around 3-5 hours. There is a less fast paced group which ride between 30-50 miles over 3-4 hours at an average speed of around 14mph with an optional coffee stop to be confirmed on the day. A much slower ride is available but please contact the club to check whether it's running that week. This group rides generally on the flat for a couple of hours and involves a coffee stop along the way. | ||||
| What happens on a typical Tuesday or Thursday evening ride? | ||||
| Riders meet at 6.00pm on the Barnstaple Square and ride out at a 'brisk' pace. Riders can expect some fast paced group riding which can be challenging but rewarding! | ||||
| What kind of bike and equipment will I need? | ||||
| Any bike will do as long as it is roadworthy, however if you are hoping to join the faster group you may need to have a more road specific bike with race wheels. You will definitely need a helmet – No helmet = no ride. Riders generally wear whatever they feel comfortable in and club kit is available at Bike It on Mill Road, Barnstaple. In winter it is worth wearing a few thin layers which can be removed or added according to the weather and your body heat, and a waterproof jacket that fits in your pocket! | ||||
| I have a child that wants to start or develop their riding – what do I need to do? | ||||
| The YOUTH group meets at 9.30am on Saturday mornings and a structured session is delivered by qualified British Cycling coaches. They will need a bike, helmet and water bottle and the session lasts till 11.30am. If you have any other questions about cycling in general or other activities, then please CONTACT us |
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| I want to ride with you. How fit do I have to be? | ||||
| If you can ride about 30 miles or so then you are fit enough to try the Sunday road ride. If you can get to the Cafe, you can get back again. If you have ever ridden the London to Brighton or another charity ride you won't have any problems at all. Youth Riders aged 7-16 have their own weekly training sessions and loads of races in the spring, summer racing season. |
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| Is everyone else fast? What if I can't keep up? | ||||
| Our Sunday club rides are steady. We want to encourage people to ride a bike, not leave them behind and put them off cycling for life. We do about 16.5 mph in training zone 2 and it's much easier when you are in a group. | ||||
| Do I have to race? | ||||
| Well we prefer you to as Taw Velo is a Racing Club, but nobody's forcing you and there is plenty of room for members simply willing to help the club or maybe ride socially. However you may find that racing is infectious. | ||||
| How far do you go on a Sunday? | ||||
| Generally we go out for about 50-65 miles. Before Christmas is social so we make a Cafe stop, after Christmas we are training so it's continuous. You can do more or less if you like. You can always turn back early if you think it might be a bit much to start with. | ||||
| What is the difference between time trials and road racing? | ||||
| Road racing is you against 60 - 80 other people riding in a big bunch (just like the Tour). The groups are made up of riders the same level as you so you won't be riding against the experts! Taw Velo are running youth races and a veteran road race in 2013, so all ages are catered for! Time trials involve a field of riders who go off individually at 1 minute intervals over a set distance. The one who covers it in the quickest time is the winner. There are all sorts of abilities in time trials and you can race on two levels, against yourself and against the other 119. |
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| I only have a mountain bike and I want to go out on the road rides. Is this OK? | ||||
| Yes, but for your own sake stick some slicks on and a set of pedals that you 'click' in to. You will be able to keep up. People even race MTB's in 10 mile time trials. | ||||
| What is that track cycling all about? I saw it in the Olympics and I wouldn't mind trying that. | ||||
| Good to hear it. We organise regular trips to the South Wales Velodrome and privately hire the track for you to use. You need a special Track bike with a fixed wheel and no brakes, but can rent them there! | ||||
| Cars scare me. Do you go anywhere quiet? | ||||
| We try to stay on quiet type of roads. Fortunately, we are blessed with good, though hilly, routes in North Devon. | ||||
| Do I have to have all the gear? | ||||
| Well, a road bike is a good start. It doesn't have to be fancy, just reliable. It is always a good idea to ask around other club members for advice on what to spend your money on, or our sponsors at Bike It. We have our own team/club strip which you will need if you plan to race but don't worry, it is cheaper than Premier League football kits and available from Bike It in Mill Road, Barnstaple. | ||||
| So what else do you do? | ||||
| We have a Club AGM each year to present trophies and have some fun. We promote races each year. We have several meetings through the year which are usually informal and members sometimes get together to ride a cycle challenge. In 2012 a group of us rode Lands End to John O Groats for charity. | ||||
| OK, Taw Velo sounds good. What do I do next? | ||||
| Just CONTACT us and we will get you out with people you will enjoy riding with. We have a regular club run on a Sunday and other opportunites to train together, which we update via a members Facebook page.This way any information is always up to date and you will always know where we are going. In fact we have so much going on you will get swamped with Taw Velo email. | ||||
| Why are you doing all this stuff for me? | ||||
| We all have to start somewhere. We remember how daunting it seemed all those years ago. Cycling is great fun. We want to help you realise that. Oh, and also we want more people to ride and race with, more people to go down the pub with, more people to crack jokes with, more people to share lifts to events with and more people to help with our promotions. It works both ways! | ||||
| How can I join Taw Velo? | ||||
| Go to the MEMBERSHIP page and proceed from there. | ||||
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