What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/MTB

So, I don't want this to end up in a slanging debate but I wondered why we are still struggling to get more than half a dozen riders who turn up at the rides (MTB or Road). I honestly don't think we go out to make the routes tough but often they are a byproduct of the areas we live in (I don't think I could make a flat 50 mile route around Stow or the Peak district)...

So come on all those folks who post about retrobikes...what would interest you in coming along? What would really tickle your fancy??

Would it be a flatter ride?
Would it be a more testing ride (longer/lumpier)
Would it be some published set limits on speed (say, ride A is 12-14mph avg, ride B is 15-17mph)??
Do people worry that the rides are too punishing so would be happy with a 20 mile ride at 10mph followed by 4 pints of beer and a natter about how things were much better in the old days?
Do people think they sound too cliquey (come on, sound up, no here is precious, err, well maybe one or two but that doesn't matter as Matt will moan whatever).
How about the inclusion of a good post ride nosh (there have been some fantastic spreads laid on by messers Ed and Dave, etc.) or perhaps a finish at a commercial venue like a pub/cafe that does good food?
How about a post ride massage (maybe something a little special? :shock: ).
Does the day need to change (Saturday/Sunday/Midweek)?
Parking sound a problem?
Worried about change facilities?

The club scene is thriving, as is the audax circuit and sportives, so why can't we get a better turnout given that we all have some lovely bikes and endlessly enthuse about riding the bloody things??

Re: What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/

I turn up whenever I can ;pics are my thing if the area looks nice'
and the day weather and stuff tallies then I am in ;
the north yorks ones are esp good ones 'but I hope to venture further a field
one day and see more of England and wales;maybe even Scotland if they don't close the border :facepalm:
you have to tailer a ride to suite the riders on the day be prepared to slow down sometimes
but give it time to build a group up;
anything takes time if you have ever done karate the classes have a high fall out
so for me if its near by nice weather and no hills

Re: What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/

i think there are different reasons why people do and don't turn up to rides,

i have been on the site for a long time now, when i joined i had just started working in a shift job that paid good money and the shift pattern worked out quite well for the national events, although this was by chance. for a couple of years i went to nearly all the nationals, and i have various other road trips aswel on top of that. all the events were good, well organised, friendly and well attended.

as time passed i noticed the events were less well attended but also noticed an increase in smaller local rides and also some members became regular friends and riders, this is only natural, as a result people have new friends to ride with locally meaning they don't feel the need to travel to further away events.

on top of that, fuel costs, i like the cannock chase rides but it's 6 hours driving for me in total for 1 ride is expensive, not to mention that my shift pattern the last 2 years has simply been totally out of sync with the nationals, which is unfortunate.

the other thing is that the regular rides over the years have become known to the riders and some may not like those routes, so having the same route/place as last year people may think hmm, didn't like that one last year i'll do something else etc.

i don't think lower attendance is from anything we are doing as a group, i think it's outside factors of time/work/expense etc that culminate in people choosing to stay local instead.

if i had the time and money i turn up to all as i always enjoy them.

Re: What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/

Excellent f/b so far. Anyone else, the idea is that there is no criticism here for those not turning up; I am just trying to understand what can be done to help more turn up or increase the appeal. Ta.

Re: What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/

I am never going to keep up with you whippets on road and have been told horror stories of road ride speeds, inclines and distances. The Post ride threads do nothing to dispel this.

The one road ride I attended was a two tiered affair and was wonderful. More please.

The mtb rides are great as they seem less competitive.

I hope to attend more of both this year.

Re: What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/

When I first joined the Nationals where not running.
I didn't go to any of the bigger rides as none where near (I couldn't drive)
There where a few of us local that kept thinking about riding, we didn't all in the fear we where crap/not fit enough/that going out meeting strangers thing, a year or so later we did it and, we eventually met up and well the rest is history, we've got regular riders now, met up with people further afield in the area(s) and have made good friends. We get new riders every now and again. SkyRide website was actually quite good at adding retro riders, we don't dictate retro but even the younger riders have now got old bike, some as old as them.
Some don't ride any more, some have changed priorities, as is life.

The MTB Nationals are good, travel though is costly especially for the length of some of the rides, you'll not ride far BUT you'll have good fun and none I have been to are particularly hard, or at least they are only as hard as the weakest person and all have varied if needed. Difficulty is added in places, but a lot will get off and walk. Plus if you're not a good rider you will become better and learn, all part of just doing it.

Distance and Time are the two main drawbacks once you have got past the fear of turning up.
Personally for Nationals and todays current cost of travel, a weekend of riding should be made of them. They are usually easier rides than some of our local area group rides but they have to be.

As for the day to do them, locally we just alternate as per the person organising it. All our local area group/s have problems with that. There is nothing you can do about it. Nationally it should be a weekend affair so both groups can get out on a ride and the lucky can do both days.

We have set up an evening, Wednesday, as it's the middle of the week to do evening/night riding. It suits people as they are available.

I will say the forum is pretty pants for setting up local rides, we've move to Facebook/Google+ for that, it's much easier.

No don't put restrictions on the ride, it's just a ride after all.

What we do in the local area.
We run regular evening rides
We run regular as we can on the door step rides.
We alternate with out nearest Area Group so more rides are available. Our borders are close.
We run, taxing hill rides, suitable for newbies rides, flat rides, interesting rides in different places people tend not to have been to. Urban rides, places with history and detail.

What we've found stops people
Breaking that getting out barrier - including fears off fitness, meeting people etc.
Family.
Work.
Shite weather.
Distance.
Too little notice.


Retrobiking and the people on the site I have found tend not to be the Audix/Sportives types, people may do them but don't seem to follow them and train for them. The masses I think at Sportives/Audix are the general public that happen to live close by or the dedicated.

Re: What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/

I'm hoping that my offer of an extra 40 km's on the flat round Glastonbury Tor as an addition to next Saturdays ride will encourage some more to turn up.

It'll be a nice and easy affair with a cafe stop somewhere along the line. We would need to go up Cheddar Gorge once but there's only one part that's steep and thats very short. Or we could meet somewhere at the bottom of the gorge and just do the flatter parts.

Re: What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/

Not the rides themselves that put me off.

Work
Family
Distance
Money (for fuel)

And I think these issues will be repeated by many ...

If I worked Monday to Friday and I was single with no kids I would attend many more local and national rides.

Just noticed the Lakes road and mtb rides are the same weekend. Thats a problem for me. I'll need to choose between them as there's no way I'll get a 2 day overnight pass. If they were , say , a month or two appart I may have been able to attend both.

Re: What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/

FluffyChicken":30iltn6p said:

What we've found stops people
Breaking that getting out barrier - including fears off fitness, meeting people etc.
Family.
Work.
Shite weather.
Distance.
Too little notice.

Click to expand...

Kind of sums up my views as a newb. I look at the cycling events and club sites and my heart sinks at the words quick, or challenging, as I am neither quick nor, as yet, particularly adept.

Also it seems that the area I'm in is predominatly mountain bike and I ride fixies on the road.

A few social rides for beginners would, I think help break the ice and the fear that some (myself included) have of being too slow, not fit enough, not able enough or on the wrong type of bike.

Re: What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/

jon w":2c03c8o2 said:

FluffyChicken":2c03c8o2 said:

What we've found stops people
Breaking that getting out barrier - including fears off fitness, meeting people etc.
Family.
Work.
Shite weather.
Distance.
Too little notice.

Click to expand...

Kind of sums up my views as a newb. I look at the cycling events and club sites and my heart sinks at the words quick, or challenging, as I am neither quick nor, as yet, particularly adept.

Also it seems that the area I'm in is predominatly mountain bike and I ride fixies on the road.

A few social rides for beginners would, I think help break the ice and the fear that some (myself included) have of being too slow, not fit enough, not able enough or on the wrong type of bike.

Click to expand...

Attending a ride would probably dispell the myth Jon.........a friend of mine attended last years Cannock ride........he had a good time, and only revealed half way in that he had never ridden a bike off road prior to that day.......

One or two of the rides are further across the spectrum of difficulty, but that is location, as opposed to rider, controlled...........