What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/MTB
- Thread starter bobbinogs
- Start date
Silvergoat
Senior Retro Guru
- Feedback
- View
Re: What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/
Wowzers!
Bikes, generous ladies, a flask of sloe gin, and, a helmet... mmm.
Wowzers!
Bikes, generous ladies, a flask of sloe gin, and, a helmet... mmm.
- Feedback
- View
Re: What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/
This basically sums up why helmets are required on Retrobike rides and practically every other organised ride in this country.
I'm completely pro choice for individuals when it comes to bike helmets, but I do get a bit pissed off when people continually miss the point and think that stipulating that people wear a helmet on an organised ride is an attack on their civil liberties.
Furthermore, over the past five years I've only ever experienced friendly, supportive and sociable rides organised under the Retrobike banner.
The only people who seem to draw negatives are the ones with little or no experience of them.
I can however remain positive and reasonably assured by the more positive comments on this thread.
I cannot substantiate any walnut cracking claims though...
FluffyChicken":1wk93h7w said:
This basically sums up why helmets are required on Retrobike rides and practically every other organised ride in this country.
I'm completely pro choice for individuals when it comes to bike helmets, but I do get a bit pissed off when people continually miss the point and think that stipulating that people wear a helmet on an organised ride is an attack on their civil liberties.
Furthermore, over the past five years I've only ever experienced friendly, supportive and sociable rides organised under the Retrobike banner.
The only people who seem to draw negatives are the ones with little or no experience of them.
I can however remain positive and reasonably assured by the more positive comments on this thread.
I cannot substantiate any walnut cracking claims though...
velomaniac
MacRetro Rider
Re: What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/
You'd not last 5 seconds in MacRetroland if SW is such a big area :facepalm:
MacRetro get around our big area using car shares or pick ups from stations for the carless. Contributions are made to the petrol funds. Nobody has to bring a retrobike as long as your interested in retrobikes. Average speeds are low, we keep setting a new average low speed
Fun and banter is what its about. As many folk as possible are encouraged to suggest rides and the AEC team jumps onto the organising bandwagon.
Sure are turnouts are not huge but with only 5 million Scots spread over such a huge area with our unrivalled reputation for poor health it was never going to be a major growth area.
I'd love to see more retrobikes out on their steeds but remember this. In our youth we were all enthusiastic with the new kit and we could take a knock. The new tech of today is leaps and bounds beyond our retro bone shakers and we cant take the knocks we once did. Many bike riding retrobike members are in all fairness new bike riders. Most shudder at the thought of riding a rigid canti braked steed instead of a plush disc braked bouncer by choice and would probably rather polish there old steed and get nostalgic without actually having to ride the thing.
Be glad people care about old bikes and be gladder if you see someone out riding one
:shock:
You'd not last 5 seconds in MacRetroland if SW is such a big area :facepalm:
MacRetro get around our big area using car shares or pick ups from stations for the carless. Contributions are made to the petrol funds. Nobody has to bring a retrobike as long as your interested in retrobikes. Average speeds are low, we keep setting a new average low speed
Fun and banter is what its about. As many folk as possible are encouraged to suggest rides and the AEC team jumps onto the organising bandwagon.Sure are turnouts are not huge but with only 5 million Scots spread over such a huge area with our unrivalled reputation for poor health it was never going to be a major growth area.
I'd love to see more retrobikes out on their steeds but remember this. In our youth we were all enthusiastic with the new kit and we could take a knock. The new tech of today is leaps and bounds beyond our retro bone shakers and we cant take the knocks we once did. Many bike riding retrobike members are in all fairness new bike riders. Most shudder at the thought of riding a rigid canti braked steed instead of a plush disc braked bouncer by choice and would probably rather polish there old steed and get nostalgic without actually having to ride the thing.
Be glad people care about old bikes and be gladder if you see someone out riding one
tarloone
Retro Guru
Re: What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/
The Retro Rides I've attended have been some of the best days riding I've had since starting the cycling game again 4yrs ago. Whilst I regularly ride with a local club to a respectable level...there's something about the retro rides that take me back to the days as a kid of just, well, going for a bike ride...and that's a great thing!
I sadly missed Cheddar as attended the Notts Cycle Jumble and certainly regretted that decision. I also intend to get a ride organized this year...as I promised last year. I guess that once you're in the situation of regularly riding with a local concern then its too easy to overlook anything else going on, and miss out!
Just need to get my two new 'projects' finished!
The Retro Rides I've attended have been some of the best days riding I've had since starting the cycling game again 4yrs ago. Whilst I regularly ride with a local club to a respectable level...there's something about the retro rides that take me back to the days as a kid of just, well, going for a bike ride...and that's a great thing!
I sadly missed Cheddar as attended the Notts Cycle Jumble and certainly regretted that decision. I also intend to get a ride organized this year...as I promised last year. I guess that once you're in the situation of regularly riding with a local concern then its too easy to overlook anything else going on, and miss out!
Just need to get my two new 'projects' finished!
Re: What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/
I go to win my sticker which i have never got due to some sort of conspiracy and sometimes i don't go due to the fact that I'm lazy. On a positive note though and my two pennies worth i would prefer and i think a few others would also agree that due to some being quite a distance it would be better to make a weekend of it and camp overnight. It is sometimes easier to cut down the amount of rides and make the ones that do occur become events so to speak.
I mean take the mynd its a great ride but to travel for 4 hours round trip for a few hours riding is hard work, but remember I'm lazy. Now if it was for the sat and sun then 4 hours round trip is nothing and worth the effort.
Take the peak district ride it is an event sort of because i get there saturday and stay till sunday. I meet up with a few fellow riders on the campsite and then you get to know the people and also have a great ride and then its back to camp for some beers and banter job done.
thanks andy
I go to win my sticker which i have never got due to some sort of conspiracy and sometimes i don't go due to the fact that I'm lazy. On a positive note though and my two pennies worth i would prefer and i think a few others would also agree that due to some being quite a distance it would be better to make a weekend of it and camp overnight. It is sometimes easier to cut down the amount of rides and make the ones that do occur become events so to speak.
I mean take the mynd its a great ride but to travel for 4 hours round trip for a few hours riding is hard work, but remember I'm lazy. Now if it was for the sat and sun then 4 hours round trip is nothing and worth the effort.
Take the peak district ride it is an event sort of because i get there saturday and stay till sunday. I meet up with a few fellow riders on the campsite and then you get to know the people and also have a great ride and then its back to camp for some beers and banter job done.
thanks andy
random man
Onnnne Huuuunnnndrreeed and Eigggghhhhty
Re:
I have only ridden on one RB ride, the Peak District road ride last year. It was a great route and very friendly.
I fully intended to go on more but for similar reasons to those already stated eg distance/cost/laziness I just didn't. It certainly wasn't because I didn't enjoy the experience.
I don't think it matters how many people turn up because there aren't many retrobike riders about to begin with, there will be even fewer who will be prepared to travel nearly 100miles, and even fewer will consider themselves fit enough or have enough confidence in their bike to do a strenuous hilly climb.
I fully intend to go to some road nationals this year because I enjoyed the banter last time and I want to visit grumpycommuter's brewery
The routes have been well described prior to the event, so riders know what to expect. You can't please everyone :roll:
I have only ridden on one RB ride, the Peak District road ride last year. It was a great route and very friendly.
I fully intended to go on more but for similar reasons to those already stated eg distance/cost/laziness I just didn't. It certainly wasn't because I didn't enjoy the experience.
I don't think it matters how many people turn up because there aren't many retrobike riders about to begin with, there will be even fewer who will be prepared to travel nearly 100miles, and even fewer will consider themselves fit enough or have enough confidence in their bike to do a strenuous hilly climb.
I fully intend to go to some road nationals this year because I enjoyed the banter last time and I want to visit grumpycommuter's brewery
The routes have been well described prior to the event, so riders know what to expect. You can't please everyone :roll:
- Feedback
- View
Re: What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/
Apart from the geography thing
this is exactly what RetroRides are not like. No one ever pishes off (except to the bar if we realise there's a pub stop imminent), I've never heard a bad word said against another bike or rider, and I've never seen a group split other than to guide folks on a shortcut - given that there's more time spent chatting than riding it'd be hard to lose anyone!
I think getting across a clearer picture of what actually goes on might break down many of the perceived barriers, aftermath threads are great for this and I know some ride organisers already link to them in announcement threads.
One thought we had on a ride recently was a mini series of much longer/harder rides on 'classic' routes, just for a bit of variety. Might pull fingers out and organise that soon ... in fact maybe I'll just go and if anyone wants to come too...
*walleater, I realise you were making the point that that would be something that put folks off, not that you necessarily thought rides were actually like that, not having a dig
walleater":mhnpssir said:Geography is largely what stops me, living in Vancouver these days
If I still lived in Shropshire I'd have been all over the Long Mynd ride coming up as that's where I spent most of my time riding retro bikes when they were still new. I borrowed a mate's old Zaskar the other year and still had a hoot.
In general though, it would be the element of competition that would put me off. I know it's only natural, but if people just pish off down (or more likely....up) the trails as fast as they can go all the time, splitting the group up, then what's the point of a group ride? Also, may as well just take a new bike out and go faster
There is a retro 'Show and Shine' every year outside Vancouver, and while other commitments have always got in the way, it's also the competitive element that would put me off going there too. I don't want to take a bike along only for someone to sneer at it because it has a riser bar (because I actually ride the damn thing :shock: ).
Apart from the geography thing
this is exactly what RetroRides are not like. No one ever pishes off (except to the bar if we realise there's a pub stop imminent), I've never heard a bad word said against another bike or rider, and I've never seen a group split other than to guide folks on a shortcut - given that there's more time spent chatting than riding it'd be hard to lose anyone!I think getting across a clearer picture of what actually goes on might break down many of the perceived barriers, aftermath threads are great for this and I know some ride organisers already link to them in announcement threads.
One thought we had on a ride recently was a mini series of much longer/harder rides on 'classic' routes, just for a bit of variety. Might pull fingers out and organise that soon ... in fact maybe I'll just go and if anyone wants to come too...
*walleater, I realise you were making the point that that would be something that put folks off, not that you necessarily thought rides were actually like that, not having a dig
Re:
I don't think anything can be done about the distance to get to the meets because you have to try to cover as much of the uk as poss in order to cater for people in the south and north and central and plus its nice to see places i have never seen. The things i feel people have a problem with is having to do it in such a small space of time.
as i said above if the meets were turned into events and maybe only 4 or 5 then people would make the effort. In regard to the rides i am the king of moaning and if there is a hint of a hill i begin to moan, but i have never seen anyone left behind or looked down on because they walked up a hill. There is always a creative hill on every ride and all i do is walk and talk well moan at that point along with several others. I also think weather puts off a lot of people i know it does me.
thanks andy
I don't think anything can be done about the distance to get to the meets because you have to try to cover as much of the uk as poss in order to cater for people in the south and north and central and plus its nice to see places i have never seen. The things i feel people have a problem with is having to do it in such a small space of time.
as i said above if the meets were turned into events and maybe only 4 or 5 then people would make the effort. In regard to the rides i am the king of moaning and if there is a hint of a hill i begin to moan, but i have never seen anyone left behind or looked down on because they walked up a hill. There is always a creative hill on every ride and all i do is walk and talk well moan at that point along with several others. I also think weather puts off a lot of people i know it does me.
thanks andy
- Feedback
- View
Re: What would make you turn up at a Retrobike event? Road/
We would never look down on anyone for struggling on a hill - quite the opposite as it takes a lot more balls to come out and test yourself if you know you're pushing you limits. We do look down on people who moan and are put off by a bit of good British weather though, big pansies.
We would never look down on anyone for struggling on a hill - quite the opposite as it takes a lot more balls to come out and test yourself if you know you're pushing you limits. We do look down on people who moan and are put off by a bit of good British weather though, big pansies.
