Club issues

[betagirl]

/Warning - long rant ahead...

Ok. Can you let me know if I'm being silly here? I've ridden with this club affiliated with a LBS the past 2 years. It's all men for the most part, which is fine I guess. But I'm getting a little bit peeved lately. Most of them are older, former racers, that still have that cocky mentality. The others are nice guys that acknowledge the attitude of the others. But will jump and hammer when the others go because they're still competitive. I'm the only woman who has consistently ridden with the club. Other women show up and try to ride with them, but they just get dropped. Then they don't come back. This also happens with men who show up who aren't THAT into cycling.

We had a meeting in the off season and I recommended an A and B group to help retain riders. And for everyone to be a bit more aware of when other riders are struggling. Maybe they need a few minutes to recover but could hold on if the group would just wait a minute. This has worked ok for the Saturday rides, though the B group is much smaller. Sometimes it's just me and another guy, who is really nice. The problem I'm having is I'm too fast for B pace and cannot maintain A pace for as far as they go without them easing up for a bit, which they won't do. Because B is so small, it cannot be broken up if some riders are faster but not good enough for A.

We have week day evening rides which I'd missed for the past month or so, until this past Tuesday. The pace was really high, anywhere from 20 to 26 mph. Normally we take it somewhat easy and sprint the last strech of the loop we do. It's considered a free for all there, where you hammer til you can't any more. Then we all meet at the stoplight and repeat the loop. We do this 3 times. A new woman showed up, and I was really excited. She was dropped even before we reached the first turn in the loop. I never saw her again, so I assume she went home. Another woman stopped after 2 loops. We also dropped at least 2 guys. I barely hung on with another guy on the 3rd loop, and didn't even sprint the final leg. At least a couple guys waited for me at the light to head back as a group.

I put a post on our bikejournal page about the pace and dropping people. The retort I got from one guy was that if we slow down we're going to lose the "stronger riders" to the other club in the area and suggested A&B for the weekday rides also. I agreed with him, but I'm annoyed. Instead of trying to help other people get better, they just keep going. I also don't enjoy riding the entire time at my peak threshold. They certainly have made me a stronger rider, but the 'tude is getting to me. Maybe I'm blowing it out of proportion, but I'm annoyed and am wanting to join another club. Ironically, it's the other club that the guy was talking about. They have a woman's racing team and a much more diverse set of riders.

So should I jump ship for the other club? I've already been exchanging emails with the woman who heads up the woman's racing team. I rode with them once last year, and they're certainly fast. But when I got dropped a few people held back and stayed with me.

Have any of you experienced this with male dominated clubs?

/rant over

[Irulan]

First let me say that I think this is not a case of "male dominated" clubs, it has to do with club attitude in general. I've seen enough weirdness in womens' clubs, too.

I started a mountain biking club, an IMBA chapter, this year as I as not getting what I needed in a club. I tried on several clubs for size, so to speak, and then started one that was focused on doing what the others werern't.

The only real answer I have for you is to put your $$ where your mouth is. "B" group riders are too slow for you but you think there needs to be a B group? Get your mileage/paces yayas out on a different ride, and be a B group ride leader. How do you think beginners get better? By being encouraged in a supportive enviroment that is conducive to rider growth.

or, so what if you go to the other club. Does anyone really care? If you aren't getting what you need as a rider, take some action for yourself.

just my 2¢ as usual

[betagirl]

Thanks Irulan. I ran into a guy from my club out on the road today and discussed my gripes with him. He said he was tired of the attitude as well with the club, and that he was going to talk to the shop owner. In the past it was an unwritten "rule" to slow the pace to wait for people who got separated on turns on higher traffic roads and at stop signs, etc. It's now less like a club ride and more like every man for himself. I told him about switching clubs and he said I'd probably run into a similar problem there. So you may be right about it being a club thing versus a male-dominated club thing. I'm still going to give them a try anyway. Perhaps that's where I can get my "ya-yas" and volunteer to lead the B group with the other club. I can't see anyone else doing it, other than my fellow Saturday B rider. And he works evenings more often lately.

[Irulan]

so, is this a club or a shop sponsored group?

[Tess851]

hmmm, we have similar stuff that happens here, but basically I find you choose the ride you want / need to do. If that means doing the ride where you hang on as long as possible and maybe get dropped, so be it. If you want a group to stick together, then do the rides that have that.

Irulan's suggestion sounds good - depending on what your own goals are and whether the suggestion fits in.

It's nice to keep a look out for other riders, and as a Level 1 coach and knowing what it was like for me to start out riding, I'm all for encouragement etc. But not if it's going to cost me my own goals. I find I'll hook up with newer / recreational / slower riders on my recovery days, where my pace is suitable for them, and it works all round.

[KSH]

It sounds like you need to ask your LBS about putting together a ride that averages a slower speed... and/or... a "no drop" ride (where you wait for the slower ones and encourage them to keep at it!).

I bet if it were something advertised/posted in the shop... you would get a nice group meeting up to go on those rides.

And for the no drop ride... make it very clear at the start, that NO ONE gets dropped. So, that might mean stopping at certain points, etc... and if someone wants to forge ahead... and get dropped from the front, then that is their choice.

Also, can you ride with BOTH clubs? Why just ride with one? Pick the rides you like best... and go from there???

Best of luck in finding your niche!