How hard are your rides?
Am I fit enough?
What sort of bike do I need?
What if I get a puncture?
Do I need to wear a cycling helmet?
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ECC is a club devoted to the social aspects of cycling. We do not look for distance or speed as ends in themselves. But inevitably some rides are more challenging than others, and all require a minimum level of skill and stamina. In general our rides are between 20 and 40 miles, with at least one stop for refreshments. There will be some traffic and a few busy roads and/or junctions (Starting from the centre of a London borough it could hardly be otherwise), but most of the ride will be on quieter roads, country lanes or well surfaced paths. While Hertfordshire is not an especially hilly county, there will always be some hills, but we always take these slowly and regroup at the top. Any special feature of a ride will be noted in the diary.
You will not get lost. Our rides have a leader who knows the way and a dedicated backstop to ensure no-one gets left behind. If numbers are large, then we also appoint middle marshals who will oversee the group across traffic and other obstacles. We ride as a group at the pace of the slowest rider, and no-one is ever left behind.
Very probably. 25 miles is not that far on a bike. At an easy pace it's about three hours in the saddle (longer allowing for stops). On a circular ride there will always be as much downhill as uphill, even if it doesn't feel like it!. If you haven't ridden since you were a child (or if you learned as an adult) then come on an easier ride at first, and take it from there.
Children are welcome, but (the legal bit) we do not accept unaccompanied children. They're your responsibility at all times. You know your own child best, and if you think he or she can cope with the ride (and would enjoy it), and you are comfortable with them riding on the road, then bring them.
It should be roadworthy. As a minimum it should have effective brakes, and tyres in good condition (ie no cuts, bulges or excessive wear) and inflated hard. For autumn and winter rides it should have lights, as we may return after dusk. It should have had at least a passing acquaintance with an oil can.
The saddle should be high enough so that at the bottom of the pedal stroke your leg is straight. This may feel insecure at first, as you won't be able to place both feet flat on the ground when you stop. If so start with the saddle lower and raise it as you gain confidence.
The bike should have gears, and you should know (or be prepared to learn) how to use them. BMX and other small wheel or single gear bikes are not generally suitable.
If you are in any doubt as to the suitability of your bike, bring it along to a club meeting and one of our members should be able to advise you.
If you have a tandem, recumbent or any other sort of specialist bike then presumably you already know its capabilities. We're still waiting for someone to turn up on a unicycle.
If you are looking to buy a bike, this website offers some advice about bike types. The most important advice is to go to a specialist bike shop, and avoid the cheap offerings of supermarkets and department stores. These "bike shaped objects" come as boxes of parts. Assembling them is at least as frustrating as assembling flat pack furniture, and potentially more dangerous. Once your "bike" is assembled, one of two things will happen. Either you will become so fed up with its poor performance that you will leave it festering in the shed, or you will be bitten with the cycling bug and buy a real bike. Either way you will have wasted your money first time round.
Every cyclist, from weekend shoppers to Tour de France riders, gets punctures occasionally. They can almost always be mended on the spot (although riders on "Le Tour" will sometimes just take another bike from their team car). On a ride there is always help available. But we do ask that you bring a spare inner tube the right size for your bike, and that if you need a spanner to remove a wheel you bring one that fits.
Under 18s should wear a BSI approved helmet, and adults are strongly encouraged to do so.
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