StephenH

I was just wondering what experiences y'all have had with local bike clubs or group rides.

Looking around online, I find the Greater Dallas Bicyclists club and the Fort Worth Bicycle Association, but their rides are mostly too far away for the amount of riding involved (I'm in Garland). Are there other clubs I'm overlooking? Other bike-shop rides that are really worthwhile?

I was thinking RBM used to have Saturday morning rides out of Poteet High School, but I don't see that on their website- anyone familiar with that ride?

I'm usually averaging 15.5-16.5 mph, so not looking for a race-training type ride, but something still somewhat organized.

Creakyknees

www.planobicycle.org - the PBA - they do a great job with clearly defined (and controlled) paces and distances.

bjtesch

I have ridden with lots of groups. Most groups are into high speeds. If you go with a group that you don't have experience with, make sure you know the route and the streets in that area because they WILL leave you behind. I've even ridden with groups that said they would never leave someone behind, but they left me behind.

Lazyass

I just moved back in the area to Euless and was looking for groups myself. Looks like there are rides out of the Performance Bike shop near you.

https://www.performancebike.com/bikes...78_-1_600000__

JMallez

My experience with GDB doing the airport ride made me decide to never do group rides again, and i second bjtesch's comments.

Groups are into high speeds, a 16mph avg turns into 18-20, groups become impatient or have things to do after the ride so they speed up, groups break road laws, they will leave you behind, if you don't know the route you could get lost and you better hope you know the area or have an iPhone, and i find it generally unsafe to ride with a pack of people that I don't know their individual riding style and unsafe to ride on a road where I don't know every crack and crater by memory.

jim10040

Don Johle's Bike World has Saturday morning rides. Look on the web for notices that say No Drop. Those are the ones I like. Nearly all the bike clubs and shops have no drop rides on Saturdays. Sundays, not so much, but they're there.

On second, third, on and on...thought...Also look for rides that willingly break up depending on group speeds. The descriptions are generally accurate, but yeah, average is often much faster than posted. Distances can be greater depending on the whim of the leader. All that aside, the group rides are fun...start at novice and go up from there.

Brad Bedell

That's GDB that has that Sunday ride from Poteet. Brent Aston (I think) is the leader.

It's considered a beginner ride and quite often the stronger riders will show up on the mountain bikes so that they get in a decent work out while helping others. It' s a no drop ride, but sometimes drops happen.

Two(ish) years ago, we broke the airport group into two major groups. A faster (19+mph group) that leaves about 5mins earlier than the rest. They announce 'fast group rolling'. A second group that usually ends up with a 16.5-17mph pace, which is the 'real' airport ride. Mike E. leads it.

A third group also leaves from that area (I think) called the distance builder group. It's in the 15mph pace range. I'd look into that ride pretty closely. email the leader and express your concerns. I think Chuck is still leading this?

Lazyass

If you had a ride leader he shouldn't be one. That's no way to lead a group. They aren't all like that.

Brad Bedell

The Irony of the Airport ride is that the ride leader is one of the last people to the rest stops...

Doohickie

Doesn't help you so much, Stephen, but there are several Fort Worth rides:

The first three are casually organized, come as you are kinds of rides. You'll see a lot of the same faces at them.
. Night Riders FW (they have a facebook group) ride every Wednesday and Sunday night. They meet at the Chat Room Pub on Magnolia at 7 pm and usually roll at about 7:30. The Sunday night ride is a pub crawl. Sunday is a leisurely pace; Wednesday is a bit more spirited.
. Trinity Bicycle at 207 South Main has a ride Tuesday and Thursday, about the same time. You might check in with their facebook group to make sure they're running (I've never done one of their rides.)
. Critical Mass (also look for their Fort Worth facebook group) is the last Friday of the month, starting from Barnett Park on 7th Street Downtown. Usually a friendly, non-confrontational ride.
. LMRA Bicycle Club has several rides during the week; no membership required to ride, but they do require helmets. Most of the ride starts are on Fort Worth's west side and points further west (Aledo, etc.) They run 2-3 groups depending on pace. Most frequent cyclists can handle the middle group (Pacers) easily.

Lazyass

Haha. I was actually thinking about going on one of the airport rides since I'm here in Euless. Not sure.

StephenH

Thanks for the input, y'all.

I'm already doing the Don Johle Bike World ride (when I'm not riding somewhere else, that is). It's a good ride for casual pace, but I was wonding what the possiblities were to go faster. I'll be checking into some of the possibilities. The GDB Poteet ride on Sunday afternoon might be one to look it; it's definitely on the high end of my speed limit, but is likely going places I'm familiar with, so no problem if I get dropped.

Doohickie

I can't see you getting dropped on a "casual pace" ride, Stephen.

StephenH

"Pace: 17-20 mph" for the 2:00 ride.

Twice in my life, I've done rides and averaged 17.0 mph or more, I think.

Doohickie

Oh, but they probably figure it out based on their bike computers which only show rolling time. Averaging that kind of speed is easy that way.

Lazyass

Anyone ever ride with Mad Duck out of Grapevine? The shop is about 10 minutes from me. Their posted rides look to be at my level.

StephenH

I ran across this list of Texas clubs:
https://www.biking.com/top50-texas.html

cuda2k

The PBA ride start is a bit of a hike from Garland, but I certainly give them the thumbs way up for good ride leaders and all around safe rides that more or less follow the ride descriptions posted online. Also, many rides post the routes online in the forum a few days ahead of the weekend. From the sounds of your description of what you're looking for I would suggest one of the following:

Tweener Fast: approx 35mi @ 16-17mph (there is also a slightly slower group that you can fall back to if you get dropped off the fast group)
DB Lite: 40-48mi @ 16.0-16.5mph
DB 2: approx 45-55mi @ 17-17.5mph.

Brad Bedell

Good rides, can be as fast as you want them to be. The Sunday coffee ride at least; I know there are several pace groups. I know the Saturday ride is often brutal for the group I ride with. I can't speak for the others.

GDB Airport, just find someone, let them know you don't know the route and they will likely pair you up with someone about your pace.

RC_spinner

Rockwall cycling has group rides on Saturady and Sunday.

ticwanos

There are usually three rides out of Poteet HS on Sundays...one at 9:00, one at 11:30 and then one at 2:30. Check em out. The 11:30 is the easiest pace. Or you can ride on all three and make a day of it.

1Echo

Rockwall Cycling has a small group that rides at 8:30am Saturdays with pace from 15-17mph avg depending on who shows. We wait and regroup at key spots if necessary.