Club Run routes

Forum Admin [Martin]

Following this week's positive and lively AGM, we decided to help drive the development of the Club Runs. One aspect was the idea of trying to classify the many routes we have, to help plan routes way in advance. On top of this, we may start a rota to navigate the steady Sunday 9.00am Club Run.

I've started a list of rides I have and will stick it on the website's Club Run page as an easy reference.

Please send on any route links you have and I will add to the list. We can just keep building over time.

• Intro rides

IN1. Abington Pigotts - 12 miles

IN2. Potton - 17 miles

• Medium rides

M1. Two bridges - 35 miles

M2. Long out and back - 32 miles

M3. Bad weather course - 29 miles

M4. Shaftenhoe - Meesden - Nuthampstead - 35 miles

M5. Gransdens - 32 miles

M6. Bourn - Barrington - 38 miles

M7. Codicote - Preston - 38 miles

M8. Buntingford loop - 56 miles

M9. Classic Lilley - Hexton - 58 miles

M10. Bob’s Spring Ride - 60 miles

• Long rides

L0. The Geoff Denny Classic - 100 miles

L1. Grafham Water - 62 miles

L2. Grafham Water and one and a half Primavera laps - 73 miles

L3. Grafham Water and Winwick - 90 miles

L4. Sharpenhoe Clappers - Knebworth - 66 miles

L5. Hertford - Hexton - 60 miles

L6. Thaxted - 60 miles

L7. Bourn - Hexton - Letchworth - 62 miles

L8. Saffron Walden Seventy - 70 miles

L9. Bourn - Littlebury Green - 60 miles

L10. Quick Brickhill - 65 miles

L11. Haslingfield - Audley End - Wicken Bonhunt - 66 miles

L12. Kimpton - Barkway - 67 miles

L13. Woburn - Lilley - 68 miles

L14. Finchingfield & Blue Egg Cafe - 71 miles

L15. Around Stansted Airport - 72 miles

L16. Beyond Bedford - 83 miles

L17. Hilly Sausage Rouler - 86 miles

Theo-saurus

Thanks for that Martin.
I'd like to add the 'Brickhill Cheeky ride'. I my opinion this (with a little extra loop going up Aston hill near Tring) is the nicest ride you can do from Ashwell.
I'll probably do a clubrun in the next couple of weeks if anyone's interested?
It's mostly flat but has some hills, most roads are great but there are a few narrow lanes around Markyate.
88 miles / 142 km
4300 feet/ 1300 metres gain

shaunPnichols

From my limited knowledge, the 9am Sunday run is for the fast riders. Steady group leaves at 9.30.

Club runs would benefit from some tighter regulation e.g. advance warning of route and appointed ride leader.

Forum Admin [Martin]

Thanks for the feedback Shaun. Good to see you at the AGM.

See the Sticky about an attempt to sign up Steady 9am ride navigators.

Jon.c

ashwell-woburn-ashwell route

stiggers

Thanks for posting these. A lot of them are not my usual area so will look forward to checking them out if I can't join the club ride.

geoffg

The Club Run was always 9.00pm. Some were faster and some not. As the club grew in numbers it became possible to split the ride into two groups. One a steady and one faster. As we increased numbers we had 3 rides fast (nasty) boys when those who could hold 20mph + would just go and those who couldn't quite hold it would drop off and wend their way home to try again another week. The medium and normal rides would always wait for riders in their group.
James decided to start a 9.30 ride and eventually a core group of riders settled for this ride as a steady club ride. The normal 9am riders became fitter and morphed into the medium fast ride with the "nasty" boys still riding a fast ride. They normally did some 60-70miles at a fast pace. The medium /faster ride was some 40+ miles. This left a gap where the ordinary club ride of 30-35 miles at 15-16mph normally slotted. New riders to the club found the medium ride too fast and too long so the 9.30 ride filled a slot that had become available.
The different start time was always a confusion for riders and it meant that where once all the club met at the same time and chatted and got to know club members before they split into their groups they now no longer all met together.
The 9.30 saturday ride was a very valuable innovation which supplied a need for riders who couldn't make ASundays. They were usually at 15-16mph and around 35 miles so filled the need for a club ride for new members as well as existing. Predictably this ride became larger and now has split into a faster and slower ride with the faster also going further.
We are trying to re-establish the 9am Sunday CLUB ride at 15-16mph at some 35-40 miles.
This is really important as it forms a bonding and awareness of other club riders before they split into their groups.
Please do your best to support these and volunteer to head up rides by filling in the spreadsheet doodle at the start of this thread.
We spent years sorting and riding these routes so please take one and head up a ride.
This is the best way to help new members into club riding and not too much of a shock to the legs.
Have fun and help make it work. Bob and I used to head these up every week for years and that is how the club gradually grew. Friendly, Consistent, Reliable. Inclusive steady rides which supported all at the slowest pace. To be honest, sometimes we lost the plot and went too fast, but we always took stock and tried to get it back on track. Just do your best.

Captain P

Ahoy Lycra lovers

The 09.30 Sunday pirate ride does what it says on the tin
Steady inclusive pace
Pirate rules apply
( let the captain win the sprint )
Good banter, not for the PC inclined

Feel free to join
A life on the high seas
Paleo and carb loaders mix well

Hoist the main sail
Happy new year

Captain Pugwash

Gilgamesh

THIS then is my offer.

35 miles from - to Sandon. 1750ft of climb. With Ashwell adjustments = 42 miles (?).

The best part of the ride is that it rides along the very last Hoorah! that is the Chiltern ridge-line, running due east from Sandon, really lovely scenery, good panoramic views especially esp' when the wheat is full & ripe, with the 7 Sisters Roller coaster to Gt Chishill, (the best swooping, soaring Strava Segment in Hertfordshire ?), then Elmdon, looping back over the M11.

Ickleton out to Wendens, parallel to the M11 reveals Essex to be at times a undulating, oft' windswept, mixed arable patchwork rivalling most anywhere locally. But what descents, must eventually ascend, so save those legs for the Nuthampstead Climb, innocuous at first sight, but can you keep it in double figures? See map for more detail.

The views out from the exposed Thirfield road can be especially rewarding, looking out over what seems at times to be the whole of Cambridgeshire. The descent that follows is fast and your reward for accumulated ascents.

I never tire of it yet ride it 4x a week at present.

An adjustment from Ashwell is not complicated, such that you ride back via Barkway, Reed, Thirfield and Odsey, Ashwell.

I have it saved out on my Garmin too so if anyone want it, just say.

My £0.01 worth.