Going cycling with non-cyclists...

[gordon taylor]

A couple of my colleagues live close to Cannock Chase and we somehow arranged an evening off-road ride last Thursday for six of us after work. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, even those who fell off in the mud, and the weather was glorious.

However, we probably rode less than three miles in total - in well over an hour. The group stopped to chat at the top of hills, at the bottom of hills and countless times when someone had to take off a jumper or whatever.

We're supposed to be doing it again next week but I feel that it is hardly worth it for such a short distance. Should I go, but shout at them and blast off from the front? Should I go, but chill and socialise?

Yes, I know the answer already, but it is really difficult when their understanding of "cycling" is so different from my own.

[MSeries]

Is it really "really difficult" ? or just frustrating ? Why not suggest a destination for a pint which is say 3 or 5 miles out and three or five  miles back ? Then you'll have an excuse to chivvy them along and others will probably be keener to keep moving so peer pressure will then keep the slow coaches moving. As they do this more often, they'll get fitter and will not need to admire the view, they'll be bored with it anyway. Don't just blast off the front, it makes you anti-social.

If it is genuinely "really difficult" then perhaps these folks are not the best ones for you to ride with.

[JonBuoy]

I cycle fairly regularly with one particular group of friends and some of them have a similar approach.  I just treat it as a social event that happens to involve a bit of a bike ride as opposed to a bike ride that is sociable.  This doesn't stop me from gently (?) encouraging them to go further, faster, steeper, rougher etc.
Maybe I overdid it on the last one that I organised as it was later referred to as The Ride of Attrition  .  Most of them are still speaking to me though 

[Deano]

The pub is a very good idea - when I'm cycling with friends who don't cycle that much, I tend to encourage them with blandishments such as cake, alcohol etc.  A summer evening's ride to a country pub at a slow pace can be a real joy.

Just don't do what a friend did to us a few years back - promise a gentle ride out to a little country pub, which turns out to be Tan Hill.  The group ended up spread about ten miles apart along the road from Reeth...

[Polar Bear]

My solution for this is to take one of my non-cycling friends on the back of my tandem.  I get a harder workout and they have a 'fun' ride.

[andygates]

Non cycling friends?   

[Si]

Gordy, you ought to meet up with the Cannock Chase Wednesday Night Slackers ride.....similar to your ride but they are all experienced cyclists 

[Martin]

why not incorporate it into your regular ride (ie n miles to the meeting point, 3 miles around with the non-cyclists and then n miles back)

They will of course think you are mad.

alternatively suggest they take up climbing  

[alecstilleyedye]

it can work the other way round, where non cyclists feel they are not "up" to cycling with a known cyclist. my sis in law's father has just taken up cycling. when she suggested he come out for a ride with me, he said he didn't think he'd be fast enough. i told her to tell him we'll ride at his pace, not mine

[gordon taylor]

The idea of heading to a distant pub is good.
The idea of taking the tandem is also good. Thank you.

I'll stick with it, because they are a nice bunch of people.

My own cycling is much too close to Compulsive Obsessive Disorder for comfort.
The change of focus will do me good.

[Frenchie]

why not incorporate it into your regular ride (ie n miles to the meeting point, 3 miles around with the non-cyclists and then n miles back)

That what I occasionally do with a friend and colleague. I ride to his (1h15 riding hard), we do a loop and then I ride home.

[Jacomus]

It can be great fun and a nice tickle for the ego, just make sure you are in the right midset as people above have said.

If you have to ride on the road to get there, be sure to explain what the hand signals mean when pointing out holes and moving out in the lane to go round parked cars.

My friend was slipstreaming me for speed and ease, and had no problems with shouting "Pace UP!" or "Pace DOWN" to control my speed, but the first pothole I pointed out, he saw my signal and followed it insead of moving away from it. Swearing ensued. 

[TimO]

At my last job (in a part of the country somewhat greener than London), on several occasions we organised some social cycles.  Two thirds of the people didn't cycle beyond once in a blue moon going down to the newsagents, but most people had done a little cycling, since they had bikes.  I guess we didn't do much more mileage than you before the pub, but we spent all afternoon at the weekend, and it involved quite a few pubs in total.  I think we generally did 20-25 miles, but spent quite a few hours doing it, and generally had a good time.

Some of these people will never do more mileage than that, and indeed this was probably the most they had ever done.  On the other hand, some of them did start to cycle a lot more after these rides, so they can provide a nice gentle introduction to cycling more.  More people on two wheels is always good.