A Framework for the return of normal Wayfarers rides was posted on the blog on 12th April.
Do you want to return to riding in large groups, or stick to smaller groups now running? Your views will shape how Wayfarers rides are run in the future.
If you haven't already done so please respond by Monday 26th April.
12 comments:
Back to normal and large groups please!!!
Let’s keep small groups please! Much more flowing rides, no long waits on corners, no long queues of 24 or more to order lunch (and the ensuing long wait for food).
I like the smaller groups as they are much easier to manage for the reasons Janice has said.
I remember the look on the faces of bar and cafe staff when 20 people all turned up at once wanting to place orders.
I also think it makes sense to organise groups according to speed etc where possible as it's more enjoyable if you are riding within your capability and better for the rest of the group.
I feel these smaller groups are the way forward for reasons stated above also helps with time keeping. However, the social side of the bigger group is missed so maybe we could do a large group ride every 2 months or whenever. Swings and roundabouts....
I would concur with what Patrick has said.
I like riding in a small group as it's easier to chat with the riders and I find that when the groups meet for elevensees or lunch it's a chance to chat with the larger group.
Dudley
I d like to see groups of 12. It's a manageable number and allows for a more social mix. I d also like to see rides graded a little more eg it would allow for a faster/slower B ride .
I agree with Patrick and Dave, I also think that riding in small groups leads to less frustration to other road users, groups of 10 would still need to multiple spacing
From my brief experience I’m very happy with the small group rides especially if groups are of similar ability etc. Also agree with above comments of easier logistics on the roads and food ordering etc. Thanks, Inder.
I like your plan of splitting each of the As and Bs into two but would like it to be slightly more flexible, in that a ride leader could if he or she wanted, make it, say, three groups if he/she had the leaders and the ride was proving popular.
It might be Post-Covid Stress Disorder, but I do not fancy leading groups of fifteen or eighteen through the Surrey lanes, mainly on cycling safety grounds as well as post-Covid recovery grounds. I feel eight or ten is enough. Tony's All Day Ride through London the other Saturday worked a treat. He told the co-leaders the route and left it to us whether we rode it beforehand. We left at ten minute intervals, I think, and each co-leader chose where to stop for refreshment and, to some extent, the route to take through the major selling points. The result was that we had some overtaking on the road and some re-arrangement of group order through using differing routes. We saw some other groups at a distance in Richmond Park, or Battersea Park, or Wandsworth Common, sometimes near enough to say hello, and we all made our way back through slightly different return routes. I had the feeling that I had ridden in a larger event than just the group of five which I led. It would have been even more enjoyable if we had been able to lunch at the same venue and properly chat, as should be possible in future. Of course, in the countryside we would not have such a wealth of stops from which to choose and lunch in particular would have to be fixed.
Thanks for doing this.
Paul
When we can meet in larger groups safely I would still favour small groups riding for all the reasons already stated. However I feel we are in danger of losing some cohesion of members in the club. It is more than a year since as an A group rider I sat and chatted to a B group rider. As a suggestion when we are able, meet with the B riders again at the same start point. Another way would be to reduce the timing gaps between the small groups maybe to 5 or 10 minutes so we can bring back the social element we have all missed so much. As far as pubs getting our food out on time, they are going to have to perform or we won't be using them again. It is not our responsibility to run the efficiency of the kitchen. Finally if there are indeed faster small groups who start first the timing gaps will open naturally.
Hi smaller groups are more user friendly and safer as we move back into busier times.
I agree its great to mix socially and miss Cobham RL get togethers but maybe in due course we can meet at end of a ride for tea across all groups to chat.
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