do they exsist? just chatting with another forum member and they mentioned that the last couple of STW rides attended just turned into "race days" with not much chat and friendlyness etc

what happened to the social side of biking?

It must have been a slow race.

All of the STW rides that I have been on have been sociable rides. Maybe it's just an english phenomenon that you describe.

The Mendip ride last year had plenty of chat and friendlyness.

As did the Purbeck ride.

The Surrey Hills one was very sociable I thought. Lots of chat, no racing, and it was a reasonably varied group too.

it may be just you rOcKeTdOg 🙁

I haven't been on any STW rides yet, purely because I'm very slow and don't want to keep holding people up.

Also, don't like going on exclusively male group rides because they tend to degenerate into a 'Who can wee highest up the wall' contest.

Am up for anything with the word 'Bimble' in the title though 🙂

Sort of depends on how ambitious the ride is. Some of our Wednesday evening rides have been very chilled/relaxed affairs, but there's definitely been more of a push on a couple of them as we've been doing a longer route (or this week driving to Innerleithen first) – so less chance to stand around chatting.

Actually, Buzz recently posted up his route plan for this year's Mendip Mk 2 forum ride and there were a number of "30km in 6 hours? that's a walk" type comments.

No, that's a normal paced ride but with plenty of cafe/pub/chat stops along the way.

all the northern group rides are purely social.
the speed is usualy controlled by me and mrpotatohead, and we ride at the back………….. 8)

Does anyone know the average speed of any of the STW rides they have been on?

Just to give us an idea of whether I'd be OK or hanging of the back blowing smoke out of my ears?

Also, don't like going on exclusively male group rides because they tend to degenerate

I don't due to the lack of rampant totty

Ton +1. I've enjoyed those I've managed to attend / organise

Our South West ones (Exmoor, Purbeck, Qs, Mendip) have all been very sociable and jolly as well as being fun trails. Rusty don't be put off, the quick ones are too busy chin-wagging about their spangly bikes to worry about us tail-enders.

Surrey hills was a good pace, although I was in the slow group, njee20's defintion of a slow ride might possibly have been a bit quick!

Swinley on Sunday was a good pace, could have gone a bit quicker but was nice to do it at a relaxed pace with mainly single track for a change rather than the usual raceing allong the fire roads trying to find the few bits of singletrack I know.

Every ride I go on is slow and sociable.

I doubt I have ever done more than 10mph average in my life.

If you wan't a very social STW event with mixed company and mixed ability there is one happening for the weekend of August 21st/22nd in the New Forest.

All the ones I've ever organised for Da STW Cotswold Massiv or been on with others have been at a social pace, i.e. faster ones can ride off of they like, but we'll always wait for any slower ones.

All the STW rides I've been on (Apart from one) have been social and erring a lot towards pootle than race. There's very little showing off, and a lot of silly banter. I love 'em! 😀

IHN – Member
All the ones I've ever organised for Da STW Cotswold Massiv or been on with others have been at a social pace, i.e. faster ones can ride off of they like, but we'll always wait for any slower ones.

The problem with that is that the faster riders tend to get in some sociable chat while they're hanging around, but the slow guys at the end get no chance of a breather.

Surrey hills was a good pace, although I was in the slow group, njee20's defintion of a slow ride might possibly have been a bit quick!

We just rode at the pace of the slowest rider, and stopped a fair bit, I think we did more than you guys, but I doubt it was any quicker really.

This was the GPS track for our group on the Surrey ride, with an overall average of 10.6mph, but that includes the road riding to/from my house, and I did some extra off road stuff on the way up, so I'd guess around 7mph or so for the group ride. I just aimed to do it all at a comfortable pace, keep racing for when you've got a number board on!

Definitely agree on the risk that the slow ones never get a breather, having been that slow one on a weekend in Afan it was very depressing to see the other guys chatting and recovering, only to ride off the second I arrived, refreshed, while I continued to plod! There was 3 hours of stopped time on that track, so that seems like a fair bit!

We just rode at the pace of the slowest rider

**Waves!**

😀

To be honest PP I wouldn't have been able to say who that was, which I guess is indicative we got the pace right!

Was good fun, would like to do another one when I'm not hacking my lungs up constantly!

I enjoyed it. I don't really think anyone was 'the slowest' really. It worked out well. Thrash some singletrack. SIt and wait and natter at the end. Go to shop for pies and tea. Perfik. 😀

Swinley on Sunday was a good pace, could have gone a bit quicker but was nice to do it at a relaxed pace

Hmmm….. and there was I thinking I was really motoring along and showing you my alpha maleness 😕

Not really – was a good mix I thought. I have been the slowest on many a ride and it's hard. Particularly longer rides, when the quick boys are pootling along barely breathing, you're redlining all the way, and then suddenly the man with the bonky hammer starts waving to you from the bushes…..

The problem with that is that the faster riders tend to get in some sociable chat while they're hanging around, but the slow guys at the end get no chance of a breather.

I know what you mean, but that rarely happens. Everyone gets a chance for a breather, we only set off again when everyone's ready. Or when we've managed to shut Sheldon up, which is often later…

I don't really think anyone was 'the slowest' really. It worked out well. Thrash some singletrack. SIt and wait and natter at the end. Go to shop for pies and tea. Perfik.

Agreed!

What Ton said.
'Pook's pootles' are really good, lots of banter, stopping and playing about on jumps and stuff.
I think your brother was at the back PeterPoddy 😉

stopping and playing about on jumps and stuff…

… can really slow things down:

James has a new name – ' Scar face'.

I doubt I have ever done more than 10mph average in my life.

For a proper MTB ride (i.e. one that's mostly off-road) my average is more like 8mph!

The northern chapter ones were very sociable. as for average speed, I'd guess at average moving speed of around 7mph. Usually all day affairs but no-one was ever left behind or made to feel slow.

I think your brother was at the back PeterPoddy

Yes I was. 🙁

To be perfectly honest I suffered badly on that second ride we did (where I was late). It was described as a pootle but it seemed pretty fast to me. I enjoyed bits of it but I was miserable for a lot of it. I'm a bit fitter now and have lost weight but I think I'd still struggle.
I wouldn't ask my friends, who are generally on and off riders, to come along as they wouldn't cope with the pace. Pook was fantastic and stayed at the back with me and Sambob (think that's the right name). A perfect ride organiser!!
A lot of people just went home at the end and didn't stay for drinks which was a little dissappointing. Most people I never talked to as they just rode at the front and were gone by the time I got to the top.
I'd like to go on a ride which is more relaxed and where riders want to challenge each other to ride difficult bits.
The whole experience has put me off going on a Peaks Pootle again to be honest. I'll probably still go on one again I think but I'll be hesitant.
One good bit was some of the downhill, where I spanked the people who had beaten me to the top quite easily. 😉

I know what you mean, but that rarely happens. Everyone gets a chance for a breather, we only set off again when everyone's ready. Or when we've managed to shut Sheldon up, which is often later…

The problem I think, is that the faster riders don't realise how hard it is for the slower ones. "only setting off when everyones ready" – the faster riders may have stood chatting for 5-10 minutes on a Peaks ascent before the slowest riders catch up. Even if you wait for 30 secs to set off again, that's all the rest that the slower riders will get, rather than your 10 minutes. This compounds the problem, the slower riders never get a proper rest. They can't ride at their own pace and end up suffering. The only people who they get to chat too are themselves (I have learnt to do this quite well) or other slower riders who may be equally miserable.

Ask yourself a question – in the rides you organise, are the regulars who turn up the fastest? Do you have a high turnover of slower riders (i.e. come one week then never see them again). It's very difficult for the less fit rider to attend one of these rides as they know its going to be very challenging – they may prefer to ride on their own instead so they don't end up feeling crap about themselves. Just a thought…. 😐

Only a very small minority of the faster riders are prepared to stay at the back to help out (thanks again Pook!) – thats when you'd see how difficult it is for some.

I don't think I'd ever be keen to go out on a group ride where my brother (PP) lives – at least in the Peaks I have an excuse to walk up the hills, but I can imagine the pace in a flatter area to be much higher.

I don't due to the lack of rampant totty

SFB we agree on something!!
When there is totty do you ride at the back ?

I don't think I'd ever be keen to go out on a group ride where my brother (PP) lives – at least in the Peaks I have an excuse to walk up the hills, but I can imagine the pace in a flatter area to be much higher.

Errr. Yes and no. It can be, but it's easier to keep a higher average round here because it's rolling terrain raher than BIG up, BIG down! There's more pedalling for sure, but less effort climbing. With those road rides you've been doing, you'd be fine.

Next time you visit I'm gonna drag you out for a ride come hell or high water, because I know you'll like it. 🙂

There's more pedalling for sure, but less effort climbing. With those road rides you've been doing, you'd be fine.

I think I will, did an off-road ride recently for 3 hours without stopping much at all and I felt great.

Next time you visit I'm gonna drag you out for a ride come hell or high water, because I know you'll like it.

I just won't bring my bike. Nah nah nah NAA!!

Actually, I've just realised the next time we meet will be at the BBB, so it'll be a race we ride together at!! D'oh!

I'd guess at average moving speed of around 7mph.

Generous, I'd say more like sub 5 🙂
lakes was ~4mph

The 7 Stanes rides I organised last year seemed to go down quite well. At least there are a lot of features where people like me get to have a breather while others get to show off their amazing gnarl-tastic skills. Unfortunately for myself, people found out that when I said the pace would be strictly chilled, it wasn't due to a false sense of modesty but it was a desperately accurate and truthful account of my lack of speed.

I may well organise another one or two in August or September, but I have a gammy leg and have pains walking, and not ridden since March, so need to see if I can get fit again before organising one.

I've started riding on my own more and more because I simply can't keep up. I'm fine on the flat and on the downhill bits I like to think I'm pretty quick but hauling me and my bike up the hills is always going to take a while usually at a walking pace!.
I don't think it's fair on the faster people that they should have to hang about, my love of pie shouldn't cock up other peoples rides.

Most Bog Trotter rides average ~5mph including punctures and lunch stop 🙂