Hi Folks,

This time last year I set up a little group on meetup called

Ramsbottom Mountain Biking Group

. The idea of the group is to not be in any way elitest, rather to be inclusive for all abilities and to just get out and ride maybe with a beer afterwards. We have some easy to tough rides and occasionally have trips out to trail centres. A few of us even went to Majorca not so long ago MTB,ing 3 days in a row which was just amazing.

We usually meet in Rammy every Wednesday evening and a location specified on the event. All meets are scheduled via the meetup group so we can see who has RSVP’d. It’s free for 1 month to give it a try after which it’s £5 yearly membership fee.

If you would like to join us, please check out the group at http://www.meetup.com/Ramsbottom-Mountain-Biking-Meetup/

Regards,
Wellsy

Thanks for posting. I wasnt aware of you but am now!

Feel free to join is on the regular Monday Night Pub Rides. We ride every Monday at places across the area – Littleborough, Todmorden, Prestwich, Rammy, Rivington & Turton. Watch the forum for details.

The first month is free and then we follow that up with entirely free membership thereafter. Are we doing something wrong?!

Hiya mate, the group has been free for almost a year however I have had to start charging due to meetup fees increasing, CTC insurance and our own website costs. I’ve paid not far off several hundred pounds out of my own pocket to get it all set up and running so far, therefore £5 is very reasonable for a yearly membership fee. It also means that people who are invested in the group are actually active members. I’ve had members who join and then never do anything with the group, never interact or ride and as meetup charges more the bigger group you have then I have to put something in place that means people who join are actually people who want to join for the right reasons. I would rather not charge and chase up fees but that’s the way it is. The group is a great social outlet and a lot of people have made some great friends because of it. Please focus on the riding and social aspect of the group rather than the fees.

rammymtb – I’m in Rammy too. Do you finish your rides in the Hare and Hounds? If so, then I think I’ve seen you out and about

WW – Ive heard a rumour that Harry has agreed with the landlord to start levying a hefty surcharge for access to the pie fridge behind the bar at the Church. In any other venue there will be the introduction of a controversial Crisp Tax

binners – we have finished at the H & H a couple of times. We usually finish either at The Shoulder or at the railway station and decide where to go for a pint. We are thinking of making the Eagle & Child our new post ride pint place as we went a few weeks ago and the staff were fabulous even opening the kitchen back up after closing to cook us some chips! Great beer garden too, with plenty of room for muddy bikes and bikers 🙂

Wellsy

Wellsy

Apologies for sounding like i was obsessed by the £5 fee. I can see that you have costs that we dont incur and as you say the fee merely prevents you from being out of pocket. I have my own blog and i know the fees are a pain. I quite like the idea that as a club you carry insurance.

On MNPR we ride as individuals and i guess very few of us carry any insurance…

We don’t need insurance, we’re protected from on high. Its the only thing I can put my continued survival down too.

Wellsy – we’ve not finished rides at the Eagle and Child as they’re not usually open on a Monday when we ride, but it is a top place! The Rose and Crown have done us all chip buttes, post ride, in the past

I think it is open on a Monday during the summer so we’ll give it a go. We tend to finish at the H&H as Reddisher Woods makes a great final descent, and kicks you out right at the pub. Which is handy. 😀

Wellsy, will your insurance cover my bike dropping in bits every ride as is the norm lately?

Fancy it Binners? My pass nights are Monday & Wednesday.

dontdropthesoap – ha ‘fraid not no! Riders do of course RSVP to rides accepting the fact they are responsible for their own safety (and bike) 😉

as of this week the group is 1 year old and going strong. One aspect worth noting is that the group is not particularly hard-core. We don’t do insane black runs or anything like that, the main focus of the group is more of a social ride with trails thrown in where we can find them. As you know in Rammy, it always feels like there is more climbing than going down! We have a good mix of race whippets to more ‘portly’ riders all just out to ride and have fun.

there are trail centre days out now and again, we did Gisburn not so long ago and the next trip is The Dales MTB centre however I think the accommodation is all fully booked now.

basically, if you’re happy to just ride regardless of it being insanely gnarly or not and have a laugh then you’re more than welcome to come along!

I set this group up as a kind of ‘anti-group’ as a lot of groups I looked at joining myself seemed far too serious. These were when I was living over in South Manc though, so were Stockport way and around that area.

I might join the more portly lot next week.