# Biggest (Road) Bike Clubs on the Peninsula?



## SystemShock (Jun 14, 2008)

Kinda curious (may be doing more group rides soon).

Seems like the Western Wheelers are pretty big and have lots of rides, but who else? And what are they like?
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## jasonwells4 (Aug 7, 2006)

http://missioncycling.org

Wide variety of riders. Usually at least one group of riders doing 80+ miles each Saturday. Rides all head north of SF.


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## Undecided (Apr 2, 2007)

See the "Group Rides" and "Racing" links on the Palo Alto Bikes site.


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## SystemShock (Jun 14, 2008)

jasonwells4 said:


> http://missioncycling.org
> 
> Wide variety of riders. Usually at least one group of riders doing 80+ miles each Saturday. Rides all head north of SF.


Thanks for the 411, but I'm wanting more of a Peninsula club, as opposed to an SF/Marin one.

Like your avatar btw. H.P. Lovecraft rules. :thumbsup: 
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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Western Wheelers and the Almaden Cycle Touring Club are the biggest Peninsula and South Bay clubs. I think Western Wheelers probably has a larger membership but I don't know which has the most rides. They are both great organizations and you can find out a lot just by browsing their web sites and ride lists. They both put on great events every year. There's also the Alto Velo Bicycle Racing Club if you want to race. I'd say that I see more Webcor/Alto Velo jerseys out riding the South Bay hills than any other jersey.


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## SystemShock (Jun 14, 2008)

Undecided said:


> See the "Group Rides" and "Racing" links on the Palo Alto Bikes site.


Hey, thanks. :yesnod:

Eliminating the clubs that seem to be inactive/deceased, or which exclude me (Stanford-only, women-only, pure racing focus), the list of heavily Peninsula-riding clubs seems to be:

*Almaden Cycle Touring Club
Alto Velo
Peninsula Velo
San Jose Bicycle Club
Skyline Cycling Club
Western Wheelers*


Guess my next Q is... anyone have experience with these clubs? What are they like? Pretty big, pretty friendly, nice variety of rides/paces? Or too snobby, or aggro/racing-focused? etc, etc.

_edit–_ Thanks ukbloke for that response... I was AFK in mid-post for about an hour while you posted that. 
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## tmanley (Jul 31, 2005)

ukbloke said:


> I'd say that I see more Webcor/Alto Velo jerseys out riding the South Bay hills than any other jersey.


That's because every member gets a jersey with their membership. Now think about how many of those jerseys are on riders with matching bibs/shorts...those that match probably are more likely to be racers.


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## SystemShock (Jun 14, 2008)

LOL. Well, ppl sure don't seem to have many opinions about these clubs, now do they? :wink5:

Anyway, I visited all their websites and poked around pretty extensively.

Almaden and Western Wheelers do indeed seem to be the two biggest, with the most rides. However, the bulk of Almaden's rides start more in the SJ area, rather than the Lower Peninsula, and I think having to drive often to a ride start is un-green and ironic, so that's out for me. 

Almaden's website does completely _rock_ though, they really break down how hard all the area climbs are... great resource, and their 'billy goat' system is interesting.

Skyline is smaller but their ride starts are near me, so that's a possibility.

The other three (Alto Velo, Peninsula Velo, and SJ Bike Club) all seem very racing-focused and/or have ride starts that are a good distance away from me. Nothing wrong with a racing focus, but it's not my thing right now and there aren't a ton of rides being offered compared to the big'uns.

So for me, seems like *Western Wheelers* and perhaps *Skyline* are the way to go. Thanks much for your help, Ukbloke and Undecided. :thumbsup:
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## Undecided (Apr 2, 2007)

Well, I'm a racer, and I didn't think my opinions would be that useful to you. But, just to round it out a little (and having warned you that my opinions are useless!), Western Wheelers does have a big range of rides, both the regularly scheduled ones and the one-time rides, and there are a lot of friendly people in the club. Friendly people who are seldom in their 20s or early 30s (or late 30s or early 40s?). Not sure if that matters to you (although they do put on singles rides), but they have a great catalog of routes. While Alto Velo does have a lot of racers, and does have organized teams at the elite levels (and is affiliated with the Webcor women's pro team), I would guess that the majority of the members don't race (or race very rarely). But the feel of AV is sportier than WW (which has more of a touring vibe and steers toward a more unabashedly geeky crew). AV's B ride (Saturdays) isn't really a racer's ride, although I think, based on admittedly limited experience, that it's faster than any of the regular WW rides. I know less about Pen Velo, but it's a smaller club (where people actually seem more likely to know each other), and is solidly sporty, but without the higher-end racing teams of AV (not that they don't have some strong racers). In fairness, I will tell you that many people on both sides of the spectrum from "casual rider" to "serious racer" seem to have "feelings" about AV (e.g., to hear some recreational riders, AV is tainted by a "superior" attitude, and to hear some racers, AV is "mostly a bunch of squid" (OK, those aren't actual quotations, and I'm not saying there's anything to either of them, but you get the idea)).


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## SystemShock (Jun 14, 2008)

Cool. This is the juicy stuff, aka what's one really wants to know before signing up. :thumbsup:

Laughed at the squid dig. That's hilarious.

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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

SystemShock said:


> Cool. This is the juicy stuff, aka what's one really wants to know before signing up.


All of these clubs will let you ride with them before you join. You're more likely to end up joining a club that's appropriate for you if you judge them yourself.


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## Killroy (Feb 9, 2006)

SystemShock said:


> I think having to drive often to a ride start is un-green and ironic, so that's out for me.


I agree, I will ride up to 15 miles to get to a ride start, often adding 30 miles to the round trip. Ride your bike, don't take your bike for a ride. 

I have not joined any of the clubs, but I do like ACTC and Western Wheelers. Pay attention to there ride ratings to find the ride best for you. I do the rides posted on http://bikecal.com/.

I do ride Alto Velo's B-ride for training once in a while because everyone is trying to drop the next guy. Frankly, who wants to ride in one of hundreds of green Webcore Jerseys on each weekend day? AV has a infamous reputation with other rode users like motorist and motorcycles for not following the rules of the road.


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## velogirl (Oct 14, 2005)

besides the clubs, check with your LBS. many shops have rides they host. I know Mike's Summit, Cyclepath, Chain Reaction -- just a few.


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## SystemShock (Jun 14, 2008)

ericm979 said:


> All of these clubs will let you ride with them before you join. You're more likely to end up joining a club that's appropriate for you if you judge them yourself.


Good point, and will do. But the comments do let me narrow down the 'short list' some, mainly by confirming some things that I kinda already suspect.
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## SystemShock (Jun 14, 2008)

velogirl said:


> besides the clubs, check with your LBS. many shops have rides they host. I know Mike's Summit, Cyclepath, Chain Reaction -- just a few.





Killroy said:


> I have not joined any of the clubs, but I do like ACTC and Western Wheelers.
> 
> ...I do ride Alto Velo's B-ride for training once in a while because everyone is trying to drop the next guy. Frankly, who wants to ride in one of hundreds of green Webcore Jerseys on each weekend day? AV has a infamous reputation with other road users like motorists and motorcycles for not following the rules of the road.


Thanks VeloGirl and Killroy!  
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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

Killroy said:


> I do ride Alto Velo's B-ride for training once in a while because everyone is trying to drop the next guy. Frankly, who wants to ride in one of hundreds of green Webcore Jerseys on each weekend day? AV has a infamous reputation with other rode users like motorist and motorcycles for not following the rules of the road.


This is why I sugested the OP make up his own mind.

I've done the A and B rides. I haven't seen any worse behaviour on those rides than on any others... and they're way better than the Spectrum or noon rides.

AV has a "bad reputation" amongst motorcyclists because their rides go up into the mountains where the motorcyclists like to think they own the road, the groups are fairly large, and there's a lot of riders with AV jerseys. That gets them remembered. 

I'm a AV member. I joined after meeting a number of AVers on rides. They all seemed like good guys, so I joined the club. Everyone from the club that I have raced or done training rides with has been cool. With a club this big there's bound to be some jerks, but I have yet to meet them.

It is a racing club but maybe half the members race. The B ride is race-oriented but not really fast, and has regroups.


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## SystemShock (Jun 14, 2008)

ericm979 said:


> I've done the [Alto Velo] A and B rides. I haven't seen any worse behaviour on those rides than on any others... and they're way better than the Spectrum or noon rides.


What's up with the Spectrum and noon rides? Do they kinda suck or something?
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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

SystemShock said:


> What's up with the Spectrum and noon rides? Do they kinda suck or something?
> .


They both have considerable friction with the local inhabitants of Woodwide and Portola Valley. You can even read about it in the NY Times!


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

SystemShock said:


> What's up with the Spectrum and noon rides? Do they kinda suck or something?


Those rides tend to get over-excited and wind up being more like races on un-marshaled public roads. Swarming cars that are too slow is common. That freaks out the people in the car. Those rides also tend to ignore stop signs, and that makes drivers mad (although having every rider take their turn at the stop sign would also make them mad...) Then there's the problem of just riding through Woodside. Some people in Woodside hate cyclists and it upsets them when they are slowed down by a group of them.

But, if you need race simulation, those are good rides to get it. You don't have to ride like a bonehead just because other riders are, but then you have a greater chance of getting dropped.


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## Undecided (Apr 2, 2007)

I think ericm979 was fair in his descriptions of Spectrum and the noon ride, but I would say that Spectrum is typically more guilty of the various sins he identified (maybe just because it's often a bigger group covering a wider range of abilities). Although I don't ride it very often, my experience is that Spectrum suffers from attracting too many people who lack the experience and skill (and/or fitness) to safely ride that particular ride. Putting a bunch of relatively inexperienced (at fast pack riding) folks on the rivet (because they don't really know how to safely wheel suck and don't realize how much stronger the top end of the group is), makes it a bit scary to be anywhere other than on the front. Even then, there always seems to be some guys who just don't grasp that they do not belong in the mix for the sprint points on that ride. 

With the road season over and the serious "off season" still not here, there should be some more stronger riders in Spectrum, so maybe that will make it relatively safer.


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## SystemShock (Jun 14, 2008)

Sounds like Alto Velo is just not for me, nor are the Spectrum and Noon rides. Lots of aggressive newbs/squids = ugh. 

Thankfully, there's a great deal of variety to choose from elsewhere. Thanks guys. 
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## Killroy (Feb 9, 2006)

ericm979 said:


> It is a racing club but maybe half the members race. The B ride is race-oriented but not really fast, and has regroups.


I would caution a rider that is newish to group rides to go on the AV Saturday B-Ride. There are regroups, but I have seen a lot of newbies (including myself) dropped or left to fix there own flat. So much for the "no drop" policy on the weekly ride announcement. Also, every time without fail the down west 84, the double pace line creeps towards the center of the lane even with lots of room on the shoulder. I can tell all the traffic on that busy highway is trying to pass, thinking- WTF. 

I still like going on the B-ride everyone in a while to smoke the regulars to the top of the significant climbs.


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

Check Western Wheelers. I've ridden with some of them and they were nice folks. They offer quite a range of rides, from casual to long with a lot of climbing.

AV has casual rides with non-racers too, but they're smaller rides and not widely publisiced. If you're interested in racing or going fast, AV's a good club. If you're more into distance or "touring" (which doesn't have to be all that slow), then WW or ACTC would be better. 

If you join a club, be prepared to put in a day each year working an event. Either a century for the touring clubs, or a race for the racing clubs.


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## SystemShock (Jun 14, 2008)

ericm979 said:


> If you join a club, be prepared to put in a day each year working an event. Either a century for the touring clubs, or a race for the racing clubs.


That part doesn't bother me... when I was part of a co-ed service organization (Alpha Phi Omega), I worked the Davis Double Century one year.
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