Club Info

Club Rides

Sunday Mornings

The Social group (see below) depart from Bedford Square, Tavistock at 8.50am for 9.00am for a 3 hour ride, with a cafe stop at around 10.30am. The Intermediate and Tempo groups (see below) depart from Bedford Square, Tavistock at 7.50am for 8.00am (9.00am in November, December, January, February and March) for a 3-4 hour ride, usually between 40 and 60 miles depending on the time of year and the terrain, with a cafe stop at around 10.30am. We usually aim to arrive back in Tavistock for 12:30 – 1pm.

Thursday Mornings

Starting on Thursday 22nd April, depart from Carr’s Garage, Lamerton, at 9.30am for a social ride to Lifton Farm shop and back, usually arriving back for 1pm.

1st Sunday of the Month (Come & Try Us Ride)

This is a good way for you to try riding with a cycling club. So, if you want to join a club, but have not done so before, perhaps because you are unsure about your pace and the distance, this is for you. If you are below age 18 and age 12 or over you are also welcome to join us on this ride, but please check our requirements for Young Riders first.

We meet for coffee at Church Lane restaurant, Tavistock, at 9.00am, leaving at 9.30am for a ride of 25 miles. We ride on quiet roads and cycle paths at a gentle pace and have a break for coffee and cake at Yelverton before returning to Tavistock between 12:00 – 12:30. If you want to give us a try there is no need to join the club first, just turn up at Church Lane and make yourself known to the ride leader, who will be able to answer any questions you may have, and enjoy the ride. We won’t leave anyone behind!

Ride Groups

We normally have three separate groups riding on a Sunday; Social, Intermediate and Tempo. This arrangement is dependant on the riders who turn up but there should be a group that suits most regular cyclists’ abilities.

When choosing which group to ride in, please make use of the pace/distance guidelines for each group shown opposite / below. Please also bear in mind that these are only guidelines and both pace and distance will vary across all groups depending on route, terrain and weather.

If you’re new to the club and unsure which group you should be in, it’s best to join a “Come and Try Us” ride on the first Sunday of the month (details above). If you enjoy that, try a Social group ride next. If you want to ride at a faster pace, move to the Intermediate group, and if that’s still too slow, try the Tempo group!

The groups are self selecting, but we do ask that you consider the other riders in the group when making your choice. If people have to wait a long time for others to catch up, riders can get cold and this can be uncomfortable. If you are uncertain of which group to ride in please ask a ride leader.

We are always looking for ride leaders to manage the group, control the pace and follow a route, so once you’ve settled in as a member please don’t be shy to volunteer!

Social Group

Pace = 10-12 mph, distance 30-40 miles.

This group is for riders who like a steadier paced ride with regular stops, or for people who have just started riding with us, have a reasonable level of fitness and are looking to build up their pace.

Intermediate Group
Pace = 12-14 mph, distance 40-50 miles.

This group provides a more challenging ride than the Social group, but is well within the abilities of most regular cyclists who have a good level of fitness. The Intermediate group also acts as a bridge from the Social group to the Tempo Group for those riders wanting to increase their pace and distance.

Tempo Group

Pace 14-16 mph, distance 50-60 miles.

This group is for riders with a very good level of fitness who are able to ride at a higher pace for sustained periods of time; you should expect to be out of breath quite regularly in this group! The increased pace often means the distance covered in the Tempo ride is a little further.

What to Wear

A helmet is compulsory on all club rides. Padded cycling shorts, gloves and high-viz clothing are also advised and, once you have ridden with us a few times, you might want to purchase our club kit which can be ordered via our dedicated kit website:
https://www.clubnopinz.com/product-category/tavistock-wheelers.
A password is required to access the club kit website. Please contact our club kit manager here to obtain the password.

​We also recommend that you wear cycling glasses, as the roads and lanes in Devon and Cornwall are often wet and muddy and this ensures that your vision remains unimpaired and your eyes protected. You should be prepared for weather conditions changing during a ride and remember to apply sun cream as appropriate.

Beyond this basic guidance, if you are unsure what to wear please feel free to speak to other club members and ask what they wear and why; you’ll always get good advice from our experienced riders.

In Your Saddle Bag

You should always carry the following with you on club rides:

  • At least one spare inner tube
  • Tyre levers
  • Pump
  • Small multi-tool
  • Cash
  • Mobile phone
  • Packable waterproof jacket
  • Drink
  • Food – e.g. an energy bar/gel, flapjack or banana
  • Front and rear lights

Rider Guidance

The following is a list of good practices, which we request all club members follow:
  • Abide by the Highway Code.
  • Show consideration to other road users. For example, it can be difficult for vehicles to overtake a group of cyclists, cycling in single file may help, but sometimes the best approach is find a safe place to pull in to let the vehicles get past.
  • Either ride alongside another rider or behind them (It is permissible under the Highway Code to ride two abreast if the road conditions allow).
  • Don’t allow your front wheel to overlap the back wheel of the bike in front – if they pull out quickly you can both fall off.
  • Don’t overtake (undertake) a rider on the inside. You should only overtake another rider on their right and only if it is safe to do so. It is also courteous to warn the rider you are overtaking that you are about to do so.
  • Keep a distance of at least a few bike lengths when descending behind other riders, for your safety and theirs.
  • Slow down for horses and other animals on the road and give horse riders a wide berth, warning them if you are approaching them from behind.
  • Although tempting, it is best not to wave drivers on when they are waiting behind you, let them make their own decisions.
  • When waiting for other riders to catch up, find a safe place to stop and avoid blocking the road or junctions, as this makes it difficult for other traffic to pass or impairs their visibility.
  • It is important when riding in a group to communicate hazards to others that they may not be able to see or be aware of, such as cars approaching from the front or behind, road hazards such as potholes, or when you need to slow down or stop.
  • Listen to and follow the guidance and instructions given by the ride leader – this helps provide a safer and more enjoyable ride for everyone.
  • Be aware of riders behind you, making sure they do not miss a turn
  • Always be prepared to stop and help another rider if they have a mechanical problem, it could be you one day!

Ride Leader Guidance

Our three ride groups are led by a Ride Leader whose responsibility is to provide and navigate a safe and enjoyable ride for everyone. The following guidance is to help both members and Ride Leaders understand what is required to lead a ride:
Highway Code: All riders must comply with the Highway Code

Know who is riding with you:​ The Ride Leader will check numbers regularly and should be particularly aware of any younger riders in the group. Under 16s must be accompanied by a parent/guardian or nominated adult and under 18s must not be left alone. Any rider wishing to leave the ride for any reason should let the Ride Leader know.

Keep the group together:​ Consider using a back marker in the ride group and take care that riders behind do not miss a turn. Regroup periodically if required.

Control Pace:​ The pace of the group should be set according to the ability of the group being led, as well as the weather, distance and terrain.

Navigation:​ The Ride Leader should be fully aware of the route and brief riders before and during the ride at regroup points as appropriate.

Communication:​ All riders should warn each other of hazards on the route, e.g. calling out potholes and letting other people know when slowing or stopping. Everyone should keep an eye out for riders behind to ensure turns are not missed and to ensure help is available in event of punctures/mechanicals etc.

Pre-ride brief:​ The Ride Leader should always brief the intended route at the start of the ride. Any of the above points that need emphasis can also be briefed at the Ride Leader’s discretion.

Young Riders

In line with British Cycling guidance a young rider or child is defined as anyone under age 18. Further, the minimum age for riding with the club on the public highway is 12 years old, subject to the following conditions:

  1. All riders aged 12 – 17 can only ride if the club has a parental consent form.
  2. Riders below the age of 16 can only ride if accompanied by a parent or nominated adult.
  3. No rider below the age of 18 can be left unaccompanied on a ride.

Although we allow young people to ride with the club, subject to the conditions above, it is rare for anyone below the age of 16 to ride with us, as the distance of a club ride is often too great. Anyone below the age of 18 wanting to ride with the club is advised to speak to a member of the club’s committee first.

For under 18s we follow and use the British Cycling safeguarding children policy, more details can be found here:
www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/bc_files/safeguarding/20170206-Safeguarding_and_Protecting_Children.pdf

Insurance

Through the club’s affiliation with British Cycling, third party insurance is provided for the club and its officials covering their legal liability for personal injury, death and/or property damage to a third party arising from negligence. However, this insurance cover does not extend to ride leaders or club members, unless the member is also a club official and is acting on club business. Therefore club members may want to consider the following:

  • Individual membership of British Cycling where you will benefit from £10m third party liability insurance cover and legal support (Race Gold, Race Silver & Ride memberships only) for daily/leisure cycling.
  • Individual membership of Cycling UK (formerly CTC) where you will benefit from £10m third party liability insurance cover.
  • Individual third party insurance cover with a reputable insurance company.
The club does not and cannot provide advice or recommend insurance policies. Details about the insurance cover and other membership benefits provided by British Cycling and Cycling UK can be found on their websites:

www.britishcycling.org.uk
www.cyclinguk.org

Club Kit

Our club kit can be viewed and ordered from our dedicated kit website which can be accessed ​here​. A password is required to access the club kit website. Please contact our club kit manager here to obtain the password.