How do I Choose the Best Cycling Club?

Joining a cycling club can be a fun way to get in shape and make new friends. Before you join one, find out when meetings are held so you can attend one of them. If the club has a website, visit it so you can get an idea of upcoming events and how the group is structured. Talk to other cycling enthusiasts and ask them if they belong to any organizations and find out their experiences with these groups.

A cycling club will often have meetings on a regular basis, usually monthly. Before you decide to join a group, ask if you can attend one of these meetings. That way, you can get to know some of the people in the club and get an idea of what their goals are. Visit as many different club meetings as you can in order to get an idea of the strengths and weaknesses of each group.

Try to choose a cycling club that offers a wide variety of organized rides. Ask the club president whether there are activities for different fitness levels. You should also find out if there are rides designed for families or training programs to prepare you for extended rides or racing. This is so you can make sure the club offers programs that are in line with your abilities and goals.

You may have friends, coworkers, or neighbors that belong to a cycling club. If so, ask them about the organization they belong to. Find out how they became a member as well as their reasons for staying with that club. Ask them if they have had any dealing with clubs other than their own and whether the experience was positive or negative.

A lot can be learned about a cycling club from visiting the group's website. Do an Internet search for the club by name to see if such a site exists. If so, look at the page to find out more about the club. Note whether the page is updated frequently, as this could be an indication of how active the group is.

Each club may require a different level of commitment. Some may charge membership dues, while others do not. Decide how much you are willing to pay and how involved you would like to become with a cycling club. That way, you can choose one that will not be too demanding and cause you to lose interest altogether.