Frequently Asked Questions
We hope to answer all your questions here, but if we don’t please do get in touch.
How fast are club runs?
Club runs are generally around 15-16 miles per hour on average over the duration of the ride. There is a policy of not dropping anyone on the club run so the ride runs to the slowest rider *not* the fastest. If there is a faster rider and he wants to go more than the club run speed, the ride leader will let that rider go so they can do their own ride at their own speed.
How far do you ride?
Typically, the club ride is between 35 to 45 miles and does a circular route from and back to Ashwell. Occasionally the route maybe shorter due to bad weather.
Where do the club runs start and finish?
The rides start and finish at the 3-Tuns Pub in Ashwell on the High Street.
Where do the routes go that the club uses?
The routes cover the surrounding area and can cover Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire or even Essex.
Do I need insurance cover?
Yes, you need 3rd Party Liability insurance to ride with CC Ashwell. Both British Cycling and Cycling UK offer such products. Find out more about 3rd Party Liability Insurance.
What bike do I need?
You need a bike that is mechanically sound and that can easily cover the advertised distance of the club run route. All the gears and brakes must work, and the riding position be setup so that the duration spent on the bike is comfortable.
How fit do I need to be?
You will need to be fit enough to cycle the club run distance of between 35-45 miles at the average speed of 15-16 mph.
What happens if the weather is bad?
Watch the website news and/or the twitter feed to check if the club run is happening. If the weather is icy, as an example, the ride leader will make a call if is unsafe to go out and will update the News section on the website.
If the weather is wet: bring the appropriate clothing to match the weather conditions. A suitable waterproof jacket is recommended, mudguards to reduce spray and a good waterproof pair of gloves.
What is grass track riding?
Grass track riding is racing a fixed wheel bike fitted with thicker tyres around a grass-track circuit competing against other riders. Find out more about grass track riding.
What is cyclo-cross riding?
Cyclo-cross riding is generally off-road and whilst the bikes have drop handle bars, they take more after mountain bikes with sturdier construction than a road bike. Cyclo-cross racing is lap based on a cross-country circuit for a fixed period of time, generally 1-hour or so of racing. Find out more about cycle-cross riding.
What is a time trial?
A Time Trial (aka TT) is a timed event over a set distance on a public road circuit. Find out more about time trails.
What is a crit?
A crit refers to a criterium road race consisting of a number of laps around a closed circuit, typically the length of each lap is between 1km and 2km.
What is a 2-up TT?
A 2-up TT is a 2 rider TT based on the same premise as a solo TT. The main difference is that the clock stops when the last TT rider passes the finish line not the first, therefore it is vitally important to ride together.
What is a TTT?
A TTT is a Team TT. Like above based on the same promise as a solo TT and again the clock stops when the last person (or designated number) in the team passes the finish line.