We have four different types of club rides and our normal riding days are Wednesday and Sunday. Our rides leave from outside the Swan Pool Leisure Centre, London Road (map below) - please see the Ride Leaders Schedule below for the departure times for a particular ride. Each ride is led by one of the club's Ride Leaders and adheres to the club rules and riding guide.
If this is your first outing with the Swan Wheelers, then please check out our information on what to expect on your first club ride which now includes our Group Ride Safety Notice.
For our Ride Leaders and for anyone wishing to step-up and help us with this important role please have a read through our Ride Leaders Hand Book this will help & support you with this role. (Jun'23)
Click on the HyperLinks to view more data/instructions
If this is your first outing with the Swan Wheelers, then please check out our information on what to expect on your first club ride which now includes our Group Ride Safety Notice.
For our Ride Leaders and for anyone wishing to step-up and help us with this important role please have a read through our Ride Leaders Hand Book this will help & support you with this role. (Jun'23)
Click on the HyperLinks to view more data/instructions
RIDE ATTENDEES NOTICE
Our Club Rides generally do not have British Cycling qualified leaders, just experienced Club Members giving something back!
Your contact & ICE details will be added to a ride sheet & that you accept you are taking part in the club ride, that you will follow the instructions given for your & the ride group safety. Whilst Ride Leaders will ensure that your ride experience is as safe and enjoyable for all as is reasonably possible, that offering to lead a ride does not make the Ride Leader responsible for the actions of others.
Through the SWCC membership of British Cycling we have £20m Liability Insurance related to Club Activities , our committee members and other officials of the club including our Ride Leaders are covered by this BC Liability insurance cover. Details of the clubs insurance policy can be found here on the British Cycling website.
Participation in our club rides and other events is at your own risk and you are strongly advised you to obtain Liability Insurance cover. This can be obtained from the likes of British Cycling (Gold & Silver), Cycling UK and other sources. (May'23)
Our Club Rides generally do not have British Cycling qualified leaders, just experienced Club Members giving something back!
Your contact & ICE details will be added to a ride sheet & that you accept you are taking part in the club ride, that you will follow the instructions given for your & the ride group safety. Whilst Ride Leaders will ensure that your ride experience is as safe and enjoyable for all as is reasonably possible, that offering to lead a ride does not make the Ride Leader responsible for the actions of others.
Through the SWCC membership of British Cycling we have £20m Liability Insurance related to Club Activities , our committee members and other officials of the club including our Ride Leaders are covered by this BC Liability insurance cover. Details of the clubs insurance policy can be found here on the British Cycling website.
Participation in our club rides and other events is at your own risk and you are strongly advised you to obtain Liability Insurance cover. This can be obtained from the likes of British Cycling (Gold & Silver), Cycling UK and other sources. (May'23)
We're a pretty hardy bunch and can be found riding in most weathers, but sometimes the Great British weather just makes it too dangerous to go out. In cases where the winds are high or it's too icy* for example, the ride leaders will check weather conditions and post a note on the Swan Wheelers CC forum to confirm cancellation. In some cases, we will look to see if it's possible to run the ride on an alternative day.
In cases of low temperatures our guideline is when the mercury drops below 3° we will cancel rides.
Guide to the ride types
The information below outlines the ride types but if you're not sure which one to join, please have a chat with one of the ride leaders or contact us.
During the summer many of the group A riders ride sportives or race at the weekend, so it’ll sometimes just be the B and C groups heading out. If there are faster riders, they’ll ride with the B group but at a pace that will not cause the group to split. Leisure Rides are also on the calendar one the first week of the month.
During the summer many of the group A riders ride sportives or race at the weekend, so it’ll sometimes just be the B and C groups heading out. If there are faster riders, they’ll ride with the B group but at a pace that will not cause the group to split. Leisure Rides are also on the calendar one the first week of the month.
Group CPerfect for those wanting a steady and social ride. It's also a good one to join if you're new to cycling or haven't ridden in a while.
Pace: 13-15 mph over a general distance of 30-40 miles, we do adapt the pace and distance to suit the riders attending - it’s important to us that everyone enjoys themselves. Generally over easier terrain although participants should expect to encounter the occasional hill. Expect a up to a 3 hour ride & allow a little more time for that slice of cake at the café. Group riding: This group will not ordinarily practice rider rotation, although other aspects of riding style, particularly safety will apply - please see the club rules. Café stop included. |
Group BGood for fitter and more experienced cyclists who still want to make the most of the social aspects of a club ride, whilst riding at a quicker pace.
Pace: 15-17mph over a typical distance of 40 - 55 miles. Mixed terrain: hillier rides will be at the lower end of the distance and vice versa for flatter rides. Expect to be out for up to 4 hours including a café stop. Group riding: As they grow in experience and fitness, participants are expected to take some turns on the front by the rotation of the group. For larger numbers of attendees >8 will see a ride split into 2 different groups, generally at different speeds within the 15-17 mph band. Café stop included. |
Group AAimed at experienced cyclists who can ride comfortably and consistently at a 17mph plus pace.
The ride distances from 50 miles plus over mixed terrain sometimes with a significant amount of climbing. Expect to be out for up to 4 hours including a café stop. Group riding: Expect regular rider rotation and some more intense efforts when planned by the ride leader. If you are not sure you will be able to keep a steady pace it's recommended that you try a ride with group B first. Café stop included. |
Midweek social ride
The Midweek club ride is run at a average pace over a 35-40 mile distance. Generally it has >8 attendees & a mix of abilities so will be ridden with two groups based on the fitness and experience of the participants on the day . The main focus, however, is a relaxed, social ride and a café stop is always included.
Leisure rides
From the Summer 2022 these are available on 1st Sunday each month at a 20'ish mile ride specifically for the less experienced or less able people looking to enjoy a more leisurely social ride to a local café at a pace to suit the group on the day, no need to wear lycra if that’s not your thing and a hybrid bike is perfectly suitable for a road ride on quiet country lanes.
Your first Swan Wheelers club ride |
Thinking of joining us for a ride? This section aims to outline what you need to bring and what to expect
All our rides start from the Swan Pool Leisure Centre, London Road Buckingham (more details).
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Any questions? |
Joining a cycle club ride for the first time can be both exciting and apprehensive. The Ride Leader will provide a quick introduction to him/herself and the other riders on the ride, an introduction to the route and some tips on riding as a group. During the ride the Ride Leader will continue to offer support and guidance as appropriate and will make sure no one gets left behind.
Non members can join up to three rides before we would ask you to join. If you have any queries, please do get in touch with us. Our details are on the contact page. We look forward to seeing you on a ride soon. |
The SWCC HEAT-MAP
As a bit of an experiment we have been using anonymous Strava data to create a “heat-map” of all the club rides for 2019. The brighter the colour, the more often we ride in that area. As you can see, we get about a bit.
Thanks to Jonathan O'Keefe for the tools - If you use starve, you can make your own at: www.jonathanokeeffe.com/strava/map.php
Thanks to Jonathan O'Keefe for the tools - If you use starve, you can make your own at: www.jonathanokeeffe.com/strava/map.php
ALL CONTENT © 2018. SWAN WHEELERS CYCLING CLUB UNLESS OTHERWISE MARKED
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