Touring/day trip cycling group

Havelock12

Hi all, I'm looking to find a cycling group/individuals in Dublin (or a bit further afield) that enjoy ride-outs/day trips to places.

When browsing the net, all I can seem to find are competition cycling groups that are either mountain bikers or road racers - I just want to find a bunch of non-competitive others that like doing casual rides, mini-tours, or just covering semi-significant distances in a day or afternoon.

Just on a weekend or evening I'd like to go out riding with some types that know of good places to get to around the country/nearby counties, and like a nice leisurely ride. Is there a common term for this kind of cycling? Touring seems a bit too extreme and I only find people doing expeditions when I feed this into Google.

Anyone out there like that sort of thing, or know any organised groups that like to do so? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

feck sake lads

yes it's called leisure cycling . i too am pissed off with road groups i would sooner load up my touring bike and head off for the day at a nice leisurely pace smell the roses and all that;).
so my advice is to do your own thing you will soon find the best company is your own.

michaelm

I know this is way too far for you but just to let you know of two things we are doing in Nenagh in this regard. Firstly, as part of North Tipp Wheelers we have introduced a leisure group for Sunday morning spins. These are typically between 50/60 Kilometres at a leisurely pace (avg 22Km/hr). While most have road bikes some have touring bikes and the initiative, launched a few weeks ago is proving very popular. I reckon this would work anywhere and there has never been a better time to get started, so a note in the local supermarket might be all that is required.

The second initiative, being launched on Wed. next is "Be a Tourist in Your Area" - where we are publishing a number of day or half day trips to be taken by bike - the emphasis here is as much on places to eat and drink as it is on the cycle. Our local Town Council are promoting this initiative and we hope it will develop into a casual tourist product - it is really just being tested this year, our real focus is on next Summer. Again this could work in many areas.

feck sake lads

michaelm wrote: »

I know this is way too far for you but just to let you know of two things we are doing in Nenagh in this regard. Firstly, as part of North Tipp Wheelers we have introduced a leisure group for Sunday morning spins. These are typically between 50/60 Kilometres at a leisurely pace (avg 22Km/hr). While most have road bikes some have touring bikes and the initiative, launched a few weeks ago is proving very popular. I reckon this would work anywhere and there has never been a better time to get started, so a note in the local supermarket might be all that is required.

The second initiative, being launched on Wed. next is "Be a Tourist in Your Area" - where we are publishing a number of day or half day trips to be taken by bike - the emphasis here is as much on places to eat and drink as it is on the cycle. Our local Town Council are promoting this initiative and we hope it will develop into a casual tourist product - it is really just being tested this year, our real focus is on next Summer. Again this could work in many areas.

i like the sound of that (be a tourist in your own area ,
can you give me more info on that idea thanks.;)

jaqian

There is a another new group here and they sound like what you are looking for: Gruppo di Sussidio. They also have a Facebook group. Just to let you know, I would be interested in some leisurely cycling myself.

michaelm

feck sake lads wrote: »

i like the sound of that (be a tourist in your own area ,
can you give me more info on that idea thanks.;)

Ok - here goes, short version! The new Mayor of Nenagh is very pro-cycling and I worked very closely with her in the past on the development of the Nenagh Cycling Hub, a project which has also been instrumental in the securing of the recently announced Nenagh-Limerick cycle way. Anyway for her current tenure I have put together a plan called "Be a Tourist for a Day at Home". A small group of us are developing a brochure on half or full day activities that you can take in North Tipp and I am working specifically on "Days out on a Bike". We are also trying to use the train as much as possible as the Nenagh line is under serious threat and we want to see can we revive it as a tourist product. As I said it will be next year before this is complete, but we are dipping our toes starting next Wed. My first day is as follows:

11.am - Arrive at Nenagh Railway Station (with bike)
11.05 - Train to Birdhill (€7)
11.45 - Tea and scones at Matt the Threshers followed by visit to the (excellent) Community Park in Birdhill.
12.30 (ish!) Cycle to Killaloe (5Km)
1.30 Lunch st Flanagan's Restaurant Ballina
2.30 Cycle to Garrykennedy (25Km) along the Lough Derg shore - most spectacular views in Ireland (inland) in my opinion
3.45 Refreshments in Garrykennedy - before cycling back to Nenagh.

Please note the total distance cycled will be 35Km - at an absolutely pedestrian pace, most of the people on this will be on a bike for the first time in ages.

As I said we are launching this on Wed. next (July 20th) and so far have about 10 people, but have not gone public as it is more to sell the idea to the local media at this stage, but if anyone wants to join us you would of course be more than welcome, you simply pay your own way (reckon €25 would cover you for the day). As a matter of interest if any Dublin based person wanted to do this, the train we join in Nenagh is the morning train from Dublin and you would be back in Nenagh for the return journey.

Actually here's an offer! (my own Boards Deal of the Day) - I will personally buy lunch in Killaloe for the first 2 people to join this little excursion by arriving on the Dublin train into Nenagh (would allow me to make the case that this little idea could have legs!). Who's up for this?

littleredspot

Search for "Dublin social cycling group" on Facebook, all sorts of distances/speeds, or suggest your own route and see who comes along.

feck sake lads

Micheal fantastic idea ,but how will the tourists get to know this is happening. will you be sticking posters up in train station/ bus station .

michaelm

feck sake lads wrote: »

Micheal fantastic idea ,but how will the tourists get to know this is happening. will you be sticking posters up in train station/ bus station .

Thanks for that - Wed. next is about introducing the idea to the media and the tourism people in the area. We are, for example, having the marketing manager of the largest hotel in the area cycling with us as well as well as representatives of the local tourism body. In a nutshell I see my role as showing them the potential of cycling as a local tourist product, as I am not commercially involved that is as far as my input will go. I hope they will then run with this for next year and promote it widely.

jaqian

Havelock12 wrote: »

Hi all, I'm looking to find a cycling group/individuals in Dublin (or a bit further afield) that enjoy ride-outs/day trips to places.

The thread got a bit side-tracked. Did you find what you are looking for?

Havelock12

jaqian wrote: »

The thread got a bit side-tracked. Did you find what you are looking for?

Yeah thanks it's a good start. I didn't realise leisure cycling is the term for this sort of thing. I've signed up to a few facebook groups and I'll give them a go. Thanks for the info guys!

jaqian

I met up with the Dublin Social Cycling Group tonight for a leisurely cycle around the Phoenix Park. It was nice but might look for something a little longer next time.

feck sake lads

jaqian wrote: »

I met up with the Dublin Social Cycling Group tonight for a leisurely cycle around the Phoenix Park. It was nice but might look for something a little longer next time.

the tour of mid louth is on saturday starts at 9am ,if you stay at the back of the group you should enjoy a nice leisurely spin. its where you will find me;)

jaqian

I'd love to but my weekends are never free

Best of luck i'm really jealous.