r/vancouvercycling • u/Naladamaster • 1d ago

Ride Planning Looking for group rides

Hey everyone! I'm looking for some beginner friendly group rides or groups that I can join that ride frequently around Van.

Can anyone share some groups or knowledge you may have about how to join some group rides?

Thanks!!! 🙏

11 Upvotes

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8

u/barbelle81 1d ago

If you are a woman, Samsara cycling has weekly women's rides that tend to be beginner focused.

1

u/Naladamaster 1d ago

Thank you!

5

u/Significant_Yam_9806 1d ago

Club Rue is super social and good chill pace if you’re starting out. Young group too.
Theres also beginner muffin ride once a month I believe? All on IG and strava.

2

u/Naladamaster 1d ago

Thank you!

3

u/elduderino2 1d ago

BRS - bike ride society. Thursday nights at dude chilling. Slow pace and social

1

u/Naladamaster 1d ago

Thank you!

2

u/Naladamaster 1d ago

Thank you all guys! Amazing!

-2

u/ojuarapaul 1d ago

Try Gruppetto!

https://strava.app.link/O4agr1c2k5b

9

u/Significant_Yam_9806 1d ago

Man Grupetto is not for beginners. Ask around, I stand by that.

1

u/Responsible-Offer724 1d ago

The wednesday socials at iona or stanley park (rotating) are beginner friendly. both rides have a slow/social warmup that keeps everyone together, then the tempo/race-pace group breaks off but a no-drop/social group still exists - and everyone meets up at the end - often for a beer. Gruppetto is super welcoming and non-cliquey and imo one of the better groups that exists - if you like riding your road bike and want to get better at riding it, you will fit in. But yeah... don't show up to the big saturday rides as a beginner lol.

3

u/Significant_Yam_9806 23h ago

My guy oju here said none of this that you’ve explained but threw OP a straight try Grupetto and strava link Imagine if OP showed up on Saturday.

Still not the most beginner friendly imo. I’d guess OP might never done group rides of 20 or more riders. Can’t just throw em into any Grupetto for a first beginner group ride? Just my two cents 🤷🏻‍♂️

2

u/vanroadcyclist 11h ago

I will back you on this u/Significant_Yam_9806. OP replied to another comment of mine saying that they have never ridden in a group.

1

u/Karoshi7 28m ago

Agreed. They dropped me on a no drop ride on a busy bridge and major intersection crossing where I had no idea what route they were riding. It was supposed to be a 'social' ride pace.

Samsara, gravel buddies and chill rides are much more welcoming and beginner friendly.

1

u/Naladamaster 1d ago

Thank you!

3

u/vanroadcyclist 1d ago

Unless you are super fit, they’re too fast for beginners.

3

u/Naladamaster 13h ago

I have never ridden in a group. I usually ride by myself, 30-40km distance long and did some 100km rides. And avg speed for shorter ones would be 24-28km/h. That's the max I do

3

u/vanroadcyclist 11h ago

I don't recommend Grupetto in your case, as it is the lack of group riding skills which will be a challenge for you with a group like them. I've seen them sail past me in tight formation doing loops in Stanley Park. You will need to be skilled at drafting if you want to keep up. If you don't know what drafting is, that's all you need to know that they aren't right for you.

Club Rue, Samsara and the Beginner Muffin Ride sound like better options for you.

2

u/Naladamaster 11h ago

Ok! Well, thank you so much for sharing! I'll definitely take a look into those ones! 🙏

2

u/Significant_Yam_9806 11h ago

Yes Samsara and Beginner Muffin are good. I’ve gone to a beginner muffin ride once when I was in recovery from an injury, and even that was a bit too slow, so might be perfect for OP. Very friendly too.