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Some advice on touring           

Our main club runs start from High Town, Hereford, each Sunday, usually at 9.OOam. These are all-day rides with stops for lunch, tea and (usually) elevenses. Riders are welcome to join us as far as elevenses or lunch if they do not want a full day’s ride. 

We do not have a lower age limit, but parents are reminded that unaccompanied youngsters should be mature enough to be safe on their own before they ride with a club. We are happy to introduce cyclists of any age to the skills of club riding but (unlike a Scout troop or a school) we cannot accept any kind of parental responsibility.

You don’t need an elaborate mountain bike or an expensive "Racing" bicycle for touring, but it should be reliable and comfortable. It doesn’t matter how many gears it has, provided they are low enough, they work reliably and you know how to use them. Always use proper full length mudguards when riding with a group on the road. A saddlebag (or panniers) - which you can use to carry food, spare clothing, waterproofs, maps and tools — is much better than trying to carry luggage on your back.

Avoid wearing waterproof clothing on a long run unless it is actually raining, or you will soon become soaked in perspiration. When it does rain, you may find using a cape reduces condensation. We suggest you learn how to check and adjust your bike, and mend a puncture; always carry a pump. It is a good idea to carry a spare tube as well as a puncture repair outfit since, at the roadside, it is much quicker simply to change a tube.

You don’t need to be super-fit, but it helps if you are willing to make a particular effort in the first few weeks. If you ride regularly, don’t give up if it occasionally seems hard and heed the advice of experienced Club members, it will soon become much easier and even more enjoyable.

The club will not be impressed if you dash off ahead of everyone else, or if you lag behind by several yards all the time. Riding tidily in a compact group (but never more than two abreast) is a skill we hope you will soon learn. You will then be safer and the miles will roll by easily. Never swerve about or stop suddenly when riding close to other riders!

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