The aim of a club run is to ride as a group – which we’ll come on to on the next page – and keep the pace steady throughout the ride.

A club run should be a social experience, as well as a chance to put miles on the clock, but it’s not a chaingang (a training ride which many clubs will also operate, where cyclists ride in a pace line to replicate a race situation), nor is it a race in itself.

That’s not to say a club run can’t be competitive. There may be a designated town sign to sprint for, or a climb on which to let off some steam, but regroup at the top, settle back into life in the bunch, and don’t half-wheel in an effort to push the pace beyond the expectations of the group, otherwise you’ll soon fall out of favour. Alternatively, if you’re a new rider struggling to last the pace, don’t be afraid to speak up.