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Frequently Asked Questions .
Four Masters CC welcomes new members
Our new club cycling gear is available at Castle Cycles, William Street, Raphoe and is very reasonably priced! Talk to Michael who will be happy to help you. Jerseys,bib shorts, jackets, winter jackets and winter leggings available.
People naturally have quite a few questions they ask us before coming out on one of our rides. Here we try to answer some of the more popular ones for you. If you have any other questions about cycling in general or the activites we do then please contact us
I want to ride with you.How fit do I have to be?
Not particularly. If you can ride 20 miles or so you are fit enough to come out on a short Sunday tour. If you can ride about 30 miles or so then you are fit enough to try the full monty.
Is everyone else fast? What if I can’t keep up?
Our club rides are not fast. We want to encourage people to ride a bike, not leave them behind and put them off cycling for life. Try riding as far as you can on a flat road at 15/17 mph. That is what we do on tourand it is always easier when you are in a group. If you really don’t think you can keep up try coming the first 10 miles with us until you build up some more endurance and speed.
Do I have to race?
Not at all. You do as much or as little as you like. You may find that racing is infectious, especially time trials which are done entirely at your own speed. In a time trial you cannot come last as you are racing against your previous personal best times always trying to better them.
I have just seen Lance Armstrong on TV. I want to race. What do I have to do?
You’re keen aren’t you! We can help you. To keep it simple you need to ride club runs every week in winter to get fitness that will see you through the rest of the year, join Four Masters CC, get a cycling ireland licence and race. Next year you can try the Tour de France.
Can I really ride the Tour de France?
If you are good enough. However, will your little brother who kicks a football around in the park ever play for Liverpool? Hmmm - kind of puts it into perspective doesn’t it!
How far do you go on a Sunday?
Generally we go out for about 40 miles. You can do more or less if you like. You can always cut your tour short if you think it might be a bit much to start with.
Hey I am fitter than that. Will I leave you slowcoaches behind?
Maybe, but we like to save our fast stuff for local races. What’s the point of wasting it on a club run where there are no trophies? A lot of our people also meet up midweek for training rides. If you are fast then try one of these!
What is the difference between time trials and road racing?
Road racing is you against 20/30/40 or more other people riding in a big bunch (just like the Tour). The groups are made up of riders the same level as you so you won’t be riding against the experts! Time trials involve a field of riders who go off individually at 1 minute intervals over a set distance. The one who covers it in the quickest time is the winner. There are all sort of abilities in time trials but the person you are racing against is yourself. For this reason we encourage beginners to try time trials first if they want to see how fast they can go. They are often pleasantly surprised!
I only have a mountain bike and I want to go out on the road rides. Is this ok?
Yes, but for your own sake stick some slicks on and a set of pedals that you ‘click’ in to. You will be able to keep up.However most people will convert to a road bike for longer distancesfor the extra comfort, speed and lighter weight.
Cars scare me. Do you go anywhere quiet?
Yes cars scare us as well. We try to get stay away from traffic as much as possible and hit the quieter country roads or stick to roads with a good hard shoulder. We insist on good cycling disipline on main roads. By riding with us you will learn to ride safely.
Do I have to have all the gear?
Well, a bike is quite helpful really. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just reliable. It is always a good idea to ask around other club members for advice on what to spend your money on. They often have a lot of good quality used stuff for sale as well and are always happy to see someone get a lot of fun from something. We have our own team strip which you can buy if you plan to race. It is way cheaper than Premier League football kits. Your first day in lycra shorts is always going to be a challange but itis the most comfortable item you can wear for a few hours in the saddle. And you can just wear a tracksuit bottom over them to start with if you prefer.
OK, you’ve convinced me. What do I do next?
Justcontact us and we will get you out with people you will enjoy riding with. Or come along next Sunday morning and introduce yourself!
Why are you doing all this stuff for me?
We all had to start somewhere. We remember how daunting it seemed all those years ago. Cycling is great fun. We want to help you realise that. Oh and also we want more people to go down the pub with, more people to crack poor jokes with, more people to race with, more people to share lifts to events with etc etc. It works both ways! We recommend all members take out a Cycling Ireland club licence which costs 65 euro and includes third party insurance. This licence is mandatory if you want to take part in road racing or time trialling events in the county.Helmets must also be worn when competing.
New members are always welcome to the Four Masters Cycling Club -just contact one of the names on the contact page or better still come along to a Sunday morning tours or one of our racing events. For those interested in joining our club, the club fee structure is as follows: Standard club membership: €25, Juniors €10 which includes €5 Cycling Ireland fee for u/16 riders and first year juniors.Family membership €50. These prices do not include Cycling Ireland fees. More information on the different licences and membership forms can be found here.
Our new club cycling gear is available at Castle Cycles, William Street, Raphoe and is very reasonably priced! Talk to Michael who will be happy to help you. Jerseys,bib shorts, jackets, winter jackets and winter leggings available.
Frequently Asked Questions
People naturally have quite a few questions they ask us before coming out on one of our rides. Here we try to answer some of the more popular ones for you. If you have any other questions about cycling in general or the activites we do then please contact us
I want to ride with you.How fit do I have to be?
Not particularly. If you can ride 20 miles or so you are fit enough to come out on a short Sunday tour. If you can ride about 30 miles or so then you are fit enough to try the full monty.
Is everyone else fast? What if I can’t keep up?
Our club rides are not fast. We want to encourage people to ride a bike, not leave them behind and put them off cycling for life. Try riding as far as you can on a flat road at 15/17 mph. That is what we do on tourand it is always easier when you are in a group. If you really don’t think you can keep up try coming the first 10 miles with us until you build up some more endurance and speed.
Do I have to race?
Not at all. You do as much or as little as you like. You may find that racing is infectious, especially time trials which are done entirely at your own speed. In a time trial you cannot come last as you are racing against your previous personal best times always trying to better them.
I have just seen Lance Armstrong on TV. I want to race. What do I have to do?
You’re keen aren’t you! We can help you. To keep it simple you need to ride club runs every week in winter to get fitness that will see you through the rest of the year, join Four Masters CC, get a cycling ireland licence and race. Next year you can try the Tour de France.
Can I really ride the Tour de France?
If you are good enough. However, will your little brother who kicks a football around in the park ever play for Liverpool? Hmmm - kind of puts it into perspective doesn’t it!
How far do you go on a Sunday?
Generally we go out for about 40 miles. You can do more or less if you like. You can always cut your tour short if you think it might be a bit much to start with.
Hey I am fitter than that. Will I leave you slowcoaches behind?
Maybe, but we like to save our fast stuff for local races. What’s the point of wasting it on a club run where there are no trophies? A lot of our people also meet up midweek for training rides. If you are fast then try one of these!
What is the difference between time trials and road racing?
Road racing is you against 20/30/40 or more other people riding in a big bunch (just like the Tour). The groups are made up of riders the same level as you so you won’t be riding against the experts! Time trials involve a field of riders who go off individually at 1 minute intervals over a set distance. The one who covers it in the quickest time is the winner. There are all sort of abilities in time trials but the person you are racing against is yourself. For this reason we encourage beginners to try time trials first if they want to see how fast they can go. They are often pleasantly surprised!
I only have a mountain bike and I want to go out on the road rides. Is this ok?
Yes, but for your own sake stick some slicks on and a set of pedals that you ‘click’ in to. You will be able to keep up.However most people will convert to a road bike for longer distancesfor the extra comfort, speed and lighter weight.
Cars scare me. Do you go anywhere quiet?
Yes cars scare us as well. We try to get stay away from traffic as much as possible and hit the quieter country roads or stick to roads with a good hard shoulder. We insist on good cycling disipline on main roads. By riding with us you will learn to ride safely.
Do I have to have all the gear?
Well, a bike is quite helpful really. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just reliable. It is always a good idea to ask around other club members for advice on what to spend your money on. They often have a lot of good quality used stuff for sale as well and are always happy to see someone get a lot of fun from something. We have our own team strip which you can buy if you plan to race. It is way cheaper than Premier League football kits. Your first day in lycra shorts is always going to be a challange but itis the most comfortable item you can wear for a few hours in the saddle. And you can just wear a tracksuit bottom over them to start with if you prefer.
OK, you’ve convinced me. What do I do next?
Justcontact us and we will get you out with people you will enjoy riding with. Or come along next Sunday morning and introduce yourself!
Why are you doing all this stuff for me?
We all had to start somewhere. We remember how daunting it seemed all those years ago. Cycling is great fun. We want to help you realise that. Oh and also we want more people to go down the pub with, more people to crack poor jokes with, more people to race with, more people to share lifts to events with etc etc. It works both ways! We recommend all members take out a Cycling Ireland club licence which costs 65 euro and includes third party insurance. This licence is mandatory if you want to take part in road racing or time trialling events in the county.Helmets must also be worn when competing.
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