Regular Rides, Ride Speeds and Categories
Weekly and Fortnightly Rides
There are regular Club rides during a week. These rides are usually listed on the Rides App although rides are often listed quite close to the ride time itself. To check for up-to-date information, consider joining the appropriate message forum, where specified.
Rides start from the Buttercross, Otley BX map unless otherwise stated. Cyclists are free to join any of the rides for as much or as little of the ride as their time permits. All types of bikes are welcome including ebikes. We operate a ‘try before you buy’ policy, so feel free to join one or two rides before paying your membership fee.
If you fancy being a ride leader, as a club member you can also post your own ride on the Rides App and expect a group to join you. It is also a good idea to share the ride on the Otley Cycle Club Members Group page on Facebook which, as its name suggests, is only open to members.
Here is an overview of the regular rides that the Club hopes to make available and the groups that participate in them. Ride times and start locations may differ from those listed below but this is where and when club members have usually ridden together:
Tuesday, 10.00. Bolton Abbey Dash (Social Series).
Tuesday, 19.00. Race Coaching at Brownlee.
Book through Eventbrite
Wednesday, 19.00. Wednesday Evening Social Rides.
Thursday, 9.00. Mountain Goats (start times vary).
Thursday, 9.00. Fortnightly, Zephyr (B) ride.
Thursday, 18.15. Summer, Triangle Time Trials.
Friday, 18.15. PHGS children’s coaching (primary aged).
Book in blocks
Saturday, 9.00. Fortnightly, Summer, Mini-Flyers, Saturday, 9.15. Fortnightly, Gentle Social Ride.
Sunday, 9.15. Fortnightly A & B Section, Storm, and Social Series rides.
Regular non-club cycling events of interest:
Monday, 17.00. Women Pay & Pedal at Brownlee.
Monday, 18.45. West Riding Junior Grass Track League, Roundhay.
Friday, 17.00. Women Pay & Pedal at Brownlee.
If you are interested in a ride and none is listed, please post on the Otley Cycle Club Members Group page on Facebook that you are interested to see if a ride can be arranged. Please try not to arrange regular rides privately or through Facebook only, we need Club members to commit to arranging rides through the Rides App to get the very best out of the new website.
Ride Categories
Rides are organised by ride speed/type and may fall into more than one of these categories.
Race Team
Storm and A Section
B Section and Zephyr
Social Series including Sunday Social Series, Wednesday Evening Social, Tuesday Abbey Dash, Gentle Saturday and Other Social
Mini-Flyers
Women
Mountain Bike
Mountain Goats
Triangle TT
Virtual
Here is an explanation of the ride types to help you choose the right one.
Race Team
Interested in joining the OCC Race Team? Find out more about the ‘Blue Train’ at OCC Race Team.
Race Team Coaching at the Brownlee
Sessions aimed at race training, fitness and stamina take place at the Brownlee Centre (map) on Tuesday evenings between 7 pm and 8.30 pm. Sign up via the Otley Cycle Club Members Group page on Facebook each week. £4 per session payable through Eventbrite.
Storm
Storm rides are full day rides which are currently organised on Sunday’s via the Otley Cycle Club Members Group page on Facebook. Rides average 17 - 20 mph over 60+ miles, on often hilly terrain. Good mix of ages 17- 60+ with a mix of male and female riders. Rides include a generous café stop.
A Section
All day rides. Riders meet every fortnight on Sunday at the Buttercross leaving at 9.15 am. Steady pace (around 15 mph), long and often hilly rides, 80-90 miles with 2 stops with option to turn after the first stop for a half day ride. Aim to return to Otley late afternoon (16.00). For experienced cyclists and those with a good level of fitness.
Intermediate or B Section
Riders meet every fortnight on Sunday at the Buttercross leaving at 9.15 am. Section rides at a steady 13 - 15 mph on the flat, regrouping where necessary. Rides typically cover 40-50 miles in winter and 50-80 miles in summer.
Unlike the Social Series, if a rider chooses to leave the group, they may not always be accompanied on their return, so be prepared to navigate yourself home.
Zephyr (or Thursday B) Rides
"Zephyr" rides, so named because they are more than a BREEZE and less than a STORM. A subset of the B Section rides, these rides leave every other Thursday (9 am) from the Buttercross for a medium distance, typically 60 miles, and a bit of climbing. Routes chosen according to the weather and other factors on the day, but all tried and tested many times before.
Social Series
Soc1 - Sunday Social Series Rides
Riders meet every fortnight on Sunday at the Buttercross leaving at 9.15 am. Ride average speed 10 mph -12 mph over predominantly flat terrain with a cafe stop and max distance of 30 miles, back for 1 pm. Rides are perfect for new riders looking for companionship and an opportunity to develop their skills. No-one gets left behind. Riders head to The Fleece afterwards to share the day’s tales.
You’ll find further information on these rides at Social Series.
Soc2 - Wednesday Evening Social Rides
1 or 2 rides leave Buttercross at 7 pm, return 9 pm every Wednesday. Rides are typically 25 miles with drinks and food afterwards at The Fleece. Bring lights, if not for the initial ride, for your journey home.
Soc3 - Abbey Dash
Weekly 22-mile ride on Tuesday mornings to the Abbey Tea Rooms, Bolton Abbey. Riders meet at the Buttercross at 10 am returning to Otley by 1 pm. Riders should treat this as a training ride, riding out at their fastest pace over back roads and predominantly flat terrain, before riding back, after refreshments as a group.
Riders expecting a more leisurely pace often form a small group for the outward ride. Members may also join the from other start points simply to meet up for coffee and a chat.
Soc4 - Gentle Saturday Rides
A fortnightly sociable, gentle ride (approx. 20 miles) with a coffee stop aimed at new riders or those coming back to fitness or from injury. No-one gets left behind.
SOC5 – Other Social
During Covid, with club riding suspended, many members formed regular or impromptu, midweek private ride groups, e.g., Fridey Ridey. This category is for members to post some of these previously private social rides on the club’s ride App, which may then appeal to like-minded members and become regular club rides.
Youth
Youth1 – PHGS children’s coaching
Held on Friday evenings at Prince Henry’s Grammar School, Otley between 6.15 pm and 7.30 pm during summer months. These sessions are aimed at primary-aged children between year 1 and year 6 and aims to improve confidence and skills when riding a bike in a safe and fun environment. Book in blocks.
You’ll find further information on our Friday evenings at PHGS children’s coaching.
Youth2 - Mini-Flyers
Held on alternate Saturday mornings leaving Buttercross at 9 am. The aims of the rides are to introduce young competent riders (up to 12/13) to club riding within a group on open roads and to put into practice the skills and techniques that might have been developed at the club’s Friday night coaching sessions. The rides are a club run, with parents riding with their children and both experiencing the buzz of riding in a group. The rides are not coaching sessions.
You’ll find further information on these rides at Mini-Flyers.
Youth3 - West Riding Track League (non-club ride)
The West Riding Track League is a summer freewheel & fixed wheel grass track cycling league which takes place at 6.45 pm on Monday evenings in Roundhay Park, Leeds. Popular with younger riders who must register for the League to ride. Under 12 riders do not need a specialist bike and the OCC may be able to help supply or locate a more specialist bike for older riders.
Women
W1 – Women-specific social rides
There are no regular women-specific social rides posted currently but, by creating this category, it is expected members will post rides to encourage regular women’s only group participation.
W2 - Women and Girls Pay & Pedal at Brownlee (non-club rides)
There are two women and girls only cycling sessions on the traffic free track at the Brownlee Centre pay & pedal on Monday’s 5 – 6 pm and Friday’s 5 – 7 pm. These sessions are open to the public and are not run by the OCC. The cost of the session is £3.50 per person or £2.50 to British Cycling members (bring your BC membership card). Riders are advised to ring the Brownlee Centre (0113 343 1222) during inclement weather to confirm session is on.
Mountain Bikes
There are no regular mountain bike rides posted currently but, by creating this category, it is expected members will post rides to encourage regular participation.
Mountain Goats
The Mountain Goat rides are mixed ability, social rides for members who enjoy the challenge/fun of cycling hillier rides. Speed is always difficult to estimate. Our rides are not fast rides because of the hills involved so we plan timings based on a 10 mph average Saturday rides vary between 35 to 50 miles, and sometimes in the summer we will do some longer rides or plan away days to tackle some of the special Yorkshire climbs. Midweek rides (usually on Thursdays) tend to be shorter – 25-30 miles. Start times and location vary so check ride detail carefully.
You’ll find further information on these rides at Mountain Goats.
Triangle Time Trials
A series of 20 weekly races taking place mainly on Thursday evenings across three locations, Pool Triangle (12.5 miles meet Arthington), Hilly (14 miles meet near Farnley Hall and various Walshford (meet Rabbit Hill Country Store). This handicap series runs from early May through to mid-September.
No booking required, anyone in the club (or guests from CTT affiliated clubs) can ride; just turn up about 30mins before the start, sign on, collect a number, and then ride as hard as you like. £4 per ride for OCC members, £5 for guests. Under 18s will require a signed CTT parental consent form.
You’ll find further information on these rides at Triangle TT news.