Psychlo SPORT Bike Club.
The Mountain Biking Club is paramount in our success, known well both locally and in some instances across the country. Otherwise known as Trailblazers MTB. Club has been established for 15 years now and covers a wide spectrum of riders, riding styles and venues.
Membership always runs at about 50 per year, with a hardcore of about 20 “regulars” who turn up for their punishment twice a week, every week, rain or shine, hail or thunder, sunny and sweaty, Wednesday evenings and Sundays. Over the years we can probably count somewhere near 400 riders who have ridden with us.
We publish a ride calendar in early January which runs through until more or less the end of August. Beyond August, the Sunday rides with school holidays, family holidays, summer fetes, and so on all contribute to make it a little less predictable. The rides are still on, but they are consolidated (such as) duration, difficulty, location, far nearer the time and publicised either through the FORUM, word of mouth, text or phone.
Wednesday evening rides are much much simpler to describe – ALWAYS meet at the shop for 6.30pm, finish about 9pm. Lights needed in the winter months.
There exist some sub-groups as well. People who can get out at times other than Sundays or Wednesdays often call each other and arrange separate rides. This might include self employed or shift workers, for example a popular option in the summer is an impromptu Saturday Morning Club, getting out at 0700/0730 finishing about 0900 ish.
We have a wide selection of riders too – the usual mix from early twenties to mid forties, but quite a few youths (16/18) and some Golden Oldies (50/65) along with lady riders as well. Pace is dictated by the slowest rider, everyone can partake, we won’t leave you behind!
The standard we do ride at will improve anyone. There is always somebody to learn from, there is always a new ride to experience, there is always a new place to visit. We try not to repeat the same ride in the same year, even though we have our list of favourites. Come along and see what we get up to. You will be impressed.
Everyone has to start somewhere, why not start with us? Some of our best riders joined us as raw beginners. If you don’t have transport, let us know and we can soon organise a lift for you.
Where do we get to? Well, on Sundays the world is our oyster really. We have ridden in Wales (north and south), Peak District, North York Moors, Yorkshire Dales, Lake District, Sherwood Pines, Cannock Chase, Scotland and some other places too.
There have been several holidays too, in such places as America, Spain and France.
You really will get the FULL experience with us through psychloSPORT riding activities.
We do the occasional event/race too. Our main objective each year remains the same – 24 hour racing, in the form of the OSMountain Mayhem 24hour yearly at Eastnor Castle, Ledbury.
Riders from the club are doing the event for the 10th time in the summer of 2010. From a single team of four riders we now usually enter five or six teams, even a couple of solo riders, a singlespeed specific team too most years.
Other events entered are the Grizedale Mountain Bike Challenge, Sleepless in the Saddle 24hr, UK Singlespeed Championships, some local Charity rides, Coast to Coast, the Milk Stout Road Ride, Great Yorkshire Bike Ride event and more.
We do have a number of our mountain bike riders who ride road bikes too. Frequent rides are organised, usually in the summer months, again all are welcome to come and join us.
Over the years a number of riders have taken part in Trailquest type events (orienteering on a bike basically) and others.
The emphasis is on having fun and not hard core competition, but we do that as well.
Over time the social side has become important too. Things we have done include climbing nights, caving trips, BMX indoor jump parks, Velodrome riding and a trip to Paris to watch the Final Stage of the Tour de France. Cinema outings, “Chippy Runs”, Evening meals out, social evenings at the “Blues Bar” have all featured in our events calendar.
Come and see what you’re missing.
