Social Riding, The Club Run & Zwift Meet-Ups

Not all our member’s race … in fact, the majority do not.

The mainstay of the social riding is the club runs on Tuesday, Thursday and Sundays.
THESE ARE NOT RACES …

More recently the social rides have been better attended during the weekdays rather than Sundays.

Any rider is welcome to join any group, guests are welcome from other clubs as are unattached riders. Groups are normally at a social pace with riders ‘looking out’ for each other. TRC members are encouraged to wear club kit. Guest are encouraged to join the club after 3 or 4 rides with the club.

Suggestions for New Riders

Reach out to other riders using the club Facebook Page, other social media to find out if anyone is riding. Turn up at the start point at the allotted time and make yourself known to other riders.

All groups are encouraged to ride in sensible sizes that do not provide a hazard for the group or other road users. The benefit of keeping the groups to a manageable size makes it easier for traffic to pass the groups. Riders are encouraged to ride with others at a pace suitable to their needs.

If there is a “ride leader”, they will identify themselves and will provide navigational assistance. They are not there to coach riders or be responsible for the safety or actions of others.

Safety First

Riders are of course responsible for their own safety and actions.

It is the intention of ride leaders to vary the route based on conditions and who is riding so make sure you understand what is planned before you set off.

There can be 2 (or 3) ride groups; Steady, Medium and a Fast-Training Group.

New riders and unattached riders are encouraged to start with the Steady group before progressing to the medium or fast groups if these are running. The following rides are provided for information, they do not always follow this route and may not always take place.

Social Ride Guidance
Risk Assessment
British Cycling Guidlines

Shepherdswell Route 1 (Tuesday/Thursday) - steady

Start Location: Start of the cycle path alongside the dual carriageway just past the Holiday Inn at Minster: Minster, Prospect, cycle path start

Target pace 13-15 mph
Planned distance 40-50 miles (depending on your start/finish point)

Destination for coffee stop, Colonel’s cafe: Shepherdswell EKR.
Start Time: 08:45am

Route: On leaving the meeting point, the group heads towards Gore Street, then Preston. At Preston, turn right to Grove and then onto Wickhambreaux and Littlebourne.  The route then passes Howlett’s Zoo Park and turns left at Bekesbourne and goes to Adisham and then Chillenden.  From Chillenden, cross the Sandwich-Nonington Road and then proceed to Shepherdswell and the cafe stop via Barfreston.

On leaving the cafe, the group then heads pack to Thanet through Eythorne, Tilmanstone, Eastry and Sandwich, with riders choosing an appropriate route as needed to get home.

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Betteshanger Route 2 (Tuesday/Thursday) - steady

Start Location: Start of the cycle path alongside the dual carriageway just past the Holiday Inn at Minster: Minster, Prospect, cycle path

Target pace 13-15 mph
Planned distance 40-50 miles (depending on your start/finish point)

Destination for coffee stop:  Algar Lodge farm-shop
Start Time: 08:45am

Route: The initial part of the route is the same as route 1, but after passing through Wickhambreaux, the group turns left and goes through Ickham and then onto Wingham.  From Wingham, the route goes to Staple and then up to Ash.  From Ash, the group then proceeds to Marshborough and Eastry and then to the cafe via Finglesham.
From the cafe, the group heads back to Thanet via Finglesham, Worth and Sandwich with riders choosing an appropriate route as needed to get home.

Sunday Club run (Steady/Medium)

Start Location: The Monkton Gate: http://goo.gl/maps/xtcJ3
Target pace 15-18 mph
Planned distance 55 miles

Start Time: 9:00am & 10:00am depending on who is riding. (Recently has tended to be 10.00). Riders keep in touch via WhatsApp, Facebook page, and personal contact.
Cafe Stop: Some riders stop at various locations in Deal, and some ride through and home.

Also: Note the mileage above does not include any riding you may do to get to the meet-up point and the last few miles it may take you to get home.

Thanet RC Zwift Group

Zwift events are organised on a regular basis. (Zwift is an indoor cycling application that makes indoor cycling fun. You can explore, train and compete with a global community on your own, with friends, etc.)
There is a Thanet RC Zwift group.

Previously in the winter there have been bi-weekly events on a Wednesday evening, normally lasting around 30 minutes during which members compete against other riders in the group. These have been well supported by TRC and other local cycling club riders.  Some of our regular weekly rides are replaced by Zwift rides when the weather is poor.

This winter (2023/2024) Faye Faires our ladies rep. regularly organises TRC club rides on Zwift at 09:00 on a Saturday morning. These are ‘no-drop’ rides regardless of power output, you just need to keep pedalling. You can incorporate your own personal training session or complete the self-assigned session whilst riding with other club members. Look for and join Thanet RC in clubs section on Zwift.

If you are interested in riding with us, please contact Simon Henderson or Colin Robinson.

Zwift Meet Up Rides

If the weather is not suitable for an outside ride for the Tuesday/Thursday social rides a Zwift meet up ride is often arranged and riders are invited to take part.  These usually start at 09:30, and vary in length and difficulty.  These are a “no drop” ride and not taken too seriously.  We use Facebook Messenger to chat during the ride, so the ride is quite sociable and friendly.