Glasgow Nightingale Cycling Club

Although I have ridden bikes for most of my life (except for a short period during my University years when I was too busy, er...studying ;-O ) I have never been a bike 'racer'. Being a road racer is something that separates you from the average man in the street and allows you membership of an elite clan. It is definitely something that I aspire to.

With this in mind, a few years ago I decided to join a cycling club. I had no idea where to start but was lucky enough to have a good friend who was a member of a local club (Clive, where for art thou now...?) He recommended that we try a club on the North side of the city - The Glasgow Nightingale Cycling Club. It was not particularly handy for me but seemed to offer all I was looking for. I have to say I have never had cause to regret that decision.

The many benefits of the club included that they ran group training rides every week in the summer, longer Sunday runs during the winter and they also put on their own time trials, to give their members the chance to ride this style of event. Since I joined this has blossomed even further to include team time trials and track events too.

The club has a very comprehensive website which can be seen here:

http://www.glasgownightingalecc.org.uk/

and a very active forum here:

http://www.glasgownightingalecc.org.uk/forum/YaBB.pl

Allied to these benefits, club members are given the chance to ride races. This is a driving force for many riders joining a club for the first time. At the Nightingale, other, more experienced members will provide practical advice and support for 'newbies'. They can help with planning, fitness and equipment advice and just general organisation leading up to that first racing experience. They have some stunning new kit too (which I have mentioned before is very important to us cyclists!). Check out the kit page here

I have been a member now for four years or so. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your point of view) this has coincided with me having young children. This has limited my ability to ride much at all but I have still enjoyed the membership, regularly reading the forum and trying to keep in touch. Bearing in mind the almost negligible membership fee (less than twenty quid), I cannot see a reason not to be a member. I have ridden APR training rides and tried my hand at time trials. You can see one of my efforts here

All in all, Glasgow Nightingale is a very pleasant club to be a member of. No matter what type of cycling you are involved in, they can help you enjoy the experience. They are a very friendly club and a club going from strength to strength. They have secured good sponsorship deals with NVT, SAPPHIRE and SOLIDROCK CYCLES. I would not hesitate in recommending them to anyone looking for a club in Glasgow. I hope one day to race in the Belgianesqe colours of the Glasgow Nightingale (maybe even later this year...?) but even if I don't, I will have very much enjoyed my times with the guys (and gals) of the club.

Happy riding,

Col.