The Bike Ride That Wasn't

By John Lymer

The July Mountain Bike Ride was cancelled after just one person booked on it. (Sorry, Alan!)

Last year attendance was also low, at just 8. This event has featured on the programme for about 14 years, so maybe it has run its course? About 10 years ago, attendance managed an all time high of 36!

Over the years we've tried the Yorkshire Dales, West Yorkshire, Derbyshire, the Lake District and the Howgills. In its early days, many members used it as an opportunity to hire a bike and try mountain biking for the first time. Since then, numbers have fallen steadily, but have usually included some of the many members who regularly do mountain biking.

It seems unlikely that mountain biking will be on the Summer programme next year. Maybe Summer is just too busy a time for many people, but it was chosen partly so that better weather could be almost guaranteed. It is probably better to settle for members arranging rides informally at other times of the year, as many currently do already.

Still, it was good while it lasted!