FAQs

Ride check list. Have you got all these items before you leave the house?

Is your bike in full working order?
Helmet? Shoes? Wheels? Seatpost?
Suitable clothes for ride (changes of weather, etc.)?
Change of clothes for after ride?
Food and drink for ride?
Food for after ride?
Tools?
Spare tubes and repair kit? – Yes tubeless tyres do go down!
Pump or compressed air?
Money for the carpark and pub!

What does the club assume about me? The new person on a ride….
I have read and understood the disclaimer written below.
I am a responsible adult able to make sensible common sense decisions about risk, timing, distance and speed. Both on and off a bicycle.
I want to get out into the hills and forests, having a great time, socially interacting with like minded people, seeing great landscapes, and challenging myself against those landscapes.
I have previously ridden a similar distance off road mountain bike ride, I was knackered for a week after but want to do it again.
That I will do most of my phaffing and bike maintenance before the ride meet time.
That wearing my helmet, full face or otherwise is normal.
That I wear clothes appropriate for the general conditions. Yes everyone gets hot in windproof/waterproof clothes but mild discomfort is far better than the injuries I would sustain becasue I got cold/wet and couldn’t hold onto the bike when it hit a rock.
I wear pieces of body armour out of personal choice but I know it doesn’t make me invincible.
I am carrying a set of trail tools on the ride that work on the bolt and screw standards on my current bike. If I ask someone will help me use them.
I am able to repair/replace the 2 most common, in use failures of mountain bikes – Snapped chains and flat/pinched tyres/inner tubes. For a small fee the service provider www.mountainbikeservicing.co.uk   can provide training/guidance if I think I need it.
I am carrying spares for the above repairs. The correct width Powerlinks for my chain, at least 2 inner tubes to suit my current wheel size (yes I run tubeless but it isn’t invincible) and tube/tyre patches for those unplanned sidewall slashes on the rocks.
Able to transport myself and bike to the ride start in a timely manner. I understand it is not the ride leaders role to act as a dating service for lift shares.
If I do share a lift or use someones tube then it is between us and not the club to decide how the other should be reimbursed.
I will make contact with the ride leader by text or email to confirm if I intend to ride so they can contact me if the ride plan changes.

Who do I contact to make sure the ride is on if the weather isn’t so good?
If you need confirmation that a ride is on, contact The Tribe by the usual email the day before or phone the ride leader posted in the Calendar from 7:30 am on the day of the ride and we can (hopefully) inform you where we are going.

Is it okay to feel really knackered on a Sunday evening after a ride?
Yes everyone pushes themselves during a ride, just it hurts for longer when you aren’t as fit as you would like. The enjoyment should out weigh the discomfort, don’t give up at the first hurdle.
The person who pedals away from you when you are giving it everything is probably working just as hard as you, but when you have been out on a few more club rides you will be able to spend longer at the top of the hill admiring the view rather than trying to catch your breath.

How old is the club?
The club started in 1994 and we have been through a couple of name changes over the years from “The Charnock Richard Mountain Bike Club” to “The Groovy Tribe Mountain Bike Club” onto our current name of “The Tribe Mountain Bike Club”.

How many members are there?
Depending upon the time of year we have between 40 and 60 paid up members.

How many people come out on rides?
If you review the gallery pictures then you will get a good idea of the numbers of riders on each ride. A lot of factors outside of the clubs control affect turnout throughout the year including weather, family commitments and the economic state of the country.

Is it OK to bring a friend along?
Of course but you need to judge yourself if they are fit enough to complete the ride. If they come on more than 1 ride then please fill out a membership form and send some money. Watch out though, you never know they may like it more than you!

What sort of trails do you ride?
Some members have been mountain biking since well before the invention of man made trail centres so we can tap into their encyclopaedic knowledge of the great natural mountain biking within a couple of hours drive of Central Lancashire.
Some of that is on real mountains or lower level routes. To try and keep you and the club safe from prosecution or an irate land owner it is not the ride leaders intention to use footpaths in the route planning.
Club members can often be seen riding up a hill in the back of a transit van to test out their downhill skills at one of the many bike parks around the country.
As they say it is “horses for courses” and some people have many “horses”. The membership is diverse in what sort of mountain biking it enjoys and the core of the group is still about riding natural trails that we know are enjoyable.

Can I follow you on Strava?
We do have a closed group on Strava for club members.
Do you want to judge yourself against a club member?
Worried about the ride pace? Then why not follow our slow ghost rider on Strava, check which of your favourite segments you are faster at.
This is an oppertunity to judge for yourself against a slower club rider, before you come on a group ride. If you are faster in every situation then great you will enjoy riding with the club and may have time to chat while you wait for others. If you are similar then come along and try riding with the club, you are sure to develop speed and stamina. If you are consistently slower then please spend some time working on your fitness and stamina before attempting a club ride.
To help judge yourself this data is from a male rider +40yrs on full suspension 26″ wheel bike that is leg powered and who rides once a month but has been doing so for many years.
TheTribeMBC SlowRider

Do you ride in Trail Centre’s?
Yes, you will usually spot one in the current rides list.

Do you ride at Bike Parks and Enduro races?
Yes, but if you have read some of the above you may realise that isn’t our normal Sunday. We may include trips to bike parks as part of a weekend away and we have members who do ride them fairly regularly, but you don’t need a club to help you ride them. Some members do pay to ride the special routes that some Enduro events make available, but we do not sponser a team nor provide dating services for you to find an Enduro buddy.

What sort of bikes do you ride?
Long travel +120mm hard tails with gears to get up the steep stuff and full suspension bikes +120mm front and back. Every sort of wheel size, fat or regular from 26inch, 27.5, 29 or what ever is the current fashion.

How far are the rides?
Check out the distances and grades given in the Calendar.

What if I ride at a different speed to the rest of the club?
If you are fast then great you can open and close the gates, count everyone through and get to feel really smug as you ride past everyone to the next gate. If you are slower then don’t worry it is not our policy to leave anyone behind. We wait at the top of the hill, at gates and at the boottom of a descent so everyone can catch up, catch their breath and have a chat. The ride leader will usually have a shortcut available if you need it. Don’t worry you can only get faster or more skillful by practicing and a club ride is a great place to do that. If you want to do some training before joining a ride then practice your favourite route without the long rest stops to build up your stamina. We are not a fast group it is just that some members would rather do their social chatting over a pint in the pub rather than stood in cow poo at a field gate.

Are you a bunch of fast race snakes?
It is human nature to want to be first, if that is first up or down a hill or to a gate or over a technical feature. We stand by our policy that we wait for everyone, no one is or should be afraid to say they want a moment to catch their breath.
We have some vocal members of the club who usually are at the back, panting for breath. If you are fast but aren’t willing to wait and perhaps have a social chat then this isn’t the club for you.

Do I need a full suspension bike?
No.

Do I have to come to the pub at the end of the ride?
No.

Do you stop at cafes on the ride for lunch or a break?
It is more likely that we will stop at a pub for a pint, and that is far too rare an occurance in some members opinion. Bring your food and drink with you on the ride.

Can I come out with my electric powered/assisted bike?
The answer to this question is evolving almost as quickly as the technology is. Currently we don’t think it is fair for a healthy, if unfit rider, to use electric assistance to go excessively fast when everyone else in the peer group is self propelled.
Everyone goes through different levels of fitness during their lives and electric assistance will help you jump up some levels but don’t expect you will get an easy time when you are at the top of the hill waiting with a slight sweat on and everyone slogs up behind you.
If you look through the pictures and videos you will see a couple of electric assistance bikes. They are being ridden by club members who have developed medical conditions and/or at an age were the assistance is allowing them to carry on riding after many years with the club. So yes you can come out on your assistance bike if you are able to ride at the pace of the rest of the group. 
When considering the purchase of an electric assistance bike we would ask “When the battery runs out and we are two valleys away from the car are you able to ride it back under your own power?” If the answer is yes then you are fit enough to ride a lighter bike all day naturally assisted.
If the answer is No then you need a bigger backpack to carry a spare battery and hope that one hasn’t run down because of the cold and wet as well. Yes the technology is great but some basic principles apply in the real countryside, no matter how much you paid, – water and mud is forced into everywhere and cold kills battery’s.

Why do lots of you wear body armour?
Not everyone does. It is entirely a personal preference most people wear some pads because they bought them for biking holidays and now want to get some use out of them. The only safety equipment requirement is that you wear a helmet on a club ride.

The Disclaimer
Cycling is an inherently dangerous sport.

The Tribe welcomes all riders, but do not assume any liability for your participation.
“The Tribe” includes the officers, committee members and nominated ride leaders of “The Tribe Mountain Bike Club”.

In no event, shall The Tribe accept any liability for any injury, loss, or damage incurred by use of, or reliance, on information from the website, documents, or from participating in group rides with The Tribe. By participating in any group rides arranged or co-ordinated by The Tribe, you acknowledge, appreciate, and agree that:

The risk of injury from cycling is significant, and while particular skills, equipment and personal discipline may reduce this risk, the risk of serious and potentially fatal injury does exist; Knowingly and freely assume all such risks, both known and unknown, whether arising from the negligence by yourself or others, to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Tribe strongly recommend that all members take out appropriate third party liability insurance for their cycling activities. Appropriate insurance cover is available through the clubs affiliation to CTC and is open to all club members.

By particpating in a ride you are agreeing to abide by The Tribe Mountain Bike Club Rules and to act responsibly and adhere to the rules of the road and countryside. You should only be starting the ride if you are fit and healthy enough to participate in the activities described above and in the diary listing and your bicycle is in a safe, legal and roadworthy condition. The ratings given to rides are subjective and are subject to change due to weather our route changes made by the leader. You should come prepared to do a longer ride than what is described to ensure it is within your level of ability no matter what changes are forced. You also accept that The Tribe cannot be held responsible for any personal injury, accident, loss, damage or public liability during club rides and events

All riders must obey the Highway Code and Country Code at all times.

Ride leaders and fellow riders will be happy to offer general advice on off-road riding and will politely point out any deviations from these guidelines to the rider(s) concerned. If they believe that a rider’s conduct is putting others at risk then The Tribe provide ride leaders with the authority to exclude the offender from the ride and can subsequently report the circumstances to the club committee who may wish to take further action. No tuition will be given on The Tribe MTB rides. Riders may seek advice from more experienced riders, however any advice given is of a personal opinion only and nobody is qualified to provide professional tuition on a club ride. Discussions may arise on how best to navigate a particular hazard but it is not possible to predict or assess the capabilities of a rider during these type of rides or discussions. Anyone wishing to advance their skills through professional tuition route should seek the services of a registered competent person or training centre for Mountain Biking.

Here ends the important legal type information.

Can I come on weekends?
Weekends away are for all club members but they are not supervised. We don’t stay in 5 star hotels with room service so everyone going must be self sufficient and capable of looking after themselves. The clubs role is booking the accommodation to get the lowest cost possible, and proposing rides while in the area, the rest is up to you.

How do I book onto a weekend?
In the first instance make contact with the weekend leader as listed on the Calendar to check availability. A £20 non-refundable deposit is payable for each weekend. Details on how to do that are below. This will ensure you have your name on the booking list and therefore you have a good chance of getting a bed for the 2 nights. Just because you came last year or you always come doesn’t mean your name is on the list. You need to tell weekend leader and then back it up with some money.

NOTE: Don’t pay cheque or direct bank transfer without first confirming there is a place for you. Weekends fill up fast.

Spaces are limited so don’t delay otherwise you may have to share the “Rats” bed in Gez’s van. The size of the boking maybe reduced if we don’t get enough people signing up early on to reduce the financial exposure of the club.
It is not a core requirement that you come out riding on the Friday or that you join the club rides on the other days. If you fancy doing something else while you are in the area then of course that is OK, just keep the club ride leader informed so that they can plan accordingly.
Priority is given to club members who want to stay for 2 nights because that is what we have budgeted for. The over consumption of alcohol is not necessary to have a good time with a group of mountain bikers who should know better. They really don’t know better because if you question them late at night they only seem to know how many pints are in a gallon. Group meals or barbeques are usually organised so you only have to think about your breakfast and trail side lunch.

Three ways to pay your deposit:

1. By cash to me at the Monday club night at the Sea View or on next Sunday ride.

2. By cheque payable to The Tribe MBC to the club address. Need to write on back of cheque which weekend it’s for. Send to:

The Tribe MBC,
c/o North Star Estates,
North Star Court,
Eden Street,
Leyland,
Lancashire
PR25 2FR

3. By direct bank transfer to the Coop Bank. Drop the leader  an email with your account number if you use this method so we know to look for your account number in payments.
Sort code: 08 92 99
Account: 65372621