There is a natural connection between cycling and running, with many athletes doing both. Todmorden Harriers have a thriving cycling section resplendent in their designer club jerseys. As well as social riders and those using it as cross-training on road and MTB we have male and female members who are currently sponsored riders, world class age-category at duathlon racers, ex-national level road and TT riders, and good cyclo-cross racers – and lots of Strava warriors! We organise informal TT’s and hold an annual club only duathlon relay where you can either cycle or run. Individual members are active in organizing well-regarded sportives, cyclo-cross (including our webmaster Keith who is involved in the 3 Peaks), hill climbs, mtb and urban cross events. A group usually spends a week training in Majorca. Members enter every kind of cycling event, including:
- Audaxes from scenic local 60km’s to the 1200ks and upwards with silly amounts of climbing and little sleep beloved by the Mad Badger section
- Sportives from local loops, to the Fred Whitton, to Paris-Roubaix and the Alps
- Time trials
- Cyclo-cross
- MTB and MTB orienteering
Come and ride with us: if you want to be sure of a companion join the club and the forum, but we are currently trialing the following meeting points where you can just turn up and see if anyone is out that day (let us know what you think):
- Wednesday (training pace, 90 mins) meet 6.30pm by entrance of Todmorden Sports Centre (free parking) and optionally finish via the pack run pub of that month for the crack and food.
- Thursday social rides, (easy pace, 2-3 hours), meet 9.30am by entrance of Todmorden Sports Centre
- Sunday (various paces, different groups arranging to meet at an agreed cafe if numbers allow, 3 hours+) 9.30am in by entrance of Todmorden Sports Centre
Todmorden Harriers cycling etiquette: We look after each other and never leave anyone behind; we make sure everyone knows what we are doing and where we are going; and we always re-group after hills and at junctions. Faster riders can ride back to the last rider and do reps so everyone gets similar rest and everyone gets a good workout. We don’t take risks and we ride safely. In winter we fit mudguards with a rear flap to avoid spraying our pals with liquid manure and road crud!