With over 500 members, Orwell Wheelers caters for a broad range of cycling ability and experience. We have members across a large age range – including people in their 70s and 80s. Our ethos is to enjoy being out on the bike with like-minded souls and lots of banter. Coffee and cake is also very important.
Leisure cycling includes club spins, sportives, touring and other non-competitive events (which may be timed for personal reference only, not for prizes).
Our cycling year can be divided into two main parts – autumn/winter and spring/summer. We encourage members to participate in our weekly formal and informal club spins; these are categorised into groups which cater for everyone from new members/improvers to racers and everyone in between.
Formal spins are arranged for each Sunday from October to March. The spins are categorised into five main categories based on ability and experience.
These spins cater for adults from beginners/improvers to racers and everyone in between . So there is a group for everyone. As the saying goes, winter miles, summer smiles.
Self organised groups
9:00am Red
9:10am Orange
Groups with leaders
9:15am Amber (new for 2024/25)
9:20am Yellow
9:21am White (directly after yellow)
Club Winter spins WILL NOT take place if an ORANGE weather warning is in place.
If there is a YELLOW weather warning or other adverse conditions club winter spins MAY NOT take place.
In this case, a message will be posted on the Orwell Winter Spins WhatsApp group, after 6pm the night before.
We meeting in car park of the Old Dundrum Shopping Center. (on the bypass side, behind the shops).
There is plenty of space in the car park - please do no stand on the road or block the pay machines. Please remember that there are businesses operating in this area, so be sensitive to customers parking or accessing the shops if they are open.
For more information on the different groups please see Spin Groups below.
The groups are based on estimated distance and average speed - and you should be comfortable with BOTH.
Average speed depends on climbing and weather. The information below will give you a general idea of what you can expect on one of these spins. As the season progresses, group riders who are deemed too strong or too weak for a given group will be prompted to move to a more appropriate group in order to maintain the listed average speeds. The great thing about being the biggest cycling club in Ireland is that you will always find a group that is going your speed. What you will find is that over the course of the year the distances, speeds and vertical metres of the groups will increase naturally as riders get stronger although perhaps not ready yet to move up to next group.
In addition to these groups there are various other rides, usually smaller, that go out at different times and are open to members. These tend to have a group leader – either formal or informal – who will set the ethos of the group and the aims of the group. You are welcome to join these rides, but please respect the aims of the group and if you are either too good or too weak to comfortably ride in the group please be self-aware and excuse yourself from the group. There are quite a number that run during the summer when the official spins end and we will post details nearer the time. As Summer approaches, there will also be groups linked to specific events, e.g. Wicklow 100/200 or L'Étape training groups. Keep an eye on the WhatsApp channels for details.
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Average speed: 24-26kph
Distance: 70-100+km
Skills: Improving climbing skills, increasing distance and average speed
Orwell Leaders- no, self led by the group
Predefined Routes : no, agreed by the group on the day
This group is for improving to strong riders who like a little bit more of a challenge and are comfortable riding in a group. Distances are longer and the pace is significantly faster than yellow.
Many strong riders stayed in here long past the time to move into Red, so we will be encouraging them to move up this year. If you have averaged over 28kph on a Group Ride , then you should move up.
At Orwell Wheelers, we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, inclusive club, something we call the “Spirit of Orwell”. This is just a sample to some of the many events/trips that are organised:
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This is our take on a “steps-challenge”. Running for 4 weeks in March, it is an opportunity to blow off the winter cobwebs, ease yourself back into the saddle and have some fun with club mates. Participants are assigned to teams of 6 and are set different distance and elevation challenges each week. Importantly, it’s not just about who cycles the most, bonus points are up for grabs for teams that cycle together - making it a great way to meet fellow club members.
