Welcome to the world of YOGi Cycling. We are passionate about cycling and we are keen to share that passion with others. Hopefully our website will give the essence of what we are about.
Steve Clare and Ian Roberts initially set up the group after a chance meeting whilst mountain biking and thought it would be good to get more like-minded individuals together by placing a simple poster in Barretto's cycle shop window. We think this all happened in 1989. The group had no name, this was to come from another chance meeting between Steve Clare and Kim Wiltshire whilst on separate training rides prior to the Saltram Lions Mountain Bike Race.
The name was inspired by the American Jacquelin Phelan's womens mountain bike group called WOMBATS (Womens Off-road Mountain Bike and Tea Society). We were going to be called the Dartmoor Mountain Bike Club but it was decided that this was too boring so we came up with Youthful Off-road Gurus Of Ideology or YOGi for short. We like to think we're youthful (age is not an issue), we were once purely off-road and finally we feel that we bring a whole new way of thought to cycling. Also when we were created in the late 80's, mountain biking was new and slightly edgy, the cycling establishment and the Parks Authority didn't like the idea of this new sport - hence the Yogi connection. Steve Clare, Ian Roberts and Kim Wiltshire are still very much a part of the YOGi ethos.
We started purely as a mountain bike group 20 years ago. Rides were once a week, on a Tuesday, and in the winter we’d stop and wouldn’t meet again until the spring. Soon we decided that we wanted more, and started Sunday rides. Then we began riding on the road during the winter evenings as training for mountain bike races - things have evolved since then.
Now we organise a number of road and mountain bike rides every week right throughout the year. Some cater for the fit and experienced cyclist whilst others provide for people new to the sport or those who just want to have a bit of fun on a bike. To get a taste of what our various rides are like, have a look at our News page, you can also see some routes at bikely.
Our riders take part in many different areas of the cycle sport including sportifs, road racing, mountain bike racing, enduros and some ride for pleasure!
If you are unsure as to whether you're fit enough to join us then why not come along to one of our monthly Saturday Fun Mountain Bike or Steady Road Rides. For latest details of what’s happening this week have a look at the News page.
So the bottom line is that we're a cycling club based in Plymouth organising lots of different rides each week. We have a common bond - a passion for cycling. Why not pick a ride and join us, we guarantee a warm welcome.
This year we finally took the plunge and formed as an official club affiliated with British Cycling but rest assures that the YOGi ethos is still very much intact.
