Welcome to YOGi Cycling – a very active Road , Gravel and MTB Club with regular rides each week.
We are passionate about cycling and keen to share with others. Our website provides the information and background to give the essence of what we are about.
Steve Clare and Ian Roberts set up the group after a chance meeting whilst mountain biking and realised there was demand from others around the area. This was right at the birth of MTBing in the UK. Circa 1987 or 1988. A few days later another chance meeting with Kim Wiltshire while they were out training for The Saltram Lions Mountainbike Race ended in a friendship and to be serious about forming a club.
A poster in a local bike store seemed a good start, well almost a good start but the shop were aware of concerns about MTB’s on Dartmoor and our chosen name of ‘The Dartmoor MTB Club’ was not the best choice in the circumstances. It just so happened that Kim was pretty inventive with names and hence YOGi Cycling.
So why YOGi? Well the famous at the time cartoon character Yogi Bear spent his whole life avoiding the park ranger and looking for cakes from picnickers. For a bit of fun we also decided this stood for Youthful Off-Road Gurus Of Ideology. No road riding by us in those days. Yes our routes very much started in the very early days of the UK MTB scene. And yeah we like to think we’re all youthful. Since then we have evolved in to one of the bigger UK cycling clubs and arguably one of the very first ones to recognise that typical UK cycling clubs rarely met the needs of the majority of the MTB, social, leisure and sportive type of road rider. So we feel that we have played a big part in bringing about a whole new way of thinking to cycling clubs. Steve, Ian and Kim are still very much a part of the YOGi scene and all three take pride in how the club has evolved to date.
In 2010 we took the plunge and formed as an official club affiliated with British Cycling and Cycling UK. These give 3rd party insurance cover for all on our official club rides. In other words any member who causes accidental damage or injury to a third party (i.e .someone who is not on the ride themselves) is covered.
We have a comprehensive list of rides at all levels for both road and off road riding preferences. Our volunteer ride leaders post rides and routes on our Facebook pages. If you intend to join a ride, we like you to say so under ‘Comments’ below the ride post. Any member who feels confident and is willing to post and lead a ride is encouraged to do so, simply include the route and ride pace. Home page, you can also see some routes here..
So we offer MTBing, Road Riding, and Gravel Riding options and also arrange and/or take part in some competitive events and sportiness. We are then a cycling club based in Plymouth, offering various on and off road 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.
Finally you are welcome to have three trial rides to ensure YOGi Cycling meets your riding requirements, we are sure we will! Then you pay a one off £10.00 joining fee and the £11.00 annual membership fee. So an initial £21.00 then subsequent in years a Direct Debit of £11.00.
Updated May 2023
