Say hello to Hannah

Hello! I’m Hannah, the Club Secretary for York Rouleurs. From roads to gravel tracks to mountains, I’ve been to some great places on two wheels - but her favourite part is making friends and exploring new routes.

I'd always enjoyed cycling as a child but the thing that really got me into cycling was a charity London to Paris bike ride in 2012. I signed up for the challenge after my Grandpa passed away with cancer. He was a keen cyclist in his youth so I thought it was a fitting tribute to him, whilst raising money for the hospice that looked after him.

I had recently started cycling to college on a Dutch style bike with a basket and I envisioned myself cycling up to the Eiffel tower with baguettes in my basket. My local bike shop quickly convinced me that I needed a proper road bike - though I was 17 at the time and had no idea where to ride a road bike so I joined my local cycling club for help and I got totally hooked!

When I moved to York for university, I joined the Uni Cycling Club straight away. At the time, the only options were a speedy fast group or a really leisurely ride. I struggled to keep up with the fast pace and the leisure group felt too easy, so once I got to know my way around, I started leading rides at my pace. These proved to be hugely popular, and we often had a turnout of 20 riders!

I was later elected "Leisure Captain" and led rides three times a week until I finished my degree in 2017. During that time, I did lots of different types of cycling, from road racing to 200 mile audaxes, multi-day cycle tours, bikepacking and mountain biking. 

After graduating, I worked at Cycle Heaven (where I met my now boyfriend and fellow Rouleur, John) before deciding to stay in York for my PhD.  Whilst I kept up cycling where possible, I couldn’t to commit as much time and my fitness really suffered.

I was familiar with the Rouleurs through my work at Cycle Heaven and I liked how inclusive the club felt compared to others in York. I thought it would be the perfect club to join for me to get my cycling fitness back and make some new cycling friends. 

My first Club Ride with the Rouleurs was very entertaining due to encountering some badly flooded roads on route.  It was definitely a memorable first ride!

I love the unplanned incidents that inevitably happen on Club Rides and the teamwork involved in problem solving. I experienced this with the Rouleurs on that first flooded ride and with my previous cycling clubs, I enjoy getting a bit lost or having to bodge tricky mechanical problems. It's these moments where the friendships you form in a club really blossom! 

My advice to anyone thinking about joining the Rouleurs is – JUST DO IT! Pick a ride that sounds like it'll be a comfortable pace for you and try to chat to as many people as you can. My favourite bits about cycling with the Club is how easy it is to make friends, getting to explore beautiful places under my own steam and how good it feels to get fitter on the bike. Everyone is so welcoming - you won't regret it.

Hannah Spencer (she/her)

Club Secretary