Knuckleheads / Caps de Suro

The biggest informal cycling club in Girona

“Simon, Garry, and I just wanted to meet other like-minded people—cyclists to ride with on the beautiful roads around Girona.” In less than two years, the unaffiliated club Knuckleheads/ Caps de Suru has grown to nearly 200 members, and there are group rides nearly every day.

Knuckleheads/Caps de Suru is a group of cyclists based in Girona that organises both social rides and off-the-bike social gatherings for cyclists”, says Brian Jones, one of the founders of the ‘non-established club.’ According to Jones, originally from the USA, anyone can join—at their own risk. The two-time participant of the Race Across America adds: “People can just send me a WhatsApp message, and I will add them to the group.”

Group road rides take place almost daily, particularly when the weather is good. However, the main ride-outs happen on Wednesdays (50 to 75 kilometers) and Sundays (50 to 120 kilometers). Jones, a lifelong avid cyclist, explains: “We tend to meet at different locations around the city and our average speed varies depending on the group and the distance, but it’s usually between 22 and 27 kilometers per hour and often includes a coffee stop.”

Not only do members ride together, but they also enjoy meeting up for coffee, beers, or dinners. Jones, who has been a licensed amateur racer for 51 years, says: “Our weekly off-the-bike social event is on Thursdays, starting at 18:30 at Hors Catégorie.”

According to Jones, who also races for the Momentum-Yari’s Route Cycling Team, the male-to-female ratio is around 80:20, and the group includes a wide range of ages. Currently, the majority of participants in the Caps de Suru rides are international cyclists, but Jones hopes more Catalan- and Spanish-speaking riders will join the outings.

Finally, why the name? “We don’t take ourselves too seriously!”, Jones says with a smile. “Hence, a group of knuckleheads and its Catalan translation, Caps de Suru.”

This story is part of Nafent Magazine volume 13. Read the full story in our digital or paper magazine. Go to our webshop to get yours.