Messaging within bike groups and clubs has come a long way over the last century – and now, group messaging apps offer amazing benefits at very low cost. Did you know the St. Louis Cycling Club is the oldest established racing club in the United States? With its inception dating back to 1887 at the Lindell Hotel in downtown St. Louis, the club was primarily organized around the pursuit of friendship and cohesion through the sport of cycling. Considering the time, club members likely used an electric telegraph to communicate with one another about meetup times, training schedules, racing dates, etc.
Fast forward 120 years and the concept of cycling clubs remains the same: promoting the sport of cycling
Fast forward 120 years and the concept of cycling clubs remains the same; riders join for the camaraderie, to stay connected to the cycling scene, and to build friendships, all while staying active and promoting the sport of cycling. One major component of cycling clubs has changed, however, and that’s the way riders communicate with one another. Today there are cycling meetup forums, Facebook groups, email chains, even newsletters – all of which allow club members to communicate about the where, what, and how of cycling.
These methods of staying connected are undeniably more efficient than telegraphs or snail-mail. And now we have a way of communicating for cyclists that is even more efficient: group messaging apps, such as Bubble.
What Are Group Messaging Apps?
Generally speaking, group messaging refers to a technology which enables two or more individuals to converse over an interconnected platform. These platforms provide a cost-effective and astonishingly efficient way to relay information to a large group of people in a near-instantaneous manner.
5 Benefits of Group Messaging Apps for Cyclists
While group messaging has been used for several years in the professional workforce setting, its benefits and ease-of-use are applicable to social realms that reach far beyond the confines of a business or company. If you and your cycling group are looking for an effective, streamlined way to communicate, consider the following five benefits of group messaging apps for your club.
No 1: Higher Read Rate
Unlike emails, of which only about 15 to 22% are read, text messages have a 98% read rate, meaning most or all of your club members will be able to stay in the loop. Furthermore, the average text message is read within 15 minutes of being sent, which eliminates the annoying factor of waiting for hours or days before hearing back from your squad.
No. 2: Immediacy
Whereas people tend to take 90 minutes to respond to an email, it takes just 90 seconds for the average text user to respond to a message. This can make a big difference if you’re wanting to send a group text about time-sensitive matters like race-times, changes in training locations, or where you’re meeting up after a hard day of pedaling.
No. 3: Every one gets the message!
Over 91% of Americans keep their cell-phone within reach both day and night. And because almost all of today’s phones are SMS-enabled, you can practically guarantee that all of your cycling members can receive text messages, no matter the time or place. Again, this benefit aids in your ability to streamline communication efforts and keep everyone on the same page, no matter what the situation might be.
No 4: Affordability
Some of the best group messaging apps are free to download and free to use. No longer does your group have to worry about spending money on communicating; with these high-quality apps, you can chat for free and use all the money you save on buying new cycling gear.
No. 5: Unification
Lastly, one of the greatest perks of implementing a secure messaging app into your cycling club is that it helps unify your members and boosts camaraderie. These unique apps allow you to do much more than just write messages; you can share clips of members racing, funny cycling videos, links to cycling tips or gear sales, comical memes, and much more, all which help you gain an identity as a group.
All in all, Group Messaging Apps offer so many benefits for so little cost, you owe it to yourself to check them out for your cycling group or club! And if you are already using a group messaging app and want to share your thoughts about it, please use the comments to do so – we love learning about new things from our readers!
The author of this post, Brooke CadeAbout the author: Brooke Cade is passionate about health and wellness. She enjoys writing about all the things she loves in life, including biking, yoga, Nature’s Sunshine products, and anything related to living life to its fullest.
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