It seemed to me immediately that Britons are more social than Americans. They look at each other intently while they're chatting. Pubs are nothing like bars. The English people I met and watched seem to love their friends and care about them far beyond superficiality. They form clubs for every activity and remain loyal to clubs they join.
Loyalty is the rule.
Perhaps my host, the Coventry Road Club, is not typical in its social focus. Perhaps it is. I heard people suggest both. The club represents a major part of many cyclists' social lives. The weekend of July 7th and 8th was the club campout, in Broadway, about a half-hour in a car from Coventry.