Cycling club
Racing clubs organise competitions for members and others, including track cycling, cyclo-cross, road bicycle racing and time trials). Some have no connection, such as the Acme Wheelers in south Wales, Zenith CC in Leicester, Gemini BC in north-west Kent. Some call themselves Road Clubs or use a foreign title such as Coureurs or Velo.Another common title is Wheelers. Some names have roots in political or social movements. Members of specialist or national groups often belong to local clubs.
The National Clarion Cycling Club spread socialist propaganda by bicycle in the late 1890s and early 1900s. The name remains - Fenland Clarion, Nottingham Clarion, Bury Clarion, North Cheshire Clarion etc) - but the politics have gone.
Others evoke the wandering nature of cycling - 34 Nomads, Altrincham Ravens, Lewes Wanderers, Colchester Rovers - or an aspiration: Norwood Paragon, Sheffield Phoenix, Dulwich Paragon. . Other names reflect historical religious allegiance, such as Manchester St Christopher s Catholic Cycling Club) or jobs: RAF CC, Northumbria Police CC, GB Fire Service Road Team, Army Cycling Union.
Examples in Britain are Warrington Road Club and Archer RC); Clayton Velo, Yorkshire Velo, Rugby Velo, Thames Velo, VC Elan, VC Londres or Velo Sport Jersey all use foreign names that reflect the origins of cycle-racing in France. It can be local or national, general or specialised.
For most competitive cyclists belong to a club affiliated to one of the national racing associations, such as British Cycling and Cycling Time Trials in the UK. They often race in their club s colours. Cycling clubs may offer touring, weekly club rides (traditionally on Sunday mornings), regular meetings and social events. Some clubs are sponsored by commercial organisations.
The Cyclists Touring Club, CTC) in the United Kingdom is a national association; i-Team and Team Internet are internet clubs; the Tricycle Association, Tandem Club and the Veterans Time Trial Association, for those over 40, are specialist clubs. A few clubs are named after the topography of their region, such as the the Alpine Bicycle Club of Golden, Colorado.
Other groups support leisure cyclists or campaign for improved facilities for cyclists. They may also organise training and have BC or ABCC qualified coaches.
A cycling club is a society for cyclists. The London Cycling Campaign, Friends of the Earth, and Greenwich Cyclists are examples of campaign groups. A cycling club s activities vary from one aspect of cycle sport to a range of cycling and social activities.
Riders advertising in return for the support. Many clubs are named after their home town or district.
