Cycling UK Forum

Karen Sutton wrote:It looks like Times Roman in the kit to me.

robgul wrote:

Karen Sutton wrote:I had a commuted membership which expired on 31st October 2015. I had heard soon after the conversion to charity that the CTC were looking at marketing the Touring Club side of things under the winged wheel, sort of separately to the charity. Kind of alongside CTC Holidays and Tours.

So I thought I'd see out my commuted membership and see how it was all looking before deciding whether to renew. I decided it isn't looking good so did not renew. My adult daughter has joined British Cycling instead of renewing with CTC, but she does sportive and track cycling so that seemed right to her. Not sure what her brother and I will do but we need insurance so will do something. I'm not riding much at present so not in a hurry.

Assuming you have a household policy ... take a look at it and see if it includes TP cover ... mine does at pretty much the same deal as CTC/BC .. and no extra cost* (AND they insure my bikes at 5% - yes 5% - of the cost that CTC quoted for theft insurance ... and I don't need a specified "weighs more than the bike" lock) No brainer.

Rob

* ... with, of course, a Meerkat toy of our choice

RickH wrote:

Fogey wrote:Don't stop on the Ashton. If you're heading clockwise, stop overnight in Castlefields and sprint until you reach Marple. If you're going anti-clockwise, overnight at Marple and don't stop until you reach Castlefields.

And for god's sake, don't make eye contact with anyone within half a mile of Canal Street.

I think that is an outdated view. I cycle the Ashton towpath fairly regularly, usually only from the City Centre as far as the Velodrome, but sometimes further afield, and the transformations along the canal side over recent years has been notable.

There was an item on the BBC North West news about the Canal and River Trust's campaign to encourage more narrowboats to visit Manchester (link).

Rick.

MikeF wrote:

661-Pete wrote: Interestingly, there are no level crossings on the main London to Brighton line, therefore speeds like this may conceivably be attained....

However, IIRC, this is one example of a public footpath across the tracks on the London to Brighton line at Balcombe. Are there more?

beardy wrote:I have considered joining the Fridays (FNRTTC) instead of having a regular CTC membership. Unlikely that I would ever go to London to join one of their rides but I might take a tour to York or Cardiff one year so I could be a member ready for if that occasion should ever happen.

Si wrote:I think, John, that two different things are being discussed here:

1. you get the same benefits in your membership as everyone else but you pay according to your means (what you describe).

2. you choose the set of membership benefits that you can afford (or want) (like with the BC example that mjr quotes)

For the first option I'm still not sure how well it would go down, but am happy to be convinced of it's workability. For the second, we already have affiliate membership which offers the main things that the majority seem to want: 3rd party insurance and the ability to ride with MGs and Affiliate groups, at a reduced price.

Personally I'd rather that we had a free to join option for people who were brand new to cycling and thus didn't want to lay out a reasonable lump of cash until they knew that they could both do it and enjoyed it. It ought to include such features as free learn to ride sessions, free basic maintenance, and free very gentle led rides, etc. After all, it's in all our interests to get more people cycling. And as a charity that should be one of our basic aims should it not?