Cycling UK Forum

Wonder if anyone can help.
I have a 'Fellowship of the Wheel' badge that was given to me by my father.
He always told me that it was issued with the 'Cycling' magazine of the time (this would be 1930/40. He's now having second thoughts and thinks it was a badge you were given when you joined the CTC. Does anyone know the correct answer?
For info, there's a photo of it here...

http://www.bikeit.eclipse.co.uk/cycling ... psakes.htm

Any info greatfully rec'd.

Cheers... Allan.

Hi, just found your message while looking for information myself. I can confirm the badge was issued by Cycling (now Cycling Weekly) as the format of the word Cycling conforms to the style then in use on what I believe is called a masthead. I think the idea was to provide an association for unattached readers to join at nominal cost, probably with some sort of benefit as an inducement. This was a popular marketing ploy back in the 1930s. So far, I have managed to narrow the date to late 1936/7 but cannot as yet find an actual report on the scheme.

Further to my last; The Fellowship of the Wheel was founded on 15 April 1936 by the magazine Cycling. Its sole object was "to weld the cyclists of this country together so that by displaying the 'C' badge we could publicly demonstrate our symbol of unity upon the grave problems that confront us."
By August 1936 the number of Fellows was approaching the 50,000 mark. The only cost of joining was a 3d stamp for the badge.
Cycling made it clear that this was not in any sense intended to be a rival organisation to CTC, NCU, National Clarion or clubs in general.

Interesting to know. I'm not sure the design works terribly well at that size, but good to see anyway. I wonder how many such badges are still around?

They crop up on EBay occasionally. Rival magazine 'The Cyclist' also had its own badge - 'The Cyclist Road Club'.

I have a few Cycling magazines from the late 20s but never heard of The Cyclist, so it might be treacherous to wear that badge!

I bet Bilbo Baggins has one .