Your Cycling UK membership expires today.

Summer 2020 - Cycle Magazine announcement about membership changes
PH
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Location: Derby
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Re: Your Cycling UK membership expires today.

Post by PH »

I'm a member firstly for the local group, whose club activities in normal times I'd participate in most weeks and whose local magazine archive records people have been moaning about the national organisation since the 1930's.
Then I'm also a member because I generally support the actions of the charity, not perfect and I sometimes think time and effort is wasted, and equally that I ought to do more.
If neither of those applied and I was considering membership on the basis of the general benefits - The discounts save me a few quid a year, I'm not sure I'd subscribe to the magazine but I'd probably buy it on occasion, the insurance is worthwhile though I have it elsewhere. Not yet mentioned the legal services would be a consideration, particularly the arrangement (Also included with BC membership) where the success fee of up to 25% isn't taken from the compensation. This isn't a something bundled in with household policies (Not mine anyway) and in the unfortunate scenario where you'd benefit from it could save thousands. My only such claim predated this fee being taken out of the compensation, otherwise it would have amounted to more than my lifetimes membership.
Jdsk
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Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Your Cycling UK membership expires today.

Post by Jdsk »

PH wrote:The discounts save me a few quid a year...

I forgot to include that in my list. Thanks for the reminder.

Jonathan
MattHodges
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Joined: 11 Aug 2009, 2:23pm

Re: Your Cycling UK membership expires today.

Post by MattHodges »

I wrote The trustees are now trying to stop cyclists from touring far away countries that require them to fly there.
MJR replied
How are they doing this, pray tell? I may have missed spotting the CUK campaigns to stop airlines taking bikes, or barricading the cycle routes into the airports.

Well they are banning any advertising in Cycle of cycling holidays that involve flying to the start and it appears instructing CTC holidays not to offer holidays with flying to the start or back from the finish. Of course this does not stop a person arranging an independent holiday in Australia or the Far East but it does make it very difficult for most people to experience cycling in these countries. The next thing will be another resolution to stop CTC insurance extending outside Europe.

I have no wish to go on a foreign holiday but I think that is a decision for me not for Cycling UK trustees.

I did vote for CTC to become a charity on the basis of the promos that it wouldn't have any detriment to the service to members of the club. Sadly we were deceived. Regional representatives have been abolished. Central support for local member groups is minimal. Potential Trustees have to be approved by a nominations committee so elections are a farce. The touring information library previously managed by Mark Waters has been allowed to virtually disappear. What does it do for me as a committed cyclist interested in leisure rides and touring?

The treatment of older members most of whom have supported the club for decades is appalling and the two faced way it was announced as being in the interests of fairness made the 57% increase in their membership even worse.

You may think I an just carping because my fees have gone up but it isn't so. My wife and I have just joined British Cycling at a cost greater than the Cycling UK household membership. We could have got third party insurance by joining the London Cycling Campaign at £25 each. No! it's not sour grapes. It is disgust at the way the trustees have treated members.

Matt
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mjr
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Re: Your Cycling UK membership expires today.

Post by mjr »

MattHodges wrote:My wife and I have just joined British Cycling at a cost greater than the Cycling UK household membership. [...] No! it's not sour grapes. It is disgust at the way the trustees have treated members.

So because you were unhappy with flights not being advertised in the magazine and the mishandling of the fee change, you've gone and joined a sports quango with government-appointed directors that says "members" (who are not really members even in the charitable CUK sense) cannot take certain medications (because racers could abuse them) and forces helmets onto charity fun rides. I hope you are happy with your BC membership but I wouldn't be.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
Oldjohnw
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Joined: 16 Oct 2018, 4:23am
Location: South Warwickshire

Re: Your Cycling UK membership expires today.

Post by Oldjohnw »

As a charity I believe it is a requirement for prior approvals a trustee before an election. It has to be established that the person is eligible.
John
bikerider
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Joined: 30 Jan 2010, 9:44pm

Re: Your Cycling UK membership expires today.

Post by bikerider »

My 'expires today' email has arrived.  After 12 years I won't be renewing.

I've tried to write about the numerous changes and the reasons for leaving - it looked a jumbled mess.

I will just say that the group I joined was a fantastic experience for club riding and touring holidays and my wife & I made lots of friends.  Over time, C-UK have gone in a direction that doesn't represent me as a cyclist and I've had enough.  I remain a Tandem Club and VTTA member and will join British Cycling as well.  So goodbye to C-UK.

John
rogerzilla
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Joined: 9 Jun 2008, 8:06pm

Re: Your Cycling UK membership expires today.

Post by rogerzilla »

The only thing that keeps me away from BC is the pro-helmet/compulsion by stealth stance. CUK does nothing for me now except 3rd party insurance.
Tangled Metal
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Joined: 13 Feb 2015, 8:32pm

Re: Your Cycling UK membership expires today.

Post by Tangled Metal »

Well my only experience of the CTC was when I considered joining them straight out of university. My local group was well established and aiui one of the first ctc groups to get or give race licenses under RTTC iirc.

So I went along to their meeting, actually agm and social, under the invite of the committee member in charge of membership. I never joined after what was an evening of being interrogated over my bike and kit. I was repeatedly told it was not good enough and I'd be kicked off any trip I turned up to. Fair enough mudguards I knew I needed and planned to get. But why did I need to buy a Carradice saddle bag. I do mean need to buy. Then there was so many other unwelcoming interactions and attitudes.

It was not a club I could join as a young man. I was not obsessive enough to put aside the curmudgeonly attitudes of the majority of members. It did pride itself on the numbers of young members. But apart from soms of committee members they weren't at the meeting. It seems younger members joined for the racing licence and access to club nights at Manchester velodrome. I was not a racing cyclist so if the social side wasn't healthy I wasn't interested.

So if the old ctc was so great it wasn't my experience. At least the cuk is keeping this forum going. It'll do for me.
tatanab
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Re: Your Cycling UK membership expires today.

Post by tatanab »

Tangled Metal wrote: 13 Apr 2021, 6:47amWell my only experience of the CTC was when I considered joining them straight out of university. My local group was well established and aiui one of the first ctc groups to get or give race licenses under RTTC iirc.
There is no licence involved. The group would have paid an annual affiliation fee which enabled the group to organise timetrials and for its members to ride timetrials under the registered club name of perhaps "CTC Nobodytown".

Perhaps it is a sign of differing times. I joined in1968 at the age of 16. The local group sent somebody of my age to come to see me and tell me about club rides. I had a very very very low spec schoolboy type bike and rode in jeans and anorak with a pair of worn out school shoes. I was not alone in riding like that. At no time was I excluded or made to feel that my equipment (including a plastic covered cardboard saddlebag) was not adequate or unsuitable. I think my current local group would be just as welcoming and accepting.

I find that CUk does not represent me or my interests (as an old time touring, club riding, ex racing, commuting --- everything cyclist). The magazine is of little interest since it seems to be focussed on utility riders or the latest tiny sub niche of off road bicycle. Why am I still a member? Because I take part in local group activities and those of groups further afield; insurance, habit -------- and because i am a life member.
mattheus
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Re: Your Cycling UK membership expires today.

Post by mattheus »

tatanab wrote: 15 Apr 2021, 11:15am I find that CUk does not represent me or my interests (as an old time touring, club riding, ex racing, commuting --- everything cyclist). The magazine is of little interest since it seems to be focussed on utility riders or the latest tiny sub niche of off road bicycle.
When I read "Cycle" magazine I see plenty of touring, commuting and club riding. Plus lots of campaigning stuff, and lots of stuff about enabling less able riders to enjoy their cycling. Shockingly, lots of people pictured don't look like me, or ride bikes just like mine!
mattsccm
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Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: Your Cycling UK membership expires today.

Post by mattsccm »

I would agree with the sentence quoted above exactly. Which is why I didn't renew.
I also agree with the middle sentence in the post above. Which is anotyher reason not to renew. I joined a club that had touring as it's focus. When that went ,so did I. Don't expect the CUK are any more distressed than I was.
Rod Goodfellow
Posts: 93
Joined: 22 Aug 2017, 12:02pm

Re: Your Cycling UK membership expires today.

Post by Rod Goodfellow »

I joined CTC in 1953.Today I cancelled my direct debit and shall not renew when membership runs out. CUK is no longer the homely touring orientated organisation I joined. Most of its aims and activities and magazine now are of no interest for me,but I maintained membership for the insurance benefit. However with the cessation of the senior reduced membership fee I have reluctantly jumped ship and sought better value free standing insurance elsewhere.
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Mick F
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Re: Your Cycling UK membership expires today.

Post by Mick F »

MattHodges wrote: 1 Mar 2021, 11:59am I don’t recognise Cycling UK as the club I joined.
Why would I renew?
I left months ago.

Not the club I joined, so perhaps they left me.
Mick F. Cornwall
prestavalve
Posts: 126
Joined: 24 Dec 2020, 8:03pm

Re: Your Cycling UK membership expires today.

Post by prestavalve »

Yeah, this year I am going from three to two cycling organisation memberships and guess which one I am dropping.

I will miss the articles about how to cycle in my abaya though.
thirdcrank
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Re: Your Cycling UK membership expires today.

Post by thirdcrank »

Mick F wrote: 11 Sep 2021, 7:02pm
MattHodges wrote: 1 Mar 2021, 11:59am I don’t recognise Cycling UK as the club I joined.
Why would I renew?
I left months ago.

Not the club I joined, so perhaps they left me.
You kept that very quiet!
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