Are the Cardiff CTC groups still active and what do they do (and what are their up-to-date contact details).
John W
Cardiff
Good question! Probably like you, I've checked their websites and it all seems very quiet and neglected.
I'm Southampton based but the in-laws are based just the other side of Cardiff so I have the opportunity each couple of months to cycle over that way. It'll be a shame if there wasn't a group, there's some great countryside in the area (had a couple of great early morning rides around the Bridgend/Cowbridge/Ogmore area a month ago).
Anybody else know?
I'm Southampton based but the in-laws are based just the other side of Cardiff so I have the opportunity each couple of months to cycle over that way. It'll be a shame if there wasn't a group, there's some great countryside in the area (had a couple of great early morning rides around the Bridgend/Cowbridge/Ogmore area a month ago).
Anybody else know?
Trice Q 2007 in inky blue (Quackers)
Bacchetta Corsa 26 ATT (The Mad Weeble)
Cube SL Team Cross (Rubberduckzilla)
Homebaked tourer (The Duck's Dream)
MTB mongrel (Harold the Flying Sheep)
Bacchetta Corsa 26 ATT (The Mad Weeble)
Cube SL Team Cross (Rubberduckzilla)
Homebaked tourer (The Duck's Dream)
MTB mongrel (Harold the Flying Sheep)
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MrsWildduck
- Posts: 92
- Joined: 18 May 2008, 8:29pm
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JW08
Cardiff
As a recently new member of CTC I am beginning to become somewhat disillusioned. It appears that three out of four sets of contact details for local groups in Cardiff, as listed on the CTC website, are out of date or incomplete. So there have been groups in Cardiff but they are no more - and to make matters worse, club HQ doesn't appear to know this. Not encouraging is it? Mind you, I have not tried to contact the local disabled riders group as as I am fortunate enough not to qualify for it.
It is a bit hard to credit that there are no CTC groups, "these vital clubs at the heart of CTC" to cater for able-bodied cyclists, in a city of well over 300,000 population, and a capital city at that. I would have thought that any club, formed well over 100 years ago, and claiming to be "the national organisation" would have made it its business to ensure that there was strong representation here. Certainly there is no shortage of cyclists.
Perhaps some of the 70+ viewers of this post are interested in forming a Cardiff group or two. If so, let's get in touch. my email address is pjrw08@yahoo.co.uk
I should add that, for myself, I am interested only in easy rides of up to about 15-20 miles as I have recently returned to cycling, and at my age, improving fitness will take a bit of time. However, if others with different cycling requirements, but wanting a Cardiff group, were to post their email addresses here, it shouldn't take long to get something started.
It is a bit hard to credit that there are no CTC groups, "these vital clubs at the heart of CTC" to cater for able-bodied cyclists, in a city of well over 300,000 population, and a capital city at that. I would have thought that any club, formed well over 100 years ago, and claiming to be "the national organisation" would have made it its business to ensure that there was strong representation here. Certainly there is no shortage of cyclists.
Perhaps some of the 70+ viewers of this post are interested in forming a Cardiff group or two. If so, let's get in touch. my email address is pjrw08@yahoo.co.uk
I should add that, for myself, I am interested only in easy rides of up to about 15-20 miles as I have recently returned to cycling, and at my age, improving fitness will take a bit of time. However, if others with different cycling requirements, but wanting a Cardiff group, were to post their email addresses here, it shouldn't take long to get something started.
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Karen Sutton
- Posts: 608
- Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:18pm
- Location: Greater Manchester
Try this email address. gareth.blake@care4free.net
I think CTC treat South Wales as a separate country, as they do for Scotland; which is why there is:
CTC
CTC Scotland
CTC Cymru
I dn't think there are very good communications between CTC amnd CTC Cymru. CTC Cymru have their own website which you could try.
I think CTC treat South Wales as a separate country, as they do for Scotland; which is why there is:
CTC
CTC Scotland
CTC Cymru
I dn't think there are very good communications between CTC amnd CTC Cymru. CTC Cymru have their own website which you could try.
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JW08
Cardiff
Thank you for that information. I did not know about CTC Cymru. I have tried the email address you have given (also shown as the local contact on the CTC Cymru website) but my mail could not be delivered. To be sure that my own email systems are working I have sent mail to other addresses this morning and received replies.
So, to summarise: I joined the CTC a few weeks ago but they did not inform me of any local groups as national clubs normally do - now I know why, there aren't any. Neither did they inform me of CTC Cymru.
The main CTC website is out of date in respect of some South Wales contact details and the same applies to the CTC cymru site. The latter has nothing to offer anyway unless one is willing and capable of tackling challenging or long distance rides based some distance from here.
There have been around 130 views of this thread since my original post and around 60 since I included my own email address and asked foir anyone interested to do likewise. There has been no interest at all.
Conclusion: I am unlikely to renew my CTC membership when the time comes.
It is disappointing that the CTC is not catering for beginners and those returning to cycling in this region, especially at a time when there is so much emphasis (Europe-wide) on the resurgence of cycling - even the Government and local authorities are sitting up and taking notice but not, it seems, the CTC. Where does the club imagine that the next generatrion of cyclists/members will come from?
So, to summarise: I joined the CTC a few weeks ago but they did not inform me of any local groups as national clubs normally do - now I know why, there aren't any. Neither did they inform me of CTC Cymru.
The main CTC website is out of date in respect of some South Wales contact details and the same applies to the CTC cymru site. The latter has nothing to offer anyway unless one is willing and capable of tackling challenging or long distance rides based some distance from here.
There have been around 130 views of this thread since my original post and around 60 since I included my own email address and asked foir anyone interested to do likewise. There has been no interest at all.
Conclusion: I am unlikely to renew my CTC membership when the time comes.
It is disappointing that the CTC is not catering for beginners and those returning to cycling in this region, especially at a time when there is so much emphasis (Europe-wide) on the resurgence of cycling - even the Government and local authorities are sitting up and taking notice but not, it seems, the CTC. Where does the club imagine that the next generatrion of cyclists/members will come from?
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hubgearfreak
- Posts: 8212
- Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 4:14pm
Re: Cardiff
JW08 wrote:Conclusion: I am unlikely to renew my CTC membership when the time comes.
It is disappointing that the CTC is not catering for beginners and those returning to cycling in this region
Where does the club imagine that the next generatrion of cyclists/members will come from?
don't give up so easily.
in our city of 100 000 we have a ride out every fortnight of between 10 and 100 miles, with between 4 and 10 riders. i'm sure that there are others who want to ride with you, but they're not all online and certainly not all reading this. try posters in bike shops, put leaflets on serious bikes you see in town and make a group.
good luck, and jolly well done for having the moral fibre to have a go
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Karen Sutton
- Posts: 608
- Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:18pm
- Location: Greater Manchester
JW08,
I have just spoken to Alexandra Geen, CTC Groups Coordinator. She is going to send me email addresses for the Secretary of CTC Cwmru and another Committee member. When I receive these I will forward them to you in a personal mesage. As these contact details are not published anywhere else
I cannot post them on here.
However Alex believes that there is no longer an active group in Cardiff.
If anyone wishes to start a group the first person to contact would be the CTC Councillor for Wales, Peter Brake. His contact details can be found on the current list of CTC Council which can be found on this website.
I think it would be a good idea for members to receive details of their local group when they join. This doesn't happen, even if there is a local group in your area.
I have just spoken to Alexandra Geen, CTC Groups Coordinator. She is going to send me email addresses for the Secretary of CTC Cwmru and another Committee member. When I receive these I will forward them to you in a personal mesage. As these contact details are not published anywhere else
I cannot post them on here.
However Alex believes that there is no longer an active group in Cardiff.
If anyone wishes to start a group the first person to contact would be the CTC Councillor for Wales, Peter Brake. His contact details can be found on the current list of CTC Council which can be found on this website.
I think it would be a good idea for members to receive details of their local group when they join. This doesn't happen, even if there is a local group in your area.
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Karen Sutton
- Posts: 608
- Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:18pm
- Location: Greater Manchester
Re: Cardiff
JW08 wrote:It is a bit hard to credit that there are no CTC groups, "these vital clubs at the heart of CTC" to cater for able-bodied cyclists, in a city of well over 300,000 population, and a capital city at that. I would have thought that any club, formed well over 100 years ago, and claiming to be "the national organisation" would have made it its business to ensure that there was strong representation here. Certainly there is no shortage of cyclists.
Perhaps some of the 70+ viewers of this post are interested in forming a Cardiff group or two. If so, let's get in touch. my email address is pjrw08@yahoo.co.uk
I have now sent the details of contacts in CTC Cwmru to JW08. With regard to the comment above, I would say, as I have said before, that CTC is not able to force people to run groups in any particular location.
If CTC National Office were to have the time, resources and manpower to do that then your subscriptions would have to be considerably more.
CTC groups rely on enthusiastic CTC members starting them and keeping them going. So there is the answer. If there are enough of you and you want to do it then CTC will assist, but can't do it all.