The age concession: a crisis of conscience

[belgiangoth]

I think that there's a strong argument for changing to a (self-assessed) reduced rate as it is no longer likely that senior members will be less well off or have less disposable income than younger members.

I do think that the CUK board have not made the case as to how this will increase membership though. Someone has come to post on this topic and has said they did lots of research, but no details have been shared. While this does not change the first point in this post, there is no reason to believe that a better method of increasing membership would be to reduce the price for all members.

This also feels like an attack on the core, old-school, CTC members. Will this not just be the last straw that marks an exodus of the CTC members and reduces membership while also removing all the expertise from the club? If my CTC club run is indistinguishable from the local "dad's" run, the local "sustrans" group or the local RCC - what's the point?

I don't see how CUK can have a membership value of £50 (worth £63+ to the charity with giftaid), I think's it's about 100% overpriced for member benefits or even for the policy changes they generate. Why not make all memberships £30 for a year and see if it goes up? Why not make this a vote for a five year trial to see what happens.

[swscotland bentrider]

I joined the CTC many years ago. It had been a constant presence in my cycling life. An expensive membership but I wanted to be part of the club. The 'new' corporate organisation came along and I grimaced but went along with it. I don't think I will accept this change. The CTC has morphed into something akin to the AA - once a members club but now a corporate thing that does not attract loyalty or seem particularly relevant.

Membership matters but nor at the expense of losing the ethos of the club.

So I think it will be a regretful goodbye.

[landsurfer]

I packed up my direct debit after many years and have joined Audax UK .... nice people .. you won't regret it ..

[Carlton green]

I think that there's a strong argument for changing to a (self-assessed) reduced rate as it is no longer likely that senior members will be less well off or have less disposable income than younger members.

I don't see how CUK can have a membership value of £50 (worth £63+ to the charity with giftaid), I think's it's about 100% overpriced for member benefits or even for the policy changes they generate. Why not make all memberships £30 for a year and see if it goes up? Why not make this a vote for a five year trial to see what happens.

There is an argument for it but it will to a greater it lesser extent be abused.

Having given the CTC a lump sum many years ago I don’t follow what the current subscription rate is. If I was asked to cough up £50 I’d laugh at CUK, to my view £20 would be nearer to my perception of the value I get each year. I liked it better when we were the CTC and have always thought the change to be misguided and engineered by ‘right minded’ folk who captured the CTC and its assets to further their own aims.

[PH]

I packed up my direct debit after many years and have joined Audax UK

Is there any relationship between those two things? I'm a member of both and can't see what it could be, other than I suppose if you need a magazine to read once in a while it could be Arrivee rather than Cycle.

[RickH]

I packed up my direct debit after many years and have joined Audax UK .... nice people .. you won't regret it ..

Unless you want the 3rd party insurance, that some (many?) seem to value. Audax UK only has 3rd party insurance "while participating in AUK events within the UK" (I haven't immediately spotted how much insurance).

[belgiangoth]

Having given the CTC a lump sum many years ago I don’t follow what the current subscription rate is. If I was asked to cough up £50 I’d laugh at CUK, to my view £20 would be nearer to my perception of the value I get each year. I liked it better when we were the CTC and have always thought the change to be misguided and engineered by ‘right minded’ folk who captured the CTC and its assets to further their own aims.

I am in an almost identical situation.

[Mick F]

........ If I was asked to cough up £50 I’d laugh at CUK, to my view £20 would be nearer to my perception of the value I get each year. I liked it better when we were the CTC and have always thought the change to be misguided and engineered by ‘right minded’ folk who captured the CTC and its assets to further their own aims.

Agree on both those counts.

Consider me out of the CUK.
I won't be renewing next year and I'll be cancelling my DD of course.

[Mick F]

Logged onto the CUK website, and can't see how to cancel my DD.
I can do it from my bank website of course, but I wanted to cancel on CUK website too.

Done it via my bank, and CUK can go and sing for it.

[PH]

Logged onto the CUK website, and can't see how to cancel my DD.
I can do it from my bank website of course, but I wanted to cancel on CUK website too.

Done it via my bank, and CUK can go and sing for it.

When your renewal is due, there will be a link on your membership account page.

[Mick F]

Not until July 2021.
Only just renewed of course, and it'll be the last time.

[PH]

Not until July 2021.
Only just renewed of course, and it'll be the last time.

Oh No! How many times are you going to tell us between now and then?
You could just stick it in your signature to save you all that typing
Or were you hoping for some sort of leaving party?

[Mick F]

A party!
Wonderful idea!

I joined late in life, having considered it for donkey's years. It took me to realise that by being unwaged (stopped working in 2005 and took early retirement) I could join at what I considered a reasonable price. Joined the CTC in 2006.

Not interested in the slightest of being in a club or taking part in organised rides etc, so all that attracted me was the insurance and the legal advice/support. When I became an OAP in 2017, I qualified for Senior membership and was still happy to remain a member.

I did one organised ride from Meriden (centre of England) called the Cotswolds Challenge in May 2014. 107miles.
I was passing through the area anyway on my way from Manchester to Bedford, and found that some riders treated it like a race ........... and some cut the corners off. I did it faithfully and called in at all the check-points and still found the whole idea pointless. If I wanted a 100mile ride, I go on one. I don't need organising.

[thirdcrank]

In the words of the well-known phrase or saying

It's all over bar the shouting.

[Tim Holman]

I don't want to be difficult but I have to assume from the foregoing posts that the AGM decision was to do away with Seniors. Funny ha ha. But I haven't heard anything from the "Club"