How successful is your local CTC/CUK group?

[AndyK]

I'm not sure why you're separating out Under-18 and Under-16, legally they're both children and have the same protection

I separated them because the OP asked a specific question about under 18s

I suspect this is because of those legal protections

Cycling UK does have slightly different guidelines for those age bands. Generally someone under 18 needs to have a signed Parental Consent form; however if a 16- or 17-year-old can produce evidence that they are living independently as an adult (a utility bill in their name is quoted as an example) they can come on a ride without a consent form. Dunno how often that happens but I imagine a real-life caseprompted that clause. Guidelines here.

[Tinkerbell]

I'm not sure why you're separating out Under-18 and Under-16, legally they're both children and have the same protection

I separated them because the OP asked a specific question about under 18s

I suspect this is because of those legal protections

Cycling UK does have slightly different guidelines for those age bands. Generally someone under 18 needs to have a signed Parental Consent form; however if a 16- or 17-year-old can produce evidence that they are living independently as an adult (a utility bill in their name is quoted as an example) they can come on a ride without a consent form. Dunno how often that happens but I imagine a real-life caseprompted that clause. Guidelines here.

That’s really useful to know - I suspect the actual need to refer to this is minimal, but it’s always the unexpected that catches people out.

[mattsccm]

It looks to me as if the conversation above is mirror cycling in many ways anyway. My club is struggling to maintain a Sunday ride. A fairly small club with about 80 members including a few non riding or family ones we probably have half of them active. The only constant is our weekly evening gravel ride and that varies from 1 when it is slashing down mid winter to about 15 maximum. Probably about 25 people could be classed as frequent participants. Many members are riding on a weekend but doing their own thing including Audaxes. The time trials just about hang on but we are losing courses to road works that seem to drag on longer nowadays or to the 20mph limit in the Welsh part of the Wye valley. Mid week rides rarely happen as most of us are still working and at the other end we have one under 18 who does nothing but time trials.
I blame the interent! You don't need a club to find some mates to ride with nowadays.
Looking at CUK from an outsiders point of view, the group rides I see are made up of people older than me at 63! Not attractive to youngsters wanting to be the next Mark Cavendish.

[Carlton green]

It looks to me as if the conversation above is mirror cycling in many ways anyway. My club is struggling to maintain a Sunday ride. A fairly small club with about 80 members including a few non riding or family ones we probably have half of them active. The only constant is our weekly evening gravel ride and that varies from 1 when it is slashing down mid winter to about 15 maximum. Probably about 25 people could be classed as frequent participants. Many members are riding on a weekend but doing their own thing including Audaxes. The time trials just about hang on but we are losing courses to road works that seem to drag on longer nowadays or to the 20mph limit in the Welsh part of the Wye valley. Mid week rides rarely happen as most of us are still working and at the other end we have one under 18 who does nothing but time trials.
I blame the interent! You don't need a club to find some mates to ride with nowadays.
Looking at CUK from an outsiders point of view, the group rides I see are made up of people older than me at 63! Not attractive to youngsters wanting to be the next Mark Cavendish.

To my mind you’re basing your criteria of success on the wrong parameter(s) and should be looking towards how your club supports local cyclists to ride as both individuals and, when it suits them, in groups too. Leisure time can be very precious and in short supply; when I was a young father with family commitments I never lost my interest in cycling but certainly couldn’t have disappeared off for several hours leaving my Mrs as sole carer. Now I’m older there’s still much to do - time conflicts remain - and I wouldn’t want the physical challenge of a full day’s ride keeping up with fit blokes. Might I join in a couple of hours of slow riding on single chainwheel bikes that didn’t have electric assistance? Well, that’s not on offer but if there was plus a stop for coffee and cake too then it might both be irresistible and fit within my comfort zone.

One size doesn’t fit all, and never has, but cycling clubs have limited resource so what they have to offer isn’t necessarily a good match to all. At best a variety of rides is available coupled with a come when you can join us attitude, people can be - or should be able to be - part of the gang without attending every event and support local cycling in ways that suit them.

[PH]

Looking at CUK from an outsiders point of view, the group rides I see are made up of people older than me at 63! Not attractive to youngsters wanting to be the next Mark Cavendish.

When I started riding with the local CTC group, as a youngster of 40, about 25 years ago, the majority of riders were retired, or close to, and I thought the group would die out before I got to that age. It isn't what happens, it's the sort of cycling that appeals to those with more leisure time, less need for speed and an interest in where they're going (And cake) There's a couple of lifetime members, but the majority didn't start riding with the group until in their 50's or older. There seems little point trying to expand that, as it would involve duplicating what other local groups are already offering.

[fatmac]

I see vary few cyclists where I now live, (Surrey/Hants border), maybe it's the hills, (which are long & steep), or maybe it's the speed of cars, whatever, very few cycling around here.

[arnsider]

I belong to the Lancaster & South Lakes CTC group and have ridden with them for fifteen years.
If "Success" is measured by participation and fellowship, I would say we are very successful.
We have annual holidays in a variety of places, in self catering lodges, a good weekly rides program and xmas socials and dinners.
We have a well established committee and a website featuring upcoming rides and socials.
The fact that active CTC groups are predominately retired people is a no brainer. They have the time and the finance to get out regularly and are not building careers, familys or paying down mortgages. They also come from a generation that was used to self starts. In my teens, I regularly rode solo out into the North Somerset countryside on Saturdays and Sundays. Ours was an age of freedom and exploration, wheras todays youngsters seem to want to be led by the nose and there are plenty of rule bound know alls ready to get them in line.
I regularly ride solo and my group riding is not confined to CTC. The U3A has cycling groups, so do other outdoor clubs.
On our local rides, we regularly bump into Kendal Cycling Club who quite big and are not associated with CTC and South of us is a Hot Bed of road clubs covering the Fylde and Ribble Valley so CTC does not have the monopoly of cyclists by any means.