The Rebrand is Essential to our Future

Discussion of the re-branding of CTC as Cycling UK.
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roubaixtuesday
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The Rebrand is Essential to our Future

Post by roubaixtuesday »

A thread specifically for what you think is good about the rebrand.

Positive comments only here please. There are plenty of other threads for complaints!

Here’s one to get started:

The current title of the club promotes one aspect of what it does over everything else and is entirely anonymous those outside the club. The rebrand brings a great opportunity for cyclists to enhance our voice in an environment which often feels hostile to us.
Bicycler
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Re: The Rebrand is Essential to our Future

Post by Bicycler »

I thought the existing brand name "CTC - The National Cycling Charity" was quite clear actually. The words Cyclists' Touring Club have been verboten for a long time. I'm dubious as to whether the difference between the remits of Cycling UK and British Cycling is any clearer to people outside the club.

Okay, ahem, positive thoughts. Well it probably will help to shake off the beards and sandals image in enthusiast circles and we might benefit in public awareness through the confusion with British Cycling. People at the CTC seem to be saying the right things and seem to be taking an interest in member groups. There is talk of celebrating the club's heritage which had seemed more of an embarrassment to be discouraged for much of the last decade. Lastly, if the branding plays well with the professional charity types at the CTC it will probably play well with the professional grant giving types in officialdom, so might mean more money for the club to do good with.
Last edited by Bicycler on 6 Apr 2016, 1:08pm, edited 2 times in total.
Labrat
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Re: The Rebrand is Essential to our Future

Post by Labrat »

The view amongst many within the off-road cycling community for many years Is that the CTC never took it seriously, it was not a 'core interest' to an organisation that was largely constituted of touring, transport and utility cyclists, and there has been widespread reluctance to join or campaign under the CTC banner for those reasons.

CTC was poorly recognised and understood outside the cycling community, especially discussing with statutory bodies, access forums etc. And amongst the bike trade its members were largely viewed as a pain in the buttock rather than potential customers or campaigners.

I think that the rebrand will most definitely, as Paul said, allow CyclingUK to dominate the centre ground, and better identify with and represent the vast majority of cyclists and their interests.

As someone who has been an off-road campaigner for many years, I am genuinely excited about the way forward.
Bicycler
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Re: The Rebrand is Essential to our Future

Post by Bicycler »

Whilst I share Labrat's desire for an effective CTC presence in off road matters, I don't think the name change hints at any such presence. The CTC was never short of words claiming to represent all cyclists, it just never took much action in off road matters.

If somebody is aware of a change of Cycling UK campaigning policy accompanying this rebrand it would be a very helpful thing to share on this forum. Until then I'm going to assume a continuation of the existing campaigning priorities.

There is also the added potential confusion in that (as a statutory consultee) lots of communication in rights of way matters will continue to refer to it by its official name of the Cyclists' Touring Club. It might not be readily apparent to all that CTC and CUK are one and the same.
Last edited by Bicycler on 6 Apr 2016, 12:33pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: The Rebrand is Essential to our Future

Post by al_yrpal »

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Labrat
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Re: The Rebrand is Essential to our Future

Post by Labrat »

Bicycler wrote:Whilst I share Labrat's desire for an effective CTC presence in off road matters, I don't think the name change hints at any such presence. The CTC was never short of words claiming to represent all cyclists, it just never took much action in off road matters.

If somebody is aware of a change of Cycling UK campaigning policy accompanying this rebrand it would be a very helpful thing to share on this forum. Until then I'm going to assume a continuation of the existing campaigning priorities.

There is also the added potential confusion in that (as a statutory consultee) lots of communication in rights of way matters will continue to refer to it by its official name of the Cyclists' Touring Club. It might not be readily apparent to all that CTC and CUK are one and the same.


I think much of that will come in time.

While I agree that the desire was there in the past, and effort was put in (years af amazing work by Colin Palmer, then later on resources in the form of David Harmon as a part time off-road officer, then subsequently Ian and Richard) I feel that the CTC name (including the 'baggage of its perceived focus and character that was tied in with this) actively prevented buy-in from those sectors of the cycling community - a self replicating problem.

Admittedly, I do think that a real 'vision' for the future of off-road within the organisation has been lacking. I hope this will come soon out of the rebrand.
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Mick F
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Re: The Rebrand is Essential to our Future

Post by Mick F »

BrianFox wrote:Positive comments only here please.
Looks like I have have no comments to offer then. :lol:

I'm out.
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Re: The Rebrand is Essential to our Future

Post by Bigdummysteve »

It could be an exciting opportunity to set up a club for people who like to travel,tour and do other similar things on bicycles. A good name would be CLUB for TOURING CYCLISTS, it could catch on with those who like this little understood niche form of cycling.
roubaixtuesday
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Re: The Rebrand is Essential to our Future

Post by roubaixtuesday »

C'mon people, as per my original post, there are *loads* of other threads to moan on.

If you really can't find anything good to say, it might be worth asking yourself if you are being just a teensy bit close minded?

Also whether you're being a bit rude, having been asked very politely to be positive here!

thank you.
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Mick F
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Re: The Rebrand is Essential to our Future

Post by Mick F »

Closed minded?
Speaking for myself, no I'm not at all.

I didn't want to convert to a charity and I don't want a name change.
I voted NO to convert and I haven't been given the chance to vote NO to a name change.

As I said, I'm out.
I won't be renewing my membership. Not that any of us have been members for a while since we converted to a charity.
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loch eck steve
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Re: The Rebrand is Essential to our Future

Post by loch eck steve »

Mick F wrote:Closed minded?
Speaking for myself, no I'm not at all.

I didn't want to convert to a charity and I don't want a name change.
I voted NO to convert and I haven't been given the chance to vote NO to a name change.

As I said, I'm out.
I won't be renewing my membership. Not that any of us have been members for a while since we converted to a charity.

+1
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mjr
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Re: The Rebrand is Essential to our Future

Post by mjr »

The rebrand finally makes it clear that CTC hasn't been merely forgetting to credit partner organisations during campaign work and events due to cock-ups and it really is a conspiracy to attempt a landgrab of all cycling, encourage other more democratic/do-ocratic groups to become part of the CUK structure somehow (affiliation, most likely) and kill itself in a head-on collision with British Cycling and its sports lottery funding and media coverage.

Well, it seemed like a positive to me when I started writing that, but the final edit isn't quite so positive.
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Paulatic
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Re: The Rebrand is Essential to our Future

Post by Paulatic »

BrianFox wrote:C'mon people, as per my original post, there are *loads* of other threads to moan on.

If you really can't find anything good to say, it might be worth asking yourself if you are being just a teensy bit close minded?

Also whether you're being a bit rude, having been asked very politely to be positive here!

thank you.

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Labrat
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Re: The Rebrand is Essential to our Future

Post by Labrat »

Mick F wrote:I didn't want to convert to a charity and I don't want a name change.
I voted NO to convert and I haven't been given the chance to vote NO to a name change.


i bet you didn't vote at the last election for CTC council though, did you?
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robgul
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Re: The Rebrand is Essential to our Future

Post by robgul »

Bigdummysteve wrote:It could be an exciting opportunity to set up a club for people who like to travel,tour and do other similar things on bicycles. A good name would be CLUB for TOURING CYCLISTS, it could catch on with those who like this little understood niche form of cycling.


Well .... http://www.touringcyclistclub.org.uk may be just what you're after . . .

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