# We have setup a new club in Basingstoke.



## ChrisHWB (20 Jan 2016)

Hello all.

We have setup a new club in Basingstoke called Hatch Warren Beggarwood Cycling. Is there anybody in this forum who wants to join us, let me know.

http://www.hatchwarrenbeggarwoodc.com/
http://www.hwbcc.org/


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## mjr (21 Jan 2016)

Not my target area but that's a blank website on my mobile. You might like to fix that.


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## Dec66 (31 Jan 2016)

mjray said:


> Not my target area but that's a blank website on my mobile. You might like to fix that.


Works on mine...


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## Fab Foodie (31 Jan 2016)

Helluva name to get on a Jersey .....

Best of luck!


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## Fab Foodie (31 Jan 2016)

ChrisHWB said:


> Hello all.
> 
> We have setup a new club in Basingstoke called Hatch Warren Beggarwood Cycling. Is there anybody in this forum who wants to join us, let me know.
> 
> http://www.hatchwarrenbeggarwoodc.com/



OK, I'm out because of this utter bolloxxz:

Our Rules
*There aren’t many rules; the main ones are that we won’t allow anyone to ride with us without a suitable helmet, which is just common sense really!*

You couldn't be more wrong and less inclusive.


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## Bollo (4 Feb 2016)

Hi Chris. Basingstoke gets a lot of jokes but the countryside around and about is a joy for cycling, especially if you like the odd incline. I worked for a few years in Viables and my bro and sis in law live just off Danebury Road, so I know the area well.

@kipster and @Over The Hill are members of Oakley Pedalers (the Oakley at the other end of pack lane), which I think has been running for a few years now. It might be worth having a chat with them if they don't mind, to see if there's anything to be learned about setting up a road club.

Helmets. Plenty of clubs mandate helmets and plenty don't. It's an emotive topic. Personally I'd drop the "common sense" line and just make a simple statement instead. Even if people disagree, they won't feel like they're being preached at.


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## Fab Foodie (4 Feb 2016)

Bollo said:


> Helmets. Plenty of clubs mandate helmets and plenty don't. It's an emotive topic. Personally I'd drop the "common sense" line and just make a simple statement instead. *Even if people disagree, they won't feel like they're being preached at*.


If they disagree they won't Join you - which would be a shame.

Is there any good reason why you mandate helmets or is it personal prejudice?


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## Bollo (4 Feb 2016)

Fab Foodie said:


> If they disagree they won't Join you - which would be a shame.
> 
> Is there any good reason why you mandate helmets or is it personal prejudice?



New member, new club and all, so I was playing nice and trying not to turn the thread into yahd. Like you say, it'll limit the appeal, but that's their choice. FWIW, the Oakley Pedalers also mandate helmets without any justification ("a helmet is essential" from their site) so it's not like HWB are out on a local limb.

Good luck with the club. Sort out your website.


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## Fab Foodie (4 Feb 2016)

Bollo said:


> New member, new club and all, so I was playing nice and trying not to turn the thread into yahd. Like you say, it'll limit the appeal, but that's their choice. FWIW, the Oakley Pedalers also mandate helmets without any justification ("a helmet is essential" from their site) so it's not like HWB are out on a local limb.
> 
> Good luck with the club. Sort out your website.


But there's the point .... *both clubs* mandate helmets based on what evidence or whose requirement? Why not be the one club that offers a bloody choice? What's wrong with that? It might make the club more broadly acceptable.


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## Bollo (4 Feb 2016)

Fab Foodie said:


> But there's the point .... *both clubs* mandate helmets based on what evidence or whose requirement? Why not be the one club that offers a bloody choice? What's wrong with that? It might make the club more broadly acceptable.


I agree, but it's not my club!


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## Fab Foodie (4 Feb 2016)

Bollo said:


> I agree, but it's not my club!


I know that! I just think their position is illogical.

This is interesting:
http://www.theguardian.com/environm...g-company-models-without-helmets-dont-hate-us


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## Over The Hill (5 Feb 2016)

ChrisHWB said:


> Hello all.
> 
> We have setup a new club in Basingstoke called Hatch Warren Beggarwood Cycling. Is there anybody in this forum who wants to join us, let me know.
> 
> http://www.hatchwarrenbeggarwoodc.com/



Hi Chris,
Good luck with the club. Oakley gets lots of riders from Basingstoke and some rides seem very well attended. They do seem to struggle to run beginners and slower rides. 
I am sure there must be enough cyclists around the area to get it going. Good luck with it.


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## ChrisHWB (18 Feb 2016)

Sorry for the lack of response. 

I suppose that the simple answer to your question \ debate on helmets, is that it's the opinion on the club Committee that our members are safer wearing helmets and as a part of our risk assessment process we decided that helmets should be worn by members on our rides. I understand that this may put off some people from joining our rides and that's unfortunate, but we are never going to be able to please everybody all the time. I've been cycling for over 20 years and know many people who have been saved by their helmets and only 2 that have been injured by them. 
Fab Foodie, sorry if this answer offends you or in fact anybody else who reads it. Any club has a responsibly for it's members safety and are also liable in the event of an accident. As a result we have a duty of care and choose to mandate what British Cycling recommends. We are not in anyway stating that you must always wear a helmet, only that you must if you wish to join us on a club ride.

Over The Hill, Bollo, Thank you for your suggestions \ comments. I'm already in contact with OP and the lady that runs the local Breeze rides. They agree with you that there is a gap in Basingstoke because none of the clubs offer a couch to 40 miles set of rides for all comers. What we are trying to do is get new people interested in the sport and offer them a friendly (all be it helmet wearing) introduction to club riding. We will in time offer a 40 mile ride but will always continue with the shorter slow events.

Bollo, The website works on my hardware. I've removed the common sense statement because I can see people's point of view on that. What else do you feel needs attention? I'm new to the Web side of this, so any helpful suggestions would be great.


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## mjr (19 Feb 2016)

ChrisHWB said:


> I understand that this may put off some people from joining our rides and that's unfortunate, but we are never going to be able to please everybody all the time.


Why can't you please everybody all the time by stating the opinion of the club committee but allowing freedom of choice like many other clubs do?



ChrisHWB said:


> I've been cycling for over 20 years and know many people who have been saved by their helmets and only 2 that have been injured by them.


That seems improbable but probably should be discussed https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/the-cyclechat-helmet-debate-thread.187059/ rather than here if desired.



ChrisHWB said:


> Any club has a responsibly for it's members safety and are also liable in the event of an accident.


Only also liable in very limited circumstances, surely? And even in the very limited crash types that helmets may mitigate, I'm pretty sure you'd not be liable for the difference if you advised helmet-wearing and a participant rejected your advice, but check with a lawyer.



ChrisHWB said:


> As a result we have a duty of care and choose to mandate what British Cycling recommends.


Where does British Cycling recommend mandatory helmets?



ChrisHWB said:


> We are not in anyway stating that you must always wear a helmet, only that you must if you wish to join us on a club ride.


Does the club have cycling events which aren't club rides that allow freedom of choice, or is there no practical difference? I can't check the website because my browser "can't find the server at www.hatchwarrenbeggarwoodc.com" today.


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## Bollo (19 Feb 2016)

ChrisHWB said:


> Sorry for the lack of response.
> 
> I suppose that the simple answer to your question \ debate on helmets, is that it's the opinion on the club Committee that our members are safer wearing helmets and as a part of our risk assessment process we decided that helmets should be worn by members on our rides. I understand that this may put off some people from joining our rides and that's unfortunate, but we are never going to be able to please everybody all the time. I've been cycling for over 20 years and know many people who have been saved by their helmets and only 2 that have been injured by them.
> Fab Foodie, sorry if this answer offends you or in fact anybody else who reads it. Any club has a responsibly for it's members safety and are also liable in the event of an accident. As a result we have a duty of care and choose to mandate what British Cycling recommends. We are not in anyway stating that you must always wear a helmet, only that you must if you wish to join us on a club ride.





ChrisHWB said:


> Sorry for the lack of response.
> Over The Hill, Bollo, Thank you for your suggestions \ comments. I'm already in contact with OP and the lady that runs the local Breeze rides. They agree with you that there is a gap in Basingstoke because none of the clubs offer a couch to 40 miles set of rides for all comers. What we are trying to do is get new people interested in the sport and offer them a friendly (all be it helmet wearing) introduction to club riding. We will in time offer a 40 mile ride but will always continue with the shorter slow events.
> 
> Bollo, The website works on my hardware. I've removed the common sense statement because I can see people's point of view on that. What else do you feel needs attention? I'm new to the Web side of this, so any helpful suggestions would be great.




Url is now http://www.hwbcc.org I think.

I'd looked at the website on an iPad and it didn't layout well - it seems to be trying to be "responsive" (pages scale and reorder content based on the target device's screen size/orientation) but still shows wider for most pages. There's absolutely no reason why you should be mandating a browser these days as long as it's reasonably up to date.

I'm assuming you're using some kind of Content Management System (CMS). If you don't want to change much, is it at least possible to use a template that is properly responsive? If not, I'd look at using one of the big three CMSs, in rough order of increasing flexibility but also complexity - Wordpress, joomla or Drupal. Most web hosting companies will set you up with a basic site for a quid or two a month and there are thousands of (tablet and phone friendly) templates to set you off. They'll allow you to concentrate on the content rather than to have to mess around learning HTML/CSS/JavaScript.


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## Shaun (19 Feb 2016)

@ChrisHWB good luck with the new club. I've updated the website address in your first post with the new / working one.

As to the helmet issue - the suggestion has been made to Chris to reconsider the club's position on enforcing helmet use and allowing members to choose, and I'm sure he will take this on board and give it some thought, but this thread isn't the place for a helmet debate.

Chris (and friends) are making a new cycling club to encourage and support more cycling - let's support them in that. 

Thanks,
Shaun


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## Citius (21 Feb 2016)

User13710 said:


> There is a misconception that British Cycling insist on helmets being worn - they don't, except for track-based riding.



Helmets are mandatory in any BC-sanctioned competitive event.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (21 Feb 2016)

If you want to make helmets mandatory carry on, it's your club. If you want to ban disc braked equipped bikes, do that too.

Good luck


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## Bollo (21 Feb 2016)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> If you want to make helmets mandatory carry on, it's your club. If you want to ban disc braked equipped bikes, do that too.
> 
> Good luck


I'd ban people called Keith.


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## livpoksoc (17 May 2016)

Helmets literal and figurative aside, great news. The Oakley guys seem a friendly bunch. Just a shame the last two times I went to join them I had a chain issue within .5m of the car park and a spoke issue 3 miles in the next time so had to abandon both. New bike now and would love to come along whenever the next intro ride is


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## mjr (17 May 2016)

livpoksoc said:


> ... I had a chain issue within .5m of the car park and a spoke issue 3 miles in the next time so had to abandon both. ...


Not the sort of club that will wait while people fix problems with their bikes, then? (My local group had someone buckle a wheel on yesterday's ride... they still completed... we're tough as nails around here... plus we have a couple of riders who are very good at fixing bikes  )


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## livpoksoc (17 May 2016)

mjray said:


> Not the sort of club that will wait while people fix problems with their bikes, then? (My local group had someone buckle a wheel on yesterday's ride... they still completed... we're tough as nails around here... plus we have a couple of riders who are very good at fixing bikes  )



Nah, tbf I didn't know the route or area at the time so couldn't make an educated guess which turn they took to get back. The second time I told them I was heading back as the spoke issue was one for the lbs who screwed up when they 'fixed' it.


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## Roadrider48 (18 May 2016)

Good luck with the club mate....


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## Winnershsaint (3 Jul 2016)

Been introduced to cycling out your way by joining a nearby club. Our social rides on Saturdays are just that 14-16 mph. No-one left behind.


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