British Cycling or Cycling UK or doesn't it really matter?

[Salty seadog]

My Cycling UK membership is up just before I need it for a Fridays run. As The Fridays now accept both as a requirement for their rides is there a compelling reason to choose one over the other? They both have the Halfords discount which is usefull for sundries.......anything else worth considering?

 

[vickster]

If the politics of the two organisations isn't a consideration and the legal benefits are the same, I'd go for the cheapest. If you Google, you can usually find a BC discount code for new members

I have been a BC member, and although I still have a PI claim going through Leigh Day, I decided not to renew as the cost has gone up.
Not planning any big Halfords purchases, so I went with LCC 3rd party cover for £9.50

I know @subaqua was v unimpressed with Slater & Gordon and Leigh Day haven't been perfect for my case, but others have been more than happy with both (and hopefully you won't need the lawyers anyhow)

 

[Fab Foodie]

I think you can join CTC somehow via Tge Fridays which is cheaper....
@Flying Dodo ?

 

[mjr]

My Cycling UK membership is up just before I need it for a Fridays run. As The Fridays now accept both as a requirement for their rides is there a compelling reason to choose one over the other? They both have the Halfords discount which is usefull for sundries.......anything else worth considering?

BC force helmets on charity rides. Without getting into the the helmet debate, that forcing is enough for me to say CUK is clearly the better at present.

 

[Salty seadog]

BC force helmets on charity rides. Without getting into the the helmet debate, that forcing is enough for me to say CUK is clearly the better at present.

ok, my first year was with cycling uk and it'll be easier to stay with.

cheers.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

You can join as a member of an affiliate club which is £24 pa as against £43 pa for full CUK membership. But it may or may not mean you forego some or all of the other benefits of CUK membership. This has been the subject of some quite long discussions, but I can't remember the outcome.
http://fridaynightridetothecoast.blogspot.co.uk/p/like-our-rides-join-fridays.html

Confused the heck out of me to read that the CUK insurance obtained by affiliate membership is not adequate for Audax UK. Should just renew my badly lapsed Audax UK membership rather than doing pay-as-you-go.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Confused the heck out of me to read that the CUK insurance obtained by affiliate membership is not adequate for Audax UK. Should just renew my badly lapsed Audax UK membership rather than doing pay-as-you-go.

Nope. Not going mad...

Audax UK... "Membership of a Cycling UK (CTC) affiliated club or group does not provide insurance cover you must have an individual or family Cycling UK( CTC) Membership"

-vs-
T'Fridays.

"Cycling UK Benefits as an AFFILIATE Member:
1£10m third party insurance for all your cycling, this includes commuting, leisure, charity rides and sportives. This insurance covers all your rides except mass start racing

 

[Drago]

Cycling UK, just to annoy Phlip Benstead. And because they do half price membership for carers, which BC don't.

 

[srw]

Nope. Not going mad...

Audax UK... "Membership of a Cycling UK (CTC) affiliated club or group does not provide insurance cover you must have an individual or family Cycling UK( CTC) Membership"

-vs-
T'Fridays.

"Cycling UK Benefits as an AFFILIATE Member:
1£10m third party insurance for all your cycling, this includes commuting, leisure, charity rides and sportives. This insurance covers all your rides except mass start racing

Reads like the difference between being a member of an affiliated club (no insurance) vs being an affiliate member in your own right (insurance).

But then what do two people with mumble years of insurance management between them know?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Reads like the difference between being a member of an affiliated club (no insurance) vs being an affiliate member in your own right (insurance).

But then what do two people with mumble years of insurance management between them know?

Personal lines. For losers.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Reads like the difference between being a member of an affiliated club (no insurance) vs being an affiliate member in your own right (insurance).

But then what do two people with mumble years of insurance management between them know?

Can one be an affiliate member in you own right? sfaik you have to join via a club or group and quote the magic number.

 

[srw]

Can one be an affiliate member in you own right? sfaik you have to join via a club or group and quote the magic number.

You're still a member of CUK and have their insurance.

Being a member of an affiliated club (£2 sub to the club) is a condition precedent on being eligible to pay extra to CUK and becoming an affiliate of that organisation.

If in doubt, ask AUK.

 

[User33236]

Sign up as an Accredited Marshal and get BC Ride Membership for £14.

 

[mjr]

You're still a member of CUK and have their insurance.

Being a member of an affiliated club (£2 sub to the club) is a condition precedent on being eligible to pay extra to CUK and becoming an affiliate of that organisation.

If in doubt, ask AUK.

Just so. There are a few wrinkles in CUK's insurances (for example, ride organisers aren't covered to do basic Dr Bike stuff, some non-member limit on affiliated group rides which I can never remember exactly and the branded travel insurance is shoot) but you can use it to do Audax as long as you pay your subs to an affiliated club as well as the affiliate fee to CUK.

 

[srw]

Nope. Not going mad...

Audax UK... "Membership of a Cycling UK (CTC) affiliated club or group does not provide insurance cover you must have an individual or family Cycling UK( CTC) Membership"

-vs-
T'Fridays.

"Cycling UK Benefits as an AFFILIATE Member:
1£10m third party insurance for all your cycling, this includes commuting, leisure, charity rides and sportives. This insurance covers all your rides except mass start racing

Notwithstanding everything I've said so far (all of which is, I think, correct), poking around on the AUK website suggests that it's all irrelevant.

9.2 AUK events are open to all cyclists, with the following provisos:
9.2.1 Non-members may be required to obtain temporary membership of AUK for the duration of the event.
9.5 Insurance
9.5.1 All riders must have 3rd party liability insurance cover for the duration of an event.
(a) All AUK members, including temporary members, who are normally resident in the UK, are provided with private 3rd party insurance while participating in AUK registered events.
(b) Non-UK residents must arrange suitable insurance cover.

http://www.aukweb.net/official/aukregs/

Note that non-members can ride AUK's events. However, a surcharge of £2.00 per event is levied, to provide temporary membership for the duration of the ride.

http://www.aukweb.net/enroll/

So in order to ride an AUK event you need to be a member, permanent or temporary. (I suspect that "may" in 9.2.1 is rarely actually a "may"!) That in turn buys your insurance while you're riding. Presumably there have been enough arguments over the years about other insurance providers that it's simpler just to insist all riders have the same coverage.

But that insurance isn't hugely useful. It only covers you while you're actually taking part in an event: http://www.aukweb.net/official/insurance/