So does this mean that cycling clubs still hold the key for access to organised group riding?
My club with a lot of members upset a lot of people last year, with the effect that membership is now down on last years numbers.
We have regular Saturday morning rides of different distances and speeds to accommodate all members there are 4 routes done in rotation weekly, I for one am not a fan of these routes as they are roads I ride a lot anyway.
A few members started posting alternative Saturday rides on the club facebook group, these were popular with riders, but non members were riding, this was OK with everybody on the ride, but the club officials sad it was wrong, if posted on a club facebook group they said it was only open to club members as this would cause problems with BCF insurance if there was an accident/incident, so they banned members posting alternative rides, this to me seemed wrong, all we are doing is trying to enjoy riding our bikes and who gives a thought to BCF when heading out the door.
The result was several good members left the club.
A Strava group was created called Cycling Not Politics where people post rides.
Rides are also organised through friends on Facebook.
All because BCF advised that non members shouldn't be allowed on rides advertised in a BCF affiliated club Facebook Club page.
The very restrictive swear filter on here would crash if was to type what I thought of BCF and the club officials who worship it.