Touring Cyclist Club

[Blue Hills]

And do these colours remind you of anything?

thanks mighty blue one (trust youbare well), am clearly out of touch, used to be a member in my period out of london. Don't like it, looks like they have had the consultants in.

 

[Shaun]

This is a bit reminiscent of something as well.

I knew I'd seen it somewhere before ...

 

[robgul]

UPDATE

7 days on from the first announcement about the Touring Cyclist Club and response, interest and feedback has been huge.

We have today created a new section on the website "Updates" that does just that - with more about the background and initial plan, together with all the comments received to date. Just go to http://www.touringcyclistclub.org.uk and click UPDATES in the top line menu.

If you've not been to the site yet - please do, and use the "I'm interested" and/or "MY ideas" forms to have your say - we also have a discussion Forum.

Rob & Dennis

 

[robgul]

Touring Cyclist Club - a progress report is in the UPDATES at www.touringcyclistclub.org.uk
The website has received over 6,000 hits, over 100 applications to join the Forum, 184 "I'm interested" responses and 63 "My ideas" responses - and a lot of messages from cycle tourists welcoming the Touring Cyclist Club project.
We have :
- created the initial structure for the website content
- created the structure for the Forum
- investigated a membership format
- entered negotiations for a member's insurance product
.. and we're asking for interested people to join a steering group to drive it all forward.
We're hoping to have much more fleshed out by early May.
Please take a look at the website at www.touringcyclistclub.org.uk - and send your expression of interest, ideas or content for the club's resources.

Rob

 

[PaulSB]

I'm an ex CTC member and have expressed interest in this though to be honest I haven't a clue what much of the conversation is about in this thread.

I left CTC because my only reason to be a member had become the insurance. I found CTC provided me with nothing other than a very poorly written and outdated magazine, a forum populated by some very unpleasant people who revelled in tearing chunks off people like me and a supposed route resource I never managed to understand.

Basically CTC was stuck in the 1950s and what I perceived as my own lack of knowledge and experience made me feel intimidated and unwelcome in the organisation - the opposite of Cyclechat I should say.

I'd like to make two comments and these will seem negative but that is not my intention. My fear for the plans is this is public at a far too early stage.

I understand you wish to consult with others over how progress should be made. You've grabbed my attention, sent me to a web site and shown me what? Nothing I'm afraid. This I feel is a mistake, at some point you are going to have to grab my attention again plus overcoming my feeling there's nothing to see. This starts at the point I finished with CTC because I was offered nothing.

I feel it's also important not to over egg things. It was posted there had been "hundreds of responses" but looking at the numbers above its 347 and I'd guess probably less as many will have effectively said yes to more than one point.

I wish you lots of luck and hope it's a success. Please remember there will be thousands of cyclists like me who don't understand or care about the CTC politicking - it's simply irrelevant. If you have a good and exciting alternative put up the offer and let the potential user decide. the new idea will disappear in a cloud of "coming soon" if there is nothing to see. It's like the links at the top of this forum, click and there's nothing to be seen so I stopped clicking

 

[Racing roadkill]

I'm an ex CTC member and have expressed interest in this though to be honest I haven't a clue what much of the conversation is about in this thread.

I left CTC because my only reason to be a member had become the insurance. I found CTC provided me with nothing other than a very poorly written and outdated magazine, a forum populated by some very unpleasant people who revelled in tearing chunks off people like me and a supposed route resource I never managed to understand.

Basically CTC was stuck in the 1950s and what I perceived as my own lack of knowledge and experience made me feel intimidated and unwelcome in the organisation - the opposite of Cyclechat I should say.

I'd like to make two comments and these will seem negative but that is not my intention. My fear for the plans is this is public at a far too early stage.

I understand you wish to consult with others over how progress should be made. You've grabbed my attention, sent me to a web site and shown me what? Nothing I'm afraid. This I feel is a mistake, at some point you are going to have to grab my attention again plus overcoming my feeling there's nothing to see. This starts at the point I finished with CTC because I was offered nothing.

I feel it's also important not to over egg things. It was posted there had been "hundreds of responses" but looking at the numbers above its 347 and I'd guess probably less as many will have effectively said yes to more than one point.

I wish you lots of luck and hope it's a success. Please remember there will be thousands of cyclists like me who don't understand or care about the CTC politicking - it's simply irrelevant. If you have a good and exciting alternative put up the offer and let the potential user decide. the new idea will disappear in a cloud of "coming soon" if there is nothing to see. It's like the links at the top of this forum, click and there's nothing to be seen so I stopped clicking

CTC does seem a bit antiquated in many ways.

 

[robgul]

I'm an ex CTC member and have expressed interest in this though to be honest I haven't a clue what much of the conversation is about in this thread.

I left CTC because my only reason to be a member had become the insurance. I found CTC provided me with nothing other than a very poorly written and outdated magazine, a forum populated by some very unpleasant people who revelled in tearing chunks off people like me and a supposed route resource I never managed to understand.

Basically CTC was stuck in the 1950s and what I perceived as my own lack of knowledge and experience made me feel intimidated and unwelcome in the organisation - the opposite of Cyclechat I should say.

I'd like to make two comments and these will seem negative but that is not my intention. My fear for the plans is this is public at a far too early stage.

I understand you wish to consult with others over how progress should be made. You've grabbed my attention, sent me to a web site and shown me what? Nothing I'm afraid. This I feel is a mistake, at some point you are going to have to grab my attention again plus overcoming my feeling there's nothing to see. This starts at the point I finished with CTC because I was offered nothing.

I feel it's also important not to over egg things. It was posted there had been "hundreds of responses" but looking at the numbers above its 347 and I'd guess probably less as many will have effectively said yes to more than one point.

I wish you lots of luck and hope it's a success. Please remember there will be thousands of cyclists like me who don't understand or care about the CTC politicking - it's simply irrelevant. If you have a good and exciting alternative put up the offer and let the potential user decide. the new idea will disappear in a cloud of "coming soon" if there is nothing to see. It's like the links at the top of this forum, click and there's nothing to be seen so I stopped clicking

Your comments about CTC pretty much reflect what we thought before kicking off the initiative ...of the comments we have had ( and that is from, now, over 350 separate individuals with a big rush in the last 4 days) also echo your thoughts .... some even more vehemently than you!

The point about content is understood - what we are aiming to achieve can't be done without input from touring cyclists willing to share their ideas, experiences etc to be able to index and publish that content in a usable form .... and in order to give an indication of the content we've created the structure of the website and accompanying Forum to show what WILL BE AVAILABLE ... but we're starting with a clean sheet of paper and need help from interested cyclists.

[It should be noted that the Touring Cyclist Club website and Forum will be integrated ... not separate as is the CTC Forum where as you describe all sorts of hell breaks loose ... although much of that is probably simply venting anger at CTC - which takes us full circle]

So - please do send ideas, copy, whatever to help us get going ...

Thanks

Rob

 

[PaulSB]

Rob I hope you didn't feel I was being aggressive, it wasn't my intention. I do wish you lots of luck. Thanks for the reply.

When I need some cycling info the first place I head to us Cyclechat. That's the standard to aim for.

 

[robgul]

Rob I hope you didn't feel I was being aggressive, it wasn't my intention. I do wish you lots of luck. Thanks for the reply.

When I need some cycling info the first place I head to us Cyclechat. That's the standard to aim for.

Not at all .... without getting bogged down in nostalgia what "the market" seems to want is what CTC offered until perhaps about 8 or 10 years ago but failed to keep up to date - GOOD in depth touring and technical content - and support for questions ... be they from cycle-touring newbies or old hands.

Rob

 

[robgul]

Our incoming mailbox at Touring Cyclist Club is overflowing today with "angry" "disgusted" "complete shock" "a disgrace" messages about the CTC rebrand now that Cycle mag has hit the doormats ... this message is typical (from a current CTC member):

We have been cycle touring for many years and have watched the CTC hi-jacked over recent years. The rebranding announced today was a complete shock and not something I support. Looking for a more focussed club, not a charity, dedicated to touring.

... watch this space ....

Rob

 

[Racing roadkill]

Our incoming mailbox at Touring Cyclist Club is overflowing today with "angry" "disgusted" "complete shock" "a disgrace" messages about the CTC rebrand now that Cycle mag has hit the doormats ... this message is typical (from a current CTC member):

We have been cycle touring for many years and have watched the CTC hi-jacked over recent years. The rebranding announced today was a complete shock and not something I support. Looking for a more focussed club, not a charity, dedicated to touring.

... watch this space ....

Rob

Ohh deary deary me. This is going to be very bad news for CTC. More people I deal with, when riding, are saying that they are more concerned with POWERRRRR, and CADENCE, and not so much with getting out and seeing places, stopping off for the social stuff, politics, and not worrying too much about the more 'sporty' 'technical' aspects of riding. CTC has been stuck in the past for too long, I don't think this 're-brand' is going to help them.

 

[Racing roadkill]

That's one view. Most people I ride with (I don't 'deal with' them, not sure what that means) are much more concerned with "getting out and seeing places, stopping off for the social stuff, politics, and not worrying too much about the more 'sporty' 'technical' aspects of riding" than all the British Cycling bollocks about "POWERRRRR, and CADENCE". The rebrand is a very bad idea because it distances the CTC even further from its core membership.

I've got to very 'diplomatic' when I'm on a ride, if anyone mentions one of the myriad of British Cycling 'mantras'. I'm employed by B.C. (Not my main job, but they still pay me) so regardless of my personal opinions on some of the stuff coming from their corner, I do have to tread a thin line.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I know several people who lead rides for BC and they don't come out with any of the bollocks, so it is easily achievable.

The leaders tend not to. It's when the participants start to ask about such things, we have to be sure to just tell 'em like it is.
Point them in the direction of the B.C. resources that are available for that sort of thing, if they wish to get involved in the more sporty side of things.

 

[jefmcg]

I love it! I've got RR on ignore, so it looks like TMN is just arguing with herself. I'm not going to read the ignored content, 'cause I've never not regretted doing that for RR.

(He's got me on ignore, too, so this won't bother him)

 

[Racing roadkill]

So you never say to them that it's possible to just potter about on your bike and enjoy the scenery? Is that against the BC roolz?

That's the thing, the Skyrides are about getting people out for a potter on their bikes, most people are there for exactly that, some people want to get involved in the sportier side of it. Like I said before, it's all about diplomacy, and neither putting off the social riders, or putting off the sportier riders. 'Inclusion' is the official B.C. line, that suits me.