Welcome to 2024
The days are slowly getting longer but the new year seem to have begun much as the old one ended – under water. Even so an impressive number of hardy souls are still venturing out on leisure and challenge rides. These conditions bring new hazards, and we may require a new trophy at the forthcoming Awards and Social Evening (details below): ‘The Wet Foot Award’, for those members most frequently sent ahead to test the fordability of the larger bodies of water. Over the coming weeks, there will inevitably be an increased number of immersion related ailments, to both bikes and bodies.
Fortunately, the new programme of Club-night talks should go some way to addressing that, with wide-ranging topics including Gary Harris, giving us expert advice on roadside maintenance and your editor offering tips on ensuring that your cycling makes you healthy rather than merely knackered.
Whilst it is great to see so many braving the conditions it does bring new hazards, so enjoy your riding but stay safe.
Forthcoming event highlights
- Wednesday 17th January – Club Night: Review of 2023 in Film and Photo.
- Sunday 21st January – 50km Audax.
- Saturday 17th February – Annual Club Dinner and Awards.
- Sunday 3rd March – Fletchers Flapjack 100km Audax.
- Wednesday 27th March – Jack Nunn 10-mile Time Trial series start.
- Friday 29th March – Good Friday Easter Classic, Castle Combe.
Read on for further details of all these events…
Social events
Annual Dinner, Awards and Disco: SAT 17th February
We are delighted to return to the Angel Hotel, Chippenham for our 2024 Club Dinner Social and Awards night. Saturday 17th February. 6:30pm arrival for 7:00pm sit down for food.
There will be a hot two course buffet to suit all dietary requirements, awards for both the competitive and non- competitive 2023 season, games, a raffle with great prizes with proceeds going to the Wheelers charity “Doorway”. Disco will be provided by the Clubs favourite DJ Jay from Eventimate!
Tickets are on sale via RiderHQ and are this year subsidised by the club, reducing the ticket price to just £29 per person. Click the link to book your tickets.
https://www.riderhq.com/events/p/ooe826ag/f/2024-awards-and-social-evening
Come along and spend a great evening with your club mates, family and friends. For more details, see the event poster, attached, visit https://www.chippenhamwheelers.org/events/2024-club-dinner/ or just book your tickets via the RiderHQ link above.
Monthly Club Night
We have re-introduce our club nights at the Sports Club monthly, keeping to the regular slot of the third week of each month. The first of which will be Wednesday 17th January from 7pm in the Bowls Pavilion. This is great chance to come along and meet some of your other club mates, have a chat over a cuppa and cake, discuss and plan upcoming rides etc. and we will be also trying to put on an activity of interest for each month.
January 17th: Review of the Year 2023 in Film and Photo.
A look back on our cycling and non-cycling activities from the past year in film and photo. You could be one of the stars of the show, so come along and see if you appear on screen. Show will start at 7:30pm
February 21st: Roadside Maintenance Talk by Gary Harris from Gary Harris Cycles, Bristol.
Have you ever been stuck by the roadside with a mechanical you can’t fix or ‘think you can’t fix’… Well, come along to this talk by Gary Harris for a fun interactive evening of finding those little tricks to fixing all those roadside problems with your bike.
Gary Harris has worked with bikes for over 30 years and is described as one of the best bike mechanics in Bristol. His background is in frame building and is experienced with all types of cycles, with a great knowledge of the history of the cycling industry which allows him to repair and service some of the more obscure components that many mechanics wouldn’t even recognise. He can often be found supporting sportives and ironman events, helping with repairs and mechanical issues so the competitors can finish the course.
March 20th: Talk on Time-Trialling by Paul Winchcombe
Thinking about starting Time-Trialling or already a regular rider, there will be something of interest for everyone in this insight into time trial racing in 2024. From how to get started and what you need as a novice rider to the events available locally and nationally for the more experienced regular time trialists. What trophies the club has for racing and information on how to compete for these.
April 17th: Exercise is Good for You!
Dr Jamie Brosch offers his personal take on how to ensure that your cycling boosts your health and well-being and doesn’t grind you down.
2023 Skittles Champions – Team “58”
Thanks to everyone who came along to our Skittles Night on 17th November. It was lovely to see all parts of our club represented across the 6 teams and everyone enjoying themselves. The racing side of the club clearly had the competitive edge, with both time trial teams ending up in the Grand Final, where Team “58” battled it out against Team “No Pins”. At the end of the final scores were tied at 38 apiece, so it went to a nail-biting play-off between the two best players from each team. Team “58” emerged victorious, thanks to the bowling skills of Mike Griffin, who also picked up the prize for highest individual score on the night. Festive prizes were also awarded to our junior competitors and for their help with the sticking-up. Full news item with winning team photo here: https://www.chippenhamwheelers.org/skittles-champions-2023/
Good Friday Easter Classic Racing at Castle Combe
A day of cycle races for all ages and abilities at Castle Combe on Good Friday March 29th 2024. Races throughout the day for ALL categories of competitors starting in the morning with the Youth races for Under 8, 10, 12, 14 & 16. Separate 3rd and 4th Cat races along with National Elite Men’s and Women’s races in the afternoon.
Help required for various tasks:
- Gear checking – in the morning for youth riders.
- Marshalling the Pit lane for U8 and U10 youth races at the end of Pit Lane and in the Pit Lane crossing points.
- Signing on/registration.
- General setting up – Crowd control barriers, feather flags, PA system.
- Breaking down at the end of the day.
Offers of help please to Andy Cook – 07811 156141, andy@andycookcycling.com.
Time Trails
As the 2024 Open and Club Events have now been published it is hoped that our time trialists are getting ready for the season.
- The first of the Wednesday evening time trials begin on 27th March with a Jack Nunn 10-mile time trial. First rider off at 1830 hrs.
- The first District Open Time Trial is on Sunday 18th February with Severn Road Club on U17/25 and it is also the first of the HardRider Events in West District.
- The first club Open Time Trial Championship event is on Sunday 25th February with the Bath Cycling Club U32R hilly over the Mere climb.
- The first Open Event arranged by the club this year is on Sunday 3rd March being organised by David English who will need helpers.
- Not to be missed is the first short course “Come and Try It” (CATI) event on Wednesday 10th April on UC867 (Sutton Benger to Seagry via Dauntsey and Great Somerford).
So, a lot of firsts for the beginning of the year. All details are on the club website. All riders are reminded that front and rear lights and hard-shell helmets are mandatory.
Leisure Rides
Following a successful series of rides over the Christmas period, we now move into the New Year with a comprehensive selection of rides to be enjoyed. January’s calendar is full and of course includes the first of the Club Audax series.
As the weather is likely to be on the poorer side during this month, shorter routes have been selected but hopefully there is something to entice those willing to get out.
We are looking forward to the more clement months and considering the more challenging routes for 2024. The aim is to have a selection of challenge routes (at least one per month) put into the Club Calendar so you may include these in your own ride challenges for the year. Keep checking the calendar to see what has been updated and if you have suggestions for routes which you would like to see included, please let us know at leisureride@chippenhamwheelers.org.
Club Audax series 2024
The popular club Audax series kicks off with our 50km ride on Sunday 21st January. Our cake bakers are already warming up their ovens! The route and entry details will be posted in the club calendar 1-2 weeks before. Full details on the 2024 Audax series can be found here https://www.chippenhamwheelers.org/club-activities/audax-series/
Fletcher’s Fapjack Open Audax – Sunday 3rd March
Our ever popular “go home heavier than you came” 100km Open Audax is filling up fast, so if you want to ride then please enter soon to avoid disappointment. Or better still, get a free entry by volunteering to ride and help out on the day of the event. Sheni needs around 25 helpers on the day to look after the expected 120+ riders. Or you can even get a free place in return for a home-baked cake! Entry details are available through this link Fletcher’s Flapjack. Note we are fast approaching 100 entries already and will have to close entries when we reach our limit. This helps to keep the event manageable for our cake bakers and volunteers. Sorry, but we can’t accept entries on the day, so please book your place ASAP if you want to ride.
Off-Road/MTB/Gravel Rides
Thanks to those who responded to our survey in the last newsletter, which confirms there’s interest in arranging more off-road/gravel rides including multi-day adventures. It would be good to know who else is interested in this type of riding so we’re extending the survey a little longer for those who missed it previously. It’ll only take a few minutes to complete using the link below.
We will contact all respondents to kick-off some ride planning for the Spring and Summer once we’ve closed the survey. Click here to complete the Off-road Survey form.
Club committee
Thanks to all who attended the AGM in November. We had good interaction while proceeding through the agenda and the slot from Darren Armstrong on the Sports and Social Club governance and future was well received.
The motion to align club membership year with 1st April was passed and we are in the process of making the necessary changes to RiderHQ to implement this. If you see new memberships or renewals that are less than 12 months and aligned to 1st April, it will be part of this change.
Draft AGM minutes can be found under https://www.chippenhamwheelers.org/about-us/committee/ along with recent monthly committee meeting minutes.
Etiquette and Safety
Many of our roads still have surface water and floods. Appetite for fording these varies but do remember that there may be hidden obstacles, particularly large potholes. Water is often shallowest centrally at the ‘crown’ of the road and ‘taking the road’ like this reduces the risk of a vehicle passing you in either direction with an associated bow wave.
We now have the added frisson of icy patches. Stay safe!
Insurance – Important reminders
Following some questions regarding insurance coverage provided by the club at the AGM we thought it would be useful to remind everyone of what the club’s insurance does and does not cover.
WHAT DOES THE CLUB INSURANCE COVER?
Through the club’s affiliation with British Cycling (BC), the club is covered by a level of insurance. Events promoted by the club and approved by the committee are covered by this insurance, and are publicised via the calendar on our web site. This insurance covers the club, club officials, ride leaders and marshals in the event of an insurance claim by a member of the public or indeed another rider.
WHAT COVER SHOULD RIDERS HAVE?
A member taking part in a club event is not themselves covered against 3rd party claims by the club insurance. It is highly recommended that riding members obtain their own 3rd party cover. This will then cover you when riding alone or with club mates. If you were to cause a car accident for example, the drivers insurance company might claim against you. Without cover you could quickly become very stuck and poor.
For information on how to obtain 3rd party and other cover, including theft cover for your bike, please read further information here https://www.chippenhamwheelers.org/club-activities/insurance/
Sports and Social Club
MEMBERSHIP CARDS AND BENEFITS – Following the presentation by Darren Armstrong, SSC Chair at our AGM we thought it would be good to remind everyone of the benefits we get as a section of the Chippenham Sports & Social Club. Your CDW membership includes membership of the SSC for which there is a membership card. We are discussing with the Sports Club as to whether we want to issue these cards in the future or just rely on lookup by name at the till. More information to follow.
Benefits include:
- Friendly, safe environment to socialise.
- Free CCTV monitored parking.
- Free use Changing and Shower facilities.
- Section Members get 50% discount for evening party room hire for private (non-section related) events.
- Cheaper Drinks – Members get drinks discounts averaging about 50p to £1.50 less per drink than non-members/visitors.
- Fantastic social facilities.
- Ability to attend all Sports club organised events and some events organised by other sections (e.g. Cricket club beer festival).
- Facility hires by club are free of charge (e.g. Bowls Pavilion for AGM and other meetings).
For other information about the Sports Club, please see a newsletter published recently. https://www.chippenhamwheelers.org/chippenham-sports-and-social-club-newsletter-1/
Club Charity
We’re pleased to report we have made a payment to our 2023 Club Charity, Doorway, totalling £465 which will support their work helping homeless and marginalised people in North Wiltshire.
The funds were raised across a number of club events last year including Fletcher’s Flapjack Audax, our Open TTs and the Skittles Night in November. This is in addition to the £550 we helped Doorway to raise directly from their Supermarket Sweep cycle ride in September and £245 raised by Martin Priestley from the Chippenham & Corsham CC Spin Classes he kindly ran last winter. When you put all that together it’s well over £1200 we have helped to raise which is a great effort by everyone involved.
Your committee discussed charity support for 2024 at the January meeting and voted to continue with Doorway due to its direct relationship with Chippenham Town.