Words by Andy Cook, Club President and Chairman.
Keith Wright would best be described as the consummate clubman. A true stalwart of the club, Keith was a bridge between the heyday of club cycling and the present day, embodying the very best of the old-fashioned values that matter so much in life.
Keith rode alongside the great Ray Booty — the first man to break four hours for 100 miles — during the 1960s, when Ray was stationed at RAF Hullavington and riding with the Chippenham Wheelers. Through experiences like these, Keith carried forward a proud heritage of the sport and shared it generously with others.
He was a huge influence on my own cycling journey and on many young club mates, freely passing on his knowledge and experience. Keith understood how to balance the seriousness of competition with the pure joy of riding — valuing friendship, camaraderie, and the simple pleasure of being part of a club just as much as results.
A loyal servant to the CDW, Keith won all the club trophies at various times from the late 1950s through to the 1980s. In 1978, he achieved one of his greatest sporting successes by winning the prestigious Bath Road Club 100-mile Time Trial — the blue-riband event of the time-trialling calendar. That same year, he also won a silver medal in the National 24-Hour Championship and a bronze medal in the National 12-Hour Championship, becoming the first rider to win national medals in both events in the same year.
Keith epitomised everything that was good about a true club cyclist. With his passing, we mark not only the loss of a friend and mentor, but the passing of an era.