Why dont you join the CTC? straw poll, serious question

BC member for insurance

spend a while deciding BC/CTC, but decided against CTC cos of the vehicular cycling cock. Attitudes like that are a part of the problem.

I joined the CTC for the first time this year. Thinking about getting more into touring as I get older, I’ve never been interested in racing.

I live on a National Cycle Route and regularly see more foreign tourists than UK riders. I met some guys in Oregon who thought our Sustrans routes were the model they should follow. Any organisation that gets more folks out to enjoy our landscape on a bike is worth the pound a week the membership costs.

I need to fill a flask and get out on a few runs with then local guys.

BC member, for insurance too, plus they are more competition focused.

Member of CTC for national campaigning, insurance and legal advice, and member of Tyne Valley MTB club for local trail/access development.

Which is a point, I need to renew my membership…

Why would I want to spend money and join a charity that does nothing for mountain bikers?

Many years ago CTC announced that mountain bikers no longer had access to the trails on Dartmoor. I was shortly to be holidaying there so gave them a call for more info. Nobody was able to explain this press release.

They were scare-mongering, pure and simple.

Because they’re called CTC and their tagline is ‘The National Cycle Charity’, but nothing explains what CTC actually stands for.

Cycling naTional Charity?
ChariTy (for) Cyclists?

If someone can help me here, I’ll join.

My dad was in the ctc and I used to go to the odd meeting with him (about 25 years ago when I was a teenager ). The Edinburgh chapter certainly fitted the dusty, pipe-smoking stereotype back then – IF nothing’s changed I’d have no reason to join. Just absolutely zero in common with existing members.

That said I do like pootling about on a road bike and I do own a flask or four… Hmm…

Saxonrider:
At the bottom of their homepage: Cyclists’ touring club

bails: thanks for that. Quite honestly, I can’t believe it’s hidden so far down the page. It’s not ofetn I get that far down on a page.

Anyway, it looks like now I’ll have to join.

Member of
CTC : family insurace for kids riding to school
BC : race insurance
LCC : corporate member discount for their campaigning.

All three provide insurance, CTC and LCC provide a magazine, CTC and LCC are more campaign focused.

CTC seem to be happy to stick to “vehicular cycling” and keeping riding a bike as something for beardy old men to do on main roads

I found them to be a bunch of crusty, stuck up, self important pillocks who still treat mountain biking as a passing fad and the poor bastard cousin to “proper” cycling.

Hmmm.. a few misconceptions about the CTC here. I happen to have a CTC “Cycle” magazine on my desk at the moment:

Articles include:
– bike test of Orange Gyro S and Whyte T129
– Carlton Reid rough camping his way across Iceland with his son
– mountain biking on Snowdown (with map and discussion of access rights)
– four page article on trail centres and trail building
– review of casual MTB style trail shoe
– article about using phones apps for GPS including ViewRanger versus Memory-Map
– details of new CTC Road Justice campaign[/url]

Yes, granted, there is a fair bit about touring and the gentler side of cycling too. But it’s an all-faiths organisation. That’s partly why I like it!

Cyclists’ touring club

Though now they’re a charity, they can only use 25% of member contributions to member benefits.

I’ve had a bit to do with CTC. They’ve worked with us (SingletrAction) on a couple of trailbuilding projects (Thackley and St Ives). I’ve come across Ian Warby a few times in dealing with IMBA UK and various things.

I’ve always found them great and far from the old fart / pipe smoking / fusty image mentioned in other responses. As a group we’re affiliated to them, in part because an excellent local contact (Ginny Leonard) does us a great deal on the rate and I think they are a good organisation doing, in the round, good things for riders.

At Leeds Cycle Show Ginny and crew had a small loop track set up with balance bikes etc which was cool for the little ones.

In some of my dealings with BC I’ve found them to be too commercially orientated (wanting to charge us as a volunteer organisation for stand space at the WC’s – others may not agree it should have been free but hey ho). On the other hand I’ve dealt with a local rep’ who did some really good groundwork for development at St Ives (Dan) and their commisaire chap was a great help visiting site and helping make sure we were OK for insurance to hold races at Stainburn.

IMO CTC is a bit more grass roots / less cash / less branded / less centrally funded an organisation compared to BC. BC’s had much more money and has ridden a pretty big wave associated with the Olympics and sports development. Be interesting to see if it continues. I wonder if CTC aren’t at the forefront of peoples minds as there aren’t so many liveried cars and banners etc 😉

IMBA UK always seems to have struggled and I suspect it’s in its death throes. I think it would be good if whatever was left of it teamed with CTC or BC so not all of the good work it did is lost. I say this as someone who put in time and effort with them and was always impressed with individual’s dedication and knowledge. It just doesn’t seem to have flourished, more’s the pity.

Articles include:

Likewise a quick look at the CTC Website[/url] shows:

– results of the DMR/CTC “design a pump track” competition
– ”Night riding: skills, tips and tricks for mtb riders and leaders”
– BucksMTB Family Fun MTB Day supported by Cycle Chilterns and CTC
– new CTC MTB leader courses

etc

http://www.ctc.org.uk/news/great-day-for-pump-track-ride

Been a member of (and quite involved in) the BMC for a number of years, and in that time it have evolved from an umbrella organisation for clubs into a very active pressure group for climbers and hillwalkers. Until 10 years ago people joined the BMC because they wanted the insurance, now it’s more simply because you are a climber or hill walker, and want someone to fight your corner (though the mag is excellent, the benefits are great, and the area meetings can be good fun and you get chips!)

I’ve only been in the CTC for a couple of years but it seems to be undergoing a similar process of re-invention – the name doesn’t really fit anymore, but neither does the British Mountaineering Council. I gather whenever the magazine features MTBing it gets complaints from the old guard, but this in inevitable with change. I do wish it would do more to campaign for an update to the access laws, but it’s clearly low on the list of their priorities. However I’m also a commuter, so also appreciate their road justice campaign.

I do wish it would do more to campaign for an update to the access laws, but it’s clearly low on the list of their priorities.

They do some campaigning on it:

http://www.ctc.org.uk/campaigning/themes/off-road-access

http://www.ctc.org.uk/campaigning/views-and-briefings/public-footpaths-england-wales

But yes they do have a greater focus on road safety and justice at the moment.

I’m a member of CTC for the insurance aspect. It always makes me laugh when there’s a mountain biking article in the magazine, as you can guarantee at least one letter in the following edition from some berk complaining that CTC stands for “Cyclists TOURING Club” so MTB has no rightful place! 😀

There was a recent CTC survey asking about their image and work – I suspect a more inclusive rebranding exercise will follow.

Which will no doubt get “Outraged of Tunbridge Wells” writing in to the magazine…..

CTC for lawyer support insurance if I get knocked off my bike. Don’t care for the politics but riding on the road needs cover

I think I lack balance on this, but, the CTC disgraced themselves so badly over motorbikes in bus lanes that I’ll find it hard to trust them let alone give them money.

I joined BC instead. Not that I think they’re perfect but they’re not likely to take my money and throw it into a road unsafety campaign that’ll kill cyclists, purely because they don’t like how it advantages a “competing” group.

IMBA UK always seems to have struggled and I suspect it’s in its death throes.

Pretty much is, spoke to them recently, they are more geared towards dealing with a national cycling body these days, not small disparate groups dotted around the UK. That said, they are concentrating on mainland Europe with IMBA EU.

I think the problem for Imba UK was, there already were volunteer trail builders, professional trail building companies, and Trail centres on forestry land, all established before they arrived on these shores, so what’s the point of them? They could advocate on issues such as gaining access to more land etc.

Over on mainland europe, Imba have industry sponsors, can get national and EU funding to build trails and trail centres…all the things the UK did over a decade ago…

I’ve come across Ian Warby a few times

😐

Just to say something positive – a good roadie friend had a nasty accident, thanks to the negligence of the local Council. Fortunately she had CTC insurance who’ve been very good in dealing with her claim against said Council.

Fully paid up CTC member here.

Initially I wanted the insurance cover so had a choice of putting my money behind BC or CTC I chose CTC because I don’t intend to race and they campaign for better cycling provision.

Why would I want to spend money and join a charity that does nothing for mountain bikers?

(And others saying they do nothing for MTB)
Aston Hill was supported by the CTC’s involvement. I’m sure there was plenty of politics involved in getting it all working, but Ian and the CTC’s backing helped get the club on track to keep the site open via membership, insurance etc. Would it have survived there next to the golf club w/o a large body like the CTC on side? Who knows. (PMJ to the thread?)
How about their stance on the forestry sell-off? Made no odds maybe, but they spoke out along with many of us from a forest cycling pov, have open dialogue with the FC and can help co-ordinate members on more effective campaigning.
I’m sure there’s more. And I’m sure they do more than we all achieve on here!
Edit to add – in fairness to many, maybe this shows that the CTC need to promote what they do more. That costs, but social media use can be cheap.

wow, turn my head and tons of quite sensible comments, this place does surprise me on occasion 😉 I expected the usual flaming and abuse. I guess now I’ve said thanks, thanks, abuse will follow. 😉

the orginal climbinn thread is here, its actually not anti bike at all and is shockingly quite balanced too:

bouldering

I’m just not into “officialdom” in general. “Membership” and “organisation” are words with quite negative associations for me.

I went with BC for the Halfords discount, I’m afraid to say.

Probably would’ve gone CTC otherwise.

No organisation is perfect, they need people to get involved and change them – not whinge on a forum.

jameso – I thought, and would happily admit if I’m wrong, that Aston Hill was there long before CTC became involved?

Another point – if I visit the web pages of CTC local groups, how come many of them make no mention of mountain biking?

In addition the pics shown tend to be of wierdy beardies of mature years. This of course is rich coming from a wrinkly old girl like me. 😳 Yes, this does sound judgemental but, however it’s phrased, it will sound the same.

Aston Hill was there long before CTC became involved?

Well yeah I’m sure the hill itself has been there for some time 😀

But CTC are very much involved. The Aston Hill website names CTC as a partner and they promote “CTC / Aston Hill membership packages”

http://www.rideastonhill.co.uk/about/

And CTC promote it as a CTC MTB Park:
http://www.ctc.org.uk/ctc-mtb-bike-parks/aston-hill-bike-park

if I visit the web pages of CTC local groups, how come many of them make no mention of mountain biking?

Because a lot of the local groups are run voluntarily by people with time on their hands – e.g. retirees.

My local CTC group (Tynesdie CTC)[/url] do road rides every Tuesday, but off-road rides on demand.

That doesn’t mean CTC do nothing for mountain bikes though:

http://www.ctc.org.uk/ride/ctc-mtb-bikes-mountain-biking
http://www.ctc.org.uk/campaigning/themes/off-road-access

And I didn’t join CTC to find people to shred the gnar to the max with. 😀

Why would I want to spend money and join a charity that does nothing for mountain bikers?

Google fail here – but weren’t the CTC instrumental in getting the rigth to cycle on bridleways into the legislation back in the 1960s?

Edit – it was the Countryside Act 1968

Another point – if I visit the web pages of CTC local groups, how come many of them make no mention of mountain biking?

Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t see how you can really moan about this if you don’t contribute in any form? As a member you have the right to suggest how the groups evolve – you could even volunteer yourself thus ensuring MTB gets a mention!

Google fail here – but weren’t the CTC instrumental in getting the rigth to cycle on bridleways into the legislation back in the 1960s?

Yes – at least they claim to! (footnotes at the end of this document http://www.ctc.org.uk/sites/default/files/file_public/bridleways-byways-cycle-tracksbrf.pdf)

Answer me the reverse question….

why SHOULD i join the CTC ?

why SHOULD i join the CTC ?

Insurance. Legal advice. Wiggle discount. Nice mag. Putting your money behind a national organisation that campaigns for all UK cyclists.

Well yeah I’m sure the hill itself has been there for some time

Yeah yeah. 🙂 I had a skills session with Graham Warby at Aston Hill and that has to be 15 years ago. I thought he had developed the place with permission/approval from the Forestry Commission. The CTC came along much later to implement a permit system for there and other trails.

As I said,I could be wrong but there must surely be somebody on here that knows … factually?

I decided to join one of the cycling organizations this year and ended up opting for BC, when i looked into it BC seemed to be looking to the future and CTC seemed a bit stuck in the past (my perception), so that swayed my opinion.

Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t see how you can really moan about this if you don’t contribute in any form? As a member you have the right to suggest how the groups evolve – you could even volunteer yourself thus ensuring MTB gets a mention!

Fair point! My problem is that I loathe officialdom and am not prepared to endure extra work just to tick boxes.

I don’t want to have personal responsibility for others and be placed in a situation where legal action could be taken against me as an organisor.

This of course brings us nicely to the subject of STW Forum Rides of which I’ve been on plenty as well as organised plenty. Everyone took responsibility for themselves, no signatures were needed. All informal.

Many years ago I contacted Hampshire County Council to see if I could join their Access Forum. I considered myself as having a good knowledge of Rights of Way in the County and would be an asset for mountain bikers. Sadly, I did not receive the courtesy of a reply. 😐

Well I am more likely to join the CTC than I ever was to join the BMC/MCS when I regularly rock climbed. That may not have been the answer you were looking for but your climbing buddies are deluded if they think that most climbers are members of the BMC. That would be like assuming most walkers are members of the Ramblers Association.

IIRC Aston Hill was developed by, amongst others the Warby’s, particularly Ian. At eh outset it was OK with FC but as is often the way things became trickier and relations less positive as time went on. I believe in part there were some pretty unrealistic expectations from FC of the Warby’s who were “operating” it at the time.

For quite a while (c2006/2007) it looked certain that the place would be closed. In the end Ian and the CTC managed to set up the current operating system which keeps FC happy, lets ASton Hill exist as a place to ride and allows the operators to keep going financially speaking.

I suspect you could get different shades of this story from other parties involved and if anyone can be bothered to Google it more than me then you might get a little bit more, but I think that’s the general ghist.

In nearly a decade of dealing with land managers (be they FC, local authority or other) I have always found the general pace of the organisation or system glacial (for various legitimate and illegitimate reasons), the need to box-tick unavoidable and the drain on patience almost unbearable. However, it is irrelevant once access is grnated or a trail is built, because once it’s done that’s usually it, you’re in and there’s riding there for all.

Fair enough not everyone is suited to it but I do think it makes it worthwhile supporting an organisation who has people that are prepared to plod on with this sort of thing because our riding world will be all the richer for it in the end.

I’m not trying to say everyone should do it, lots don’t have the inclination or patience for it but I don’t get the negative vibe of certain posts towards an organisation that will do it on cyclists’ behalf. Unless you’ve been a member I think you’re probably in a poor position to really criticise a group, whether it’s CTC, BC, IMBA UK or whatever. Not least because so much goes on that just can’t be got over on websites or magazines. If you’re not “within” an organisation you stand far less chance of knowing / understanding what all this is.

Thanks CM. PMJ was involved with aston hill at that time and would know too. My point was, yes

Aston Hill was there long before CTC became involved?

as CG says, been here as long as I’ve lived nearby, my point is that without the CTC’s involvement insurance and membership – needed for sites like that now – may have been more difficult or unworkable. Which came first, the CTC working with Astn Hill or IW working at the CTC and bringing them in, I don’t know. I don’t even ride at AH more than a couple of times a year so I’m no expert. But the CTC spent time on it and backed it at a time when it’s future wasn’t 100% secure.

If I was a ‘mountain biker’ only maybe I wouldn’t see much point in the CTC. But I’m not, I’m a cyclist and I ride different bikes for different things, MTB is just part of it so I appreciate and support the few groups we have that do anything for cycling. Let’s face it, it’s an uphill battle in the UK and they deserve all the support we can justify.

My problem is that I loathe officialdom and am not prepared to endure extra work just to tick boxes.

Me too : ) so even more reason to support those that are prepared to do it on our behalf. Get involved if you think the direction is a bit off, or support quietly maybe. But doing nothing achieves nothing and the walkers, equestrian groups and golf clubs etc have far more influence than we do.