How many Cliftonites?

[BroomWagon]

Hello everyone , just wondered, how many members does Clifton have and how does that compare over the years?
After a break from cycling there seems to be more cyclists now than there was 5 or 10 years ago. Is this just my perception or is it reflected in club membership?

Also a while ago I bumped into Mickie S and she told me she'd left the club because of the mafia type way it was being run. That doesn't seem like the Clifton I know. Does anyone have the Clifton perspective on why Mickie felt she had to go? Shame really.

[PhilBixby]

Welcome!

Rob will know better than me, but I think there are seventy-odd at the moment. The club does seem to be growing at the moment though - lots of people out on the Saturday rides and lots of new faces.

I don't know any of the old club politics really as I only joined a couple of years ago, though I'm now on t'committee. The impression I get is that the drive in the club is now coming from younger, more active riders (as in, ahem, 30's and 40's). There's a good atmosphere about the club at the moment; but that's just a personal view - maybe the changes have put off some of the long-time members.

Anyway - see you out on a Saturday or Sunday?

[Rob]

Phil is right that there are 70 odd paying members at the moment (plus a few groupies that like to bask in the glory ). This compares to 40 odd 10 years ago. Also, subjectively at least there is a much higher proportion now that actively get involved in club rides. In the past riders tended to train alone and meet up at races.

My view is that the club is very inclusive and accessible at the moment and would be interested to hear the views of others on this....

Cycling in Britain has changed substantially in the last 10 years. Road cycling is more popular, partly off the back of MTB, partly due to TV coverage, maybe other reasons also. There has also been a general move away from time trialling based on chasing fast courses and Clifton has been in the vanguard of this change. We passed a motion at an AGM several years ago to not promote (in the broad sense of the word) events on busy roads. By this we mean primarily drag-strip TTs on A1/A64 - the reasoning being safety grounds and, importantly, the image of the sport to passing motorists. This seems quite reasonable now, but 10 years ago would have been heracy! We have filled the void with many other activities and I think few other clubs promote the breadth of events that we do.

To put myself in Mickie's shoes - I can understand that she was/is very successful at racing on fast courses and at her stage of career its difficult to change. She may say that there's far more to it than that and indeed there have been other changes - there were some that disapproved of this web site!

Mickie will always be made welcome at any Clifton event.

See you out there!

[MikeG]

As someone who has only been out on a Saturday a few times and who has recently "discovered" the club via the web site I'd have to say I am very pleased (and after the horror stories I've heard about other clubs not a little relieved!) to discover how friendly and welcoming everyone has been, athough I'm not always be able to return the chat on the uphill bits Also, I've not been the only first timer or newish member on any ride so there must be a bit of an influx at the moment, which only makes it easier to get involved.

Mind you, maybe I shouldn't comment as I'm not a member, no-one has asked for any money yet!

[Rob]

Welcome aboard Mike.
There's a membership form somewhere on the site and membership is a bargain at £5 to new riders or £10 transfers. And for that you get the whole of N. Yorkshire......

R

[MikeG]

A bargain indeed!

[Arthur]

http://www.cliftoncc.org/MEMAPP.html